[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"There has always been a rivalry between the services and there always will be."

How very true, but what some people do not understand is that
when the fighting takes place all military,
regardless of what branch, stand together as one.
In Feb '69 my ship was involved in Operation Bold Mariner
which at that time was the largest amphibious assault since Korea.
I was injured while clearing a hangfire of a 5" willy peter round in the forward gun mount.
All we had on board was a corpsman, no MD's, so I had to go to the nearest ship with a hospital (USS Iwo Jima).
When I was in the hospital there I spoke with many wounded Marines.
And everyone of them thanked me for being a gunners mate and giving them gunfire support.

[COB1]

"all military, regardless of what branch, stand together as one."

Unless they've been military, Tonkin, they won't understand that.
The closest I can come to your experience are the bar fights we used to have with the swabbies in San Diego who were our best buddies the next night.

[Illbay]

How very true, but what some people do not understand is that when the fighting takes place all military, regardless of what branch, stand together as one.

I think the problem is, the adolescents that want to make an issue of this NOW of all times, don't really care about this. And in that light, I have to conclude that they don't really care about the primary mission of the USMC (which happens to be the mission of all the uniformed services): PROTECT FREEDOM AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION.

Their pissant little diatribes are simply an embarrassment to themselves. REAL American fighting men know when it's time to cut the chatter and get to work. I suspect most of those ranting on about this are just USMC wannabes anyhow.

[onedoug]

Operation Bold Mariner, USS Ogden LPD 5, bump!

Big ARMY thanks to the NAVY who transported us, put us ashore and gave us fire support all the way inland. It mattered.