War Heroes
Claudia, thanks for that link.
I was able to find my four uncles service.
Arquilino G Marcial, Tomas G Marcial, Herman G Marcial and Juan G Marcial.
In order of their birth
All four did service in the US Army.
The oldest, did his service in the Pacific.
The other three did their service in Europe.
My uncle Herman, stood in to serve in Korea.
He retired a 1st Sergeant.
Of those four, my uncle Herman is the only one living.
Some folks used to say Marcial like Marshall.
The 'G' stands for Gonzalez.
In Mexico, Marcial would come right after the first name as that was my grandfather's last name.
Next would come Gonzalez, it being my grandmother's maiden name.
There a famous baseball player of year past, Roberto Clemente Walker.
That's how he listed in the Marine Corps, Rank: Private First Class.
The world knows him as Roberto Clemente #21 Pittsburgh Pirates.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ricardo Jacques on -
Has the word heroes been used too much?
My company commander.
When I was Golf Company 2nd Battalion 1st Marines.
Told us one day; 'I won't give you any medals for doing your job'.
That what all in this all voluntary military is doing.
Do we make use of that word to appease our souls?
When 1 to 2% are carrying the load for all the rest.
Might it also explain, why some are now stealing the valor.
Of those that did service in our armed forces.
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Permalink Reply by Ricardo Jacques on
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Talking about phonies; check this dude out...
http://www.grunt.com/images/newsletter/phony.jpg
He wearing a uniform of a US Marine.
The two on the bottom of his blouse.
Are the symbol of a Navy Seal and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
He has Jump Wings on top of all those medals.
That General Lewis B (Chesty) Puller USMC would envy.
The marksmanship badge are Expert in rifle and pistol.
The extra bar denotes more than one award.
He also wearing a French Fourragere.
It was award to 5th Marine Regiment and the 6th Marine Regiment.
For their service in World War I in France.
We still wear that award, if you're a member of either the 5th Marines or 6th Marines.
The first medal left on the top row, is the Silver Star medal.
All this screams to me 'I'M A BIG PHONY!
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Permalink Reply by Claudia Bartow on -
Wow, you are really from a military amity, Ricardo!
Sorry, what link are you referring to specifically?
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Permalink Reply by Ricardo Jacques on
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The link to phony.jpg, I wish there was a way to post it here.
I tried the HTML in this text area.
But all I got was what I had typed.
I sure this man is a Marine wantabee, he wearing Dress Blues.
The rank he wearing is a Master Gunnery Sergeant E-9.
On top he has gold Jump Wings, that means he had done over 10 jumps.
Another Marine thinks he spot a Navy Cross.
I saw a Silver Star, and there's 13 rows of four medals.
13 x 4 = 52
Below all those medals, he has marksmanship badges.
For both the rifle and pistol with an extra bar.
That means he has more than one Expert award
Below on the left pocket, he wear the Explosive Ordinance Disposal badge
And below that he has the badge of a Navy Seal.
After looking at again, I notice's that he also wearing a French Fourragere.
Which I should have notice, since I was once in the 5th Marines
In my ten years in the Marine Corps, three of those years was in Battalion Recon.
I also was a Primary Marksmanship Instructor (PMI).
I taught for about a year, before I got orders back to Vietnam.
I think that accounts for four years, the rest I was in the infantry.
That was in weapons, Machine Guns and anti-tanks, 3.5 Rocket Launcher.
In Vietnam, they switch to a more portable weapon.
But we lost the Willy Peter round, that produced a lot of smoke.
I also had the pleasure of firing the 106 recoil less rifle.
First you fire spotting rounds with a 50 caliber rifle mount on top of the 106.
When you're on target you press down to fire the 106.
It almost felt like half my face was gone.
Blame all this on my recon training SALUTE.
S - Size
A - Activity
L - Location
U - Unit
T -Time
E - Equipment
Way back I had some web pages on Homestead.
They were drop & paste.
I worked and worked getting to appear half was decent.
One day on another computer, I typed in one of my web pages.
What I saw made me want to puke.
So I taught myself Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) , later I had to learn Cascading Style Sheet (CSS).
I have a web site; titled Ricardo's Semper Fidelis
Here is where it located;
http://www.freewebs.com/millrat_usmc/
You will see that I'm fond of poetry.
Especially War Poetry.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poetry is some of the poetry in that web site.
I don't think another woman will love a man like she did.
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Permalink Reply by Ricardo Jacques on
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There's also 'Trouble Heroes'...
Once I was on a Marine Message board.
And a name appeared, all the Marines.
Who had served in the Marine Corps Air Wing.
