All posts by Jim

Left HS before report cards came out. Enlisted in the Marines for four years. By the time those years were over, I was hooked - they had me for life. Spent nearly ten years as enlisted. Received a Silver Star, Bronze Star w/V, Purple Heart as a Sgt during first RVN tour. Upon returning to the State's received a combat commission to 2Lt. Retired after 36 total years as a Colonel. Book follows my career, but is more about the heroes with whom I served, the great mentors I had, and the leadership principles they instilled in me.
Peek Inside

Table of Contents

4 Comments

scan0004Several folks have asked for more details about the book; therefore, I thought the best way to answer their requests was to show the “Contents” page. So, here it is. Some titles are a dead giveaway as to the content, but then others might be a play on words. Remember I only sell the hard cover, but for much less than you can get anywhere — it will be inscribed as you desire, and I eat the postage. If you are a Marine, or if you know a Marine, It would be a gift he or she will cherish and thoroughly enjoy. I guarantee it will rekindle many fond (and maybe not so fond) memories. The time set of the book is 1958-93.

 

                                   Contents

  1. “Brewed on the Shores of the Chesapeake Bay”
  2. “From the Halls of Montezuma”
  3. Parris Island
  4. Infantry Training Regiment
  5. The Private’s World
  6. Schools Demonstration Troops
  7. Republic of Philippines
  8. Treasure Island
  9. Crossing the Pacific
  10. Welcome to Japan
  11. The Price of a Lucky Strike
  12. The Monkey House
  13. Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines
  14. Drill Instructor School
  15. The DI
  16. The Platoon Leaders Course
  17. Schools Demonstration Troops—Revisited
  18. Republic of Vietnam
  19. ”Corpsman Up”
  20. Only a Sergeant
  21. Sparrow Hawk
  22. Sheer Terror
  23. Operation Hastings
  24. Anderson Trail
  25. Bordering on Ridiculous
  26. WAINE
  27. Cpl Gary Wayne Olson, USMC
  28. The Silent Majority
  29. Oldest Post in the Corps
  30. “Who the Hell’s Jim”
  31. Hail to the Chief
  32. My Officer Candidates School
  33. Staff Sergeant “Chesty”
  34. The Special Ceremonial Platoon
  35. Anchors Aweigh
  36. Company “E”
  37. Amphibious Warfare School
  38. Go Army!
  39. Methodist College
  40. Okinawa
  41. Marine Barracks, Lemoore, California
  42. Armed Forces Staff College
  43. Recruiting Station, Chicago
  44. College of Naval Warfare
  45. Huxley’s Harlots
  46. Landing Force Training Command, Atlantic
  47. The School of Infantry
  48. The Consequences

 

Originally posted 2016-02-15 22:29:40.

Recent Posts

The Toughest Assignment in the Corps

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I have no idea how I became blessed with the honor of commanding the Special Ceremonial Platoon (SCP) at Marine Barracks, 8th & I, Washington, D.C.  The platoon consisted of three sections: the Corps’s Color Guard, the Body Bearers, and the Silent Drill Team. It was my Officer Candidate School (OCS) as I reported in as a SSgt from Vietnam destined to become the platoon sergeant of SCP. However, a combat commission recommendation from my RVN company commander was approved and I became the platoon commander vice the platoon sergeant — quite a strange sequence of events.

Body BearersI was blessed to be able to see first-hand what these Marines do day in and day out. It is quite a story in my book and worth the read, especially if you are familiar with the battles during my time there (1967-69) — the Tet Offensive of 1968. The Body Bearers were so busy, we had to augment them and the color guard with Marines from the drill team. A very sad time for all of us in Ceremonial Guard Company. While every burial was deeply emotional, it became unbearable when you knew the Marine you were burying.

This link will take you to an inside look at what it is like to be one of the brave souls — it is very emotional to me personally. God bless those Marine s assigned to that duty. Read the book and learn what it takes to be one of these blessed souls, and how they are able to maintain their sanity in such an assignment.

If this video does not touch your heart, perhaps you do not have one.

