Had dinner last night with a gentleman who retired after 30 years in the Corps. Man, what great stories. I could have listened to him spin yarns for a year. We talked about my grandfather (a Devil Dog himself) and ended talking about the Evening Parade in Washington DC, which led to Arlington and a story that I will spare you but I left with a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat. Thank you once again to everyone who serves. F-ing Marines, Ooh-Rah.
In reply to pinchvalve: Ooh-F'ing-Rah!
my one grandfather spent 26 years in.. much of it as a Drill instructor at Paris island.
One of my uncles was a marine in WWII and was on Peleliu. Yes, he had some stories.
My Dad was Seabee at Iwo Jima. He told no stories.
Coming from a navy family the term "F-ing Marines" was used in a more negative context
Joking aside, I have the utmost respect for our service persons, doubly so lifers, regardless of branch.
In reply to spitfirebill:
As much as I like to give Marines crap, being in the Army, Peleliu was no joke.
There is no such thing as a ex-Marine.
What did the Marine say to the Sailor?
Thanks for the ride!
My Dad was a Marine in the Pacific at the end of WW2. He also told no stories.
I will be spending my day with some Marines as I run the 41st Annual Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday October 30. Ooh berkeleying rah!
Proudly served from 1975 to 1981.
Appleseed wrote: There is no such thing as a ex-Marine.
He's dead now, so do you still say he IS a Marine?
cwh wrote: My Dad was Seabee at Iwo Jima. He told no stories.
My father was Army at Leyte. He never told any stories about things during the war. I all know is he was Sgt and toted a Thompson SMG. He had all kinds of stories about what they did while waiting to be shipped back. It was all about hunting and fishing, which is what he did before when got drafted.
spitfirebill wrote:Appleseed wrote: There is no such thing as a ex-Marine.He's dead now, so do you still say he IS a Marine?
Yes. Unless he received permission to die from the Commandant, he still is.
Once (approx 2001) I was staying north of Pittsburgh and my hotel was hosting a reunion for some WWII Marines in a few rooms that night - great - expect noise. After 20 minutes in my room I headed down to meet them and thank them for their service. I stayed all night.
A great group of guys that told me stories and were so open to me - they told me the reunion parties used to be a week long but old age cut that down to a few evenings. A lot of them not only survived WWII but were coal miners when MSHA wasn't as strict as it is today.
The older I get the more I respect those who served. Thank you!!!
Gotta make fun of my favorite window lickers. 
Love the Marines and sometimes feel I joined the wrong branch. I've adjusted and found a position where it's more military than corporation in the branch I'm in but still have those ragrets.
I found out my Grandfather was a Marine when he was buried in his uniform, over 50 years after he last wore it. He really did not speak about it.
Appleseed wrote: There is no such thing as a ex-Marine.
I have it on good authority that there are two:
Charles Whitman, and Lee Harvey Oswald.
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