USMC Archives
Sergeant Major Jacob Vouza
By John
Suggestion from valued reader and jarhead Marine 6: The [Daily Telegraph's] obituary (posted below) mentions Sergeant Major Jacob Vouza (not by name) who is one of the most heroic men you will ever have the chance to become acquainted with. If you don't know the Vouza story I suggest that you Google him.
An Unknown Hero
By Townie 76
While reading the Daily Telegraph on line this AM I came across this obit of a Brit who was instrumental in the USMC success at Guadalcanal. I had seen mention of the exploits of the Coast Watchers at Guadalcanal but nothing specific, this provides interesting insight to one individuals contribution.
Hero of the Day: R.Lee Ermey
By John
...of Full Metal Jacket fame. The most quoted DI in history, also hero of the working man!
When Don Luke saw a tall former Marine Corps drill instructor walk into the Wells Fargo Bank on Russell Street on Monday, a light clicked on.“He looked very familiar,” Luke said. “I watch the History Channel a ton.”
Sure enough, it was R. Lee Ermey, star of the network's “Mail Call,” with a line of movie credits that stretches back to the 1970s.
Ermey, in Missoula this week to shoot a segment for his upcoming series “Locked and Loaded,” had been driving with crew member Harlan Glenn to a Fort Missoula museum when he spotted something black lying on the blacktop.On closer examination, it turned out to be a bank deposit bag. Ermey stopped the car and picked it up.
“We look in there and - Lord have mercy,” he said.
The bag contained a pile of dough: cash and checks that looked like they were meant for deposit in an American Indian fund of some sort.
“Just on one deposit slip alone was, like, $3,700, and another one for $2,800,” Glenn said. “There was easily $8,000 in cash, and the rest in checks.”
Ermey said his first thought was: “Some poor guy, right now, is probably getting fired, probably having the worst day of his life.
“So what we did was we went right down to the Wells Fargo bank and deposited it for him.”
"Teaching Corps Values"
By Townie 76
From today's Richmond Times Dispatch;
As we Americans enjoy the blessed freedom of a summer vacation -- whether it's lying on the beach with a cool drink and a good book, or hiking in the mountains, please take just a moment to remember the young men and women who are right now struggling for the right to wear the eagle, globe, and anchor. It is sacrifices like theirs -- and the generations of Marines that have preceded them -- that enable us to enjoy our bountiful lives.
USMC Still Pretty Serious About the EFV
By John
In other news, I love the way Marine Generals talk.
As the Pentagon prepares to take a hard look at amphibious warfare requirements, Marine Corps Commandant James Conway on Wednesday asserted the need for the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle to transport Marines from ship to shore. During a roundtable with reporters at the Pentagon, Conway said he believes strongly the military needs the forcible entry capability provided by the EFV, particularly as the Navy plans to operate at least 25 miles from the shoreline."That's a 25-mile bridge that has to be managed somehow and you're not going to do it with our current set of vehicles," the four-star general said. "We think the best way to do that is with a vehicle that can do it in a couple of hours, not in a day. And that's what it would virtually take with our existing fleet" of amphibious assault vehicles.
Marines traditionally smile make do with shit hand-me-downs from their Squid overlords, so if their top brass comes out and says they're not dicking around on procuring this thing, I'm inclined to believe them.
Interesting Article on the Future of the USMC
By Townie 76
Found this while rooting around, mentions the recent visit of the USMC to Yale. Good read http://armchairgeneralist.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/03/what-does-the-marine-corps-want-to-be-.html. Thoughts from our Marine Brethren.
Osprey at VMI
By John
Plucked shamelessly from my Brother Rat's facebook page. Nice shot of the New-New Barracks as well.
Ode to the Warrior Class
By Slab
Our good friend and fellow Institute man Michael Solovey is working on yet another print honoring our warriors. This one, titled "Ode to the Warrior Class", is a tribute to our heritage and the warriors who have gone before. To quote Michael:
This main image could be a Marine or Soldier. He looks off into battle with allusions to other great warrior cultures in the background--Vikings, Spartans, and Romans. Across the sky, there are silhouettes of Blackhawks, Hueys, and Cobras flying into battle. This future print will be a watercolor with the intent of celebrating the Warrior Class and what we do as a profession.
Here is the concept sketch he sent me. Continue to check the Solovey art website for updates.
Additionally, I created a Military Artwork category for more posts about the work of Michael Solovey and his fellow artists.
Previous work by Michael Solovey:
MARSOC Artwork*
Thus Ever To Tyrants
* Also, Michael posted an update on his MARSOC print, titled "Precision Pride" in the comments section.
