STORY BEHIND THE PLAQUE
Service Reflections of SGT Gary Clark, U.S. Marine Corps (1967-1970)

I joined like most in my day. I was not a Draft Dodger. I could not afford College in order to get the school deferment. I refused to go to Canada and live, which was only 70 miles away. I did not want to be placed anywhere in Uncle Sam’s Army or Marines.

Quite frankly, I was tired of living with my old man (Navy, WWII VET) who beat on me and Mom every time he came home drunk. I hated the cold weather of Michigan, as riding my motorbike to work in the winter made me so numb I couldn’t feel anything on my body until noon.

Death was not a wish, but as many were dying in Vietnam, I wasn’t afraid of death. I felt it was time to enlist in the USMC to prove to myself that I could take whatever they had in store for me. After all, the daily pain I was going through was much worse than anything boot camp could possibly have put me through.

Joined November 7, 1967.

I had a great career in the USMC (almost three years) and regretted not staying in for 20 – 30 or more. After finishing boot camp at MCRD, SAN DIEGO, I was assigned to the MCRD BAND. I played at your graduation if you graduated from boot camp at MCRD from February 1968 through June 1969. If you heard the band during this period, I was in that unit, colors every morning (5 days a week) and then graduations in the afternoon.

“WOW”. While at MCRD, the band played graduations and traveled a few western states playing concerts/special events, including BOB HOPE USO SHOW at Padre Stadium 1968, ROSE BOWL 1969, NIXON $100.00 plate dinner, and many parades local and far.

In those days, the military was not liked too much. Protests were daily throughout the US as we would get boo’s, thumbs down, and sometimes get tomatoes and junk tossed at us by some protesters during off-base parades. Don’t get me wrong; we had plenty of supporters in San Diego.

We were called to play at funerals for many officers and Generals of WWII.

In June of 1969, my number was called to head for Vietnam. I was shipped to Nam for a year. While there, I decided to be a sheep and listen to all the Marines talking about getting out. One of the biggest mistakes of my life was to follow and listen to the negative remarks of the many who were leaving the USMC. I had a great JOB while in the USMC, no doubt in my mind.

I had many different jobs after getting out. Most jobs didn’t last. Took up Junior College for a couple of years on the GI Bill. I was homeless off and on for 2-3 years at a time. I never really found peace in the job market until I started truck driving. Transportation or Trucking was good for me as I could work by myself. I had no one to report to daily as I was a long hauler when I first started driving—lots of time to think.

While in Nam, every Wednesday, I would hook up with a motor pool and go to downtown Danang to an orphanage and teach music. I took the job from a marine leaving our unit (after his 1-year tour), whom I was replacing in the band. I still wonder how those kids are after all these years. They would be in their 60s today (2021).

We did get fired upon on one occasion while coming back to base late in the evening. Tracer rounds were overhead as we ducked into the back of a 6-wheel truck. The driver knew how to handle the situation, and I will forever be grateful for his actions.

Our 1sr MAW BAND also played concerts on holidays and during “BOB HOPE USO SHOWS” on Freedom Hill. We did our goodwill gigs at orphanages in DaNang. We were shipped out to several bases in the I Corps to play the change of command. Yes, base commanders only spent a year of duty as well. We even played a change of command at a South Korean Marine Base outside of Chu Lai.

I had one of the best jobs while in Nam. We were grunts when not playing gigs, and playing gigs made up for the time we spent as guards.

“Operation County Fair”

1st MAW BAND on the LZ waiting for our chopper to arrive. All standing around the LZ, surrounded by bunkers not far from our barracks, when all of a sudden, a round ricocheted off the LZ. Everyone dove into the nearest bunker, not hearing the shot fired or knowing which direction the shot came from.

Eventually, our CH-46 arrived, and we all loaded up. It was customary for our pilot to make a direct flight to Da Nang Bay (SOUTH CHINA SEA) before heading north or south. I had no idea where we were going. We did know it was a “county fair.” Our flight was several miles off the coastline. Suddenly, our flight made a sharp turn inland. (guess of 3 – 5 thousand feet), then the G- force hit us. Twenty minutes later, the G-force hit us again as we hit a spiral downward to our drop LZ. OUR PILOT WAS GREAT! Looking back today, this was better than any ride at 6 FLAGS.

