3/3 RVN Ass’n  Vol  1  Issue 4    09/01/2005                                                                               Page 9

(Received in Doc’s email)

I received the below from CGA's Command Master Chief and thought it was worth sharing. The CMC included the following. Sometimes you just have to share a good story with a lesson for all leaders.

Hi Gang, This is part of a letter from my Son, Kurt, who is helping run the port in Kuwait where these young heroes arrive in the war zone and depart from months later. If this doesn't bring a tear to your eye nothing will.  Where do we get such men?  "They are so damn young"

****************************

I was going to the gym tonight (really just a huge tent with weights and treadmills), and we had heard that one of the MEUs (Marine Expeditionary Units) that had come out of service in the "triangle" was reploying (leaving country). We saw their convoy roll in to the Kuwait Naval Base as the desert sun was setting.

   I have never seen anything like this.  Trucks and humvees that looked like they had just come through a shredder. Their equipment was full of shrapnel blast holes, and missing entire major pieces that you could tell had been blasted by IEDs. These kids looked bad too! I mean, sunken eyes, thin as rails, and that 1000 yd stare they talk about after direct combat.  Made me pretty damn embarrassed to be a "rear area warrior".

   All people could do was stop in their tracks and stare... and feel like me...like I wanted to bow my head in reverence. A Marine Captain stationed with me, was standing next to me also headed to the gym. He said, "part of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 8th Marines sir. Took the heaviest losses of any single unit up north as part of Task Force Danger, sir."

  As the convoy rolled up, all of us watching just slowly crept toward these kids as they dismounted the hummers and 5 tons. Of course, we were all shiny and clean compared to these warriors.

  These kids looked like they had just crawled from Iraq.  I had my security badge and ID around my neck, and started to help them unload some of their duffle bags  A crusty Gunny came up to me and said "Sir, you don't have to do that..." 

"Gunny... yes I do..."

  They all looked like they were in high school, or younger!!  All held themselves sharply and confident, despite the extreme fatigue you could tell they had endured. "You guys out of the triangle?" I asked. "Yes, sir, 14 months, and twice into the grinder sir!" … (both fights for Fallujah).

  All I could do was throw my arm around their shoulders and say "thanks Marine, for taking the fight to the bad guys...we love you man". I looked at these young kids, not one of them complaining or showing signs of anything but focus, and good humor. 'Sir, they got ice cream at the DFAC sir?"  "I haven't had real ice cream since we got here..."

They continued to unload... and after I had done my hand shakes and shoulder hugs, the Captain and I looked at each other... They want ice cream; we'll get them ice cream. You see, a squid O-5 and a focused Marine O-3 can get just about anything, even if the mess is closed. Needless to say, we raided the closed DFAC (mess tent), much to the chagrin of one very pissed off Mess SGT. And grabbed boxes of ice cream sandwiches (as many as we could carry), and hustled back to the convoy. I felt like Santa Claus. 

  "Thank you sir..." was repeated again and again from each troop as we tossed up the bars to the guys in the trucks.

  "Son, what the hell are you thanking me for...?  I can't thank you enough..." and they are so damn young....  I will sleep well knowing they are watching my back tonight.

________________________________________

India 3/3 position Fishbowl position Summer 67. I always loved that tree.  Can't remember if it ever had any leaves on it.     Jerry Krawczyk                    03/08/2005

(continued)

(continued)

JAMES R. POMMIER - Mar 12, 2005

I really remember this...if you look closely, one of the two young Marines reading THE STARS AND STRIPES in the Company Reading Room might be me.

JERRY D. CHASE - Mar 26, 2005

81s.   I Was standing in one of those small formations where they were presenting awards.   A Bronze Star was being presented to a mortarman for "during counter-battery firing a round failed to fire.   This Marine knowing how long it would take to unfasten the tube and subsequently have to reseat the base plate unhesitatingly reached down the tube, grabbed the round by the fuse and extracted it."   Listening to that citation I nearly choked.   After the ceremony I heard the 81's platoon commander (a M/Sgt) congratulate the Marine and then told him if he ever did anything like that again he would personally kick his butt (or words to that effect).

______________________________________

Ya gotta love these tidbits of memories… send Doc your memories for inclusion in future issues, and for the History pages online.

