We Didn’t Promise You a Rose Garden
October 21st, 2009 by Jack Orth | FLASHBACKS | | 0 Comments
The Gunny
Birthday Edition Polo
Old Salt Cap
Had a call recently from a long lost retired Sgt. Major, who lives in Beaufort, SC. He was having a mini-reunion with a half dozen Jarheads at Parris Island. I knew them all, and he said right off the bat, “The order of the day is for you to saddle up, lock and load, and head down here. Don’t give me any B.S. that you can’t leave Trigger behind … he can stay at my barracks here in Beaufort, just like you!”
Being free as a bird, Trigger and I packed the seabag and headed out of Hendersonville, NC at high port! Trigger loves to travel, and was in the “tank” like a flash. Half way down Rt. #26, our minds wandered, and I was told by a State Trooper that I was clocked at 86 mph when he pulled me over!
Ya know, we Marines always find that it pays to be one. My USMC decal on the back window led to the question, “Where are you going in such a hurry?” Told him I was on the way to P.I. for a reunion, and he said in a business-like manner, “Well, this is your lucky day .. Semper Fi!” Then told me to hold it at 80 mph, and I’d be fine. Yes, he was a Marine, and let the “old Gunny” move out almost on the double!
The get-together the first day was at The Officers Club at P.I., which is now a combination “O” Club and Staff NCO Club. I was wearing my Leatherneck Square USMC 234th Birthday Edition Polo and Old Salt Cap and, practically in unison, the Marines said,”Where’d ya get that shirt?!” I had a “flashback”!
It was back in 1951 at Camp Lejeune, and I told the other Jarheads this story ..
A young PFC in the 6th Marines was going out on liberty, and he was wearing a USMC tee shirt with the Marine green trousers. I chewed him out big time, and told him if he was going to wear civilian clothes wear them, not a combination of a tee shirt with Marine green issue trousers. Casual clothes on liberty is fine, but not with our Marine Corps issue clothing.
Well, come to find out, the young Marine went to the “slopchute” instead of his planned liberty, and proceeded to have one too many beers. Then, he decided to go into Jacksonville with other Marines to do some serious drinking! One thing led to another, and he ended up at the tattoo parlor. Came back to the base with a new look .. a tattoo that pictured a beautiful rose in full bloom inscribed at the top, “AS SWEET AS A ROSE” .. and underneath the rose, the name “JENNY”!
A month or so later, I commented to the young Jarhead, “Why didn’t you get a Marine Corps EGA on your forearm instead of that flower?!” His explanation went something like this .. “Well, when you told me to change my liberty uniform, I did, and went to the slopchute. I was going to a church supper in Jacksonville, but changed my mind, and eventually ended up at the tattoo shop. Had my girlfriend Jenny’s name put on the rose. Last week I received a “Dear John” letter from Jenny!
If I had gone to the church supper none of this would’ve happened .. so, when I look at “JENNY” on my arm for the rest of my life, I’ll think of you, Gunny!”
Well, I told the Marine he might want to go back to the tattoo parlor and have “JENNY” blocked out, and in its place put “We Didn’t Promise You a Rose Garden!” .. with an EGA under it! Also, told him I’d pay for it Hopefully, all these years later, he looks at that art work and laughs as he says, “The Gunny was an alright guy!”
Semper Fi ……. The Gunny
The Duke Ain’t Got Nuthin’ on The Gunny
October 7th, 2009 by Jack Orth | FLASHBACKS | | 0 Comments
The Gunny
Birthday Edition Polo
It’s usually “The Gunny” that has his “flashbacks” when he reaches into the old seabag and puts on his Leatherneck Square gear! However, last Thursday, it was my turn ..I’m the Marketing Jarhead and a partner in Leatherneck Square. My wife and I were heading up to Hendersonville, NC to see “The Gunny” for a few days, and I put on one of our exclusive 234th Birthday Edition Polos with the USMC “legacy” embroidery design in Old Gold thread on the left chest. We got in the car at 0400, and hit the highway from Jacksonville, FL, heading north.
My “flashback” was to the first time I saw Gunny Parks. He retired in 1961 as a Sgt. Major, but to those of us in H/3/7 in Korea, he’ll always be “The Gunny”! When I arrived in Korea during the winter of 1952, H/3/7 was on line, and there I was reporting in for duty as a Corporal …
The first day and night with H/37 was different from any other experience in my life.
When you’re a kid, you check out the war movies of WWII and, for some reason, you think being in a war would be the ultimate high as an experience. Well, when seeing incoming up close in the freezing weather of Korea, after the initial shock you say to yourself, “What the hell was I thinking about when I actually volunteered to come over here?!”
I saw, that first night, what a true Marine is all about. Gunnery Sgt. Parks was everywhere in the trenchline checking on “his” troops. He was the shepherd tending the flock … he was the mother duck with the new family … he was what John Wayne pretended to be in the movies! He moved through the trenchline as if he was strolling down Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood! He was all business, but had that flair about him that gave you great confidence. You knew he was the man-of-the-hour, and he continued to be day in and day out until the war was over.
We had a great Captain as our Company Commander, and he, too, led by example … but, he did something that some officers might not do, and surely few CEO’s in the business world don’t. He was confident enough in himself, and the Gunny, to let the Gunny handle the troops, and between them, they instilled greatness into our company. Gunnery Sgt. Parks and Captain McCulloch are the reason many of us from those days in Korea are still around to have a “flashback” now and then!
They are both WWII Marines, and fought many a campaign in the Pacific. It’s always amazed me that men who have been in heavy combat in one war, are able to perform superbly in another war. I’m glad I was never put to that test.
What a time we had with “The Gunny”! He’s about eight years older than I am, and going strong. He has the same way about him .. very cool .. never seems to get flustered .. and, still takes care of his troops as he did back in WWII and The Korean War. For me to serve with such men as the Gunny and the Captain was the highlight of my life in many ways. They showed me, along with others I served with, that Marines truly take care of each other .. through thick and thin. My three years in The Marine Corps put me in touch with some of the finest people I’ve ever met. It was a privilege to serve with them .. especially The Gunny!
He will be back in a week or so with his own “flashbacks”, but I had to tell you about mine! To see The Gunny again is always a great pleasure!
Semper Fi ….. Jack Orth (sitting in for The Gunny this week)