Originally posted 2016-02-14 12:52:00.

Recent Posts

Life After Downton Abbey?

downton-eventIs there life after Down Abbey?  It’s over, yes it is over for my bride and me. Not so, you say, the last episode doesn’t air until mid-March. Well, for us it is, in fact, over. You see, I am one of those impatient souls who hate commercials — yes I realize there would be no great shows without support from those irritating, obscene, and sometimes utterly ridiculous three or so minutes between the important stuff, but that doesn’t make them more bearable.

Secondly, when I am watching what I consider a great show, I have difficulty waiting until next week to see the results of tonight’s episode. I mean, let’s get real here — at my age, knowing the unpredictability of life, I may not be alive next week.  I can not imagine not knowing “whodunit?”

We stopped watching the Downton Abbey sometime into the 3rd season, I have not the slightest idea why that happened; however we had an epiphany and decided to catch up.  Since we have Amazon Prime for other reasons e.g., purchasing supplies for our cattery, we decided to use it to catch up to the current season first (free), then for about $20, we bought the sixth and final season. We watched all nine episodes in three nights — it’s nice being retired and able to sleep late the next mornings.

I shall not reveal anything about the last season, especially the very last episode. That would be awful, and probably worth snuffing someone out if they did that to me — smiles of course. All I shall say is we enjoyed the entire season, and hope you do as well. Send me a comment when you’ve seen them all and share your final thoughts.

So I shall ask again, is there life after Downton Abbey? Lord, I hope so. I must now search the vast supply to find another one, but I doubt if one will ever stand up to Jullian Fellowes’ Downton Abbey.

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Originally posted 2016-02-12 12:15:10.

Recent Posts

Special Place in Hell

1 Comment

Colonel Andy has done it again and told it like it is. Such candor, such forthrightness, and such truth from a fellow “Swinger of Birches.” Yes, South Carolina, we wait.

Cover, right click, and go to. Or copy and paste into browser.

http://www.acoloneloftruth.blogspot.com/2016/02/theres-special-place-in-hell.html

Originally posted 2016-02-12 11:02:24.

Recent Posts

Met The Glock Today

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glock43-leftFired my new concealed carry weapon for the first time today — the Glock 43. My long time retired Marine brother who lives down here full-time took me to the Sheriff’s range this morning. Wow, what a nice piece. Small, compact, not bulky at all, easy to carry concealed, and accurate as all get out. I thought I would have to have the trigger adjusted since I have always had to in the past. However this one is perfect for a CCW; a little too much trigger for match or target shooting. I must have fired a couple hundred rounds through it this morning and I love it.

Now I know some of you might be against CCW, and I don’t have a problem with that at all — that’s your choice. But I live too close to the gun capital of the nation — you know — the city with the toughest gun laws and the most gun deaths. I’ll let you guess which city that is, but if you don’t know which one it is, you must be living under a rock. Of course, I jest. But you see, I have been through much in my lifetime, and I don’t want my bride or I lying in the street because some demented, drugged up, scumbag has nothing better to do at the time than do us harm.

When faced with a confrontation, I believe I have two choices; reason or force. Of course, I will always try the reason first, but That will be while I am reaching to the small of my back in case the whimpy reasoning I am doing does not stop this scumbag. What am I left with —  force. Then, he best be fast and accurate, because even at my age, I am both.

6/18/2022 UPDATE:  FINALLY, got the hell out of the gun capital of the U.S. and now live in FL, my final destination after 29 moves in my lifetime. And, of course, am CCW here as well. Sold my Glock 43 to my son-in-law and bought the newer Glock 43X. My one problem with the 43 was the grip was long enough; my little finger hung over the end. Yeah I know I could have purchased the extended magazine which would have allowed the little finger to get on the grip. Instead I chose to get the one Glock came out with bc of all the bitching they received about the 43’s small grip. Have since fired a couple 100 rounds through it and like it much better. My concern was that IF I ever have to use it in an emergency situation, I want a solid grip on the gun before I blow his damn brains out.

Originally posted 2016-02-06 16:30:08.