Iwo Jima

Sixty seven years ago this week the Marines landed on Iwo Jima securing the island so it could be used an an emergency airfield for crippled B-29 Superfortress's flying back to the Marianas islands.
This photo taken day 3 of the operation by Joe Rosenthal went around the world and is the most duplicated picture form WWII. The six men Ira Hayes, Mike Strank, Rene Gagnon, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, and U.S. Navy corpsman John Bradley raised the U.S. flag. Within days, three of the Marines raising the flag were killed: Strank, Block and Sousley.
This action during the war forever linked the 4th Marine Division and the 20th Air Force. Countles airman's lives were saved including my father in law by being able to divert to Iwo Jima.
Semper Fi

USMC warrior song

Semper Fi

TACAIR

Grunts getting some TACAIR support in Afghanistan.

Semper FI

On April 22 of this year Marine Cpl. Jonathan T. Yale 21, of Burkeville, Va.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; and Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, a rifleman with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment were killed in action as they refused to leave their post and continued to fire upon a suicide bombing truck containing 2000 pounds of high explosives bearing down on their check point while conducting combat operations in Balad, Iraq. Their heroic stand has been recognized, Maj. Gen. John Kelly who personally conducted the investigation into this event has recommended that the pair be awarded posthumsaly the Navy Cross for their heroic stand that day.

From The LA Times online

Some Iraqis told him they were incredulous that the two Marines had not fled.
When Marine technicians restored a damaged security camera, the images were undeniable.
While Iraqi police fled, Haerter and Yale had never flinched and never stopped firing as the Mercedes truck -- the same model used in the Beirut bombing -- sped directly toward them.

Without their steadfastness, the truck would probably have penetrated the compound before it exploded, and 50 or more Marines and Iraqis would have been killed. The incident happened in just six seconds"No time to talk it over; no time to call the lieutenant; no time to think about their own lives or even the American and Iraqi lives they were protecting," Kelly said. "More than enough time, however, to do their duty. They never hesitated or tried to escape."

Kelly nominated the two for the Navy Cross, the second-highest award for combat bravery for Marines and sailors. Even by the standards expected of Marine "grunts," their bravery was exceptional, Kelly said.

Their bravery in the face of the enemy goes to show what fine young men we have serving in the Marin Corps and our armed forces. God Bless them and their families.

10 November 1775

Happy Birthday USMC

Today is the 233 birthday of the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Corps was founded on 10 November 1775 when the Second Continental Congress ordered that two battalions of Marines be raised. Thirty-one-year-old Samuel Nicholas was commissioned to the grade of captain and began recruiting in the suitably appropriate location of Tun Tavern in Philadelphia.

Semper Fi

25 Years From Beirut, They Came In Peace

Yesterday Oct 23 was the 25th anniversary of the murder bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut Lebanon. 241 Marines, Sailors and Soldiers; lost their lives to Islamic terrorist scum. Special commemorative services were held at Camp Lejeune.

May God bless these fallen hero’s and their families and give us the strength and will to stomp out the Islamic terrorist threat around the world

