thedrifter
05-07-07, 10:04 AM
Posted on Sun, May. 06, 2007
Ex-Marine always faithful to his Corps
JOSH LANIER
No one can meet Larry Bradley without receiving a Marine Corps bumper sticker.
He would find it rude if he didn't show you his love for the Corps. Looming over his beige-bricked ranch-style home is an American flag and a military issue green "deuce and a half" truck.
The 58-year-old ex-First Force Recon member literally wears his love for the Marines on his sleeve, and he's made it his mission to show everyone else why they should love the Corps as much as he does.
"You won't find a better group of guys than Marines," he said wearing a bright red Marines T-shirt and baseball cap. "If you've ever been a Marine, you've made friends for life."
Bradley is a member of just about every group that will let him help Marines anywhere in the United States. But he hopes to get everyone he knows involved to help with the little things.
"If you know anyone who is serving, send them a letter," he said. "Let them know you care. Little things like that can make a soldier's day."
Bradley joined the Marines in 1965 at age 17 to fight in Vietnam. He spent 2 1/2 tours as a Special Forces operative and received four Purple Hearts and the Silver Star and Bronze Star for gallantry during combat.
"Marines don't like to talk about how they got their medals; they're just there to get the job done," he said. "The only reason I won those Purple Hearts is because I didn't learn to duck fast enough."
Bradley left the Marines in 1985 and has made sure Vietnam veterans and Marines anywhere in the world know that he and his groups are standing with them. He can no longer run the three miles a day he once could, and his hair is thinning with age but his zeal for his "Band of Brothers" hasn't diminished in the slightest.
Bradley was the force behind Gastonia getting its detachment of the Marine Corps League, in which he is a state officer. He's worked tirelessly to support Gastonia's military museum, at Memorial Hall on Second Avenue, and he has been a staunch advocate for disabled veterans rights.
Recently the disabled veteran, with help from the Marine Corp League, assisted Gaston County in a pilot program to help transport disabled veterans to the closest veterans hospital in Salisbury.
But he's too humble to take credit for anything.
"Larry has the biggest heart of anyone I know," said Martha Bradley, his cousin. "He's always been the most kind and generous person."
But altruism aside, Larry Bradley sees this as a full-time job.
"I'm just doing what any Marine would do," he said. "If I can do anything to bring one of our guys home, then by God, I'm going to do it."
When asked what he would say to a young soldier boarding a plane to Iraq or Afghanistan, he simply replied: "I wish I could go with you."
He and his fellow veterans take regular trips to visit wounded troops at Marine camps all over the country. "It's such an honor to go and try to cheer the guys up," he said.
But Bradley and the many groups he's involved with spend much of their time working on ways to help out here at home as well.
"Now that we're back home, the Marine Corps League makes sure that we're helping our community. We organize an annual Toys 4 Tots drive and a lot of others things as well. ... You get a couple of Marines together, and they'll get things to happen," he said.
But no matter what he tries to do he'll carry with him the pride in his service and a saying he once heard from a commanding officer: "Nothing's impossible; it just takes a little longer."
If you would like to join the Marine Corps League and help donate to any veteran or Marine cause, Bradley would love to hear from you. He can be reached at 704-867-7120 or 704-689-5567.
Josh Lanier
Ellie
Ex-Marine always faithful to his Corps
JOSH LANIER
No one can meet Larry Bradley without receiving a Marine Corps bumper sticker.
He would find it rude if he didn't show you his love for the Corps. Looming over his beige-bricked ranch-style home is an American flag and a military issue green "deuce and a half" truck.
The 58-year-old ex-First Force Recon member literally wears his love for the Marines on his sleeve, and he's made it his mission to show everyone else why they should love the Corps as much as he does.
"You won't find a better group of guys than Marines," he said wearing a bright red Marines T-shirt and baseball cap. "If you've ever been a Marine, you've made friends for life."
Bradley is a member of just about every group that will let him help Marines anywhere in the United States. But he hopes to get everyone he knows involved to help with the little things.
"If you know anyone who is serving, send them a letter," he said. "Let them know you care. Little things like that can make a soldier's day."
Bradley joined the Marines in 1965 at age 17 to fight in Vietnam. He spent 2 1/2 tours as a Special Forces operative and received four Purple Hearts and the Silver Star and Bronze Star for gallantry during combat.
"Marines don't like to talk about how they got their medals; they're just there to get the job done," he said. "The only reason I won those Purple Hearts is because I didn't learn to duck fast enough."
Bradley left the Marines in 1985 and has made sure Vietnam veterans and Marines anywhere in the world know that he and his groups are standing with them. He can no longer run the three miles a day he once could, and his hair is thinning with age but his zeal for his "Band of Brothers" hasn't diminished in the slightest.
Bradley was the force behind Gastonia getting its detachment of the Marine Corps League, in which he is a state officer. He's worked tirelessly to support Gastonia's military museum, at Memorial Hall on Second Avenue, and he has been a staunch advocate for disabled veterans rights.
Recently the disabled veteran, with help from the Marine Corp League, assisted Gaston County in a pilot program to help transport disabled veterans to the closest veterans hospital in Salisbury.
But he's too humble to take credit for anything.
"Larry has the biggest heart of anyone I know," said Martha Bradley, his cousin. "He's always been the most kind and generous person."
But altruism aside, Larry Bradley sees this as a full-time job.
"I'm just doing what any Marine would do," he said. "If I can do anything to bring one of our guys home, then by God, I'm going to do it."
When asked what he would say to a young soldier boarding a plane to Iraq or Afghanistan, he simply replied: "I wish I could go with you."
He and his fellow veterans take regular trips to visit wounded troops at Marine camps all over the country. "It's such an honor to go and try to cheer the guys up," he said.
But Bradley and the many groups he's involved with spend much of their time working on ways to help out here at home as well.
"Now that we're back home, the Marine Corps League makes sure that we're helping our community. We organize an annual Toys 4 Tots drive and a lot of others things as well. ... You get a couple of Marines together, and they'll get things to happen," he said.
But no matter what he tries to do he'll carry with him the pride in his service and a saying he once heard from a commanding officer: "Nothing's impossible; it just takes a little longer."
If you would like to join the Marine Corps League and help donate to any veteran or Marine cause, Bradley would love to hear from you. He can be reached at 704-867-7120 or 704-689-5567.
Josh Lanier
Ellie