'Hardcore' honored
JOE MILLER
September 23, 2007 - 12:49AM
DAILY NEWS STAFF

To serve during one war requires a certain level of bravery. But serving during three wars makes a service member a true "hardcore warrior."

It's that bravery and patriotism that Camp Lejeune honored Saturday during its annual military retiree appreciation day. Twenty-three veterans were honored for their service during World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

"No other time in our history have people served such an intense and varied type of operation," said event organizer and retired Marine Col. Paul O'Toole. "When you go through World War II and you stay for Korea and you come back or stay for Vietnam, that's hardcore."

Ralph Freeman joined the Marine Corps in 1943 and served in the Pacific Theater. He was a machine gunner serving on Guadalcanal, Peleliu and in Okinawa.

He remembers how on Peleliu island, a Japanese shell landed just 10 feet from him and bounced.

"Peleliu's where I got religion," he said. "World War II was hell. I earned every cent that the government will give me."

Later in Vietnam, Freeman, 82, said he worked behind enemy lines as a counter intelligence agent. One of his jobs was to find a Chinese general believed to be working with the Vietcong.

"I chased him all over Vietnam," he said.

John Crazy Bear served in the Marine Corps for 22 years and said the worst of the wars he served in was Korea because that's where he was wounded.

Crazy Bear said as a gunnery sergeant in Korea, he had a lot of responsibility that lower ranking Marines wouldn't have.

"When you're a private or a corporal, you don't have to worry about taking care of anyone else," he said.

Crazy Bear said that Marines serving in Iraq will need a lot of help dealing with post traumatic stress disorder like he did.

"I understand what they're going through," he said.

George Barrows Sr. said despite his 22-year Marine Corps career, the experience of war never got any easier. Although he said there was somewhat of a similarity in combat between Korea and Vietnam.

"Korea was more...they'll shoot at you but they're going to stay hidden," he said. "Vietnam that was just kind of a repetition, but you were en masse going in against them."

Freeman felt honored to be recognized so many years after his military service ended.

"There's not too many of us left now (from World War II)," he said.

Twenty-three military veterans were honored Saturday as "hardcore warriors" for their service during World War II, Korea and Vietnam during the Camp Lejeune military retiree appreciation day .

Maj. Fred Ballek
Staff Sgt. George Barrows Sr.
Lt. Col. Donald Blake
Sgt. Maj. Marion Carcirieri
Capt. Harry Curtis
Lt. Col. Harry Elliott
Master Sgt. Ralph Freeman
Master Gunnery Sgt. George "Hank" Hankovich
HMC Robert Neil Lathrop
Sgt. Maj. George Meyer
Capt. John McGraw
Capt. Joseph Normandeau
Gunnery Sgt. Gordon James Plain Sr.
Sgt. Maj. Robert Powell
Gunnery Sgt. Roy Rhoads Jr.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Russell Rosenwirth
Sgt. Maj. Mary Sabourin
Master Gunnery Sgt. William Sirignano
Master Sgt. George Albertine
Sgt. Maj. Theodore Walker Sr.
Lt. Col. Sam Weimer
Gunnery Sgt. John Crazy Bear
Staff Sgt. Richard Burbine