Semper Fi

CPL TERRY W. ABBOTT, USMC
LCPL CLEMON S. ALEXANDER, USMC
PFC JOHN R. ALLMAN, USMC
CPL MOSES J. ARNOLD JR., USMC
PFC CHARLES K. BAILEY, USMC
LCPL NICHOLAS BAKER, USMC
LCPL JOHANSEN BANKS, USMC
LCPL RICHARD E. BARRETT, USMC
HM1 RONNY K. BATES, USN
1STSGT DAVID L. BATTLE, USMC
LCPL JAMES R. BAYNARD, USMC
HN JESSE W. BEAMON, USN
GYSGT ALVIN BELMER, USMC
PFC STEPHEN BLAND, USMC
SGT RICHARD L. BLANKENSHIP, USMC
LCPL JOHN W. BLOCKER, USMC
CAPT JOSEPH J. BOCCIA JR., USMC
CPL LEON BOHANNON JR., USMC
SSGT JOHN R. BOHNET JR., USMC
CPL JOHN J. BONK JR., USMC
LCPL JEFFREY L. BOULOS, USMC
CPL DAVID R. BOUSUM, USMC
1STLT JOHN N. BOYETT, USMC
CPL ANTHONY BROWN, USMC
LCPL DAVID W. BROWN, USMC
LCPL BOBBY S. BUCHANAN JR., USMC
CPL JOHN B. BUCKMASTER, USMC
PFC WILLIAM F. BURLEY, USMC
HN JIMMY R. CAIN, USN
CPL PAUL L. CALLAHAN, USMC
SGT MECOT E. CAMARA, USMC
PFC BRADLEY J. CAMPUS, USMC
LCPL JOHNNIE D. CEASAR, USMC
PFC MARC L. COLE, USMC
SP4 MARCUS A. COLEMAN, USA
PFC JUAN M. COMAS, USMC
SGT ROBERT A. CONLEY, USMC
CPL CHARLES D. COOK, USMC
LCPL CURTIS J. COOPER, USMC
LCPL JOHNNY L. COPELAND, USMC
CPL BERT D. CORCORAN, USMC
LCPL DAVID L. COSNER, USMC
SGT KEVIN P. COULMAN, USMC
LCPL BRETT A. CROFT, USMC
LCPL RICK R. CRUDALE, USMC
LCPL KEVIN P. CUSTARD, USMC
LCPL RUSSELL E. CYZICK, USMC
MAJ ANDREW L. DAVIS, USMC
PFC SIDNEY S. DECKER, USMC
PFC MICHAEL J. DEVLIN, USMC
LCPL THOMAS A. DIBENEDETTO, USMC
PVT NATHANIEL G. DORSEY, USMC
SGTMAJ FREDERICK B. DOUGLASS, USMC
CPL TIMOTHY J. DUNNIGAN, USMC
HN BRYAN L. EARLE, USN
MSGT ROY L. EDWARDS, USMC
HM3 WILLIAM D. ELLIOT JR., USN
LCPL JESSE ELLISON, USMC
PFC DANNY R. ESTES, USMC
PFC SEAN F. ESTLER, USMC
HM3 JAMES E. FAULK, USN
PFC RICHARD A. FLUEGEL, USMC
CPL STEVEN M. FORRESTER, USMC
HM3 WILLIAM B. FOSTER JR., USN
CPL MICHAEL D. FULCHER, USMC
LCPL BENJAMIN E. FULLER, USMC
LCPL MICHAEL S. FULTON, USMC
CPL WILLIAM GAINES JR., USMC
LCPL SEAN R. GALLAGHER, USMC
LCPL DAVID B. GANDER, USMC
LCPL GEORGE M. GANGUR, USMC
SSGT LELAND E. GANN, USMC
LCPL RANDALL J. GARCIA, USMC
SSGT RONALD J. GARCIA, USMC
LCPL DAVID D. GAY, USMC
SSGT HAROLD D. GHUMM, USMC
LCPL WARNER GIBBS JR., USMC
CPL TIMOTHY R. GIBLIN, USMC
ETC MICHAEL W. GORCHINSKI, USN
LCPL RICHARD J. GORDON, USMC
LCPL HAROLD F. GRATTON, USMC
SGT ROBERT B. GREASER, USMC
LCPL DAVIN M. GREEN, USMC
LCPL THOMAS A. HAIRSTON, USMC
SGT FREDDIE HALTIWANGER JR., USMC
LCPL VIRGIL D. HAMILTON, USMC
SGT GILBERT HANTON, USMC
LCPL WILLIAM HART, USMC
CAPT MICHAEL S. HASKELL, USMC
PFC MICHAEL A. HASTINGS, USMC
CAPT PAUL A. HEIN, USMC
LCPL DOUGLAS E. HELD, USMC
PFC MARK A. HELMS, USMC
LCPL FERRANDY D. HENDERSON, USMC
