1LT Creech

Recent or old Marine Corps history?
 
I could easily share, literally hundreds of stories about Marines and the Marine Corps.  The stories of courage and valor of Marines, to and including today's Marines, are so numerous they can't be counted.  I have assumed you guys were already familiar with many of the stories about modern day Marines in such places as Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and the middle east, so I haven't written much about modern day Marine history.  As you've seen, I've instead published older stories from Marine history which I know most of you hadn't heard before.
 
This could be a mistake on my part.  I started thinking many of you young guys aren't interested in "old" history.  I know many kids these days rarely read, and you don't know anything unless you've seen it in a video or movie (neither venue should be considered accurate).  Maybe these older stories of Marine virtue and courage aren't very interesting to you because, A) you have to read it to know it, and, it's ancient history so you don't care!
 
Therefore, I decided to ask you directly: 
 
IS THERE A TIME PERIOD OF MARINE HISTORY YOU WOULD BE MOST INTERESTED TO HEAR ABOUT?  
 
or
 
WHAT TYPE OF MARINE STORIES WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT?
 

RAMADI, IRAQ

Leading the fight is Gunnery Sgt Michael Burghardt, United States Marine Corps, known as “Iron Mike” or just “Gunny”. He was on his third tour in Iraq. He had become a legend in the bomb disposal world after winning the Bronze Star for disabling 64 IEDs and destroying 1,548 pieces of ordnance during his second tour. Then, on September 19, he got blown up. He had arrived at a chaotic scene after a bomb had killed four US soldiers. He chose not to wear the bulky bomb protection suit. “You can’t react to any sniper fire and you get tunnel-vision,” he explains. So, protected by just a helmet and standard-issue flak jacket, he began what bomb disposal officers term “the longest walk”, stepping gingerly into a 5ft deep and 8ft wide crater. The earth shifted slightly and he saw a Senao base station with a wire leading from it. He cut the wire and used his 7in knife to probe the ground. “I found a piece of red detonating cord between my legs,” he says. “That’s when I knew I was screwed.”

Realizing he had been sucked into a trap, GySgt Burghardt, 35, yelled at everyone to stay back. At that moment, an insurgent, probably watching through binoculars, pressed a button on his mobile phone to detonate the secondary device below the sergeant’s feet. “A chill went up the back of my neck and then the bomb exploded,” he recalls. “As I was in the air I remember thinking, ‘I don’t believe they got me.’ I was just ticked off they were able to do it. Then I was lying on the road, not able to feel anything from the waist down.”

His colleagues cut off his trousers to see how badly he was hurt. None could believe his legs were still there. “My dad’s a Vietnam vet who’s paralyzed from the waist down,” says Sgt Burghardt. “I was lying there thinking I didn’t want to be in a wheelchair next to my dad and for him to see me like that. They started to cut away my pants and I felt a real sharp pain and blood trickling down. Then I wiggled my toes and I thought, ‘Good, I’m in business.’ As a stretcher was brought over, adrenaline and anger kicked in. “I decided to walk to the helicopter. I wasn’t going to let my team-mates see me being carried away on a stretcher.” He stood and gave the insurgents who had blown him up a one-fingered salute. “I flipped them one. It was like, ‘OK, I lost that round but I’ll be back next week’.”

Copies of a photograph depicting his defiance, taken by Jeff Bundy for the Omaha World-Herald, adorn the walls of homes across America and that of Col John Gronski, the brigade commander in Ramadi, who has hailed the image as an exemplar of the warrior spirit. GySgt Burghardt’s injuries — burns and wounds to his legs and buttocks — kept him off duty for nearly a month and could have earned him a ticket home. But, like his father — who was awarded a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts for being wounded in action in Vietnam — he stayed.

Marine Warrior Spirit on display

31AUG16 - 1

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

I saw this recently on the War is Boring blog.
 

MORE VIDEOS, COMING SOON !
 
 
(I'm afraid my first videos will show a bunch of stupid mistakes as I try to remember how to do everything again.)

John Paul Jones
 
A history lesson few have heard about.
 
If I were to ask if you knew who said, “I have not yet begun to fight!”, most if not all of you would respond with the correct answer, John Paul Jones.  But do you know the whole story?
 
