My USMC Career



This is more about my life after I graduated from Netcong High School (class of '58). I left home; Stanhope, NJ in my '39 Chevy coupe and drove to Shreveport, La and stayed with my sister and brother-in-law at Barksdale AFB until Jan 59 when I joined the USMC. I owe my High school football coach a lot more gratitude than I can ever put in words for giving me the courage and confidence to join the Marine Corps and giving me the guidance for making my life as fantastic as it has turned out to be. Thanks Coach Frank D'Alonzo.

I have been a Marine for 50 years (Once a Marine always a Marine). After boot camp at San Diego, Ca, I spent more than half my active duty in the Far East. Places like Japan, Okinawa, Philippines, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand and even not-so-friendly Vietnam - twice. Outside of Nam, my more memorable experiences were, getting my Private Pilot license in Hawaii, here is where I also started building my Airplane (VariEze), my Silver Jump Wings (Airborne) Fort Benning, GA, my Gold Jump Wings 2nd Anglico, Camp Lejeune, NC, my promotion to Master Gunnery Sgt (top enlisted rank of E9) 1st Radio Bat, Hi and my most memorable moment was El Toro, CA where I met and married on the HRMS Queen Mary, my Beautiful-Texas-Woman-Marine- Bride, Cheryl!
Oh! yes I did finally finish building and flying my VariEze in 1991!

I served Bill Clinton's tour in Vietnam ( Twice ) 1967- 68 & 73

Click picture for close up view

Viet Nam Me at the Citadel	NVA Flag Captured from The Citadel	Viet Nam Hue Mr. Tu's home
1968 Lean and Mean	Hue, Viet Nam Welcome to Hue	Airborne Jump School
Incoming Tet Offensive 1968