SSGT JOHN HENDRICKSON, USMC
MSGT MATILDE HERNANDEZ JR., USMC
CPL STANLEY G. HESTER, USMC
GYSGT DONALD W. HILDRETH, USMC
SSGT RICHARD H. HOLBERTON, USMC
HM3 ROBERT S. HOLLAND, USN
LCPL BRUCE A. HOLLINGSHEAD, USMC
PFC MELVIN D. HOLMES, USMC
CPL BRUCE L. HOWARD, USMC
LT JOHN R. HUDSON, USN
CPL TERRY L. HUDSON, USMC
LCPL LYNDON J. HUE, USMC
2NDLT MAURICE E. HUKILL, USMC
LCPL EDWARD F. IACOVINO JR., USMC
PFC JOHN J. INGALLS, USMC
WO1 PAUL G. INNOCENZI III, USMC
LCPL JAMES J. JACKOWSKI, USMC
LCPL JEFFREY W. JAMES, USMC
LCPL NATHANIEL W. JENKINS, USMC
HM2 MICHAEL H. JOHNSON, USN
CPL EDWARD A. JOHNSTON, USMC
LCPL STEVEN JONES, USMC
PFC THOMAS A. JULIAN, USMC
HM2 MARION E. KEES, USN
SGT THOMAS C. KEOWN, USMC
GYSGT EDWARD E. KIMM, USMC
LCPL WALTER V. KINGSLEY, USMC
SGT DANIEL S. KLUCK, USA
LCPL JAMES C. KNIPPLE, USMC
LCPL FREAS H. KREISCHER III, USMC
LCPL KEITH J. LAISE, USMC
LCPL THOMAS G. LAMB, USMC
LCPL JAMES J. LANGON IV, USMC
SGT MICHAEL S. LARIVIERE, USMC
CPL STEVEN B. LARIVIERE, USMC
MSGT RICHARD L. LEMNAH, USMC
CPL DAVID A. LEWIS, USMC
SGT VAL S. LEWIS, USMC
CPL JOSEPH R. LIVINGSTON, USMC
LCPL PAUL D. LYON JR., USMC
MAJ JOHN W. MACROGLOU, USMC
CPL SAMUEL MAITLAND, USMC
SSGT CHARLIE R. MARTIN, USMC
PFC JACK L. MARTIN, USMC
CPL DAVID S. MASSA, USMC
SGT MICHAEL R. MASSMAN, USMC
PVT JOSEPH J. MATTACCHIONE, USMC
LCPL JOHN MCCALL, USMC
SGT JAMES E. MCDONOUGH, USMC
LCPL TIMOTHY R. MCMAHON, USMC
LCPL TIMOTHY D. MCNEELY, USMC
HM2 GEORGE N. MCVICKER II, USN
PFC LOUIS MELENDEZ, USMC
SGT RICHARD H. MENKINS II, USMC
CPL MICHAEL D. MERCER, USMC
LCPL RONALD W. MEURER, USMC
HM3 JOSEPH P. MILANO, USN
CPL JOSEPH P. MOORE, USMC
LCPL RICHARD A. MORROW, USMC
LCPL JOHN F. MUFFLER, USMC
CPL ALEX MUNOZ, USMC
CPL HARRY D. MYERS, USMC
1STLT DAVID J. NAIRN, USMC
LCPL LUIS A. NAVA, USMC
CPL JOHN A. OLSON, USMC
PFC ROBERT P. OLSON, USMC
CWO3 RICHARD C. ORTIZ, USMC
PFC JEFFREY B. OWEN, USMC
CPL JOSEPH A. OWENS, USMC
CPL CONNIE RAY PAGE, USMC
LCPL ULYSSES PARKER, USMC
LCPL MARK W. PAYNE, USMC
GYSGT JOHN L. PEARSON, USMC
PFC THOMAS S. PERRON, USMC
SGT JOHN A. PHILLIPS JR., USMC
HMC GEORGE W. PIERCY, USN
1STLT CLYDE W. PLYMEL, USMC
SGT WILLIAM H. POLLARD, USMC
SGT RAFAEL I. POMALESTORRES, USMC
CPL VICTOR M. PREVATT, USMC
PFC JAMES C. PRICE, USMC
SSGT PATRICK K. PRINDEVILLE, USMC
PFC ERIC A. PULLIAM, USMC
HM3 DIOMEDES J. QUIRANTE, USN
LCPL DAVID M. RANDOLPH, USMC
GYSGT CHARLES R. RAY, USMC
PFC RUI A. RELVAS, USMC
PFC TERRENCE L. RICH, USMC
LCPL WARREN RICHARDSON, USMC
SGT JUAN C. RODRIGUEZ, USMC
LCPL LOUIS J. ROTONDO, USMC
LCPL GUILLERMO SANPEDRO JR., USMC
LCPL MICHAEL C. SAULS, USMC
1STLT CHARLES J. SCHNORF, USMC
