Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board USMC #234 and HAPPY VETERANS' DAY

From one Marine Corps veteran to all Marines and veterans:

HAPPY 234TH BIRTHDAY, MARINES!

Semper fidelis...celer, silens, mortalis

And

HAPPY VETERANS' DAY

to all who served in our armed services.

BTW, Doug, that story about the guy asking "does it hurt if I shoot the enemy" is a classic.

I'm going to be trying to make the summit of Whitney for Veterans Day... Thanks to those who are/have taken care of things for us.

I'll have the privilege of attending the 234th USMC Birthday Ball tomorrow night for the 4th Recon Battalion based in Marietta, GA, and my wife and I are very much looking forward to it. Happy birthday Corps! And hats off to all men and women in uniform - past, present and future!

Before they play Anchors Aweigh and the Marine Corps Hymn, please ask permission to stand at attention. Both of you will be glad you did.

Have fun.

Happy Birthday, Thank God for the Marines!

Much thanks coming from a Marine stationed in Camp Pendleton.

My ball was last night at the US Grant in San Diego. It was my wife's first ball and she loved it.

It snuck up on us before we had a chance, but it was a blast anyway - especially on bagpipes. It was my wife's first military ball, and she loved it. Somewhat sad evening, though, as the unit lost a couple of Marines recently.

Incidentally, I've become good friends over the past few years with the 1st Sergeant of this company, who also happens to be one of the few mountaineering instructors in the Marine Corps. He's led technical training ascents of Shasta something like a dozen times. Last February he spent almost 2 weeks of personal leave snowcaving in Montana, just to "clear his head and recharge". He's a beast - at 5'6' and maybe 150 pounds dripping wet. He's invited me several times to go hike or climb with him, but I haven't done it yet. Maybe some day if I can get over the intimidation factor . . .

Hoo-rah!

I will never forget my first Marine Corps birthday ball, I was the youngest Marine on the base but could not come out of isolation after surgery to cut the cake. Some old 18yr old got the privilege.

SEMPER FI to all current and former Marines! Unfortuneatley because of the shootings at Fort Hood, it will be a sadder Veteran's Day. I was stationed at El Toro in HGMS-37 during the late 70s. Some day we should all celebrate the Marine Birthday on the peak!

Semper Fi and a happy 234th to all members of the Corps! This comes from one Veteran to the others.

I know this is late notice, but if you can get to Beckman High School in Irvine, CA this evening at 7pm, the Beckman High School Patriot Band is giving their annual Veteran's Day concert. The director there is a huge supporter of Vets. The band uniforms are based on the Marine Corps Band's. This is a great event... if you go, you will see how those who believe in freedom support those who have given so much to protect it.

God bless you, Mr. Kollias for remembering all service members on their day!

The scripted Naval officer formal dining toast: to the United States, to the U.S. Navy, to the President, and to the Queen (seriously).... and now for our sister service with deepest respect: Semper Fi. You and the Army are carrying the biggest share of the load now. Godspeed.