A Marine

[Champ_49]

I have to share this with everyone. As I was pumping fuel in my truck the guy on the other side pumping fuel noticed that I had been a Marine. Don't know how he figured that out with Semper FI sticker on my truck, and wearing a Marine hat. Anyway we exchnged Semper Fi's and what units we were in and he said I want to shake your hand and tells me thank you for my service in Vietnam. I said thank you and asked him if he had served over in Iraq. He said yes sir 2 tours in Iraq, and one tour in Afghanistan. Then he proceeds to tell me that it didn't matter because I had fought the REAL war in Vietnam. I was astounded to the fact that this Marine had fought three times for our country and he felt I fought the war. I then proceeded to tell him.......Mr. I don't care what name the war has, when someone is shooting at you and you are trying to survive, its war plain n simple. I proceeded to shake his hand and thank him for his service. He tells me I don't think I could ever fight in the jungle, and I told him yes you could because you are a Marine and you do what it takes when you are a Marine, thats what we are. To all servicemen and women, please let me thank you for your service for our country, you are doing a great job. This comes from a very humble and suprised statement from another Marine. And to him I thank you very much.

[Ozz]

Great post Dave.

[DHenry]

+1

[Captain Joe]

Semper Fi.....

[Tom S.]

Good story, but I need to correct your past-tense. "I had been a Marine" should be "I served in the Marines". Once a Marine, always a Marine! Semper Fi!

[Waynem]

I am a Marine.

Semper Fi!

[H. John Kohl]

Semper Fidelis,

[Tko]

Well said David! A MARINE is always a Marine & war will always be war. As a retired Marine I am thankful for every one serving the all Volunteer services. I had a draft card but enlisted before the lottery winners were drawn. I do carry a great respect for my Vietnam era brothers and sisters and my father (USMC RET) .

Semper Fidelis A'll Y'all
Tko

[Weldon]

If this country every gets to the point that good men & women are not willing to lay down their lives for freedom, there will be no freedom. I give thank to all people who serve. Thank You.

[CamillaMichael]

Thanks for posting, Dave.

[HOOK]

Hooah !! from an old GI, well said. Larry

[pineranch]

Thanks Dave, well said. Soooo here's a tidbit to ponder and this AF Vet agrees 100% with the author.

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), a former Army lieutenant colonel, sends THE WEEKLY STANDARD an email commenting on the Marines' video, and has given us permission to publish it.
“I have sat back and assessed the incident with the video of our Marines urinating on Taliban corpses. I do not recall any self-righteous indignation when our Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon had their bodies dragged through Mogadishu. Neither do I recall media outrage and condemnation of our Blackwater security contractors being killed, their bodies burned, and hung from a bridge in Fallujah.
“All these over-emotional pundits and armchair quarterbacks need to chill. Does anyone remember the two Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division who were beheaded and gutted in Iraq?
“The Marines were wrong. Give them a maximum punishment under field grade level Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), place a General Officer level letter of reprimand in their personnel file, and have them in full dress uniform stand before their Battalion, each personally apologize to God, Country, and Corps videotaped and conclude by singing the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter.
“As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell.”

HOORAH
Mike

[CORattler]

Dave,
There is more of the "guilt" that you described going on out there than you might think. You had a great response. Those who serve sacrifice in many ways. Some sacrifice more than others, but all serve.
Mike,
I hadn't read Rep. Allen Wests email. A good read. Thanks for posting it.

[Champ_49]

quote:Originally posted by Tom S.

Good story, but I need to correct your past-tense. "I had been a Marine" should be "I served in the Marines". Once a Marine, always a Marine! Semper Fi!

Wow, I did put it that way Tom and good catch, and you are absolutely correct. "Once a Marine Always a Marine" Thank you for the correction.

[Fire5er]

Both are great stories. Thanks to all who have served this great country of ours. I just wish the politicians would serve this country and not just take from it. I served in the transportation division of the Marines; you know it as the US Navy.

[jetenbu]

Here is a Navy vet that agrees with you guys 1000%. I was in a unit stationed in Thailand, went through Marine Corp hand to hand combat, Counter Insurgency training, had to qualify with the 45 cal. piston, M16 and 50 cal. machine gun, wore Marine fatigues, on an Air Force base in Thailand, doing a job for the Army. We lost 3 aircraft with a total of 20 men lost. Expected losses were much much higher by the authorities above. We contributed heavily to the support of the Army and Marines at Khe San and were accredited with the saving of many many lives through our efforts. We were prohibited of even discussing our mission for 30 years but recently it was declassified. We also received a Presidential Unit Citation and many of our air crewmen were inducted into the Air Crew Hall of Fame. I have always felt a kinship with the Marines having taken some of their training myself and having worn their uniforms. All I can say is Semper Fi Marines. I know from where you come! Keep up the GREAT work. I know you always will! We veterans really do appreciate you and root for you every day, every hour and every minute of or lives!