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GyG1345
01-06-03, 07:14 PM
The Old Corps
by Dick G (Login Dick Gaines)
Forum Owner

(From George B. Clark, Marine, author, publisher, etc.--latest book-Legendary Marines o the Old Corps)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


From :
"george b. clark" <brasshat@surfglobal.net>

To :
<"Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@ms3.surfglobal.net>

Subject :
The Old Corps

Date :
Sun, 5 Jan 2003 14:39:57 -0500

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THE OLD CORPS

Robert Mullan kept an inn
In Philadelphia town.
And he knew the ways of deep sea men
And hunters in buckskin brown.

Sam Nicholas was a fighting man
Who had the awesome chore
To form the first battalions
Of a new, untested Corps.

Together they sat by the window side
In view of the restless ocean
And pondered the right recruiting pitch
(Of which they had no notion.)

They talked of how the Royal Marines
Made their quota filling
By simply buying a tot of rum
And passed a lad a shilling.

“No doubt t’would work,”
the Captain sighed,
“But we’re a different breed.
We need young men who’ll stand
and fight
For freedom, not for greed.”

“And such a man,” Bob Mullan boomed,
“Shall be my welcome guest.
He’ll taste Tun Tavern’s festive board
And drink the very best!”

“Now there’s a thought,” the Captain cried.
“I’ll tell you what we’ll do!
Each new recruit, at my expense,
Shall quaff a foaming brew.”

And so it happened, then and there,
The Captain signed a man
And e’re the night was history
The “Fighting Corps” began.
The First Marine picked up his brew
And sat by an oaken table
To contemplate his new-found fate
As well as he was able.

Before too long another joined
And the Captain, all elated,
Clapped him soundly on the back
And this is what he stated.

“Son,” he said, my heart is full.
The Corps’ begun to grow!
And I’ll buy you not one, but two,
For helping make it so.

The new recruit
(Should I call him Boot?)
Thanked his happy buyer,
Then turned away and sat beside
The first man by the fire.

With eager lips he told his tale
Of the Captain, tall and grand,
And how he came to have a mug
Of brew in either hand.

The first Marine curled back his lip
And cut the youngster down.
His eyes flashed scorn and mockery;
He wore a caustic frown.

“The Corps is getting soft,” he snarled,
“Since it was first begun.
You got two brews for signing up?
In the Old Corps we got one!”

Posted on Jan 6, 2003, 8:13 PM
from IP address 209.130.218.177

firstsgtmike
01-06-03, 07:32 PM
GunnyG,

:banana:

greensideout
01-06-03, 07:54 PM
Said it all!

Looking back with a laugh at how quickly we thought we became the, "Old Salt'.

Earle Comstock
01-06-03, 08:02 PM
One thing I have learned in this site , is that no matter how long ago you served , there is someone in here that you are a boot to. To all the old and young Marines , Semper Fi , A toast to us all . Glad you are all my brothers ! Once a Marine always a Marine ! As long as we are toasting , better toast Chesty ! Cpl Comstock:marine:

thedrifter
01-06-03, 08:35 PM
Thanks........Gunny G

Well said........

Sempers,

Roger

Art Petersn
01-06-03, 08:42 PM
It seems like only yesterday that I was the boot. 1955
I left boot camp shortly before Sgt Mckeon had the misfortion of loseing 5 marines in the swamp right behind the barracks I was in. I had also been in those swamp a few times myself. They clained that things got a little tight for sometime after that
Sgt. Mckeon was busted for the mishape but if memory servies me right Mckeon had his stripe back in a little over a year.
I was at PI last March and it sure didn't look like things had gotten any easier.

Earle Comstock
01-06-03, 09:03 PM
I went to Bootcamp in June 1977. 2 days after I graduated I was on my way to Parris Island. My mom had a hard time with this one. Not that she disliked the corp , but that she hated my dads brother , who was a Marine. I even got to admit he was an as*hole. She just figured that if I went in the Marine Corp , it would turn me into one also. I wanted to sign up January 15 , 1977 , 11 days before my 18th birthday. She said she wouldnt sign for me . I said that was ok , I could wait the 11 days. Once she realized she couldnt change my mind , she signed. I signed under the combat enlisted arms bonus , where I got 2500.00 for signing , minus taxes. I signed to be a tank mechanic. I got tanks alright , 106 plt. Either late 1977 or early 1978 they did away with 106's and got the Dragons , anti-tank weapon. Well it was tanks , sort of. Anyways in February of 1978 they sent me to K-Bay , Hawaii. It was there that my mother told me she was proud of her son being a Marine. But yea , I was a Boot , June 1977 , whats your story ? Cpl Comstock:marine: Semper Fi

yellowwing
01-07-03, 04:38 AM
It was chow time on the 300 yard line, (civilians just can not beleive it when I tell them we shoot all the way from 500 yards). The only shade in blistering heat was the PMO's fire tower.

Our old Gunny was rolling down the line handing out brown bag chow. When he got to our little cluster we sang out in chorus, "Hi Gunny!"

With a twinkle in his eye he shouts back, "Hello Girls!"

Grabbing my 'groceries' I lean over and ask him, "Hey Gunny, when you were a PFC did your Sergeants talk about the Old Corps?"

He must of had a bit of sweat pour into his eye when he replied, "Yes they did, my lad, yes they did."

GyG1345
01-07-03, 08:15 AM
Art Peterson:
SSgt McKeon mentioned....

Some info re McKeon, Plt #71, Ribbon Creek, etc.
http://expage.com/plt71

DickG
(GunnyG)

Art Petersn
01-07-03, 10:15 PM
GyG1345

Just how long did it take for McKeon to get his rank back?

I do have some paper clipping in my scapbook that my mother sent me at the time if you might want them.

wrbones
01-08-03, 12:11 AM
Damn, you boys are making me feel like a boot! I got a couple months on Earle, though! Platoon 1083, SD. yeller foot prints in July of '76.


Any of you fellers ever stop in chat and meet MrCobb? He was in that nasty bit of business on Peleliu. He's good folks! A pleasure to visit with. We're all just kids to him and a couple of others around here! ;)

Ya ever notice. Everytime one of us opens our mouths about being around when such things happened, we reveal a bit of some important piece of the history of our nation.