Desert BRaT

[Sophora]

Alot of you kinda know me already. I've met some of you face to face, and talked with others on the phone. I am honored that you have accepted me on your site. Your welcome is unbelievable. I thank you.

Out of respect for you as Marines, I don't usually post on the forums. This is a site for Marines and I recognize I am only a guest. I do post in the slop shute cuz this granny is an ole time bar fly :D

They say if the Corps wanted you to have a wife they would issue you one. I like to say the Corps issued my dad his wife. He met mom while they were both stationed in Le Jeune after the Korean war. They Married on Nov. 10. They drove to SC cuz it was the closest place they could go to marry on the 10th.

I was born in SC while my dad was stationed at PI. I lived the first 10yrs 7mths of my life on military bases. My mom had been a Sgt in the Marines, my dad retired a 1st Sgt. I wrote letters to my dad when he was in Nam. I heard the peaceniks calling him a murderer. I got picked up by the base MP's on ocassion :D I'm proud of being a BRaT.

[Sparrowhawk]

well I got to say you are the best military brat I have ever met!

:banana:

[Sophora]

Rhanks, that means alot to me. And I'm glad I gave ya a chuckle confessing my run ins with the MPs :D

[thedrifter]

You have to remember that you are FAMILY, I'm proud to know you and call you my FRIEND. Hey!!!!!! I never got picked up by the MP's..................When you were in Hawaii, maybe I was one of the MP"s who picked you up..........HE HE HE

Sempers,

Roger

[Sophora]

Well I posted the following on Saturday and in the moving I guess it got lost :rolleyes: Luckily I did in in word and pasted it here..so here it is again.

When I went back to The Wall Reunion in April, I pretty much only had dad’s DD214. I went out to DC early to search through old boxes mom had stored. By the time I checked into the hotel I had several documents of dad’s from his time in the Corps. I had stuffed them in a folder after briefly scanning them. I carried them around DC. Except for the photo of dad while at 8th &I I showed no one. The last night of the gathering, there was a party in Troops’ suite. I had met Doc Marko the first night at Freebirds. I had been intimidated by him for going off on me in Leatherneck.com because I wasn’t a Marine. That last night I sat by him, in the smokers corner. We got to talking, he went with me back to my room and I showed him what papers I had. I found more later.

Even though I showed them to Doc, even though I’ve had them all these months I never really LOOKED at them, read them , till yesterday. I put them in a chronological order. I put an * where I have no idea what stuff means. (Well I recognize some, but don’t really know)

Purple Heart Certificate for wounds received in Korea on 23 Dec 1950, while Sgt.

Certificate of Good Conduct -Technical Sgt 0419 for the period 22 June 48 - 21 June 51, received 2 May 52
* Unit EngrScol., MB., Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Certificate of completion and graduation of NCO Leaders’ Course - Staff Sgt 0411 *2nd Marine Division, FMF Camp Lejune, N.C.

Change of Beneficiary (married mom) Signed 27 June 56 at * “A” Co. 2d Shore Party Bn 2nd MarDivFMF CLNC

Certificate of Good Conduct 3rd Award- Technical Sgt. for the period 22 June54 - 21 June 57, received 20 Sept 57 Marine Barracks Wash. D.C.

Immunization certificate stamped twice on the front. Top stamp - 2D Landing Support Company, Bottom Stamp - 3D Service BN3D MAR DIV FMF with shots recieved between 16 Nov 60 - 29 Nov 63

Appointment to Gunnery Sgt. 1 Jan 61 *with precedence number 681

DD214 from when he retired in 69, with remark -Good Conduct Medal period commences 22 June 66 (7th award).

12 October 2002

Millratusmc, regarding your response that also disappeared We moved to Hawaii - K-Bay either late 63 early 64. Dad went to Nam from there in 65. I did send off for dad's SRB in March but have not received it.

Roger lol nope it was Le Jeune when I got picked up probably 67 :)

[Sophora]

Went to the head doc today. looks like I'll be going once a week for awhile. She asked me if I've ever seen 'The Great Santini'. She said that oher military BRaTs she's counseled have all said their dads were Santini. I've never heard of it so I did a web search.


The Great Santini (http://www.apolloguide.com/mov_fullrev.asp?CID=1839)

I think I'll rent it this weekend.

[Sophora]

It was in Lejeune, not sure when..late 66 early 67. We lived in enlisted married housing. One of the neighborhood BRaT pack came up with a 55 gal. drum with an end cut off.

There was a real cool hill in the woods. We all had a grand ole time getting in the drum and rolling down the hill. Sometimes you went off course and hit a tree. :)

I was about 8 then. Sparrowhawk has a good chuckle when I told him that me and my kid brother (about 7) tried to run away from home then. That was my first run in with MP's :D

*Advice to BRaTs if ya live on base, don't try to run away

[Sparrowhawk]

You tried to run away from home while still staying with in the military base. LOL


Did that drum barrel race once, but we placed the barrel on top of the slide, got in and went down the slid in the barrel.

Of, ourse I was first and went down the slide in the barrel. it seemed to me, while inside that the barrel was taking too long to get down the slide. i could sense it was moving, but decided to look out, just as it hit bottom.

