Rape, Roger, Cpl

TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT INFLUENCED HIS/HER DECISION TO JOIN THE MARINE CORPS?
I JOINED THE MARINES BECAUSE ALL MY FRIENDS WERE JOINING THE ARMY AND I DIDN'T WANT TO GO IN THE ARMY. MY UNCLE ALSO SERVED IN THE MARINES ON IWO JIMA.

TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH HE/SHE TOOK IN HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE. WHERE DID THEY GO TO BOOT CAMP AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, SHIPS OR SQUADRONS WERE THEY ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS HIS/HER REASON FOR LEAVING?
IN PLATOON 314 AT PARRIS ISLAND FEB 1965. THEN TO CAMP GEIGER FOR ITR. ASSIGNED TO L CO, 3RD BN 8TH MARINES AFTER ITR. WE WENT TO GITMO FOR SECURITY AND THEN TO SAN DIMINGO FOR 30 DAYS OF SUPPORT. WENT TO NAM IN MAY 1966 AND ASSIGNED TO A CO WPNS PLT, 1ST BN 4TH MAR, 3RD MARDIV. THEY WERE IN FIELD WITH OPERATION HASTINGS WHEN WE ARRIVED . WE PULLED NUMEROUS OPERATIONS INCLUDING PRARRIE IN 1966. OUR BN-A, B, D COMPANIES WERE SURROUNDED NEAR DMZ BY 325TH NVA DIV ON A HILL THAT TURNED OUT LATER TO BE CALLED MUTTERS RIDGE. AFTERWARDS WE WENT BACK TO OKINAWA TO RE-EQUIP AND GET NEW TROOPS. C CO WAS FORMED AND I WENT TO THE WPNS PLT IN C CO. WE THEN WENT BACK TO NAM MAKING THREE AMPHIB LANDINGS ON THE COAST DURING THE OPERATIONS DECKHOUSE Vl, BEACON HILL, HICKORY,SEVERAL OTHERS. EXTENDED TO KEEP BROTHER OUT OF VIET NAM AND SERVED AS DOOR GUNNER WHERE I WAS NEEDED. WENT HOME AFTER HIT AGAIN. ASSIGNED TO A CO 1/2 AND THEN SENT TO GITMO AGAIN AS SECURITY BEFORE I GOT OUT IN 69.

IF HE/SHE PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE YOU FEEL WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO HIM/HER AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY.
PRAIRIE
DECKHOUSE Vl
DESOTO
CON THEIN
ROCKPILE
BEACON HILL
HICKORY
MUTTERS RIDGE

ALL OPERATIONS WERE LONG, HOT, AND DANGEROUS. YOU NEVER KNEW IF YOU WOULD MAKE IT HOME.

OF ALL THEIR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY HE/SHE HAD FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS THEIR LEAST FAVORITE?

I LIKED THE DUTY AT GITMO CUBA ESPECIALLY ON THE LEEWARD SIDE. MET A BUNCH OF NAVY STATIONED AT HOSPITAL THERE. LOVED THE FISHING, SCUBA, AND OTHER SPORTS THERE. I LOVED RACING THE MULES ACROSS THE SALT FLATS ALSO.



LEAST FAVORITE WAS CAMP LEJEUNE WITH ALL OF THEIR SPIT AND POLISH.

FROM THEIR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY PERSONAL MEMORIES, YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, WHICH IMPACTED HIM/HER THE MOST.
ON EASTER SUNDAY 1967, OUR UNIT-1/4 WAS AMBUSHED BY THE NVA EAST OF CON THEIN. DURING THE FIGHT, PFC DOUG DICKEY WON THE MEDAL OF HONOR.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS DO YOU BELIEVE HE/SHE WAS MOST PROUD OF FROM HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE?
THE CAR RIBBON. SHOWS YOU HAVE BEEN THERE, FACED IT AND LIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT.. RECIEVED PURPLE HEART, COMMENDATION MEDAL, AND ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES HE/SHE RECEIVED, WHICH WERE THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO HIM/HER AND WHY?
GOOD CONDUCT AND CAR. GOOD CONDUCT SHOWS YOU DID YOUR JOB AND DIDN'T TRY TO DO ANYTHING THAT WASN'T HONORABLE. THE CAR FOR COMBAT.