All the prints are signed & numbered and ready for release next week. This print is also in memory of Corpsman Luke Milam (Upper left-hand corner). I spoke with his family this week and have given the original to them. Please keep them in your prayers. If interested in one of these prints (they are going quickly already) please send me an email at soloveyart@earthlink.net. Appreciate the support. Semper Fi!
Michael Solovey VMI '96
Today's Victory
By John
Comes from Tom Ricks' Foreign Policy blog (by the way: Tom Ricks has a Foreign Policy blog!)-
Marine Cpl. Melroy Cort lost his legs fighting for his country in Iraq. He and his wife were driving to Walter Reed Army Medical Center when he was arrested on a felony possession of a firearm. He says an Ohio permit for his pistol, and had been told by his commanding officer to store the gun at the Walter Reed armory upon arrival. The public defender wanted him to plead guilty, but he refused because he was worried that a felony conviction would endanger his military benefits. So he defended himself -- and yesterday was acquitted.
Reminds of that scene in Lethal Weapon 4 -- where Chris Rock was reading a perp his rights. "...you have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford an attorney, we'll provide you with the dumbest fucking lawyer on earth."
Belated Happy Birthday United States Marine Corps
By Townie 76
For those in Army who speak ill of the Marine Corps all I can say unless you have worked with the USMC you have no right to be critical.
Read More »
Colonel John Ripley USMC Dies
By Townie 76
Retired Marine Col. John Ripley, who was credited with stopping a column of North Vietnamese tanks by blowing up a pair of bridges during the 1972 Easter Offensive of the Vietnam War, died at home at age 69, friends and relatives said Sunday.
Read More »
Our Nation's Finest
By Slab
Sometimes it's hard to articulate to others outside the military why I continue to serve in the Marine Corps. Sometimes it's hard to articulate to myself why I am still doing it. However, I think that, deep down, most of our senior leaders in the Marine Corps stayed in, at least partially, because of the young Marines with which we have the privilege of serving, and in the end it figures very strongly in my reasons for continuing on.
I've said a few times that the Marines portrayed in Generation Kill very much resemble the Marines that I have served with in the infantry - cocky, profane, irreverent, and generally pissed off at the world. But there is another side to the Marines that I serve with, and a mortar section leader from Company E, 2d Battalion 2d Marines absolutely exemplifies this side.
Parents rarely expect their children to be born with a debilitating birth-defect, so when the parents of Balquis Rajib Ascar discovered her inability to walk, they were a bit unprepared.
...
Cpl. Michael A. Goodman, mortar section leader with the Warlords of Company E, Task Force 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, Regimental Combat Team 5, discovered Balquis’ disability and has since devoted his off-duty time to assisting the little girl and her family. Coordinating with his wife, a nurse in Georgetown, Ohio, Goodman arranged for Co. E to present Balquis with a custom-built wheelchair July 12.
“Iraq’s future is dependent on its children,” Goodman said. “I saw it as a good opportunity to give back to the Iraqi people, since Iraq doesn’t have any kind of children’s hospital set up yet. I had access to this resource, so why not help?”
Generation Kill – The Cradle of Civilization – REDO
By Richard S. Lowry
I am compelled to clarify some of my statements from last weeks review. Last week I challenged Evan Wright to support his claim of a friendly artillery fire incident in which he claimed that five Marines were wounded and that some died of their wounds. I knew of no similar incident. I also took offense at some of the editing. My “impressions” were not subjective and I apologize for thinking that the producers were criticizing 2d LAR.
More importantly, I really believed that the friendly fire incident was contrived. Evan Wright actually contacted me about my review and we had an interesting conversation about that incident. What I found is that every man has his own perception of the “truth.” We swapped a few emails and a new “truth” came to life.
Richard S. Lowry is the award-wining author of “The Gulf War Chronicles” and “Marines in the Garden of Eden.” He served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service from 1967-1975 and spent the time from 1975 to 2002 designing sophisticated integrated circuits for everything from aircraft avionics to home computers. He is currently working on his next book, “New Dawn,” which will tell of the fight to free Fallujah. Visit www.marinesinthegardenofeden.com for more information.
Read More »
Generation Kill – The Cradle of Civilization
By Richard S. Lowry
In part two, The Cradle of Civilization, Ed Burns’ and Eric Wright’s credibility started to erode. While the series remained visually stunning and the characters seemed like real Marines, the story started to stray from the truth.
