I have been invited, and I have accepted to speak with a group of veterans and others at the Sumter County Veteran Services Offices, room 102 located at 7375 Powell Road, Wildwood Florida, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm. on May 4th 2017. The talk will be about my experiences serving with First Reconnaissance Battalion from September 1969 until September 1970. I hope to cover what it was like to be thrust into a situation of uncertainty, relive training in ten days that others received weeks of. The first day in the jungle leading to a firefight that resulted in not one but two KIAs. The night I slept in the roots of a giant tree that reached for the sky. I’ll talk about the beauty and the hardship of the jungle, about ambushes and about discovering stairs in the jungle. I’ll talk about the heroes of Helicopter Squadron HMM 364, The Purple Foxes who came to the rescue of 8 Marines that fatal day. There are many things I’ll talk about, including going on a Med Cap with the Green Beret.
If you get this, and if you find the time, then come and listen to a fat old Marine speak of a time when he was young and spry. When his bones didn’t ache and his breath wasn’t shallow. Back in a time when he was strong and willing to lay down his life for his fellow Marine and for his country. I guarantee you won’t find the time boring.
Gunny G
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