I served under 13 Commandants. First was Pate #17, and the last was Mundy #30. Of course there have been 8 since my retirement leaving us with you know who at #38. I had my favorites and my not so favorites. I did have one who isn’t on either list. Who might that be you ask? David M. Shoup. He did something that I doubt many of you know about. He did give us the short sleeved shirt, which was a good thing, but then he did something I cannot forgive him for even to this day. He took away my EGA from our khaki and tropical uniforms. Yes, that is a fact. Here is a photo of me at MB Yokosuka Japan in 1960. Note the collar emblems.
And here I am a year later on the same tour sporting our new short sleeved shirt, sans the EGA’s.
This move sent shock waves throughout the Corps; every enlisted Marine from Pvt to SgtMaj was pissed. It caused such an outburst that CMC came out with an explanation why he removed the EGA from enlisted uniforms. It seems the illustrious Uniform Board recommended the move due to complaints from Marines about the emblem punching holes in the collars of khaki and tropical shirts. Of course, that did not go over very well, since even to this day officers wear their rank insignia on their collars, and they have the same small pins the EGA had. Bad move CMC Shoup!
The result of Shoup’s move was, a private in khakis or tropicals without his cover was a nobody. You know we were all taught to take our covers off inside! Therefore nothing on his uniform let the uninformed civilian know who or what he was. Hell, he could be a baggage boy at the airport or a bellhop.
So, why are you telling us this Jim, you ask? Well, as I said there were some FAVS and not so FAVS. I personally knew a few who made CMC and none of them are on my FAV list. There are three, however, who are most FAVS. They are Mundy, Wilson, and my most FAV is Robert H. Barrow. Those three understood the Corps’ values, traditions, and the true meaning of Semper Fidelis. They alone had more to do with saving our Corps than any of the rest during my time served.
We all know what is going on in our Corps today, which point to total and complete destruction of the Corps we knew. Here is a letter CMC Barrow wrote to the Les Aspin, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee back in 1992. I ask you to carefully read what General Barrow was saying 29years ago, and listen to what the Woke Flag officers imbedded in our Corps are saying today about needed changes. Remember, General Barrow fought in WW II, Korea, and Vietnam; all three of those wars were different. Were he alive today, I am certain he would send a similar letter to the Senate today.
If I could communicate with my FAV CMC’s today, my only question would be why did you not give the enlisted back their well deserved EGA’s?
I am sure my FAV three CMC’s are screaming from their graves. God bless the three of them!