Tank in Ambush Alley – nothing like Generation Kill
Richard S. Lowry is the award-wining author of “The Gulf War Chronicles” and “Marines in the Garden of Eden.” He served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service from 1967-1975 and spent the time from 1975 to 2002 designing sophisticated integrated circuits for everything from aircraft avionics to home computers. He is currently working on his next book, “New Dawn,” which will tell of the fight to free Fallujah. Visit www.marinesinthegardenofeden.com for more information.
Read More »
Roger that!
By Richard S. Lowry
Generation Kill – Get Some
July 14, 2008
Last night, I sat with eyes glued to my television. David Simon et al have done an excellent job of bringing the Marines of the 2003 invasion into our living rooms. Part 1 – Get Some – was a stunning introduction to the series. It was visually accurate from the storm in the desert to the Skittles on the dashboard. This first installment provided an accurate introduction to the Marines and the fight.
I wasn’t there, but I have dedicated my life’s work to researching and writing about our conflict in Iraq. I spent three years of my life putting together the puzzle that was the story of the battle of an Nasiriyah. With my extensive knowledge of the events, I was not disappointed by Generation Kill’s first installment.
Richard S. Lowry is the author of “The Gulf War Chronicles” and “Marines in the Garden of Eden.” He served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service from 1967-1975 and spent the time from 1975 to 2002 designing sophisticated integrated circuits for everything from aircraft avionics to home computers. He is currently working on his next book, “New Dawn,” which will tell of the fight to free Fallujah. Visit Marines in the Garden of Eden for more information.
Read More »
Heard From Today
By Slab
From Herschel Smith at The Captain's Journal comes an update on our Marines in Helmand Province. After the heavy fighting in Garmsir, the Marines of Battalion Landing Team 1/6 (sort of a misnomer since the battalion did not deploy aboard ship) are logging damage complaints from the villagers and paying to repair the damage.
Just two days after the main Taliban force was routed, Lt. Bechtel put aside his weapons and opened what amounts to a wartime complaints desk in a mud-brick hut. The lieutenant and his men spend their time cataloging the destruction and issuing vouchers to compensate villagers for their losses, whether caused by U.S. missiles or Taliban grenades.
24 MEU moved into Garmsir in late April. The British has previously been unable to control the district, but the MEU provided fresh manpower and awful lot of firepower to get the job done. Interestingly, I have heard (but not yet confirmed) that the MEU was allowed to retain all of its organic assets, including the AV-8B Harriers from the Air Combat Element (ACE). Typically, when a MEU shows up to reinforce a joint or coalition command, one of the first things that the joint command tries to do is pull the MEU's aviation assets under the joint air component and use them to provide additional sorties to the rest of the forces in theater. While I can understand their reasoning, there is a remarkable synergy that comes from the close relationship between the ACE and BLT on a MEU, and that is lost when the ACE is used to support CFACC missions elsewhere.
Back to Garmsir:
The fighting sent civilians fleeing into the surrounding desert. After the violence ebbed, the villagers returned, in many cases to homes cracked open by artillery, bombs, missiles and rocket-propelled grenades. Soon they were lined up at Lt. Bechtel’s door, testing the Marines’ ability to shift gears on the fly, from combat to the struggle for popular allegiance. Winning over the locals has always been a goal; now, it’s happening in double-quick time.
Fortunately, Lt Bechtel was educated at one of the finest institutions in the land:
At the second meeting, the Marines tally up the cost, using data on an Excel spreadsheet that the lieutenant, who majored in mechanical-engineering at Virginia Military Institute, compiled using prices gathered from the local market.
Heard from again.
Marine NEEDS your help NOW!
By Bull Nav
Blackfive has the story of Sergeant Jermaine Nelson who has been jailed for contempt in an LA courtroom.
Go read and do what you can.
NOW!
Knowing Your Neighbors
By Bull Nav
A couple of months ago, back when it was still cold and snowy, we were enjoying a Saturday afternoon at home. One of my son's buddies was over as were some other folks when the doorbell rang. It was the 80-something woman from two houses down, and boy was she frantic. Her boyfriend, who was recovering from hip replacement surgery, had fallen off a barstool and could not get up from the floor. She needed some assistance to get him up and into a bed. I put on my boots and headed over to their house where I was able to lift him up and carry him over to the bed. Apparently, his hip had popped out causing him to fall off the stool. Needless to say he was in a lot of pain.
I figured that's what neighbors are for, that's what you do. You help out.
This past Sunday, my family and I were out in the garage getting ready to do some yard work, when Jim (the gentleman I had helped out a couple of months ago) drives up and pulls into our driveway. He wanted to thank me for helping him out, which really did not seem like a big deal to me. He explained all the hip surgeries he has been through, and where he had worked, and we just generally had a nice conversation. I had not really talked with him before as he has only been in the neighborhood for about 2 years and we generally don't see them much.