On September 23, 1779, Captain John Paul Jones with the ship, the Bon Homme Richard, engaged and defeated the British ship, the HMS Serapis, off the coast of England, during the Revolutionary War.  You probably don’t know the whole story, and as you might suspect, it involves Marines.  In this case, the Continental Marines.
 
The US Navy, as with the other navies of the world at the time were not the military men we have today.  Most sailors and officers, expected to supplement their salaries by taking booty or receiving prize money for their conquests.  There was no money in fighting another fighting ship; the money was in attacking merchant ships. The sailors and other officers on Jones ships were not only reluctant to fight, they were sometimes down right mutinous.
 
Scotsman, John Paul Jones was not interested in taking booty.  He wanted to fight the British and fight for his new country. Jones did not make any secret what his intentions were when he recruited potential crewmembers.  He openly advertised his intentions saying, “I propose to go in the way of danger.”  The aggressive Jones planned how he would fight his naval battles so he made sure he had a full compliment of Continental Marines.
 
The American Navy had few ships during the first war with Britain.  Jones seemed to be the only Captain eager to fight the enemy, and he was popular with his Marines, who he considered an essential ingredient in his personal strategy for winning naval battles.   First he would direct his cannons to take out the rigging of enemy ships so he could maneuver close where his Marines would clear the decks of the crews with musket fire until the enemy ship was not able to maneuver or get away.  Enemy captains would be forced to surrender.
 
In the evening of September 23, 1779 in the North Sea miles off the Flamborough Head, England coast, Jones spotted a convoy of merchant ships being escorted by two British Navy vessels.  The larger ship, the Serapis was a 44 gun warship commanded by Captain Richard Pearson.  It was faster and more maneuverable than Jones ship, and it was equipped with new protective copper sheathing on the hull.  At the sight of Jones and another ship with him, the merchant ships fled.  The Serapis did not.
 
Jones made way to engage the Serapis.  It must have seemed like suicide to his sailors as their smaller ship was an old worn out French merchant ship named Duc de Duras.  Benjamin Franklin scrounged up the ship in France using his French contacts as he was the Ambassador to France at the time.  He knew Jones was a fighting man and he wanted to help him get back out to sea from France where Jones was stranded.   Jones refitted and armed the old ship and renamed it using the French name for Benjamin Franklin’s book, “Poor Richard”; the Bon Homme Richard.  Jones cast off from France in the summer of 1779, looking for trouble.
 
Jones in the Richard took a beating moving close to the Serapis.  He directed his guns to aim for the rigging of the Serapis.  His Marines, stationed in the rigging of his ship with their muskets, opened fire when they were close enough.  The Marines raked the deck of the Serapis eventually killing all their gunners.  The Marines made the deck a haven for dead heroes who tested the Marines.  Eleven helmsmen attempted to control the wheel; all failed.  The Marines threw grappling hooks over to the Serapis and pulled her close.  Repeatedly, British sailors attempted to cut the lines.  Fourteen British sailors tried to cut the lines; fourteen died.  It was reported Jones took a musket from one Marine and took a shot as well.
 
The top deck of the Serapis was swept clean by Marine fire, so that no sailor or officer could get on deck.  The Serapis’ lower deck guns were still hammering away at the Richard.  Captain Pearson knew the Richard could not take much more and asked Jones if he wanted to surrender.  Jones did not have any offensive power left, except his Marines.  Jones replied, “No sir, I haven’t as yet thought of it.  I’m determined to make you strike.”
 
A short time later Captain Pearson released a number of British prisoners up to the deck, hoping they would fight for him, but Jones ordered them to stay off his ship and man their pumps or drown.  They pumped.  Captain Pearson again demanded Jones surrender.  Jones may have said something like, “Sir, I have not yet begun to fight.”  Jones reportedly cussed up a storm during the entire three hour battle, and may have chosen other words, but we’ll never know.
 
Jones had by all reasonable measures lost the battle, except for two things:  he didn’t quit, and, he had Marines.  A sailor threw a grenade onto the Serapis which ended up killing a large number of sailor on the second deck.  Captain Pearson was afraid his main mast was about to give way, so he struck his colors and surrendered.
 
Jones Continental Marines never faltered or failed him.  They were the backbone of the fighting ship.  Sixty seven Marines were killed or wounded in this battle, which was Jones last.
 
