Click on the emblem above
to go the Home Page of the Marine Corps.
SALUTE
from a tin can sailor
Posted on 11/16/2001 1:24:02 PM PST by gunnyg
Best Writing On Old Corps Marines!
This book is among the very few by an Old Corps/Old Breed Marine which focuses on life in the Marine Corps during that period most generally known and accepted as 'The Old Corps,' the period between the World Wars I & II.
For me, being interested in Marine Corps history, the most interesting chapters in the book are the ones covering the Officers and Men of The Old Corps, and the cult of the rifle.
Williams points out that no officer had attempted to record the daily life of that cloistered world of the Old Corps, and he proceeds to do so himself in great detail, pointing out characteristics of Marines of that time, e.g., poverty and obedience as well as, and especially, 'Trust,' trust of the enlisted Marines for both one another and their officers, based on the fact that they knew their stuff, and knew their men, as both officers and men strove to achieve excellence.
There is much detailed information regarding the noncommissioned officers (NCOs) in the Corps of that time, and the author describes in candid and colorful detail the duties of the exalted ranks of Sergeant Major, First Sergeant, and Gunnery Sergeant, as well as commenting on the men themselves who held those ranks.
The term 'The Old Corps' is even today used by Marines to refer to, sometimes, a not too well defined period, and is generally dependent upon who is using the term, at the time, and in what context. Williams provides one of the best commentaries on this subject I have ever heard. Although he generally defines The Old Corps as that period between the wars, he goes on to point out that each generation of Marines acquires its own Old Corps.
Another important part of the book is that in which Williams details the Corps' cult of the rifle, as he calls it. He emphasizes that then, as now, all Marines were/are considered riflemen first, regardless of whatever specialization they may be assigned to.
As long as there is a Marine Corps this cannot change.
I personally remember the author myself, as he was my Regimental CO (3dMarines) during the years 1953-54, from Tent Camp #3 at Camp Pendleton to Middle Camp Fuji, Japan.
His impressive figure would be most difficult to forget wearing his campaign hat, battle jacket, riding breeches and boots, carring that riding crop. Again, the book is nothing less than a treasure trove of information on...The Old Corps.
*****
Note: The above is a book reveiew from the Barnes & Noble website--book presently out-of-print, but numerous used copies available through B&N, and elsewhere.
Semper Fidelis
Dick Gaines
GySgt USMC (Ret.) 1952-72
Many of them had served in the "banana wars" and in China, etc. And many of them did duty in the Corps before I was born!
There are not that many writings left behind by these Old-Time Marines, especially where they focus in detail as Williams has done, on the daily life of the Marines themselves. This work is the exception.
-Dick G
I've been on the WWW for almost 4 years now; I originally bought a WebTV, a relatively inexpensive way to get on the Internet. My son, soon set me up a website, and I proceeded to attempt to trackdown a few old acquaintances from the Corps.
That, initially, turned out not so good; so I switched to posting stories from Old Salts--when I could get them to send me stories--most are/were reluctant to have anything to do w/PCs, etc. Still true, but to a lesser degree, I think, as I now see many more Old-Timers on the Net. I also got interested in Old corps Marines History, and began digging into little-known aspects of our history -- myths, legends, and downright lies, etc.
Has proven very intersting, and I spend many hours w/both my multiple websites, Gunny G's Old Salt Marines Tavern Sites, and also GyG's OSMT (Forum).
Best
Semper Fidelis
Dick G
So, I went ahead and submitted to B&N a short reviwew of my own; maybe others will do so also.
On the subject of finding old military buddies on the WWW, it has been my experience/observation that the best way to find old friends (and new ones for that matter), is to set up your own website, and they will, eventually, find you!
It doesn't have to be anything extravagant--just a short biography will do--so that others will recognize you as a Marine w/similar service dates, units, and experiences.
But, likely, after you once do that, you will, like myself, be bitten by the bug, and other ideas will come to you to expand your website. This I would like to see--I have constantly attempted to influence other old Marines, to get into this sort of thing--it is a most valuable thing for families, as well as to the Marine concerned
I receive e-mail on a daily basis, from relatives of deceased Marines, requesting information as to how to determine their Marine's dates of service, where he served, his experiences, etc.
In most cases, they say that the Marine never talked to them about his service.
Dick Gaines
My favorite.
One of the many pictures at Bluejacket.com Sea Service and History pages.
#144...The Old Breed
Ref: Guadalcanal, The Definitive Account by Richard B. Frank:
"The Old Breed", as described by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel B. Griffith, one of their own, described them as they were formed at the beginning or World War II in the lst Marine Division just prior to Guadalcanal:
"...first sergeants yanked off "planks" in navy yards, sergeants from recruiting duty, gunnery sergeants who had fought in France, perennial privates with disciplinary records a yard long. These were the professionals, the "Old Breed" of the United States Marines.
Many had fought "Cacos" in Haiti, "bandidos" in Nicaragua, and French, English, Italian, and American soldiers and sailors in every bar in Shanghai, Manila, Tsingtao, Tientsin, and Peking."
"They were inveterate gamblers, and accomplished scroungers, who drank hair tonic in preference to post exchange beer ("horse piss"), cursed with wonderful fluency, and never went to chapel ("the Godbox") unless forced to. Many dipped snuff, smoked rank cigars, or chewed tobacco (cigarettes were for women and children). They had little use for libraries or organized athletics...they could live on jerked goat, the strong black coffee they called "boiler compound," and hash cooked in a tin hat."
"Many wore expert badges with bars for proficiency in rifle, pistol, machine gun, hand grenade, auto-rifle, mortar and bayonet. They knew their weapons and they knew their tactics. They knew they were tough and they knew they were good. There were enough of them to leaven the Division and to impart to the thousands of younger men a share of both the unique spirit which animated them and the skills they possessed.
They were like a drop of dye in a gallon of water, they gave the whole division an unmistakable hue and they stamped a nickname on the division: "the Old Breed."
Gunny G's
Old Salt Marines Tavern
Sites & Forums by...
R.W. "Dick" Gaines
GySgt USMC (Ret.)
1952-72
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.