no honor guard requested
authored by:
Bradley chapline
Contact
BradChapline@hotmail.com
BradChapline@hotmail.com
I think common sense would prevail in assuming I have some serious explaining to do in this commentary.
For, why exactly in the world would a former United States Marine Corps Sergeant ask his surviving spouse upon his death to not call for a Marine Corps Honor Guard at his funeral ceremony?
To begin with, I was damn mad at the Marine Corps in the mid 1970’s, and I’ve never gotten over the Marine Corps blatant betrayal of their three most widely held values, “Honor, Courage and Commitment”.
From day one of boot camp, at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina, my Drill Instructors pounded into my head, day and night, seven days a week, the famous and renowned history of the Marine Corps.
The Marine Corps adopted “Semper Fidelis” as its official motto in 1883. This was translated from Latin. Semper Fidelis means, “Always Faithful”. Marines have historically abbreviated this version to, “Semper Fi”, which voices loyalty and commitment to their “Marine Green” comrades-in-arms.
When earned, “Once A Marine, Always A Marine”, is supposedly retained for a lifetime.
People are supposed to feel a special atmosphere around Marines. A Marine is to be different from a regular soldier. A Marine is supposed to be a cut above all others. Pride was to be the Marine Corps trademark. Put all this together, and the “Marine Green Brotherhood” would be the absolute strongest military organization in the world.
People are supposed to feel a special atmosphere around Marines. A Marine is to be different from a regular soldier. A Marine is supposed to be a cut above all others. Pride was to be the Marine Corps trademark. Put all this together, and the “Marine Green Brotherhood” would be the absolute strongest military organization in the world.
Marine Sergeants constantly schooled their men, “A Marine never leaves his brother in the hands of the enemy, no matter the personal losses and or consequences”.
I once craved to experience all the daring and gallant engagements of fighting for our country in the noblest sense. But, when times of moral turpitude got extremely difficult and confusing, I then drew upon the legacy of the Marine Corps. It gave me at critical points during my years an insurmountable level of inner-strength. Trust me when I say, “I needed it all.”
For, there are moments during my years in the Marines that I just cannot ever forgive and forget.
I once craved to experience all the daring and gallant engagements of fighting for our country in the noblest sense. But, when times of moral turpitude got extremely difficult and confusing, I then drew upon the legacy of the Marine Corps. It gave me at critical points during my years an insurmountable level of inner-strength. Trust me when I say, “I needed it all.”
For, there are moments during my years in the Marines that I just cannot ever forgive and forget.
“The Mayaguez Operation” - CBS News reporter Dan Rather finally revealed all the truths in a special two-part television report that aired on CBS in the 1990’s. The Marine Corps had finally been caught in a barefaced deliberate act of deserting its men and leaving them behind in the hands of the enemy.
The Marine LZ “Landing Zone” cover-fire was being provided by, three Marine non-commissioned officers. They were, Lance Corporal Joseph Hargrove, Private First Class Gary Hall, and Private Danny Marshall. These were the three Marines on the Cambodian Island of Koh Tang who were knowingly left behind by Marine commanders. They were seen by other Marines, from the vantage point of helicopters, to have been overtaken by the enemy. Marine commanders clearly stated that there would be no return operation because there was no evidence that the three Marines were still alive. This was a bold face lie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYWTeT2lXHQ
The Marine LZ “Landing Zone” cover-fire was being provided by, three Marine non-commissioned officers. They were, Lance Corporal Joseph Hargrove, Private First Class Gary Hall, and Private Danny Marshall. These were the three Marines on the Cambodian Island of Koh Tang who were knowingly left behind by Marine commanders. They were seen by other Marines, from the vantage point of helicopters, to have been overtaken by the enemy. Marine commanders clearly stated that there would be no return operation because there was no evidence that the three Marines were still alive. This was a bold face lie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYWTeT2lXHQ
And now, in this year, 2015, to add huge amounts of salt into a wound that will never heal, some surviving veterans of the Mayaguez Operation are planning a 40th anniversary trip back to Koh Tang where Marines Joseph Hargrove, Gary Hall, and Danny Marshall were brutally executed by the Cambodian Khmer Rouge Army. There has been no mention as to this voyage being a memorial to our three fallen Marines.
http://www.kohtang.com/whats-new/whats-new.html
http://www.kohtang.com/whats-new/whats-new.html
“The Iranian Hostage Crisis” – On November 4th, 1979 at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, 52 Americans were taken hostage and held for 444 days by Shiite ’Muslims.
Released early from captivity were 13 Americans. Most notably, four of these early releases were U.S. Marine Corps Security Guards who were African-American. Their names were as follows;
Marine Sergeant Ladell Maples.
Marine Sergeant William Quarles
Sergeant David Walker
Corporal Wesley Williams
The Iranians said that that these minorities were sympathetic to the Shiite revolution.
The shock was just overwhelming. Each black U. S. Marine took the bait from the Iranians and had walked away of their own free will from their Caucasian, Spanish and Asian Marine Corps brothers leaving them behind in the hands of the enemy.
Released early from captivity were 13 Americans. Most notably, four of these early releases were U.S. Marine Corps Security Guards who were African-American. Their names were as follows;
Marine Sergeant Ladell Maples.
Marine Sergeant William Quarles
Sergeant David Walker
Corporal Wesley Williams
The Iranians said that that these minorities were sympathetic to the Shiite revolution.
The shock was just overwhelming. Each black U. S. Marine took the bait from the Iranians and had walked away of their own free will from their Caucasian, Spanish and Asian Marine Corps brothers leaving them behind in the hands of the enemy.
The final straw was when then President Jimmy Carter gave each and every one of these returning black Marines, a hero’s welcome back at the White House. They were each presented, by our Commander-in-Chief, the “Prisoner of War” medal of valor.
It made no difference that one of the Iranian hostages lost nearly 200 lbs. while in captivity. He died back in America, less than five years after being released by the Iranians. Most of the other hostages, to include the Marine Embassy Guards who were held captive by the Iranians for all 444 days have also died at a relatively young age.
It made no difference that one of the Iranian hostages lost nearly 200 lbs. while in captivity. He died back in America, less than five years after being released by the Iranians. Most of the other hostages, to include the Marine Embassy Guards who were held captive by the Iranians for all 444 days have also died at a relatively young age.
I’ve never forgiven the Marine Corps as a whole, and those specifically who were responsible for costing the lives of these good men. Those lost were truly, “A Few Good Men”. They all trusted the Marine Corps umbrella of “Always Faithful”.
I have to pass on my veteran’s benefit of having the presence at my funeral of a Marine Corps Honor Guard. There shall be no flag folding. There shall be no flag presentation. And, there shall be no playing of taps. To allow otherwise, would render me as unfaithful to my fallen comrades as all the other charlatans who have deceptively worn the Marine Corps uniform. For these persons, an Honor Guard is just a continuation of the old “Bulldog” show. They don their dress blues; chant their propagandist fabrications, while proudly wearing their eagle, globe and anchor.
Dead or alive, I’ll have no part of that.
I have to pass on my veteran’s benefit of having the presence at my funeral of a Marine Corps Honor Guard. There shall be no flag folding. There shall be no flag presentation. And, there shall be no playing of taps. To allow otherwise, would render me as unfaithful to my fallen comrades as all the other charlatans who have deceptively worn the Marine Corps uniform. For these persons, an Honor Guard is just a continuation of the old “Bulldog” show. They don their dress blues; chant their propagandist fabrications, while proudly wearing their eagle, globe and anchor.
Dead or alive, I’ll have no part of that.
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