Sise, William D., SSgt

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE MARINE CORPS.
I was broke, sad, disgusted and worried. I had no job and no place to stay. My mom was on welfare and I had three brothers and two sisters and someone had to help Mom. So, when I graduated the eight grade, I told Mom and the Principal that I was going to Michigan and get a job and send Mom the money, except for what I had to live on. They told me I was to young to be hitch hiking on those highways. I said, "well I have twenty five cents and a straight razor, so I will be ok. So off I went on Hwy 27 or I think it might have been Hwy 24. I just can't remember. Grandma and Grandpa were taking the bus and they were going to my uncle Curt's house. Well I beat the Bus to Detroit and had Five Dollars and my razor.

People would here my story and some would take me farther than they were going just to help me out and some would give me money. I got a job the first day I was there It was at Greenfield Restaurant on Wordwood Avenue as a bus boy. I earned about $15 a week and that was a lot of money in those days, My Aunt charged me $5 a week so I could only send Mom about $10 a weak so I went looking for another job and found one. I worked at a silk printing company. They made all the big whiskey signs on the Hwy. I now was making $3 an hour. My cousin found out how good I was doing, so he wanted me to come get him so he could get a job. I did, but by the time we got back to Michigan the silk printing company had gone out of business. So that meant I was shot. A lot of water went under the bridge and I could tell you all of it, but lets just say my cousin was a Mommy's boy and wanted to go home so I took him.

I was home about four days and he came by and wanted to know what I was going to do. I said I am going to join the Navy. My uncle was in the Navy and I liked the Crackerjack Uniform. Well, the Navy had a six weeks waiting list and I had to have a job, so we started out at the Court House door and this big Sergeant came out to us and said, "You boys want to join the Marine Corps"? I said real fast, "I am not old enough". The big six foot something said, "you were old enough to join the Navy". I said, "I was going to lie about my age". He spoke up and said you can lie about it to get in the Marine Corps, I really didn't want to join the Marine Corps, but it was a job. I asked him when we could leave. He said, "We can leave in the morning if we get the paperwork done". He said, "You have a family Bible"? I said, "Yes", He said, "then go get it now". I did, and the rest is history. I got out of boot camp before my cousin did. He was set back two times cause he couldn't make it.

WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BOOT CAMP AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, SHIPS OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
To be one of the best Marines in the Marine Corps, and I was in 1956.

IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
I was in the Cuban Missile Crises; the Panama crises; the Lebanon Crises; Viet Nam. 3/9 Don't care to talk about it.

OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
Camp Lejeune I did what I set out to do. To become one of the best Marines in the Marine Corps. It was hard work but I loved it and I had the best Squad Leader in the Marine Corps. His name was Sgt Willie Loften.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
Boot Camp and training to be the best in the Corps.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
No but I wish it was Viet Nam

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
I worked hard for all of them. All the weapons I used, they saved my life.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
My Drill Instructor. I thought he was the best Marine in the Corps and the baddest.

CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
The time in boot camp when I saw Pvt Yeats eat all those Hersey Candy Bars. He then puked all the way. It was $5 worth. They were only .5 cents a piece then.

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
I became a Vocational teacher for the State of Florida

WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
None, but I am a member of TWS.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
With pride in everything I do I want to be the best at everything.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE MARINE CORPS?
Keep up the good work be proud of who you are and what you do.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.

TWS and the US MARINES

So far none, but I love it. It has given me a reason to live, and to look for
the people I served with. It has given me Esprit De Corps.

*J*