Jones wasn’t awarded any recognition by his own country until in 1905 when his remains were removed from an unmarked grave in Paris and escorted by an honor guard of American cruisers to the United States.  He was placed in marble shine at Annapolis with these words nearby: “HE GAVE OUR NAVY ITS EARLIEST TRADITIONS OF HEROISM AND VICTORY.
 

 
Note:  I looked high and low for a good painting of this battle to include with this story.  I discovered nearly every painting I found labeled for this famous sea battle, did not portray this battle at all.  I even found one with depicting the "British" ship, flying a Confederate Flag.  The painting I've provided with this story is the closest to being historically accurate I could find.

I'm a little late on the Merry Christmas wishes....I hope everyone had a good holiday.  Have a happy and safe new year!

Another year gone by.... another year ahead. Merry Christmas to all of you dirty filthy animals. It has been a pleasure playing with each of you! Looking forward to what the next year brings. 
 

Looking forward to your safe return! While the you made with your family are second to none and shall never be replaces, we look forward to you being back with us. May this Christmas bring you much joy and peace and may this new year bring your best year yet.

Thanks very much Creech.  And the same to you my friend.

Looking forward to your safe return! While the you made with your family are second to none and shall never be replaces, we look forward to you being back with us. May this Christmas bring you much joy and peace and may this new year bring your best year yet.

Another year gone by.... another year ahead. Merry Christmas to all of you dirty filthy animals. It has been a pleasure playing with each of you! Looking forward to what the next year brings. 
 

Another year gone by.... another year ahead. Merry Christmas to all of you dirty filthy animals. It has been a pleasure playing with each of you! Looking forward to what the next year brings. 
 

This thread is one of the few things i actually read in life. Good shares. Keep them coming!

This thread is one of the few things i actually read in life. Good shares. Keep them coming!

This thread is one of the few things i actually read in life. Good shares. Keep them coming!

Sergeant Herman Hanneken, USMC

 
Awarded the Medal Of Honor for action in Haiti, 1919.
 
Since 1895 Haiti was primarily associated with two characteristics; Voodoo, and revolutions.  In the twenty years between 1895 and 1915, there had been no fewer than thirteen governments in Haiti.  Haiti hadn’t been a stable country since it attained independence from France in 1804, and things had only gotten worse. The people didn’t know what peace and posterity was.  Most were hungry, illiterate and victims of unrelenting corruption.
 
In 1914, most of Europe was at war.  That didn’t stop German from trying to take advantage of the chaos in Haiti by obtaining control of its commerce.  The US completed the Panama Canal in 1914 and the US Navy Atlantic Fleet operated a coaling station in the Haitian port of Mole St Nicholas.  For these reasons, the US was no longer content to let the dysfunctional situation in Haiti continue.
 
President Woodrow Wilson ordered the US Marines into Haiti to restore peace, secure the coaling station and rebuild the nation, thereby securing America’s Caribbean flank against German incursions.
 
The Marines immediately took control of the inept and unreliable Haitian military.  Marine NCO’s assumed commissioned ranks in the Haitian constabulary and commanded Haitian enlisted men.  They began the difficult task of rooting out rebels, bandits and anyone who threatened the peace.    
 
In 1917, Charlemagne Peralte, a rebel leader, declared himself the country’s ruler and established a provisional government in a heavily jungled region of northern Haiti.  He built a confederation of 15,000 rebels and sympathizers.  The Marines considered Charlemagne the country’s biggest threat and chased him for two years without success.  They were never able to infiltrate his ranks or get close enough to kill him, let alone find him.
 
In 1919, twenty six year old Marine Sergeant Henry Hanneken, held the rank of captain in the Haitian Constabulary, and commanded a native force near Black Mountains.  Charlemagne’s base of operations was suspected to be in this area so Hanneken considered eliminating Charlemagne his top priority.
 
Using the native Haitian troops the Marines trained, Hanneken created a fake guerrilla force commanded by one of his loyal Haitian NCO’s.  Hanneken hoped they would be able to convince the naturally suspicious and cautious Charlemagne that this new rebel force were legitimate guerilla’s.  If Charlemagne bought the deception Hanneken’s hoped his fake rebel force might be able to learn where Charlemagne and his army were hidden.  Hanneken armed them with carbines from his own armory, fed them and clothed them, with his own money, because there were no funds available for such an enterprise.
 
