Military Pride

US Marine Corp Graduation

July 18, 2012 by info@3QuartersToday.com

A year ago this month my youngest son left for Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego and started 13 weeks of the most challenging accomplishments anyone can face. Becoming and earning the right to be come a U.S. Marine. At the

Across the parade deck hundreds of new Marines march in their platoons as the last maneuver they will complete before leaving MCRD full fledged Marines. The Marine Band plays to open the ceremony, the chaplain leads every one in prayer and then the parade of dress blues begin. This is my second Marine graduation, my oldest is also a Marine, but the tears of pride still flow just as fast and my hands shake as I hold the camera.

Marine Corp Champlain leading off the graduation — Marine Corp Chaplain leading off the graduation

MCRD, India Company, Platoon 3213, October 7, 2011 (son 6th from right)

Since graduation my new Marine has attended MCT (Marine Combat Training) in Pendleton CA, Corrections training in San Antonio TX, and is now back at Pendleton as his permanent duty station. Congratulations to my newest U.S. Marine, he makes me proud.

I found this draft sitting in my WordPress folder.In evaluating my stats in WordPress my US Marine Corps postings represent 20% of views. Very popular topic, but considering every parent of a new Marine searches the internet for every scrap of information they can find to learn more about the journey ahead, I can understand.

Marine Dress Cover (ndjmom.wordpress.com)
A closer look at what it really means to be a U.S. Marine (fox6now.com)
Boy Becomes Honorary Marine (foxnews.com)
Required Reading for Marines

A Girls Journey from Civilian to Marine: Letter #2

July 11, 2012 by info@3QuartersToday.com

After reading this second letter make sure to visit Devil Doggery’s blog and give her some encouragement and kudo’s to read when she gets home.

Her second letter ends the way my son’s letter starts. Food, I’m craving food, yogurt, ice cream, this still sucks, but not as bad.

zero-two

It’s almost been a month now… Actually, it’s the 4th of June, so it’s almost exactly 2 months until graduation. Kind of crazy to think about. This week is actually the last week of phase 1 (out of 3) and phase 1 is supposed to be the worst. Even though my platoon is having a rough time and our DI’s are not happy with us, so… But, I just go one qualification out of the way, which feels quite satisfying. We have swim qual in the morning, which meant we splashed around and jumped off of things in full cammies and boots. It was fun, but a little tougher than I thought. Water all ups in my nose, yo.

But I sort of realized that I was so frustrated k=last time, I didn’t really relay what my typical day here on wonderful, sunny (ha) Parris Island. (Well, I guess it is sunny, but definitely not California sunny. We have random lightning storms. Super weird.) So, the typical day starts at 4 AM. We get woken up by a lot of yelling, then we have to get dressed, which takes a while, because the DI’s will tell us what garment to put on, count us down, inevitably someone will screw up, so we’ll have to take it off and that will happen a few times before we move on to the next piece of clothing and at some point, we will be dressed, at which time, it’s off to morning chow (breakfast). Then we go PT or do training or MCMAP or all of the above, get back, shower, (or just get wet and then change, pretty much), practice drill, go to aftermath chow, drill drill drill, and then go to evening chow. Then it’s just a little more drill, shower, free time, and bed time!

Obviously, there are variations of what we do, but that’s the gist of it. Even though next week (it’s like… the 10th of something now. God, these letters take forever), we’re going to phase 2, which means rifle range, so I’m sure it’ll be different. I’m super stoked to go to the range, even though we have to move, meaning an 8 mile hike with all of our gear. Hurray… Hopefully the pace won’t be too fast. Short legs, y’know.

Oh man though. So I had to get my hair cut before the rifle range because I was told it was going to get too long while we were over there and my hair cut is crooked now! /sobs. They call the hair stylist the butcher, haha. But she’s super nice and just getting that shampoo job was worth the $13 I paid… Haven’t been able to spend that much time on my hair in a month. Definitely one of the things I miss. Like doors on bathroom stalls. Yeah, we don’t have doors. It’s great. Also, I’m randomly craving those Dole cups from Disneyland. Really badly. And Yogurtland, LOL. Just shit to look forward to when I get back, I guess.

A Girls Journey From Civilian to Marine: Letter #1

June 29, 2012 by info@3QuartersToday.com

Some things never change (Photo credit: AN HONORABLE GERMAN)

I found Devil Doggery when she posted about the Katy Perry video “All About Me“. She is a 22 year old college graduate embarking on a journey of becoming a U.S. Marine. Her MOS is combat correspondent, so it only seems fitting she start a blog about her journey.

Since I have two sons who are Marines I thought it would be interesting to follow a woman’s journey at Parris Island. On my prompting she is sending letters to her room mate who is posting to her blog. Here is the first blog post from Marine Boot Camp. (Photos are not hers, but from the WordPress Media Gallery. You know I HAVE to have photos in my blog.

zero-one

It’s Sunday, which is our “relax” day, because people go to church and shit, which is fine. I don’t go because I’m not a fan of church and I kind of like being in the squad bay with only a few people (anti-social to the end, LOL). Today was an easy day, but some asshole decided it would be a good idea to fall asleep during core values, (which is this time when our senior driller instructor just sits and talks touchy-feely stuff with us). So we got our asses kicked. Rush-ups in the sand? So not fun.

But I mean, I don’t blame our SDI for what she did. We’re kind of the fuck-up platoon in all honesty… My platoon stresses me out more than the DI’s do sometimes, LOL. Actually, the DI’s don’t stress me out too much… I can handle the yelling and name-calling (like, OMG, the DI from our sister platoon was totally like, “FIX YOUR FACE, UGLY!” Rude). But these girls… Some of them, I honestly, don’t know why they’re here. I’m really kind of concerned that they’ll actually graduate, because if they don’t shape up, they’re legit going to get people killed. Others are just clueless.

