Guantanamo Bay. Where It All Started
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I I I iI Thiet Mass Communication Specialist (SW AW) Keith Bryska gazette Editor Gunnery Sgt. William Loushin believes that the of traditions are extremely important for us to remember. hit the beach in the Battle S Cuzcosince the Wells day Marinesto present day the United States Marine When Marines come down here for deployments we get corps has been an integral part of Naval Station (NS) them out to Cuzco Wells and other battle sites so they can Guantanamo Bay. take in the history as well. According to Marine Corps Security Force Company "Heritage is on the forefront of what we do here. It's commanding Officer Major Mark Cameron Marines important for us to remember heroes like Sgt. Maj. lave played an important mission in the success of this Quick and Sgt. Fitzgerald who both received the Medal >ase for 110 years and would like to invite everyone to of Honor for their heroic actions in Cuba," said Loushin. :elebrate their 238 this weekend as they host the Marine "It's important for these -orps Ball. young Marines to learn "This year has been a very successful year for our this history, because one Y4arines that are serving down in Guantanamo Bay," said day they might be Sergeant -ameron. "It has been an inclusive part of all our family Major of the Marine Corps :o include spouses and their children and the support and will reflect back on :hey have provided to their Marines and look forward to where it all started." Having them celebrate our birthday as well." "We have quite a few According to Sgt. Derrick Wyatt who took orders young Marines here who :o Guantanamo Bay to experience the tradition here are experiencing their first :veryone is looking forward to the Marine Corps Ball this Marine Corps birthday and weekend. the customs and traditions "We want to take time and remember those that have that come with it, and this >aved the way for us to be where we are now," said Wyatt. will be their first Marine HAPPY 'It's an opportunity for us to remember the heritage and Corp ball and arguably :raditions of the Marine Corps, and to also take time and their most memorable," :niov the night." said Cameron. PAGE 2 - THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE MARINE OF THE WEEK Sergeant Major John Henry Quick United States Marine Corps John Henry Quick was born in Charlestown, West Virginia on June 20, 1870. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on August 10, 1892 and was assigned to the Marine Barracks, Philadelphia Navy Yard, League Island, Pennsylvania. From his first enlistment to his final retirement on September 15, 1920 he served continuously with Marine Corps' shipboard detachments and barracks ashore and overseas (through peace and war times). Sergeant John Henry Quick was assigned as signalman to the First Marine Battalion (Reinforced), Company C, Captain George Frank Elliott, commanding, from Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, on April 19, 1898. He and Private John Fitzgerald, Signalman, Company C, were both awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor (in addition, Sergeant Quick also won the Navy Cross) for their actions, at what is today known as the Battle of Cuzco Well. The battle on the southeast coast of Cuba near Guantanamo Bay unfolded during the morning of Tuesday, June 14, 1898. Sergeant Quick was later promoted to 1st Sergeant, Company E, at Camp McCalla, Playa del Este, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on August 1, 1898. He was on duty with the battalion from April 19 through the morning of September 23, 1898 when the battalion was disbanded at the Marine Barracks, New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York. Congressional Medal of Honor The fight at the Battle of Cuzco Well began at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 14, 1898, from the ridget of a high hill which was in the shape of a horseshoe. Two thirds of the ridge encircled Cuzco Valley and the well...a distance of about 800 yards...and half of the ridge came under the control of the Marines and Cuban rebels. It was on the crest of the hill where signalmen Sergeant Quick and Private Fitzgerald, both of Company C, performed actions for which each would be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. In short, in midst of the battle, the force commander, Captain George E Elliott called for a signalman (Private John Fitzgerald) to communicate with the U.S. Gunboat DOLPHIN in order to direct its fire on the enemy in position around a house, the well, and thicket at Cuzco Valley. Private Fitzgerald sent the required wig-wag signal while fully exposed to enemy rifle fire at the crest of the hill. When an