Long before Americans began saying “whatever,” Marines in Vietnam had their own expression: “There it is.” Two words that could convey resignation, frustration, acceptance, dark humor, and survival.
War isn’t just firefights and history books. It’s also rumors, practical jokes, wildlife, and the strange folklore that soldiers tell each other to survive. These are some of the unforgettable legends of Vietnam.
Some memories fade with time. Boot camp stories don’t. From a daring trip to the bowling alley and the infamous GG Shot to the Bird Shooter and the legendary Lindbergh escape, these are the stories Marines still laugh about decades later.
Coming home from Vietnam wasn’t the end of my Marine Corps story. Camp Pendleton became the place where I rediscovered friendship, found love again, and slowly learned how to live outside a combat zone.
After transferring to Da Nang, life finally seemed saferāuntil fellow Marines and Vietnamese civilians were caught stealing from their own unit. Reporting the crime would have consequences no one saw coming.
Some wounds donāt come from shrapnel, Agent Orange, or poisoned water. Some of the deepest scars come from betrayal inside the ranks ā from the so-called ābrotherhoodā itself. The Rank Over Right Crowd Every Marine knows the type. The careerists. The āRank over Rightā crowd. The ones brainwashed into thinking a chevron or rocker makes … Read more
Content note: War trauma, substance use, racism, and suicide. Personal recollection; details are from my memory and perspective as a young Marine in 1969ā70. Other Marinesā experiences varied. Boot camp taught me that if I ever touched marijuana, or any other illegal substance, as a Marine, I’d probably end up serving a long stretch in … Read more
Names withheld and details blended to protect privacy. This is an anecdotal recollection, not a factual claim about any specific case or person. Los Angeles used to feel smallerāwide streets, Saturday matinees, and neighbors who were famous without acting like it. A Marine buddy of mine grew up in that version of the city. Across … Read more
PTSD isn’t just a diagnosis. It’s the reality of living with memories that refuse to stay in the past. A Marine shares what it’s really likeāand the strategies that have helped him keep moving forward.
