Comments on: Happy Birthday, Marines!

By: xformed

xformed — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:50:09 +0000

Oops…1300 combat hours for guys in UH-1s….

By: claudio

claudio — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:12:05 +0000

Read that brief earlier today at work. Can tell that theres no extraneous BS in it, just reality and need to do what they need to do. The last slide is awesome too.

Happy birthday to some true warriors.

By: xformed

xformed — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:08:37 +0000

Hey…I grabbed my phone and made sure I had it on record, in case anyone every begins giving anyone crap about being ready for a mission…:)

By: xformed

xformed — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:07:23 +0000

Good catch, but that wasn’t the point. Actually, I had brought the book along, the cover is worn, the title pages missing, the publisher and title lost to history, but it is a history of the US Navy, given to me by the neighbor of my old boss, when her father passed. He was a submariner in WWII and had served on a “fresh water submarine.” Tried to meet him before he went, and they always promised to alert me when he’d be in town. The book has some excellent “Old Navy” drawings and pictures. It goes up to WWI, but shows no combat, only mentions the defense levels and troops committed.

Don is a very humble guy, in the midst of mostly all USN/USN Green Team guys 1296 combat hours. found out years later 130 was the record for a year’s flying. The pic is his second time at breakfast with this gang. He has three shoot downs under his belt, and took all his R&R Down Under. I’m sure I’ll be hearing more stories as we get to chat more. He began as a 17 YO enlistee in the 82nd, then WO, then out, got his degree and flew in the USAF (C-141s) so to get out and fly up to the Big Iron. Retired from Delta, and loved every minute of being paid to do what he loved.

By: xformed

xformed — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:59:37 +0000

Yep…A CAPT(Ret) had his along…you know, just in case…so as not to not have at least one sword around. We got a chuckle out of it, but, as Marines are want to do, they use what’s handed to them and make it look good!

By: Just John

Just John — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:28:20 +0000

XF, I too was going to mention the sword; it certainly is no Mameluke nor does it appear to be a Marine NCO Sword. It’s still impressive that Marines everywhere continue to uphold such traditions, regardless of assets available.

Happy birthday to all my fellow Leathernecks.