______________________________________

From: Doc Rister

To: Doc Hardin

Subject: Reunion of another kind

Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2005 12:21:34 -0600

Doc Hardin,

Since being contacted by you & Hoppy I have been on both sites often looking for names I can remember and hoping to find some of those I served with in Kilo 3/3. A month ago I found where a grunt I took care of after a firefight around C2 had passed away. This, of course, was some closure in a way to how he did back in the world and finally I knew where he lived at in Texas.

On his info was a message from his father wanting anyone who him knew him, to make contact.  I called the number and an answering machine picked up, left my name and number and waited. Later that evening I received a call from his mother, I told her who I was and how I remembered her son and was sorry to hear about his death. I told her I was sending a picture of him I'd taken just a few days before he was wounded. His name was Richard Grissom 1st Platoon Kilo, Griz lost his right arm in that fight and of course in the picture he was intact.

A few weeks later she called again thanking me for the picture and said her grandson (Richard's son) would like to meet me and talk about his dad. Yesterday I had the pleasure to sit and meet with his mother, sister and her husband and granddaughter. We talked for nearly two hours about that day and other things about Richard. His son was unable to come this time but plans to visit soon.

The site you two have created not only brings fellow marines together, but an extended family we don’t talk about much, those family member who have questions still about that place we called the Nam. Just wanted to say thanks Rod and I'm still looking also.   Pass this on to Hoppy for me too.     Thanks guys

Doc Rister

Doc Rister  -  Happy Easter!

The whole time I was reading your message I was consciously thinking that I needed to get your permission to send this to Hoppy.  I will extrapolate that to include Craig Slaughter, as well.  I'm glad that permission was included.  Consider it done.   Next let me give credit where it is due.

Doc Hoppy, Craig Slaughter, and Bob Oberer co-founded the www.thirdmarines.net site.  My contribution has been helping to locate our alumni, especially since the 2002 reunion in San Diego.  My initial focus was my own platoon.  Then it was Mike Company '66-'67 from my own era.  Then I started thinking more globally about the entire battalion for the entire period we were in country.  Now with only rare exceptions, I consider us to be one extended family that had the misfortune to have once waltzed through the same corner of hell.

Rick "Bart" Bartholomew started the www.myfamily.com site and the www.mikecompany33.com Hoppy and I have maintenance and admin function on MyFamily as of about a month ago.

Jeff O'Donnell and Hoppy are the caretakers of the Mike Company site now.  Hoppy also does the Kilo site for the time being, Ted Phelps the India site, Bob Neener the Lima  site, Larry Wilson the original Bn site, and Richard Duprel does the 3/3/3 65 site.

This is our PAYDAY my friend.  It is the equivalent of a visit from the Easter Bunny for me.  This will keep me going and give me purpose for a good while.  It pleases me to be able to share it with Hoppy and Craig.  I have run across a few "Captain Bring-downs" lately.  This completely negates those bummers and downers.  Just what the Doc ordered. 

Don't be surprised to see your message show up in some future website entry or more likely it will become an item in Hoppy's Battalion Newsletter.  It is the type of human-interest story that makes this entire project worthwhile.  Most of the time we feel like the project is falling on deaf ears and that the technologically impaired among our troops never really understand how to use the database and the other resources available.

It is just this sort of circumstance that makes doing this "Grunt Hunt" 18 hours a day worth every minute of frustration and rejection.  Thank you.  You have clearly made my day, my week and probably most of April and May, too.  It will keep me going until the Branson Operation Homecoming gathering in June.  I'll get a reunion 'fix" then and that will give me momentum until Colorado Springs.

I have not heard from Doc Terry Swailes lately.  His health was marginal the last time I talked with him.  He is a total hoot to talk with on the landline.  If you haven't been in touch with him you should do so.  It will be worth your time and Long Distance bill to give him a shout. 

Still practicing medicine without a license after all these years and still looking out for my beloved grunts. I remain ever faithful.

Semper Fi & Welcome Home

Devil Doc Rod "Ruffmuthuh" Hardin

Gruntsplicer M-3-3-3 1966-67

Quang Tri Province USN/FMF/RVN