Still have a scare at the bridge of my nose over that one. LOL

I don't think any of the other kids did that afterwards.


While in the Corps we lived off base. Houseing was never provided for E-5's on base.

What is it now?

[Sophora]

Well Sparrow we were running away, had no thought about where we were going to. We ended up in the woods, exploring, playing, just hanging out enjoying our freedom achieved by running away. :) Later when it started getting dark, and we were feeling a bit hungry, we decided to forgive the injustice that had us pack our hobo packs and started home. That's when we noticed the MP's out patroling the neighborhood. We were able to avoid detection till we almost made it, then we got spotted. Got a royal arse chewing from mom and confined to our room.

Mom told me that when we went to K-Bay that we were living off base till dad shipped over to Nam, then the Marines brought the families on base so they could take care of us. From that point on we always lived on base. I was too young to remember not being on base except in 61 when dad was deployed outta country and mom took us to Worchester to be near her family. I don't actually remember that but got pics of that time in Mass.

[Lock-n-Load]

Just surfed in....read your trips down memory lane...they were written from the heart...you certainly are Marine bred; moreso, than most of us who wore the green uniform...your kindness and thoughtfulness to me will always be cherished...have a happy 10Nov02 celebration...sayonara, Red. Gung-Ho SSGT Christy-USMC FMF:)

[firstsgtmike]

I guess I was the same age as you were, 7 or 8 when I ran away. I wanted roller skates, mom said "No".

After much pleading, I said that if I couldn't have the skates, I was leaving. Mom said she didn't want me to go, but no skates.

I packed some gear, mom packed some sandwiches for me. I kept telling her I wasn't joking, I was serious. She kept telling me that she wished I wouldn't go.

I walked down the stairs, out the door, and onto the street. I stood there trying to figure out what the hell I was going to do now.

I heard a tapping on my bedroom window, which faced the street. Problem solved. I WON.

I turned around with a smile of relief on my face, which turned to tears when I saw my mother putting a sign up in the window.

Room for Rent.

That was the last time I EVER made a threat or a promise in haste, that I wasn't prepared to go with, all the way. Whatever it took.

Semper Fi.

[Sophora]

Wow firstsgtmike! tough lesson there. I think I learned not to **** off mom. She never stopped being a sgt of Marines, and when she dressed you down you never forgot. She still does call me on the carpet today sometimes, and I still cringe, even being thousand of miles away from her lol. The MP's were much easier on us then mom :o

[Sophora]

B orn R aised and T rained I don't know when or where I first heard that term. It works for all branches of the service. I had some great friends who were Navy BRaTs since dad's last duty station was at Pax River NAS. It's a term I've always knew applied to kids of career military folk.

I'm second of the 5 BRaTs my parents had. My older bro was born in March 57 while dad was stationed at Le Jeune. I was born July 58 at Beaufort and my kid bro same place in Dec 59. My little bro May 64 and baby bro Sept 65, were both born while we were stationed at K-Bay. (dad was in Nam when baby bro was born)

People ask me where i'm from. I don't know how to answer. Counting being born in SC I lived 6 places before 11. Well 5 because we lived at Le Jeune twice during my life as a BRaT. To make it easy I say I'm from MD since dad was stationed at Pax River NAS MD when he retired and we settled there. I lived there for 10 yrs before moving to AZ where I've resided since 77.

You know your a BRaT when ya gotta show ID to buy a candy bar.
You know your a Marine BRaT when you think all dad's wear green.

[JAMarine]

Your a BRaT!
I'm a BRaT!

Same Same.

I do believe I remember your pic up on the Provost Marshall's "Most Wanted" wall at Lejeune.

I remember patroling the housing "Enlisted and Officers" residential areas at Lejeune seeing kids doing this or that. Hell, I remember getting in trouble from my 2nd Lt. once when he came by and caught me playing football with the kids of the neighborhood. Man was he a DickHead.

Oh well.

Nice to have you here. Proud to Know you. I'm looking forward to meeting you this next year.

[wrbones]

No. Really! LOL. Some of my first, and best memories are from that time.

Sophora, I have the same problem when people ask me where I'm from. South Dakota (four times or is it five?), Missouri (Twice), Illinois (four times, maybe five, I'll have to ask Mom! LOL), California (twice), Hawaii, Arizona, Washington, Tennesee...
If folks phrase their question right, I just tell them I'm an American!

And ya ain't never rolled down a hill til ya done it in a tractor tire! A fifty-five gallon drum has nothin' on that! LOL

[Sophora]

Last week at the head doc's, I talked about this time of yr. It's crazy, the new age therory of S.A.D, yeah right. It's getting cold, I want to curl up and hybernate.

It's a bad time of yr for me. Bad memories hidden even from myself. Memories that I've used to build a wall. Memories I have to face, to tear down that wall.

I see debates about old Corps vs new Corps. A yr ago watching the news, I'd see Marines shipping out, saying goodbye to their wife and kids. There was remote broadcasting, of our Military folk during commercial cuts on NFL broadcasts. Businesses were offering folks a chance to make free video messages in support of our Service Members. Flags waved everwhere.