There we were out in the middle of who knows where. We could hear artillery going overhead. Some airstrikes were not far off from us, and our band was setting up and playing a concert to Vietnamese that, with all likelihood, never heard a band in their life before that day.

“County Fair” is where villages are rounded up and sent to the area to hear some music and get free food. The kids loved the band. Food and ice cream were the draw. The villagers would also bring livestock to be graded very similar to the US 4H at County Fairs. This all lasted about 2 hours. While the village folks enjoyed the county fair, their villages were being checked for VC weapons. I’d like to thank the 1st Marine Division and 1st Marine Airwing for keeping an eye on us during those operations. As bandsmen, we had our M-16 and instruments. Not a great combination if we were under attack.

MCRD was a great place to visit. I never really found my way around San Diego; I had no car. I loved the weather and especially the temperatures. After a year or so, I was sent to Nam. After a year in Nam, I was shipped to Quantico, VA. I liked it there for a whole two weeks. My unit (BAND) was on a 2-week Vacation when I arrived, so I was told to report back each day and then cleared to go anywhere and visit. I drove around DC. I visited all the tourist sites for several days and then drove up and down the coast. I checked in one day, and they were handing our discharges to all those back from Nam with less than 90 days on their enlistment.

They were in a hurry to process me out.

The pay was probably the biggest reason for checking out of the USMC. ONE REGRET I HAD FOR THE NEXT 20-30 YEARS. I went for weeks at a time looking for work with no pay.

I spent the next 20 years going from job to job. I did manage two years of Junior College on the GI Bill. Homeless on and off for several years in the late ’70s and again in the late ’80s. It seemed every job closed, moved the business, or went bankrupt. Dealing with job interviews was boring, as I was turned down for many jobs and some old remarks. (Sorry, you are overqualified). Huh…

My memories are just that: MEMORIES! The address book I had from all my unit buddies was stolen, along with my projector and around 500 slides and pictures. They are lost to unknown areas. I have reached out to many who still remember their full name, last known city, and state.

I have found one marine I was within DaNang VietNam. What a blessing to talk with someone that was there. A marine that shared the same good and bad TIMES.

I wish there were a way to go through the VA Administration to find others, as this site does not have everyone’s address. It’s very hard to search this site for old buddies. MOS and dates are the only filters. (Unit filter- MOS-date would save searching through thousands on the list.)

I’m not a hero, just a marine who did everything asked of me. I did receive letters of meritorious mass from two units. Nam medals were basic with a palm leaf on the Nam ribbon. E-5 was a re-enlistment offer while in Nam.

The best reward was the Airforce Officers Club in Nam, which was directly on the other side of the airstrip from our base. We played a concert there once a month or so. These officers were gentlemen, and they applauded in such a way that it made our time in Nam worthwhile as entertainers!

We sometimes walked around the airstrip to go to the Officers AF club (about 2-3 Miles). The drinks were always on the house. And the door was always open to us Marines. No rank there!

Agent Orange

On one trip we took to Chu Lia or up to the DMZ, we were put on a two-prop plane like the picture below; the plane had a distinct odor of Agent Orange. Then, there was a tank in the back of the plane and a sticky feel on the seat in the back of the plane. We asked one of the Aircraft persons what that stuff was. He flat-out told us it was a weed and foilage killer. On that day, no one knew what AGENT ORANGE was. I don’t think we could get any closer to the crap. The flight took an hour to load and get where we were going.

In Nam, we traveled a lot by choppers. (53’s and 46’s).

I remember one time we were taken out to a change of command on a Red Cross ship loaded with injured. Several of us got seasick. We played a change of command and a concert for the doctors, nurses, and injured. What a memory. Putting a small smile on someone’s face that you know could be in a great deal of pain was great. Letting everyone on the ship have a moment to listen to a concert, giving them a break from the mental stress of the war.