And of course there are good recruits, too. I’m trying to fall into the latter category, but it’s hard since I’m not the most physically fit and I’m at the end of every formation because of my last name and my height, so I literally don’t have any of the goddamn directions. Also, I’m right near the door, meaning, I get in trouble a lot for not having super peripheral vision and seeing people walk in and out at the squad bay, because we have to announce people and open doors and shit. Me and the other girls at this end of the squad bay fail epically at it. So we get to go play in the sand together.

The food is so-so. Oh, but you’d totally love the biscuits and gravy they have for breakfast here. It would make me smile if we were allowed to smile… which is depressing to say, but we have to keep our “bearing.” But I laugh at the shit on the inside, like when one person said that New Orleans was in Illinois… Really, dude? C’mon. Some people…

But, I mean, it’s only been a week or so. There’s still time for people to get their shit together. So here’s hoping. Seriously. It would make my life easier if this platoon came together… But all’s I can do right now is my best and work on myself. And be better at opening doors.

English: Staff Sergeant Kevin L. Zetina, Platoon 2085’s senior drill instructor, bellows cadence while practicing for Company G’s final drill competition. Deutsch: Ausbilder (Drill Instructor) beim United States Marine Corps. Español: Un instructor abordando a los marines estadounidenses. A drill instructor addressing United States Marines / Not Drill Sergeant (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This young woman is in the thick of it, sounds a lot like what my boys went through. Screw up and you pay for it, on your chest, push up, more PT, more in your face. Until we hear from her next time. Go over to her site and leave a comment.

You Fly to Work, in The US Airborne

June 27, 2012 by info@3QuartersToday.com

In continuing story of my Dad’s Korea War 82nd Airborne experience here is an ad I found in a large envelope where he kept clippings from his time in the 508th. After doing a little searching I found this was published in Modern Mechanix magazine.

The original is yellowed, badly wrinkled, and the bottom corner torn. Since my dad graduated from Ft. Benning in June 151 I can only think he saw this ad and was proud of being part of the finest fighting outfit in the world.

“The Mark of A Man!”

The paratrooper’s wings of the U.S. Army Airborne are the mark of a man! Those who wear this distinctive insignia belong to the finest fighting outfit in the world.”

August 1951

Honoring My Dad, the Paratrooper (ndjmom.wordpress.com)
Fort Bragg paratroopers participate in D-Day anniversary in France (waronterrornews.typepad.com)

Honoring My Dad, an 82nd Airborne Paratrooper

May 26, 2012 by info@3QuartersToday.com

My Dad was a two time veteran, first on a destroyer in World War Two and then later when he served in the 508th Airborne Infantry as part of the 82nd Airborne Division.

82nd Airborne Paratrooper Division Training 1951, Ft Benning

On this Memorial Day weekend I find myself going through my Dad’s military photos and paperwork. Unfortunately his World War II records and

ORDER US Army 82nd Airborne Veteran Desk Flag HERE

However, I do have his records and articles from his second enlistment in the Army Airborne during the 1950’s including paratrooper training photos from the 1951 508th Airborne Infantry division.

I found the family photo albums when my Mom died in 2011, many I have never before, nor any of the articles. I’m in the process of scanning and restoring the photos I inherited.

I also found his original Airborne Creed, I should frame it like this one.

The Army Airborne creed is near and dear to all 82nd Airborne veterans. Find Army Airborne gifts and remember Airborne All The Way — ORDER an Army Airborne Creed framed print

I hope with this post maybe someone will remember, have memorabilia, or even the WW II personal items of Leo Thomas Tyrrell. His nickname was “Tiny Terry the Terrible” during his time on a destroyer in the European and Pacific theatre.

According to his discharge papers, Leo T. Tyrrell attended training at TIC Fort Benning, GA and QM School Fort Lee, VA between May 1951-Jan 1952.

He completed the Basic Airborne and Parachute Packer and repairman courses as well as Basic Military Training.

US Army Airborne Infantry Faux Canvas Print
by MilitaryHonor

Along with the photos were clippings of many training airborne maneuvers between 1951 and 1953 including the biggest maneuver in U.S. history Operation Longhorn.

This military exercise at Fort Hood Texas involved The 508th Regimental Combat Team. Over 3,089 troops dropped as part of an Army exercise also included the 82nd Airborne in a make-believe war involving over 100,000 military personnel over a 17 day period.

Over 20,000 civilians either participated as their towns were invaded or watched maneuvers, unfortunately just like in real war there were two fatalities and 221 were injured.

Below is a photo of my Dad, he’s inside the glider so it doesn’t do much good but I love the glider, someone told me they were left over from WWII

Dad was also stationed at Fort Bragg and Camp Drum NY, where he participated in Exercise Snowstorm at Snow Ridge ski resort near Turin New York.

He was honorably discharged as a Private First Class on August 17th, 1954. It appears he was attached to the 623rd Quartermaster Company as his most significant duty assignment.

Leo Thomas (Terry) Tyrrell born 1925, died 1995

Miss you Dad, wish you had been around to see my kids grow and your grandsons become U.S. Marines. You would have loved the US Army Airborne Christmas ornament I created below.

Ft Benning, Military Paratrooper Jump Ceramic Ornament
by MilitaryHonor

UPDATE: 4/14/2014

I was recently contacted by a fellow Blogger who is documenting her family history and genealogy. Her Dad John G Hopkins was in the 508th with my Dad and there is a photo of the plane with the all the men sitting in front of it. My Dad is in the photo!! I think I have it narrowed down, he is either 4th from right on top row, or 4th from right on the bottom row.