Raiding Minneapolis, Pt. 2
The story you are reading is true, no names have been changed to protect anybody! That includes the author - Louie Marsh. The opinions expressed below are mine only - all errors are mine too. This is a view of the present day Raiders from one of their off spring - let me know what you think.
The Banquet:
This event was billed as a banquet and dance, and was slated to begin at 1800 hours (I'll let you figure that out for yourselves!). The main speaker was professor Gordon I. Swanson (Ph.D., Major USMC Ret.). He gave an interesting and very scholarly speech about the importance of the Raiders and what they had accomplished. He also pointed out that it still isn't too late for the brass in USMC to commission an in-depth study of the Raiders. Let it be Lord, let it be!
As good as his speech was, it was not the highlight of the evening for me. Two things happened that I doubt I will ever forget. One was personal and important for my family. The other was nearly transcendent, allowing me to touch on something totally outside of the realm of my personal experience.
The nearly transcendent took place during a short talk by Col. Richard A. Van Sickle, who's chairman of the Marine Family Council for Minnesota.
During part of his speech he talked about the Corps concern with how large a cut the Administration wanted to make in their ranks. The Commandant was pushing for a larger Marine Corps than Clinton wanted.
Colonel Sickle pointed out that the Raiders, perhaps better than anyone, understood the need to keep the point of our national defense spear sharp. The Raiders had been that point in World War 2, the entire Corps is that point today.
When he said that there was unanimous agreement throughout the hall. Heads nodded, and I heard many quiet comments like, 'that’s right!" from the old warriors around me.
That was the transcendent moment for me- It was as if a sub vocal growl went through the room, and in an instant those men were one again.
Gone were the years and the effects of age. Gone were whatever petty personal or organizational disagreements that might exist between them. Gone, for just an instant, was everything that lay between them and their warrior past.
In that brief moment the Raiders rose again - Gung Ho once again a reality not a slogan. I felt a shiver run through me and thought, "God help anyone who gets in their way!"
The moment came and went in the blink of an eye. But it stays with me to this day. In that instant I felt just a little of the comradeship that only those who have fought together share.
In that moment I discovered the real strength of the Marine Raiders. They were one Gung Ho - work together against any and every foe. Semper Fidelis was never any clearer to me than it was at that moment
It was almost enough to make me feel sorry for the Japanese they had faced fifty years ago. Almost, but not quite! No wonder the Japanese couldn't defeat them - what could? Only their own leaders, playing petty politics, could have stopped the Raiders.
Of course history shows they did disband them - but they didn't stop them. The Raider spirit fought on at Iwo Jima, Okinawa, the Chosin Reservoir in Korea, and beyond.
On the second or third day of the reunion someone had posted a little sign everyone found humorous. It called for volunteers to sign up for the AARP brigade to be sent to Somalia. During the dinner I found myself thinking that the Somalis should be happy none of these men signed up!
The personal highlight took place at the end of the banquet. We were told to turn our plates over and see if we had a bunch of red dots on the back. If you did you were the winner of a signed painting ("To a U.S Marine Raider, Gung Ho") by Colonel Charles Waterhouse. Called "The Strife is O'er, the Battle Done" It was an artist's copy - done on better quality paper than you can normally buy. It shows a weary Marine sitting on a shattered battlefield head bowed holding a New Testament in one hand.
Well much to everyone's surprise who had the winning plate but my Dad! He couldn't believe it at first. It took the combined efforts of me, Mom and others at the table to convince him he'd won!
He kept saying "I've never won anything in my whole stupid life!" While others at the table couldn't believe that he'd won at his first reunion! He was called up to the front, introduced to the crowd, and presented the painting.
All the while I'm smiling and laughing like a fool and my Mom is wiping away tears of joy. It was quite a night!
This past Christmas my sister Karen bought Dad another Waterhouse painting. This one's called "Eternal Band of Brothers," and shows the Marine's pulling back from the Chosin Reservoir in Korea (my Dad was there too.) Both now reside on my parent's living room wall.
It was the perfect ending to a great time! We finally went to bed, happy, and exhausted!
Sunday, September 12th
The day began at 7 A.M., and by 9 we had had breakfast. This time we went wild and ate at the Cinnabon! (Still high from the night before I guess).
We hung around the hotel until 1:00 P.M. Saying good-bye to friends both new and old. Then it was another crazy trip to the airport. Once there we sat around for just over three hours until our flight time arrived.
The flight home provided yet more evidence (and no - I don't need it!) that flying is an unnatural activity! After take off we were gaining altitude when the pilot cut engines, hung a hard left and we lost altitude. Of course this caused us to be very late getting home, and was probably caused by a near miss, but naturally they didn't tell us anything. Who are we to ask – it’s just our lives!
Monday dawned and I got a quick breakfast, drove home, found that air conditioner wasn't working and by 1:00 P.M. Keith Moses (my radio partner) and I were doing a telephone interview with Christian musician Crystal Lewis.
The Reunion was over.