Thursday, January 24, 2019

Semper fi, baby ....

Memories are nothing more than ghosts that we let in
Don't be afraid of them, do you remember when ....
 
The United States Marine Corps was born in 1775. Sometime between that date and 2019 I managed to enter and to exit with both my body and my mind unscathed. I think I can make the same claim about my soul. In as much as I can tell, it remains intact. I joined on a snowy, bitterly cold January 24.
 
No, I did not sign on because I wanted to escape a Minnesota winter to the warmer climes of California or South Carolina or Virginia. I joined in mid-winter, but actually did not go active until the following summer -- during which training often was cut short on red flag days = dangerously high heat and humidity.
 
I have some music with ties to the Corps today, beginning with the Jon Bon Jovi crew performing, "When We Were Us," a song from the band's most recent album. I am not saying Bon Jovi ever was in the Marine Corps -- but, both his mama and his papa were Marines. They, in fact, met while they were Marines and one might surmise there never would have been a Jon-boy if there never had been a Corps.
 
Just to fill in a few other blanks, Jon Bon Jovi was born John Bongiovi, Jr. in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He was the son of former Marine barber John Bongiovi, Sr. and Marine Carol Sharkey. Carol Sharkey also was one of the first Playboy Bunnies.
 
Originally published in 1955 in French as, "Je t'appartiens,” the song, "Let It Be Me," became popular worldwide with an English version by Don and Phil Everly in 1959, known professionally as the Everly Brothers.
 
If you listen to some of the music by the Everly Brothers, you probably would never guess these boys were in the Marine Corps. Sort of an unusual mix of bedfellows turn up there. A few hundred singers and groups have recorded the song, but we will go with a live performance by the brothers on this one.
 
Just to round out the mix, also included is one of my personal favorites, a video of a Marine serenading a pizza delivery girl at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina. He actually serenaded any delivery person, but this time one of the other Marines had a camera and taped it. Fast forward in time and the singing Marine opened his own pizza shop and named it Pizza Lady ....
 
Semper fi, baby ....

 



 




 




8 comments:

Anita said...

Thats some nice words from The Marines Oath!

Everyone should take a minute to think about it

Today my moods goes for the Everly Brothers :)Think they are great

Also the Pitza lady is a funny little clip
I see despite of seriousness there is some fun in the gang too :)

Wish you a great weekend Fram

Fram Actual said...

Yes, Anita, the Marine Corps oath has nice words, serious words, meaningful words and, if more people believed in them, I think we would live in a world with greater peace and harmony.

You should listen to more of the Everly Brothers' music. Many of their songs are very beautiful. One of the brothers, Phil, has since died but, as the saying goes, their music lives on.

Yes, the Pizza Lady clip is funny and life in the Corps has much fun and games in addition to the deadly seriousness of training and mission, often very profane fun and games, which helps Marines survive the "hurry up and wait" life style there. Here is a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt:

"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!"

I would add that her son, James, was a Marine officer with the 2nd Raider Battalion (Carlson's Raiders), the toughest of the tough in the Corps during World War II and won the Navy Cross for the Makin Island raid. I wonder what he thought of her comment.

There is a ground blizzard going on here at the moment. I have an appointment with a doctor in a while, so I will get to find out how my "toughness" is holding up.

I hope your days will all be enjoyable and beneficial and interesting, Anita. Thank you, for being here today and see you later if I survive my visit to the doctor .... teasing ....

Anita said...

That was a nice quote from Elanor Roosewelt!
I hope all went well with you at the doctor
I send Njord to you for good luck and happiness:)(teasing)
See you after the blizzard!

Anita

Fram Actual said...

There is a lot of truth in the comment made by Eleanor Roosevelt .... of course, there are exceptions to every rule .... hmmmm ....

You might want to look at this video of a group of Marines singing at the wedding of another Marine. I almost ran it instead of the Pizza Lady, but decided to stay with my first choice. Presumably, these guys are all from the same squad. There is, for sure, one officer present. The two in the Navy uniforms would be their medical corpsmen -- their "Docs." These guys are more Marine than they are Navy: https://youtu.be/I9__2WxtyTA

My visit to the "doc" did not go particularly well. I have high blood pressure, and she wants to mess with it. I agreed to go back again Friday .... uffff ....

The blizzard is over, but now the temperature is going to stay below zero (Fahrenheit) both day and night for almost a week. Once more .... uffff ....

I will take help from Njord or any other god of the "Old Norse," especially those associated with wealth and seafaring.

Thank you, once more, Anita, for your return visit and your comment. Always stay young and beautiful ....

Anita said...

Lovely video of the young marines and the bride of course!
Beautiful song as well "that lovin feeling"
I can not differ who is who you talk someone is an officer?
High blood pressure!!Hmm.You have to relax.Do no stress.Eat healthy.May be excercise a bit?
But i am sure you know what to do..The Doc may be will give you some pills .

Now I have to look at the new people coming and reply to my blog.I dont now what made this new activity..I had it quite tranquil inside my group of friends in here ..Ok See you around!

Anita

Liplatus said...

Most of those in war have suffered physical or psychological injuries. Fortunately, if not wounded or the psyche is not broken ..

Couple of days ago, I looked at an interesting documentary on the television from the creator of Playboy magazine, Hugh Hefner.
He was involved in many activities.

I was amazed at the (ordinary) women wanting to go to the Playboy Nude photos.

Famous songs.
Bon Jovi is very energetic, I like its tempo.
Good feeling.
Everly Brothers' music is more relaxed.

Fram Actual said...

If I were going to title that post, it would be, "One too many beers ...."

I think it is a funny post, and some of the people look a bit embarrassed about the Marines putting on their own show when it should be a day for the bride and the groom. If you look at the uniforms, almost all of them have stripes on their sleeves. Those are enlisted men, mostly corporals and lance corporals. At least one of the men has no stripes on his sleeve, indicating he is an officer. The ranks of officers are on their collars. I pointed it out because it is unusual for officers and enlisted men to "fraternize." That said, if a particular officer is well liked and respected by his men, it would not be unheard of for him to be invited to a wedding.

Yes, Anita, I think my visit to the doctor today went well and we understand each other better now. Yesterday was my first visit to her. She young for a doctor, thirty years old, and it is clearly evident she is very serious about her work and very conscientious about her patients. I have been taking "meds" for high blood pressure for a few years, and she changed the dosage on two of them. We will "play it by ear" for a while and see where it goes from there.

Thank you, Anita .... your presence always makes my day brighter ....

Fram Actual said...

There is more than one reason for Fram Actual to also be called Fram the Fortunate, and having survived the Marine Corps is among those reasons.

Hugh Hefner had faded from the limelight, it seems to me, and I actually was not aware that he had died. I assume that I heard about his death, but it must have been an in one ear and out the other type of thing which did not find a niche in my memory banks. He most certainly did lead a storied life and, I assume, he went out with a smile on his face. Now, Liplatus, you have made me curious to learn more about him.

Nothing surprises me anymore, especially that both men and women like to show off their faces and their bodies .... that process is as old as time itself. I think if someone (King Solomon?) had not written the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, Hefner probably would have done it, at least the verse about vanity: "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity."

I am not sure where Jon Bon Jovi gets all his energy. The guy is in his mid-fifties and bounces around on stage like a teenager. A few of these "old rockers" seem to be ageless in that sense, and I especially think of Mick Jagger when I say that .... he is in his mid-seventies.

As for the Everly Brothers, many of their songs are beautiful and enjoyable to listen to, and well worth the time.

I am glad you came here and wrote your thoughts here, Liplatus. I really enjoy your presence ....

Something special ....