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Veterans check in

Veterans check in - which branch of the US military?

  • Air Force

    Votes: 24 34.8%
  • Army

    Votes: 23 33.3%
  • Coast Guard

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • Navy

    Votes: 13 18.8%
  • USMC

    Votes: 8 11.6%

  • Total voters
    69
Navy, but remember most fondly my time with the Corps. Nearly half of my service was with the Marines, first as a corpsman with a rifle company and later as a PA with an infantry regiment.

Prior to my second deployment my unit was inspected by a Major General from HQMC. Aside from boot camp and HM A school all of my time at that point had been with the Marines. I knew everything there was to know about every weapon in the company - ranges, muzzle velocities, rates of fire - and could field strip any of them. So I felt prepared to answer any question the general asked of me...except the one he asked.

"Doc," he boomed, "when is the Navy's birthday?"

I had no freakin' idea! Panic began to set in as I fixated on those two stars on his collar. Finally, inspiration struck.

"Sir!" I bellowed. "The only date that matters to me is 10 November 1775, sir!"

There was a collective gasp from my CO and 1st SGT. I thought the platoon LT was going to pass out. The general stared at me for a few seconds then burst out laughing and clapped me on the shoulder with a blow that nearly knocked me over.

"Damnit, Doc! You're alright!"
 
Navy, but remember most fondly my time with the Corps. Nearly half of my service was with the Marines, first as a corpsman with a rifle company and later as a PA with an infantry regiment.

Prior to my second deployment my unit was inspected by a Major General from HQMC. Aside from boot camp and HM A school all of my time at that point had been with the Marines. I knew everything there was to know about every weapon in the company - ranges, muzzle velocities, rates of fire - and could field strip any of them. So I felt prepared to answer any question the general asked of me...except the one he asked.

"Doc," he boomed, "when is the Navy's birthday?"

I had no freakin' idea! Panic began to set in as I fixated on those two stars on his collar. Finally, inspiration struck.

"Sir!" I bellowed. "The only date that matters to me is 10 November 1775, sir!"

There was a collective gasp from my CO and 1st SGT. I thought the platoon LT was going to pass out. The general stared at me for a few seconds then burst out laughing and clapped me on the shoulder with a blow that nearly knocked me over.

"Damnit, Doc! You're alright!"

Great story!!!!!
 
Navy, but remember most fondly my time with the Corps. Nearly half of my service was with the Marines, first as a corpsman with a rifle company and later as a PA with an infantry regiment.

Prior to my second deployment my unit was inspected by a Major General from HQMC. Aside from boot camp and HM A school all of my time at that point had been with the Marines. I knew everything there was to know about every weapon in the company - ranges, muzzle velocities, rates of fire - and could field strip any of them. So I felt prepared to answer any question the general asked of me...except the one he asked.

"Doc," he boomed, "when is the Navy's birthday?"

I had no freakin' idea! Panic began to set in as I fixated on those two stars on his collar. Finally, inspiration struck.

"Sir!" I bellowed. "The only date that matters to me is 10 November 1775, sir!"

There was a collective gasp from my CO and 1st SGT. I thought the platoon LT was going to pass out. The general stared at me for a few seconds then burst out laughing and clapped me on the shoulder with a blow that nearly knocked me over.

"Damnit, Doc! You're alright!"

:clap

Oh man, that is a great story -- and it reminded me of my first USMC birthday celebration and first IG inspection!

In 1972, the date 10 November fell on a Friday. Having missed the cutoff for Vietnam, just a few weeks earlier I had arrived at Camp Courtney, Okinawa at what was at the time HG 3rd MarDiv.

In classic fashion we all imbibed on Friday the 10th, having spent the entire week getting ready for the IG inspection on Saturday the 11th.

When the lights came on Saturday morning I was commode hugging sick, and still fairly drunk.

Somehow I made it over to the armory to check out my weapon. I don't' remember a thing about getting dressed or laying out my gear. But when the time came, I snapped to attention as a major stepped into my cubicle. My stomach was roiling and I was wobbling slightly as I stood.

He looked in my lockers and then at the 782 gear on the rack. Then stepped in front of me --

"Marine, did you enjoy your first birthday ball?"

Swaying slightly, head pounding and suppressing a belch, I croaked out "Sir, Yes SIR!"

With that he turned and left the cubicle without another word.

After we were dismissed I crashed on the rack, in my Alpha uniform, and having shoved out a space -- in between all of the gear.

When I awakened that afternoon my rifle was missing. After a few minutes of panic I went over to the armory to check and lo and behold, someone had turned it in.

I never did find out who turned my weapon back into the armory, and it was sometime on Sunday before I stopped puking up green bile. :sick

It was also the last USMC birthday where I overindulged -- to that extent. :brow

Thank you for your service. In my book the platoon Corpsman ranks higher than the general...
 
Happy Birthday, Marines

To my Marine Corps Brothers and Sisters I wish you Happy 238th Birthday and a heartfelt Semper Fidelis!

