GyG'sMailbag: Lou Diamond, Grief Counselor...
by Dick G
Dick G (login Dick Gaines)
Forum Owner
gunnyg@hotmail.com
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From :
"Chris Bramley" <CWBRAMLEY@worldnet.att.net>
To :
<GunnyG@hotmail.com>
Subject :
Lou Diamond
Date :
Fri, 2 Nov 2001 23:03:17 -0500
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Hi Gunny,
I am a former enlisted Marine - a Field Radio Operator in the Infantry and Gulf war vet. (I am giving serious consideration to re-enlisting in the Marine Reserves or National Guard these days).
Shortly after returning home from the (1st) Persian Gulf War I began dating the woman I would eventually marry. She was shocked when her father actually liked me - he had hated everyone she and her sisters had ever dated. Turns out he was an ex-Marine. He was fighting cancer at the time and would pass away within a year. During that time he told me a number of stories about his time in the Corps including a great one about Lou Diamond.
My father-in-law, Bill Dodge, enlisted in the Marines in early 1945 and was shipped off to Parris Island. At the time, the Corps was gearing up for the planned assault on mainland Japan. Because there were so many recruits in training, his platoon lived in GP tents throughout their training.
One day a recruit in his platoon cracked under the pressure. Sitting on his cot, the recruit loaded his rifle, put it in his mouth and pulled the trigger. The .30-06 blew his brains all over the tent and left a hole in the roof.
While the members of the platoon sat there too stunned to move, Lou Diamond walked into the tent and looked around. He yelled: "Any of you other ****birds want to shoot yourselves, have the courtesy to take it outside!" Then he ordered the platoon to clean up the mess, and walked away.
My father-in-law had to help mop up the blood and brains. The hole in the top of the tent never was fixed, he got wet every time it rained for the rest of boot camp.
_____________________________________
I think of this story whenever I hear of someone needing "grief counseling" or "sensitivity training." Lou Diamond was the ultimate grief counselor!
Chris Bramley
Gunny G's Old Salt Marines Tavern
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R.W. "Dick" Gaines
GySgt USMC (Ret.)
1952-72
Posted on Nov 3, 2001, 7:17 AM
from IP address 209.130.221.247
Gunny G's Old Salt Marines Tavern
Sites & Forums by...
R.W. "Dick" Gaines
GySgt USMC (Ret.)
1952-72