They were sailing in the Gulf of Aqaba with the fleet, supporting the super carrier George H. W. Bush. They were aboard an LHD amphib with a contingent of over one thousand fleet sailors and about 1,600 Marines. Gunny Atwater was responsible for a rifle company of Marines, with usually about 80 to 100 Marines under her supervision. She had been aboard for six months now and was starting to feel as lonely as she had ever b...
I remember the barking and howling of the dogs. Not the average, neighborhood dog that barks at the mailman and has somehow gotten off of its chain, but wild, feral dogs. Never seen, only heard. Dark town and villages with no lights on anywhere; clouds in front of the moon making it so I literally cannot see my hand an inch in front of my face. The sand blowing in my nose and mouth, making breathing hard and smells imposs...
I have a great friend and his name is Tim McCravey.He joined the Marines instead of the Army or Navy.He bravely fought in the Persian Gulf War.It's people like him who Americans are thankful for.During the war, I wrote to him and he sent me twenty bucks.Anybody who has Tim for a friend, has plenty of luck.He and I were friends thirty years ago and we'e still friends today.It's very nice to know that he's patriotic to the...
It was a scorching hot day, with humidity hovering around the ninety percent mark. All of us musicians, even wearing white uniforms, were soaked through to the skin. The Norfolk Parade had not been too bad, though; the route was only about two miles, and we didn’t have to march behind the horses. We had a Marine color guard and contingent immediately behind us. Rather than calling out a cadence, the Gunnery Sergeant told...