Two Drummers in our unit (Frank & Craig) shared many of the same interests. Craig and I had these cameras that took great pictures. I took pictures of him, and he took some of me. What a trade.

Most all of my Nam pictures were stolen in Kalamazoo, MI. I wish I could locate my brothers.

Craig was a great friend while in Nam. I visited him when he got back to the States in his hometown. Frank was also a very good friend in the upper bunk. I’m sure he got my bunk when I left Nam.

They all had an impact on my future. Some were very negative as the war became a police action, of which we were not police.

I have contact with Frank from 1ST MAW, and DANANG would like to find several more; all I have are first names to many as I have forgotten last names over the years.

The lost address book, over 500 Vietnam slides, and Photo albums in the mid-’80s while living in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Micheal Reed of Detroit. Visited him one time in Detroit. Had a great time while he was in school using the GI bill after getting out of service.

Craig Keefer was a great friend from Akron, Ohio. I also visited Craig in Akron.

Many others.

Yes, while marching in Boot Camp on the parade deck at MCRD San Diego.

I was in the middle of my platoon by height. We were lined up taller from the front to the shortest in the rear.

In the middle of the parade deck during drills, the marine behind me gave me a kidney punch and said, “Pass it on.” I was in no way going to play and risk pushups forever if caught playing a stupid game with two drill instructors and the possibility of any officer who could be watching as we were out in the middle of the MCRD parade deck. I could hear the line behind me repeating the process, and it kept coming back to me.

This went on 2-3 times. (kidney punch – pass it on), I warned the marine behind me not to do it one more time or else he was going to suffer bla bla bla. . .

The next time he did it, I dropkicked him in the gut without losing stride. The whole line behind me fell like dominoes and piled up on the deck. It was about eight more steps, and the DI saw the last 6-8 marines climbing out of the pile and trying to catch up. Needless to say, it was funny if you were in the other three rows behind my dropkick.

Gomer Pile would have had a good laugh.

The grocery business was where I went after the service. It was where I was before the service. The chain kept closing one store and moving us to another store 30 miles away, then 60 miles. (A&P) then, they closed another store and wanted me to move over 75 miles away. I figured I would be moving a lot as fast as they were closing stores. I did not have enough union seniority to bump after the next move, so College was my next choice. GI Bill.

Went back to school (Community College). I played a little R&R, Jazz, and Showband stuff.

From there, one job after the other. They all seemed to close their doors without warning, moved out of state or closed, and went bankrupt. I ended my career in transportation. I forgot how many jobs I had, and they still owe me $$$.

Jack of all trades I was. I did many odd jobs. I was the bugle boy for VFW Post. I did funerals playing taps while I was looking for work.

Desert Storm took off, and I did my best to support the troops as I knew what it was like not to get the support.

Life member of VFW.

American Legion Member.

I did and still do enjoy playing pool leagues.

Serving in the military gave me a lot of discipline that all my draft dodger friends did not get. I learned to get up in the morning without an alarm clock. I learned to state my mind on the spot without thinking about the repercussions if I was going to hurt someone’s feelings. If I dented the car, I owned it. Don’t give it to someone else. Don’t tell me I’m a worthless f… if you don’t want some feedback.

I lost a couple of jobs because some of these so-called supervisors/managers thought they knew how to manage and got a taste of their own backtalk. I worked best by myself. Working with people was a problem when they started getting negative. I was more positive working alone. Truck driving was good for me.

If you have a good job in the USMC and like/love the work you are doing, stay in there for 20. Go to College at each duty station and prepare for a job after USMC. I had a great, rewarding job and wished only too late that I would have stayed in.

20 goes by really fast. That is your first retirement check. Forty years old, and now you can earn another at 66.5 years of age, called Social Security.

Don’t forget the free healthcare you earn while in the service. Healthcare is everything in today’s economies.

I enjoy looking up folks from various units I served in and have found a few of the Marines from those units to visit with. I also enjoy the history articles that are presented.