additional platoon of Company B, under the command of 2nd Lieutenant Lewis J. Magill, came up on the left flank the DOLPHIN was so far to the front, having mistaken the valley intended, that her fire was in Lieutenant Magill's direction, driving him to the reverse side of the ridge. Captain Elliott called again for a signalman and Sergeant Quick volunteered to signal the DOLPHIN to cease fire. Like Fitzgerald he was fully exposed to the Spanish fire on the ridge, but accomplished his task. During the battle Sergeant Quick would perform his courageous signaling feats a total of three times and was never touched by Spanish bullets! The battle drew to a close at 3:00 p.m. shortly after which Lieutenant Lewis Clarke Lucas of Company C along with forty Marines, left the crest of the hill and destroyed the well and burned the house. Sergeant John Henry Quick was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor as well as the Navy Cross on the 13th of December 1898. VOL. 70 - NO.40 NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA Gui AV!\WM() AY(Al I'r n:ll COMMANDING OFFICER CAPT. JOHN NETTLETON PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER KELLY WIRFEL EXECUTIVE OFFICER CMDR. COLIN CASWELL GAZETTE EDITOR MCC(SW/AW) KEITH BRYSKA COMMAND MASTER CHIEF CMDCM (SW/EXW/AW) ROSS CRAMER PHOTOJOURNALIST MCSN JASON BAWGUS The Guantanamo Bay Gazette is an authorized publication for members of the military services and their families stationed at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Navy, and do not imply endorsement thereof. The editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The Guantanamo Bay Gazette is printed by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Document Services with a circulation of 905. NOVEMBER 8, 2013 PAGE 3 vicious, ferocious, and tenacious. Shortly thereafter, a Marine Lore of the Corps recruiting poster depicted a dachshund, wearing an Iron From the USMC Museum Cross and a spiked helmet, fleeing an English bulldog wearing actions the eagle, globe and anchor. all Marines study the Startingof those in who boot have camp, served before them. The history of A tradition was born. Although an "unofficial mascot," the the Marine Corps is a rich tapestry weaving together the first bulldog to "serve" in the United States Marine Corps was contributions of all Marines. Over the past two centuries, King Bulwark. Renamed Jiggs, he was enlisted on 14 October certain aspects of the Corps' history have taken on an almost 1922 for the "term of life." Enlistment papers were signed by legendary status. Below are examples of some of the stories, Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler. Although he began his terms, and traditions that have come to be known as the "Lore career as a private, Jiggs was quickly promoted to the rank of the Corps. " of sergeant major. His death at the age of four was mourned The Blood Stripe throughout the Corps. His body lay in a satin-lined casket in Marine Corps tradition maintains that the red stripe worn a hangar on Marine Corps Base Quantico until he was buried on the trousers of officers and noncommissioned officers, and with military honors. commonly known as the "blood stripe," commemorates those Other bulldogs followed in the tradition of Jiggs. From the Marines killed storming the castle of Chapultepec in 1847. 1930s through the early 1950s, the name of the bulldogs was Although this belief is firmly embedded in the traditions of the changed to Smedley as a tribute to Major General Butler. In Corps, it has no basis in fact. The use of stripes clearly predates the late 1950s, the Marine Barracks in Washington became the Mexican War. the new home for the Marine Corps' bulldog. Chesty, named In 1834, uniform regulations were changed to comply with in honor of the legendary Lieutenant General Lewis B. President Andrew Jackson's wishes that Marine uniforms "Chesty" Puller, Jr, made his first public appearance on 5 July return to the green and white worn during the Revolutionary 1957. War. The wearing of stripes on the trousers began in 1837, Today the tradition continues. The bulldog, tough, following the Army practice of wearing stripes the same color muscular and fearless, has come to epitomize the fighting as uniform jacket facings. Colonel Commandant Archibald spirit of the United States Marine Corps. Henderson ordered those stripes to be buff white. Two years "Semper Fidelis" later, when President Jackson left office, Colonel Henderson The Marine Corps adopted the motto "Semper Fidelis" in returned the uniform to dark blue coats faced red. In keeping 1883. Prior to that date three mottoes, all traditional rather with earlier regulations, stripes became dark blue edged in red. than official, were used.