Going to “War”— 2Ndmardiv Conducts Largest Field Exercise in Decades
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MAGAZINE OF THE MARINES DECEMBER 2019 Leathernwww.mca-marines.org/leatherneckeck Going to “War”— 2ndMarDiv Conducts Largest Field Exercise In Decades Behind the Scenes At the Boneyard Task Force Scorpion Adapted their Tactics To Defeat the Enemy Contents LEATHERNECK—MAGAZINE OF THE MARINES DECEMBER 2019 VOL. 102, No. 12 Features 16 Mr. Deeds Goes to War By TSgt Robert H. Meyers, USMC In this article from the Leatherneck archives, actor Gary Cooper tells Leatherneck of his experience meeting Marines in the Pacifi c in 1943 as he and three other entertainers performed for the troops. 22 Marines in the Revolutionary War: Detachment Assists in Daring Raid on Enemy Shores By MSgt Jeff Dacus, USMCR (Ret) On June 14, 1777, John Paul Jones was given command of Ranger and ordered by Congress to distress the enemies of the United States by sea or otherwise. Jones then decided to take the fi ght to the enemy’s own shores. 30 Task Force Scorpion By BGen John Kelly, USMC This article from the Marine Corps Gazette archives is an excerpt from a three-part series of articles written by then-BGen John F. Kelly, 1st Marine Division’s Assistant Division Commander, during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2002-2003. 36 America’s Air Power Reservoir: Home to Out-of-Service Marine Corps Aircraft, Arizona Desert Facility is More than Just a “Boneyard” By Sara W. Bock In September, the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Ariz., gave Leatherneck a private tour of the expansive outdoor storage facility where the Marine 30 Corps keeps its aircraft that, while no longer fl ying, continue to serve an important purpose. 50 Fixing For a Fight: 2ndMarDiv Prepares For “War” at Twentynine Palms, Calif. By the Staff of 2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division recently kicked off the largest and most complex unscripted force-on-force fi eld exercise in decades which Departments pitted 2ndMarDiv units against 1st Marine Division’s 7th and 4th Marine Regiments, along with British Royal Marines’ 40 Commando 2 Sound Off Battle Group and the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 408 Tactical 8 In Every Clime and Place Helicopter Squadron. 14 Corps Connections 58 San Diego Motorcycle Group Rides to Benefi t Toys for Tots 28 Leatherneck Laffs By Col J.S. Anderson, USMC (Ret) 46 We—the Marines Retired Marine Mike Harris has been leading the annual El Cajon Harley Owners Group Toys for Tots Ride since 2014 with the goal of 49 Crazy Caption donating toys and cash to the Marine Toys for Tots p rogram in the 56 Sea Stories San Diego region. 64 Passing the Word COVER: A UH-1Y Venom helicopter with HMLA-269, 2nd MAW, 66 In Memoriam fl ies during MAGTF Warfi ghting Exercise 1-20 at MCAGCC, Twentynine 71 Reader Assistance Palms, Calif., Oct. 23. See “Fixing For a Fight: 2ndMarDiv Prepares 72 Saved Round For ‘War’ at Twentynine Palms, Calif.,” on page 50. Photo by PFC Patrick King, USMC. Copies of the cover may be obtained by sending $2 (for mailing costs) to Leatherneck Magazine, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134-0775 LEATHERNECK AND MCA&F MEMBERSHIP PRICES: 1 year $42; 2 years $79; 3 years $119 Toll-free (866) 622-1775 • Email [email protected] Sound Off Compiled by Patricia Everett Letter of the Month mandant when we finally left Vietnam. information on at least some of these (Leatherneck will pay $25 for a “Sound The Marine Corps had 315,000 Marines Marines, such as Cpl Brown and others? Off Letter of the Month” submitted by an on active duty during that time. The Did they stay in the Corps as a career, MCA&F member or provide a one-year Commandant’s goal was to immediately did any end up in Vietnam and so forth? courtesy subscription to a non-member reduce the Corps to 200,000. Separation Also, have any of the watches given to whose letter is selected.) of those with misconduct issues could be the Marines by Jack Webb ever surfaced? done within two weeks. I have wondered what they look like. I Giants of the Corps I worked for and knew Gen Wilson appreciate any information Leatherneck The article, “Saviors of the Corps: when he was the G-3 of 1st Marine Divi- can provide. Generals Louis H. Wilson Jr. and Robert sion and when he was the commanding I would also like to state that if I did not H. Barrow,” by Second Lieutenant Rykar general of 3rd Marine Division. I served join the Marine Reserves in 1988, I know Lewis, in the August issue, reminded me at Headquarters Marine Corps when he I