IF KNOWN, PLEASE LIST ANY INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM HIS/HER TIME IN THE MILITARY WHO STOOD OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEM AND WHY?
NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAD SOME TYPE OF AN IMPACT ON ME INCLUDING:

CPL DONALD MANNING-WE WERE TOGETHER FOR 3 1/2 YEARS.

CPL JAMES SANDERS- HE WAS ONE OF THE NEW MEN ASSIGNED TO
MY SQUAD IN OKINAWA.

CPL CLAUDE PITTS- MY FIRST SQUAD LEADER IN 'NAM

LTCOL BLACKJACK WESTERMAN- BN CMDR 1/4- WENT EVERYWHERE WE WENT.

ALL THE MEN I SERVED WITH IN NAM HAD AN EFFECT ON ME.

MY FATHER- SERVED WITH PATTON AFTER HIS UNIT WAS WIPED OUT AT KASSERINE PASS IN N AFRICA. HE WAS ALSO A POW 2 TIMES DURING WWll.

ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM HIS/HER SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MADE THEM LAUGH LATER ON?
A DRUNK WALKING OFF END OF THE FLIGHT DECK ON THE LPH-9 GUAM IN SAN JUAN. HE
SOBBERED UP QUICKLY.

IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, WHAT PROFESSION(S) DID HE/SHE FOLLOW AFTER DISCHARGE?
I BECAME A POLICE OFFICER AND RETIRED IN 1998 AS A LT. DURING MY TIME WITH THE POLICE DEPT, I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE US MARSHAL'S SERVICE ON OPERATION INTERCEPT. WE SEARCHED AND CAUGHT PEOPLE THAT WERE WANTED AND ON THE RUN.

I WAS ALSO IN THE US ARMY RESERVES- 108TH DIV WHERE I SERVED AS A WEAPONS, TACTICS AND AN SERE INSTRUCTOR. I LATER BECAME THE BN S2-S3 NCO. PART OF MY UNIT WAS ACTIVATED FOR THE INVASION OF IRAQ THE FIRST TIME, BUT MOST OF US DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. I RETIRED IN 1993 FROM THEM.

NOW I AM WAITING FOR MY SECOND LUNG TRANSPLANT. THE FIRST LUNG TRANSPLANT WAS HIT BY A DISEASE CALLED BOS THAT ONLY ATTACKS TRANSPLANTS. HOPING I GET ONE SOON.

IF KNOWN, WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS WAS HE OR SHE A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY SPECIFIC BENEFITS THEY DERIVED FROM THEIR MEMBERSHIPS?
MARINE CORPS LEAGUE- ELECTED NEW COMMANDANT OF OUR DET- LANCASTER COUNTY LEATHERNECKS- DET 1169 IN LANCASTER, SC. FRIENDS, SERVICE TO OTHERS

AMERICAN LEGION

PURPLE HEART- LIFE MEMBER

DAV- LIFE MEMBER

1ST BN 4TH MAR ASSOC

2ND MAR ASSOC

VIET NAM VETERANS OF AMERICA

IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU BELIEVE HIS/HER SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY THEY APPROACHED THEIR PERSONAL LIFE, FAMILY LIFE AND CAREER?
YES, DICIPLINE, ORDER, ORIGANIZATION, TIMING, GETTING THINGS DONE ON TIME AND DOING THEM RIGHT.

IF THEY WERE HERE TODAY, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU THINK HE OR SHE WOULD GIVE TO THOSE WHO FOLLOWED IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS AND RECENTLY ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE?
DO THE BEST YOU CAN, BUT DONT BE AFRAID TO ASK SOMEBODY FOR SOME HELP INSTEAD OF FAILING.

WATCH YOUR BACK PLUS YOUR BROTHERS BACK AND DEPEND ON THEM TO DO THE SAME FOR YOU.

TRUST..........

PRAY............

HOW EFFECTIVE HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM BEEN IN HELPING YOU RECORD YOUR REMEMBERED PERSONS MILITARY SERVICE? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE?
I FOUND SEVERAL MEMBERS THAT I WAS IN BOOT CAMP WITH AND OTHERS THAT WERE IN VIET NAM. OTHERS I SERVED WITH DURING MY TIME IN THE MARINES

ALSO FOUND OTHERS I HAVE MET IN THE MCL DURING CONVENTIONS AT EITHER PARRIS ISLAND, MOBILE AL, MRYTLE BEACH , GREENSBORO, OR ONE OF THE OTHER LOCATIONS.

IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME.

DMR