Happy Veterans Day!
 

Happy Veterans Day to all of my fellow Vets! A big shout out to you guys on a day dedicated to you,. It's well deserved!

To All The Veterans, Thank You for your Service and Sacrific.
Happy Birthday Marines!

Back at ya!

x2 JeffB, and a Happy Vet's Day to my other fellow Veteran's and those still active.

BTW, I didn't know it until last night, but all of you (and friends/family members of vets) should check out this website:

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/money/co...jcpenney--more

I didn't realize how many great free things are offered by businesses on Veteran's Day.

I hope to cash in on a free truck wash, which I need badly, since my truck was unused in my driveway since March, until I could get my smog certificate last week. Also, I want to get a free haircut, for a job fair tomorrow. And of course cash in on some free grub, too. I just need to get a bunch of dollar bills for tipping ;) the employees.

Most businesses do require some proof of service. I had my VA ID card, but if that wasn't good enough, with some effort I hunted down my DD-214. Also, I still have my "Shellback" card, but I didn't think that would fly as proof.

Too bad, as a "Wog" back in 1987, I had to pay to earn that one, too :ack2::eviltongue:. Yep, it was a lot more fun "crossing" as a Shellback. I even kept my custom made "Shillelagh" made out of firehose instead of a knotty stick. Here's a pic of it:


http://i745.photobucket.com/albums/x...Shillelagh.jpg


Nowadays, unless you have a Captain, who's very, very "old school", I hear the hazing is a piece of cake, which is probably all you have to crawl through, instead of the ungodly crap, we did before the new "PC" era.

Kudos to all the businesses that put out these great offers!

Aaron

I still carry my shellback card from my navy days and a coin in my pocket from my army days! Sadly, neither work as proof of service.

Haha I didnt get the opportunity to get my shellback cert, we crossed the equator but there was no time for any ceremonies. We were hauling ass to Japan to help clean up after the tusnami. All of us Marines were wayyyyyy to busy prepping gear and doing mission plans. So I regretfully say I am still a dirty WOG.

Yes, you are!!!

BTW, how did you cross the equator (going South) to board the ship going North to Japan? I'm assuming you flew.

I visited my ship (at 32nd Street) the Belleau Wood, which every Marine should know about, while on leave after my "C" school. Advised by many of my soon-to-be shop buddies, not to check in early from leave.
That's because the very first part of the Westpac was just going to be rough water drills (unreps, GQs, etc) off of the Aleutians. Some of that would have been a once in a lifetime experience, but not so much the "good kind". After I checked in from leave missing their departure by a few days ;), and a few more in temporary duty, I was flown by commercial flight to L.A. to Korea to the Philippines for cake temporary duty, and 17 glorious days in the Tropical sun, getting "to know" the place, back when the Philippines was still a U.S. homebase. The 2,000 marines and 1,000 sailors on my ship weren't so lucky, no port visit for 30 days, until pulling into Olangapo. I greeted them with a smile.

When we crossed the equator after "Team Spirit", heading to Australia, me and another sailor thought we would outsmart the Marine shellbacks after breakfast (green eggs/purple bacon) by crawling through the less often used back passage way through their berthing. No such luck! A good dozen marines were waiting for us, and they swing a mighty shillelagh. Getting a red ass was probably the easiest part of the day.

While I never regretted missing the Aleutians, I also didn't regret my shellback initiation, hopefully a longstanding tradition that hasn't been too watered down.

My dad was on the belleau wood during desert storm

Happy Veteran's Day all. You may not be a Steeler fan but this says it all for me...

Hmmm. It might have been possible he served on the Belleau Wood, while I was still onboard.

In early August (?) 1990 we had to shorten our port visit to Seattle for the "Sea Fair" by a few days, because of the crap going on in Iraq.
I had already submitted for terminal leave with my 25 days of accrued leave to end my 6 year stint, so I got off the ship on August 23, 1990. Looking at my DD-214, I see I still could have been kept in, because there were 2 more years of inactive duty left.

I was aboard the Belleau Wood for 3 years, 7 months, and 9 days of Sea Service, making Westpac's in 1987 & 1989, Team Spirit both times. For a while we were even a temporary 3rd Fleet Commander's Flag Ship, which earned us a port visit to Acapulco, I'm sure by no coincidence. One of my top 3 favorite port visits.

Rather odd, Wikipedia doesn't mention the Belleau Wood making Desert Storm.

One of the last things I remembered about the ship was changing homeport to Sasebo, Japan, and it's decommissioning in 2005. I didn't even know they were the last U.S. ship to sail out of Subic Bay in the final withdrawal, in Nov, 1992.

He was a dentist on the ship. I still have his hat from when he was on. I know for a fact he was on in 1990 because I was 3 and remeber him being gone that year.

I'm surely not doubting you one little bit, he may have even looked in my mouth.

If he got on board before August 23, 1990, then we served on board together.

I guess my confusion is with Wikipedia and it's lack of reference to the Belleau Wood actually going to the gulf for Desert Storm. I know there was talk about it during my last days onboard, but I never did confirm it. I was too busy looking for work :)

Didn't go to the gulf. Went to the Philippines and was in subic bay for a bit.

That's interesting my dad was also on the Belleau wood as the supply officer probably 8 years ago. Now she's at the bottom of the sea...