Christmas Eve in the squadbay

[Love Life]

The squadbay, AKA the house.

As I sit here, looking out of the porthole at 84 Recruits who I've helped build up since training day one, I can't help but feel content. Yeah, duty on Krimuss Eve is a bummer, but tis life.

We are on S-9, and hit training day 54 on Monday. I laugh because now there are 84 people in this squadbay who act and talk like me, lol.

I got another laugh as I watched the rest of my fellow zombies emerge from the darkness of the parking lot at 0330, ready to go on deck and scream "LIGHTS, LIGHTS, LIGHTS!!!!!" and begin yet another day.

Life sho' am good, and Merry Christmas to all!!

[Taylor]

Stepped off an airplane on 21 December.Cold and snowing----Korea.

[koehn,jim]

Merry Christmas and thank you to all who serve.

[BrassMagnet]

Wow! Another Christmas morning where I will not be standing the Midwatch from midnight to four AM. Retirement is great!

[jmort]

"...now there are 84 people in this squadbay who act and talk like me..."

Nice :cool:

Merry Christmas to you and all in your squadbay

[DougGuy]

Merry Christmas LL, I was watching some documentary about the real Hacksaw Ridge last nite, there was a pretty enlightening docu about the battle for Okinawa, there is a LOT of stuff I didn't know about that campaign, and at the time none of the brass knew it either, would have been better for us to occupy the friendly parts of the island and just wait out the Japs running out of food and ammo instead of going after them like we did.

I look at that and I know what kind of soldiers you are raising, thank you for your service and thank all of them too! Merry Christmas!

[blackthorn]

Merry Christmas to you, your people and to all here from Gail and I.

[JBinMN]

Merry Christmas Marine!
:drinks:

Looks like you got the 3rd hat watch once again. Well, It happens... ;) I am thinking your SDI will be keeping the "boys" company tomorrow though. Most did, back long ago. Being a fairly "light" day for training. LOL
:D

Semper Fi!
:)

[Hogtamer]

Thanks for the reminder LL that we are safe at home because of guys like you preparing, keeping watch. May God bless you all and keep your families in Peace.

[myg30]

God Bless all of you that Serve and have served and the ones we’ve lost !
Merry Christmas
Mike

[JSnover]

Aah. I remember my first and only Christmas in the Squadbay about 35 years ago (as a recruit).
Merry Christmas!

[popper]

I think you got a friend's G.S. in that bunch.

[quilbilly]

Merry Christmas to you, your family, and your squad bay from the Olympic Peninsula just across the water from Bangor Sub Base.

[MaryB]

Merry Christmas and thank you for your service! I sent my 5 nieces and nephews a Christmas care package and they all sent me an email saying it arrived. Homemade beef jerky, homemade hard candies(the hot cinnamon is their favorite, I think they prank with it!), and some misc stuff. 3 are in the USA this Christmas, 1 is in Japan(she speaks Chinese and Korean... and does spook stuff), other I am not sure where he is and he isn't saying...

[Love Life]

Merry Christmas Marine!
:drinks:

Looks like you got the 3rd hat watch once again. Well, It happens... ;) I am thinking your SDI will be keeping the "boys" company tomorrow though. Most did, back long ago. Being a fairly "light" day for training. LOL
:D

Semper Fi!
:)

Spot on, lol. Boss let me go at 1100, but I stayed a little longer to IT a bunch of them, lol. Don’t have to be back until Tuesday at lights.

I’ll be a heavy next cycle so now have to learn to teach Drill.


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[Artful]

Merry Christmas to you Dick and all your ducklings

[jonp]

Spent a few years in uniform in dark places on Christmas. Christmas is in your heart, Love Life. Merry Christmas to you and all of our warriors standing a post on this night in the 4 corners of the globe. If for nothing else, America and it's son's and daughters are where they are willingly guarding the people of this planet to have the freedom to wish Merry Christmas to their friends and family

[skeettx]

To God be the Glory
To our Men and Women in Uniform our thanks
Thank You
Mike

[shdwlkr]

LoveLife
I am glad you are doing such a great job training the next generation of soldiers, but sad also as very soon all of you in uniform maybe in real harms way. Things are looking much darker when you Here General Mattis say things are not going well and be ready. Yes I know he is our Secretary of Defense now, but he is still a 4 Star General and one who knows the cost of War. Take care and watch your six and those 84 other Marines we need everyone of you. May God Bless each and everyone one of us.
PS I was a Combat Engineer Instructor back in the dark days of Vietnam trained many I have no idea how they made out but I made dam sure they understood what they might be doing when deployed.

[daniel lawecki]

Thank you for severing and MERRY CHRISTMAS. IF it weren't for men like you we couldn't sleep well at night. And thank the rest of your crew.

[MUSTANG]

Love Life - Merry Christmas and Semper Fidelis.

Following has been around for years, and is reputed to be written by James M. Schmidt, a Marine Lance Corporal
stationed in Washington, D.C., in 1986:




Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone.

I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.

Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."

One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

[runfiverun]

hey Dick...
a little more fun on your side of the office door ain't it?