Dad shipped out in 65 with a bunch of other Marines. Mom knew he was going, she was the Gunny's wife she had to know. She was one of the few that did know. There were no TV cameras, there were no waving flags. There were no wives and children to hug and kiss goodbye. One day Dad was gone.

I think all parents don't think about their kids being around when they are talking to their friends. (did ya follow that? :)) I have memories of hearing my mom talk about that time to her friends. Apparently the wives were told the Marines were going out on weekend training. Later they were notified their husbands were in Nam. As Gunny's wife mom was expected to take care of the enlisted wives. Mom was almost 7 mths preggers, had four other BRaTs, ages 8,7,6,1, but she was also a WM SGT, and Gunny's Wife.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

[Sophora]

Baby bro was born 7 Sept 65, he was late, so dad went to Nam prob May, June 65.

I asked mom about it when I was back there in April. She said we were living off base when dad shipped out. The Corps wanted to bring all the off base families on base, but some of the wives wanted to go stateside to be with their families. This caused a very big problem.

Mom told me that the Govt would only pay to ship families and belonging to duty station the women couldn't leave. She said wives sold all household possesions for pennies on the dollar to get enough airfare to get her children back to the mainland. She said they had to pass a special act of congress to finally allow the families who wanted to go fly stateside. That followed with lawsuits from the families who had sold their worldly goods.

Mom told me she didn't even consider going stateside. A Prop plane across the Pacific with 4 BRaTs and late term preggers. She moved us onto K-Bay

[Sophora]

Last weekend, ) 19 OCT I was working on a project at the ROTC building. UA is one of the few campuses who have all 4 branches in ROTC. I was working with some of the cadets, renovating the landscape...hmmm only AFROTC showed up......:confused:

I was supervising these kids that were my daughters age. They would be talking about the test they had upcoming..training, PT, what MOS they were trying for. I had a great day. It was on my own time. Earlier that week I had chided the Army senior sgt about none of his cadets volenteering, saying they were the ones needing to learn to dig trenches :D

As we were taking a break at the end of the work day, after planting a white rose, a symbol of that AFROTC group, we could hear the anti-war speakers, on the loudspeakers, at their rally on the mall.

I sat there smoking a cig, watching and listening as the children discussed the anti-war rally, children who had chosen to dedicate their life to Their Country. These proud children just sluffed off the protesters. They had their duty, and their duty meant defendingg those protesters even though they ademently disagreed with what the protesters believed.

The young men and women I worked with that Saturday know what needs to be done. They will disregard the nahsayers. I have great faith in them. I was honored to work with them and know them. I look forward to our next weekend together.

There will always be protesters out there. I hope I can count on my fellow Nam BRaTs to stand with our Service Personnel...Go ahead and protest the war, it is your constitutional right, but if you DARE to attack any Service Person who is serving his or her Country, you will have to go through ME!

I remember dad not being able to wear his uniform off base, yet with his Marine haircut in the hippy age he was a target. No child ever again should see their father spit on. No child should hear their father be called a murder. No child should be warned against talking about what their dad did. I want Marine BRaTs today to be able to show their pride in their mom's and dads (all women hail the demise of the marriage act)

[Sophora]

My mom called me Monday after seeing news of the shooting on campus. After assuring her myself and my daughter, a student of the U, were all right we got to talking of my trip this Dec. to dad's grave, A grave that finally has a headstone.

While I had mom on the phone I asked her about a memory I had, wanting to know if it was real. I asked her if we had lived in a house on the beach in Camp Lejeune in the winter. I asked her if there were Marines on the beach. She was surprised I remembered. But then she told me her side of the memory.

It was after dad came back from Nam, we'd just transfered from K-Bay to Lejeune. They didn't have a house ready for us so they put us in this cottage at Onslow beach. She said it was one room with two twin beds a set of bunk beds. there was my parents and us 5 brats. It had a stove and a fridge and some cupboards.

One day she see's her 3rd born, my kid bro, walking outta the house with a bag full of food. She follows him, he heads towards the beach over a dune. When he crests the dune he hollers out "I got the food" Mom crests the dune, see's me and my Older bro sitting in a hole with three Marines. ( there was a training excercise going on. Now she knew where all the food was going. Me and my bros had been feeding the Marines. She said dad was Livid when she found out.

My Memory.... Marines were hitting the beach...Cool! lets play with them, we were having a grand ole time. Mom caught us. yelled at me and my bros and sent us back to the house, I heard her giving the Marines all kinda sheet as we walked away...lol those poor Marines.......

[Sophora]

I’m not sure exactly when this picture was taken. My older brother and I are standing in line waiting to go look in the jet. That’s my mom, sitting on the bomb, with my kid brother. since there’s no baby carriage, it’s before May 64 when my kid bro was born. I remember hearing my mom talk about this picture. Dad wasn’t there, I think he was on duty. The official photographer, I guess for the base paper, was a friend of mom and dad’s and when he saw mom, very preggers sitting on the bomb he just had to take it. I remember her laughing and saying she wanted to kill him when he gave dad the pic.

11 Nov 2002

[Sophora]

guess I should of attached the pic lol