Keith A. Birkhofer
Sergeant
1965-1970
C-1/7 Chu Lai RVN 1966-1967
Marine Barracks Bremerton 1967
Marine Security Guard Saigon, RVN 1968-1970
 
Navy Seabee - NMCB 62 - Danang, S. Vietnam - Hill 55 - 1970 - CM PO2. Happy Birthday to our Marines brothers for whom we built the roads on which they arrived (he said with a smile).
 
Last edited:
Sergeant Don Stanley, United States Army, 1968-1974, 5/32nd Artillery.


So Don, I was with the 1/32d (same regimental crest and same motto: Proud Americans, of course) in Germany in the late 70s. The 1/32d was a Lance missile battalion (nuclear capable). What type weapon was your 5/32d?
 
So Don, I was with the 1/32d (same regimental crest and same motto: Proud Americans, of course) in Germany in the late 70s. The 1/32d was a Lance missile battalion (nuclear capable). What type weapon was your 5/32d?

Hello Royce, our weapon was the nuclear capable Honest John Rocket!

honest_john_800.jpg
 
I can't vote in the poll, but I have something to add.

It's Remembrance Day here in Canada on Monday. Pretty much the whole country stops to remember the fallen and those still with us. It's a pretty sacred day in my family. I think the USA should never forget we are neighbors and we love being your neighbors and have shown our own sacrifices as well.

I also think it's wonderful that you celebrate Veteran's Day with such passion. Your Veterans deserve your recognition as much as we do ours.

On a much sadder and more embarrassing note, Quebec doesn't recognize Remembrance Day and they work right through the 11th minute, on the 11th hour of the 11th day. They treat it like any other day and to hell with the rest of the country.
 
Well, I can't check any of the choices either. I tried to enlist in January of 1967 but failed the physical because of my eye sight. Shortly thereafter I was reclassified 4F. However...

My father was in the Army in WWII...21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Division and fought in the Philippines in the Mindanao campaign and then was part of the occupation of Japan until Nov 1946.

My stepfather was a B-17 pilot in the Eight Air Force, 91st Bomb Group, 322nd Squadron out of Bassingbourn, England. He flew 30 missions over Europe before rotating back home early in 1945. He had some interesting stories to tell. An interesting side note...the father of a friend of mine was a B-17 tail gunner in the same squadron as my step father (they never met, as far as we can tell) but he was shot down in late 1944 and spent the duration as a POW.

My father-in-law turned 18 on Dec 7, 1941 and enlisted in the Marines on Dec 8th (the 7th was a Sunday and the recruiting offices were closed). He stayed in until June 30, 1972 and served in WWII, Korea, and several tours in Vietnam along with several other 'actions'. In his final tour in Vietnam his C-130 was badly shot up in a re-supply mission and he was badly injured in the subsequent crash landing. He spent months recovering and was disabled for the rest of his life.

My uncle (my father's brother) was in Patton's army in 1944, was badly wounded in the Battle of the Bulge and spent several months in hospitals in France & England. The war was over before he recovered.

Another uncle was in the Army Air Corps in WWII and was in involved in The Hump operation in Burma. He stayed in the Air Force until the early 60's.

So, Veterans Day definitely has some meaning in my family.

Hats off and a big thank you to veterans everywhere.
 
Hello Royce, our weapon was the nuclear capable Honest John Rocket!

honest_john_800.jpg

Don, thx for the reply. Interesting that two battalions of the same regiment were both missile/rocket units. Wonder if the other battalions of our regiment (the 32d) were also missiles/rockets? Guess if I were a historian I would know that, eh?
 
Don, thx for the reply. Interesting that two battalions of the same regiment were both missile/rocket units. Wonder if the other battalions of our regiment (the 32d) were also missiles/rockets? Guess if I were a historian I would know that, eh?

http://unitpages.military.com/unitpages/unit.do?id=102142 Royce, 5/32 Artillery has a unit page under Military.com I'm not a member, but they may have history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/32nd_Field_Artillery_Regiment_(United_States) A full history of the 32nd Field Artillery Regiment is here on Wikipedia.
 
Honoring veterans in Bloomington IL ceremony. No one loves peace more than us veterans.
I was with the 101 st artillery in Viet Nam in 1969 and 1970.
Veterans day 2013.jpg
 
Grandfather: Sergeant of Cavalry, United States Army (10 years active); Father: LtCol, United States Air Force (26 years active); Wife: PO2, United States Navy (8 years active); Me: CWO3, United States Navy (27 years active); #1 son: MSGT, United States Air Force (21 years, still active) #2 son: MSGT, United States Air Force (16 years, still active); #1 Son-in-law, MSGT, United States Air Force (21 years active), #2 Son-in-law, MAJ, United States Army (14 years, still active). We are a military family.
 
The Big Red One

Sergeant Major, Intelligence. Served with the 1st Division (Big Red One) as well as the 3d Infantry Division, 8th Infantry Division, V (Victory) Corps, US Army, Europe, and TRADOC during my off years. Riding since I was a Private. Serving since before I was a motorcyclist.
 
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