would not be where I am today, with a of my third day of boot camp. Our series became Commandant. His vision and career in law enforcement, with the values was at the PX receiving our first haircuts. direction resulted in activating the Air/ and lessons instilled in me during boot With my last name beginning with “S,” I Ground Combat Training Center at camp and what I experienced and learned was toward the end of the line so my duty Twentynine Palms. I was involved in that during my time in the Reserve, especially was sweeping up the already shorn hair. effort, identifying funding sources to get my time at 3rd ANGLICO. A “sergeant” with a boatload of stripes it off the ground. Rich Boyd with something unfamiliar in the center I only knew Gen Barrow by reputation Lake Elsinore, Calif. of his insignia walks into the shop and but he was a solid regimental commander yells, “Attention on deck!” I assumed the of the 9th Marines. He was a warrior. • We here at Leatherneck can’t answer position of attention. Next, a four-star I hope this does not detract from Lt your questions so I’m hoping some of our general entered and also commanded, Lewis’ fine effort but I feel the need to faithful readers have some knowledge “Attention on deck!” I’m thinking if the set the record straight. about “The D.I.” Marines. As I’m sure sergeant and general both give this order, LtCol Paul E. Westphal, USMC (Ret) you saw in the September Saved Round, who’s next? In walks General Louis H. 1958 to 1978 we featured some photos that were taken Wilson. He talked for several minutes Bluffton, S.C. on set during the movie’s filming. For more and left. information on the movie, read the article, Talk about being impressed! It was our Where Are the Marines “The D.I.” by TSgt Robert A. Suhosky, third day of boot camp and we were in the From the Movie “The D.I.?” in the June 1957 issue in our archives presence of the Commandant, Assistant I have always wondered what happened online.—Editor Commandant and Sergeant Major of the to the Marines who were used as extras Marine Corps. I have never forgotten this. and had speaking roles in the movie Reader Spreading the Word Forrest L. Secord Jr. “The D.I.,” starring and directed by Jack Colonel Reinwald, I read with interest Lansing, Mich. Webb, such as Corporal John R. Brown your editorial, “From the Editor’s Desk,” who played Sergeant O’Neil. I am sure in the September issue. In your article, you I read with great interest Second letters have been submitted and printed in mention that subscriptions to Leatherneck Lieutenant Rykar Lewis’s excellent article Leatherneck magazine on this subject, but magazine are down and you were reaching in the August issue of Leatherneck on the I do not recall ever coming across them out to your readers asking that they try contributions of two Commandants, since I first started reading the magazine to spread the word about Leatherneck to Generals Louis H. Wilson and Robert H. in 1988. Is it possible I could receive some others. Barrow. Both were pillars of the Corps I have subscribed to Leatherneck for and made lasting contributions to our many years and in years past I used to success. However, I feel the statement, bring your magazine, after reading each we emerged from the conflict [Vietnam issue, to the local Veterans Hospital War] as a wounded organization, and at located in nearby Northampton, Mass., possibly the lowest point in our history, as well as to the Soldier’s Home in is a gross overstatement. Holyoke, where I used to volunteer with I was a field grade officer during that the Veteran’s History Project. time from 1968 until I retired from active Prior to that, before I retired, I used to duty 10 years later. Certainly we had bring your magazine to work so it could problems as the war wound down, but it be shared by other Marines in hopes that had more to do with personnel manage- they too would subscribe. Now, at age 70, ment policies than any other single factor. I bring my Leatherneck to my doctor’s Individual personnel replacement sounded office or my wife’s doctor’s office, where good but it was disaster on morale and I discreetly leave them in the magazine unit cohesiveness. We learned our lesson racks, along with the other magazines for and didn’t make the same mistake in TSGT ROBERT A. SUHOSKY, USMC patients to pick up and read. Desert Storm and subsequent conflicts in Cpl John Brown, playing a sergeant in My rationale for doing this is that I hope the Middle East. “The D.I.,” tried not to blush as Monica that another Marine or Navy corpsman Gen Leonard Chapman was the Com- Lewis moved in close.