Knew or had heard about 'Mike' Clausen.
At that time, I had a book titled;
Medal of Honor Heroes in Vietnam.
By Edward F. Murphy
Mike appears in chapter eleven.
It was titled; Trouble Heroes.
It was either for using alcohol or drugs.
Mike on his second tour was drinking too much.
That's why he in chapter eleven.
And he also refused to fly any mission.
Unless it was a medvac mission.
Below is a little about my dear friend and fellow Marine.
Raymond Michael Clausen Jr. (October 14, 1947-May 30, 2004)
Medium Helicopter Squadron 263, Marine Aircraft Croup 16, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 during operations against enemy forces. Participating in a helicopter rescue mission to extract elements of a platoon which had inadvertently entered a minefield while attacking enemy positions, Pfc. Clausen skillfully guided the helicopter pilot to a landing in an area cleared by 1 of several mine explosions. With 11 marines wounded, 1 dead, and the remaining 8 marines holding their positions for fear of detonating other mines, Pfc. Clausen quickly leaped from the helicopter and, in the face of enemy fire, moved across the extremely hazardous mine laden area to assist in carrying casualties to the waiting helicopter and in placing them aboard. Despite the ever-present threat of further mine explosions, he continued his valiant efforts, leaving the comparatively safe area of the helicopter on 6 separate occasions to carry out his rescue efforts. On 1 occasion while he was carrying 1 of the wounded, another mine detonated, killing a corpsman and wounding 3 other men. Only when he was certain that all marines were safely aboard did he signal the pilot to lift the helicopter. By the courageous, determined and inspiring efforts in the face of the utmost danger, Pfc. Clausen upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service.
Later, I send E-Mail to Mike.
I had known some other Medal of Honor recipents.
So I was asking Mike, I wanted to know the man.
Behind the medal, later he would send me some E-Mail.
His handle was rmcbstmoh...
I knew rmc stood for Raymond Mike Clausen.
The bst I was not sure what it meant.
So in a later E-Mail I post the question on bst.
His reply; Blood, Sweat and Tears.
It was the name of the helicopter he flew.
the moh I knew meant Medal of Honor.
In some E-Mail he would include;
'What happen that day was an insanity'.
My reply to that once maybe, six times was no insanity.
In the Marine Corps of today, they have what is called the 'crucible'.
There's stations named after some Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipents.
Mike, is not any of those stations, maybe it was that Mike was the lowest rank.
To recieve that medal in Vietnam.
In 1999, I among several other Marines at a gathering.
At the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.
Were introduce to Mike and his lovely wife.
Seeing that we both were veterans of Vietnam.
We spent some time discussing Vietnam.
As you can see, Mike has pass on to a Heavenly post.
A copy of his citation, that he signed to me.
Means more than words can do justice.
What his squadron leader and pilot.
Of 'Blood Sweat and Tears had to say about Mike;
'I had no use for him as a Marine, recalled Landy.
He was a good man at heart but liked to beat his own drum.
He was my biggest disciplinary problem in the squadron.
He had good abilities as a Marine but he liked to disobey orders.'
The helicopter 'Blood, Sweat and Tears'.
Has been restored, but it lacks the words.'Blood, Sweat and Tears'.
Sad...
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Permalink Reply by Ricardo Jacques on
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Permalink Reply by Ricardo Jacques on
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The helicopter Blood, Sweat and Tears has been restored.
Without those words, next to the doorway where Mike is standing.
And its too bright green, not like this weather-ed helicopter.
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Permalink Reply by Ricardo Jacques on
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I must ask a question; why are there so few heroes in these two wars.
Afghanistan and Iraq, both are almost the same amount of time as Vietnam.
There were more Medal of Honor recipients in Vietnam.
Some are now getting the next medal below the Medal of Honor.
In the Marine Corps it the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, than the Bronze Star.
I think they are the same for the Navy and the Coast Guard.
The Army medal after the Medal of Honor;
The Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, than the Bronze Star.
The Air Force, medals after the Medal of Honor;
The Air Force Cross, Silver Star, than the Bronze Star.
Several of the services, have other medals.
Between the Silver Star medal and the Bronze Star medal.
Its almost like these two wars, hidden from view.
Only those serving and their kin have felt the burden of these two wars.
Many of the Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross and the Air Force Cross.
Could very easily been a Medal of Honor.
Will some be upgraded years from now?
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Permalink Reply by Claudia Bartow on
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Possibly, are there many high awards nominations,such as the Medal of Honor, held up in paperwork? I know it can take months or years sometimes to get those awards approved.
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