STORIES

This is the page for reminiscing, stories, poems, odd thoughts.   Anything you want to contribute.

The first story, The Becky is from Joe Holt, it's about a reunion, yet it isn't....highly recommended, I've read it twice and will again.

Newsweek is a copy of an article in August of 1966 about Operation Hastings.

Spit, Dipshit is a Joe Holt memory of ITR in '65.  You're going to love it.

Sorry! is a story about (not quite dry) socks.  Remember?  By Joe Holt. 

Hastings Memory, is a reminiscence...and a tribute to corpsmen everywhere..of a particular moment in Hastings by Hans Haupt, the CO of H&S Company...The Newsweek article above triggered his memory. 

Added a poem written by Bill Dowling....a tribute to India 3/5 Marines.(Nobody Even Told Us) Welcome Home.   Also on the poems page, we've added (on 7/19/00) a poem by Marko Whiteley, called Sgt. Andy about Steve Kittle.  Marko also forwarded us a poem written by Harry Geibus when India was on the way to Okinawa...it's probably a parody of Barry Sadler's Ballad of the Green Berets,  Harry called it Ballad of the 5th Marines.  And parts two and three of Marko's trilogy, Billy and Jonny, and Where's the Band. Also included is a poem by Hank Oliver, called Semper Fi. On August 7, 2001 we added a poem written in 1991 by Dennis Tenety, called the Longest Night (the first in country).

Under the Poems page is a moving handwritten tribute to 58,000 plus names on the Wall.  A Name On A Wall is the name of the poem.

Haalp!, another story by Joe Holt, on mishaps on patrol.

Mush, or Combat Engineers are scary.  By Joe Holt.

Hastings_Mike is a story of Mike Company on Hastings, after India got decimated, exacting a little payback.  By Richard Golbeck.

Thirst, a story by Joe Holt.  One way to find water!

Burnin' Shitters, how not to do it.  By Joe Holt.

Just Too Stupid....by Joe Holt.  Some people are just too stupid to deal with.

Joe's Hill 362. Joe Holt's account of his part of Operation Hastings.  A must read, Joe has a phenomenal memory. 

First Firefight. In Joe's words "Larry Messmore asked me to document his injuries of some night in June of '66. When I finished the story I asked him if he'd mind if I put the story on the site. He said OK. Nothing all that dramatic, but I reckon if we all write down everything then history will be correct."

The Dumbest Thing I Ever Did, by Joe Holt.  A broken tooth can keep your memory alive forever.

He Actually Giggled, a reminiscence about Sgt Hailey on the USS Pickaway, who lost his life on Operation Hastings. 

Nah. That ain't disgusting.  A goodie from Joe Holt about the USS Renville in '66 and that's all I'm going to say.

Gil's Drill, Close Order Drill taken to extremes.  By Joe Holt.

Gerheim:  A series of published stories by Earl Gerheim, Marine combat correspondent: about Operation Alamo;  Scout, about Howard Staudt: and a story written by someone else about Bill Pruett's capture of a VC.  On the cover page is a picture of Fred Smith, Kilo CO and Henry Kolakowski, India CO.

My Shot Card Is Up To Date, a story by Joe Holt. 'Nuff said.

Jayne Mansfield, a story by Joe Holt.  Want to go to a USO show?

I wonder whatever happened to....? A story of finding a long lost buddy, by Joe Holt.