Bible Study Letters Marine Corps Veteran

National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal w/2*, and Vietnam Campaign Medal w/device,
from my four years in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Photograph of Flag raising at Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima
Mount Suribachi

Among my prized possessions and mementoes is a jar of black sand taken from the beach at Iwo Jima.

The area the sand is taken from is the southeast corner, near Mount Suribachi. It was the Green Beach landing area during the II World War battle.

This is the island where 27 Americans won the Medal Of Honor. They were part of the Fifth Marine Amphibious Force, composed of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Marine Divisions. They battled the Imperial Japanese Army's deeply entrenched 109th Division.

The Japanese commander LtGen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi instructed his men to kill ten Marines for each one of them - and for awhile they were beating their quotas - but in the end, even Kuribayashi died, probably of Seppuku (hari-kiri) as his body was never found. Between 19 February 1945, and 25 March 1945, more than 20,000 Japanese troops, 4,339 Marines, 363 Navy, and 7 Army would stain the sands red with their death's blood. This is the place where Admiral Nimitz said these words while the fighting was still in stride: "Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue."

Marines of 5^th Amphibian Tractor Battalion,
5^th Marine Division (Rein), Camp Pendleton, California
on liberty at Tijuana, Mexico 1967. Haven't seen these Marines since,
except for the third from the left, in Vietnam 1968

From left, Al D. (spell?), Don Chester (also from 5th Amphibian Tractor), and Bob Krajcik

Staging Battalion, Camp Pendleton, California 1967.
Preparing to travel to Vietnam.

Vietnam 1968
Bob Krajcik, left,
The Marine on the right is Gailen Guthrie.
He was 52 years old
when he passed away in 2002.
He lived in Kansas City Missouri.

Steak Fry at Dong Ha, Vietnam
Dehydrated Beef Cooked Over Open Wood Fire
Photograph by Bob Krajcik

Enlisting in Marines in 1965,
I went to Boot Camp at Parris Island, South Carolina,
Platoon 170,27 Aug - 21 Oct 1965.

My first duty station was with,
Maintenance Battalion 3^rd Force Service Regiment,
Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan Mar 1966 to about Mar 1967.

From there I went to,
5^th Amphibian Tractor Battalion,
5^th Marine Division (Rein),
Camp Pendleton, California..

Next, I went to Dong Ha, Vietnam.
3^rd Marine Division, 11^th Engineer Battalion
I was there from 12/31/1967-1/1/1969.

My last duty station was with
Support Company, 5^th Engineer Battalion,
5^th Marine Division, FMF Camp Pendleton

My family has served it's country over the years.
On my father's side, grandfather had six sons and one daughter, my aunt and uncles, that came to age, and every one of them served in the US military, various times from World War Two through Vietnam. I'm the son of a World War Two Vet that was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. I'm a Vietnam Veteran myself having served in the US Marine Corps. Mt two brothers each served in the military. My wife has US veterans in her family as well, her father serving during the First World War and her three brothers serving in the US military! On my mother's side of the family, there are military veterans as well.

Marines have been about everywhere. What about heaven?
On good source I have it the streets there are guarded by United States Marines.
Our Lord Jesus is the one that will get us there.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. KJB