As we were talking, he noted my crutches and asked what happened. I explained that I had ruptured my achilles tendon at drill at Great Lakes a while back and he answered that his son had gone to boot camp there. He further explained that he had done his boot camp at Parris Island.
We started sharing military experiences, and he stated that the worst time he spent in the Marines was when he was in Korea and trying to sleep on the ground at 30 below zero.
I noted that I had read a couple of accounts of the Chosin Reservoir and how it was bone chillingly cold for the Marines up there.
"That's where I was," he answered.
Needless to say, I was floored.
I didn't have a comeback for that, except to shake his hand and thank him for his service. We continued to talk for a while more until we were done.
He headed on home and my wife and I got on with the yardwork, with a new found respect for the man down the street.
24 MEU On the Attack
By Bull Nav
U.S. Marines in helicopters and Humvees flooded into a Taliban-held town in southern Afghanistan's most violent province early Tuesday in the first major American operation in the region in years.Several hundred Marines, many of them veterans of the conflict in Iraq, pushed into the town of Garmser in predawn light in an operation to drive out militants, stretching NATO's presence into an area littered with poppy fields and classified as Taliban territory.
After sitting around for weeks in Afghanistan, waiting for NATO to come to a "consensus" on how the Marines were to be employed, they have finally been let loose. I expect they will be successful and clear the Taliban out of the area. My concern is that the bad guys will simply retreat back into the safe haven of Pakistan where they are untouchable.
But you know they are ready to go:
One Marine in Charlie Company, Corp. Matt Gregorio, a 26-year-old from Boston, alluded to the fact the Marines have been in Afghanistan for six weeks without carrying out any missions. He said the mood was "anxious, excited.""We've been waiting a while to get this going," he said.
Understatement.
MRAP Review
By Slab
In January, my team traded out our well-worn M1114 Up-armored HMMWV for a 4X4 JERRV, one of the models of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles purchased by the Marine Corps. We were pretty excited to have the new vehicle, especially after our first look inside. I mean, the thing looks like the Cadillac Escalade of tactical vehicles. The IED threat in our little slice of Al Anbar had long since dropped to non-existent, but it felt good to have something that was specifically engineered to combat the threat, you know? It didn't take long for the novelty to wear off, however, and by the end of the deployment we had taken to operating mainly from a Humvee again. The MRAP is a superb EOD and convoy security vehicle (the acronym JERRV stands for Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicle), but it is merely a passable utility and/or fighting vehicle. The thing was obviously designed with the EOD mission in mind, and if any operator input was incorporated into the design, it clearly did not come from the infantry community.
On the good side, it is obviously better equipped to resist blast-type mines and IEDs than any other vehicle in the inventory. On top of the increased protection, the MRAP has a fantastic communications system installed, much better than what we had in our Humvee. Most ANGLICO Humvees look like Monster Garage rejects - additional antennas installed in weird places, additional radios installed in all sorts of unauthorized fashion, all trying to maximize the communications capability of our vehicles. Here we had a vehicle that came with brand new multiband radios, all tied in to an intercommunications system. Although many of the comm capabilities are completely unnecessary for most units, it almost seemed like this thing was made for ANGLICO. In addition, the designers were definitely looking to improve crew comfort in these things - the seats are much more comfortable than the ones in a Humvee, the Vehicle Commander's (VC) seat was MUCH roomier than in a Humvee (even my 155 lb ass ends up wedged between the door and the Blue Force Tracker mount in a Humvee), the air conditioning system was top-notch, etc.
For a motorized infantry mission, however, the MRAP's shortcomings are many. It handles atrociously offroad. The suspension is incredibly stiff, with the end result being that you must be tightly strapped in to survive the jostling in the back of the vehicle. Well, my radio operator sits in the back, and those wonderful radios I mentioned before are placed in such a way that the only person who can readily access them is the gunner. Someone that I would prefer keep his attention oriented, you know, outside the vehicle. My radio guy can certainly reach around the gunner's legs and work on the radios, but not if he's tightly strapped in trying to survive the ride.