PFC SCOTT L. SCHULTZ, USMC
CAPT PETER J. SCIALABBA, USMC
CPL GARY R. SCOTT, USMC
CPL RONALD L. SHALLO, USMC
CPL THOMAS A. SHIPP, USMC
LCPL JERRYL D. SHROPSHIRE, USMC
LCPL JAMES F. SILVIA, USMC
LCPL LARRY H. SIMPSON JR., USMC
LCPL STANLEY J. SLIWINSKI, USMC
LCPL KIRK H. SMITH, USMC
SSGT THOMAS G. SMITH, USMC
CAPT VINCENT L. SMITH, USMC
LCPL EDWARD SOARES, USMC
1STLT WILLIAM S. SOMMERHOF, USMC
LCPL MICHAEL C. SPAULDING, USMC
LCPL JOHN W. SPEARING, USMC
LCPL STEPHEN E. SPENCER, USMC
LCPL BILL J. STELPFLUG, USMC
LCPL HORACE R. STEPHENS, USMC
PFC CRAIG S. STOCKTON, USMC
LCPL JEFFREY G. STOKES, USMC
LCPL THOMAS D. STOWE, USMC
LCPL ERIC D. STURGHILL, USMC
LCPL DEVON L. SUNDAR, USMC
LT JAMES F. SURCH JR., USN
CPL DENNIS A THOMPSON, USMC
SSGT THOMAS P. THORSTAD, USMC
PFC STEPHEN D. TINGLEY, USMC
LCPL JOHN J. TISHMACK, USMC
PVT LEX D. TRAHAN, USMC
PFC DONALD H. VALLONE JR., USMC
CPL ERIC R. WALKER, USMC
CPL LEONARD W. WALKER, USMC
CPL ERIC G. WASHINGTON, USMC
CPL OBRIAN WEEKES, USMC
1STSGT TANDY W. WELLS, USMC
LCPL STEVEN B. WENTWORTH, USMC
SGT ALLEN D. WESLEY, USMC
GYSGT LLOYD D. WEST, USMC
SSGT JOHN R. WEYL, USMC
CPL BURTON D. WHERLAND JR., USMC
LCPL DWAYNE W. WIGGLESWORTH, USMC
LCPL RODNEY J. WILLIAMS, USMC
GYSGT SCIPIO WILLIAMS JR., USMC
LCPL JOHNNY A. WILLIAMSON, USMC
CAPT WALTER E. WINT JR., USMC
CAPT WILLIAM E. WINTER, USMC
CPL JOHN E. WOLFE, USMC
1STLT DONALD E. WOOLLETT, USMC
HM3 DAVID E. WORLEY, USN
PFC CRAIG L. WYCHE, USMC
SFC JAMES G. YARBER, USA
SGT JEFFREY D. YOUNG, USMC
1STLT WILLIAM A. ZIMMERMAN

Outlaws Return

I'm pleased to report that D Company (Outlaws) 2nd LAR, USMC has returned from their successful combat tour in Iraq. Delta's primary mission was to interdict smugglers in western Iraq. The Grunts returned on Thursday and I'm sure many cold ones have been consumed over this past weekend.

Semper Fi

(U.S. Marine Corps photograph by Sgt. Jason W. Fudge)

Blast From The Past M60A1 Medium Tank

Here is a decent pic of an M60A1 medium tank like I was a crewmember on while I served in the Marines. You know your getting old when the tanks you crewed on are either static displays or on the known distance ranges getting blown away.

SPECS
Weight- 60 tons
Length- 32'4"
Width- 13'6"
Height- 12'6"
Ground Clearance- 18in
Track Width- 28in
Forward speed- 30 mph
Reverse speed- 10 mph
Engine- 750 hp Continental AVDS-1790 V-12 diesel
Vertical- obstacle climb 49 in
Maximum width ditch- 108 in
Fording Depth- 48 in
Main Gun- 105mm/51cal M68 rifiled gun with 63 rounds
Coaxial machinegun- M240 - 7.62mm with 5,950 rounds
Commander's machinegun- M85 - .50 cal antiaircraft gun with 900 rounds