Charlemagne had spies and informants everywhere, so to make the ruse work, Hannaken had his fake guerilla force ambush a patrol he led near a village where Charlemagne sympathizers lived.  Hanneken even faked a bullet wound to enhance the deception.  It worked.  Charlemagne allowed this new small guerrilla force into his base camp.  To test his new recruits, Charlemagne ordered them to attack a government armory and steal weapons.
 
Hanneken’s “rebels” came down the mountain and told Hanneken what happened.  That night Hanneken devised a plan for his fake rebel force, to include himself and Marine Corporal Button.  Cpl Button was a great hand with a BAR, which he carried that night.  Button and Hanneken, the only white men in the group, spread soot from kerosene lamps over all their exposed skin, and together this force headed into the mountains to Charlemagne’s camp.  After two hours marching up the mountains in the black moonless night, they reached the first of many guard outposts.  Hanneken and Button were concerned their sweat would wash off or streak the soot on their faces and give them away, but they made it through.  After more than an hour and passing several guarded checkpoints, they finally made it to Charlemagne’s camp.
 
They walked in to a small clearing in the base camp where there was a campfire.  Charlemagne was standing to one side, guarded by two large armed bodyguards in front and to each side of him.  Charlemagne said, “Who is it?”  Without a moment’s hesitation, Hanneken quickly walked right between the bodyguards, so close he brushed up against one of them, drawing his .45 caliber pistol as he moved and shot Charlemagne through the heart.
 
A woman tending to the campfire dumped a pot of coffee on it, extinguishing the fire and turning the campsite into pitch black chaos.  Cpl Button went to work with his BAR.  Their Marine trained troops, the fake guerrilla force, pitched in.  Hanneken ignored the turmoil around him, and groped in the darkness until he found guerrilla chief’s body, and then shot him twice more for good measure.
 
Most of the rebels fled into the jungle.  Others stayed and paid with their lives.  Two were captured.  After the shooting was over, Hanneken brought over the two prisoners, lit a match to illuminate their dead leaders corpse.  He set them free, knowing they would spread the word, Charlemagne was really dead.
 
They took Charlemagne’s corpse with them to a large town down the mountain.  He tore a door off the hinges of a nearby shack, and tied Charlemagne’s corpse to it.  The next day he propped the corpse laden door up in a market place for all to see.  Later they buried Charlemagne in a secret place to prevent his body from being used in voodoo ceremonies.  Hundreds of rebel troops came down the mountain and surrendered.
 
Sgt Hanneken and Corporal Button were each awarded the Medal of Honor for their amazing feat and Hanneken was given a battlefield commission to Second Lieutenant.
 
 
That isn’t the end of the story of Marine Hanneken; not by a long shot.  More later. 

.

Marine Corps History by Spencer
 
Book Reviews
“LIONS OF MEDINA”
“SWIFT SWORD: THE MARINES OF MIKE 3/5”
 
As everyone knows, this summer has been crazy for us.  With the exception of a few suitcases and what we can fit in our car, all our property is in storage, including my collection of Marine books.  That hasn’t stopped me from reading digital books.  In the past month, I read a couple Marine related books from the Vietnam war.  Both books told the stories of specific significant battles involving two different Marine units.
 
I was surprised to discover both stories had numerous similarities.  Both battles involved one Marine company; both occurred within a couple months of each other in 1967; both companies were ambushed; both companies were surrounded; both companies were involved in larger operations at the time; both companies were heavily outnumbered and outgunned by regular NVA army forces; the battles lasted a day and night; and, both companies took heavy casualties.  Both companies destroyed their attackers!
 
In one case, radio Hanoi was announcing the annihilation of the Marine company during the battle, so confident were they of victory.  The courage, skill, and determination of those Marines was amazing and incredible, and yet so typical of US Marines!
 
I’m going to post two separate summaries of these books and battles, using quotes from the books.  The challenge will be to keep the summaries short while doing justice to the books, and the warriors who deserve our respect and admiration.
 

yay! that is great news bud!

So sorry to hear buddy. What kind did you get this time?

Thanks Creech I will do indeed
 
 
 
Go for it man!!
 
 
 
 
Looks like I will be on this Sunday

Have fun in all you do, stay safe in your travels, and see you soon!  All the best!!! Kick ass!

Have fun in all you do, stay safe in your travels, and see you soon!  All the best!!! Kick ass!