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)