Because we frequently live and fight from our vehicle, we have to carry an assortment of odds and ends for our radios, weapons, and ourselves. Things like water, MREs, ammunition, spare barrels for the machinegun, and spare items for the radios. The jostling that I just mentioned makes it nearly impossible to store any of these items in the interior of the vehicle without significant modification. We tried removing one of the seats and putting in a wooden box with space for some of these items, but many items were tossed completely out of the box and ended up strewn about the floor of the vehicle. There is a complete lack of weapons stowage for passengers in the rear of the vehicle, and the weapons racks for the driver and VC are designed for M16s, not M4s. One aspect that seems to elude many tactical vehicle designers is that motorized infantry typically store their sustainment load (i.e. rucksacks) externally (see below). This allows the vehicle's internal space to be utilized for items that I mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph, which must be readily accessible throughout the day. Sustainment items can typically wait until a long halt of some sort before they are needed. Yet, the MRAP has no provision for strapping a rucksack to the outside of the vehicle.
7-tons and HMMWVs with rucksacks stored externally just before the invasion of Iraq in 2003
The MRAP is a vehicle that is well-suited for a particular niche, but due to pressure from people such as our lawmakers in Congress, it has been pressed into service in roles that it is not suited for. For a unit that never leaves a paved surface, and rarely spends more than 24 hours outside of some sort of operating base at a time, the MRAP's protection and communications capabilities make it a superb asset. For units that must remain expeditionary, be able to operate in a wide variety of terrain and pursue the enemy wherever he is found, the MRAP is ultimately a poor choice, and I in retrospect I am very glad that Gen Conway is reducing the number of these vehicles on order. Personally, if given the choice, I would take an M1114 or M1152 HMMWV over the JERRV 4X4, and would seek other means to reduce the IED threat through such things as tribal leader engagement and refining mounted patrol TTPs.
For more reading on the subject, try Defense Tech. As you can see, Christian has been leveling similar criticism since last year. Christian's article is one of the more down-to-earth articles I've seen on the subject. He and I had a good discussion about personal body armor at the Milbloggies last year, it looks like we are of generally the same opinion on the MRAP issue as well.
Update: I should point out that the Defense Tech article I referenced above is over a year old. DT's Ground Vehicles category has more articles on MRAPs.
Spanky's Back
By Slab
So, I'm surfing the MNF-W PAO website on the SIPR tonight, and I run across a video clip of GySgt William "Spanky" Gibson. Seems Spanky has returned to Iraq with the I MEF Fires section.
I've got to hand it to him for displaying remarkable courage in the face of adversity.
I mean, volunteering to deploy on MEF staff? Talk about taking one for the team...
Volunteering to deploy after losing a leg is pretty cool, too.
An American Hero
By Richard S. Lowry
Friday, February 29, 2008 was a sad day for the Marine Corps. It was a clear and sunny afternoon at Parris Island, much like the day thirty years earlier when Private Eddie S. Ray stood proudly at attention on the parade deck just down the street. Today, Colonel Eddie S. Ray stood at attention under the watchful eye of “Iron Mike.” This time Colonel Ray stood alone, in front of family and friends.
Eddie Ray’s retirement ceremony was modest, yet touching. Major General (sel) Paul E. Lefebvre presided, presenting two more awards to Colonel Ray and letters of thanks from the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the President of the United States. After the presentations, General Lefebvre spoke of Colonel Ray’s contribution to the Marine Corps. Then, Eddie stood to speak.
It was inspiring to hear one of the Corps greatest modern-day warfighters. Not once did he speak of himself. He spent several minutes talking about those assembled. He did, however, leave us with a gem of leadership. He told us that he learned early that the key to success was to do your job well and to encourage all around you to do their jobs to the best of their ability.
Colonel Eddie Ray is a true American hero. He was awarded the Navy Cross for valor in Operation Desert Storm and, as a Lieutenant Colonel, led the charge to Baghdad in 2003. It is not often that you will find a fierce warfighter, leader and nurturer in a single package. He is the embodiment of the modern-day Marine Corps. Today, there is a tremendous void in the Corps. Eddie Ray’s spot will not be filled easily. But, the legend of Eddie Ray will live on. His ethos will be carried by those who knew and served with him.
Thank you, Colonel Ray for thirty years of service. Thank you for your heroism. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for helping to make the Corps what it is today. You will be missed and never forgotten.
Richard S. Lowry is the author of "The Gulf War Chronicles" and "Marines in the Garden of Eden."
Barbarian 6
By
Richard S. Lowry
Marine Lieutenant Colonel Eddie Ray (Barbarian 6) spearheaded the 1st Marine Regiment’s charge to Baghdad as commander of the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion in Operation Iraqi Freedom. This was not his first taste of battle. Ray is a decorated veteran of Operation Desert Storm. Following is a short, updated, excerpt from “The Gulf War Chronicles” which reveals the details of Ray’s first encounter with Saddam’s army.
Read More »
