Heh heh. Well I was a member over at the Ning site but I've been a bit busy and couldn't stop by as often as I wanted even to just say hi. Rank hath its responsibilities, which means I was pulling 2-3 more hours than my Marines. On top of it I'm PCSing overseas this month so I've had a "busy" schedule since the beginning of this year.

Can't remember my username back at the old site but I think it was like this one. A nomer given to me by my WW2 unit. We do the 442nd/34th ID and GI-rene is an obvious play on gyrene. Cept the joke is I'm a gyrene that reenacts GI.

Glad to be back and kinda sad about leaving the States, I kinda wanted to take ya'll up on the offer of heading up to WA and assisting in the training program. Maybe when I get back.

Lil bit of news on my fence other than PCS's. Mother Green saw fit to make me a Sergeant of Marines last October and decided that I was cool enough to keep for another 4 years. Looks like I'm going career.

As for reenacting, I haven't had many chances to bring the Vietnam stuff out but we did have a Battle of Okinawa tactical last month that was very awesome. How have things been around here. I totally dig this new site and forums.

And now for some pictures of my exploits in the last half-year:

Semper Fi!

Swearing in during my Reenlistment Ceremony. The Captain was a pilot from my previous unit who I knew from a tour of duty and I respected because he had a genuine interest in what us maintainers did. There are only a few pilots I've known that have taken the time to ask us questions. I was honored to have him administer the Oath.


Made the newspaper here, I'll just put the caption, I'm laughing because the Major knew the photographer since he was a youngin' (he'd babysat him) and they kept ribbing each other back and forth. I was portraying an Assault Company Marine with 4th MARDIV. By coincidence the Major (then Shavetail Looee as he put it) was a Platoon Leader for a Rifle Platoon.

Marine Sgt. Richard Bledsoe, 23, meets Iwo Jima veteran Bill Smith, 86, at a Casa Romantica tribute to veterans this month. Bledsoe, dressed for the tribute in a World War II uniform like those worn on Iwo Jima, said he has visited the battle-scarred Japanese island.
FRED SWEGLES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER


A friend caught me while I was in a moment of natural reflection while we were recovering from being "out" and getting ready to push onto the "Shuri Line." I like it! This was during our tactical and my first go as a Squad Leader in any of my impressions.


A unit brought a pretty spectacular 81mm mortar and was pounding the "Shuri Ridge" at the same time the remnants of my squad and a bunch of stragglers from an Army unit and another Marine unit were trying to clear it off. We managed to destroy a HMG and their heavy mortar but our own mortar was firing. I'd lost my RTO long before this and signalled back to the mortar that we were friendly the only way I knew how. Needless to say this was a popular move amongst everyone who started cheering. It was however an Iwo Jima moment as we still had 75% of the hill to clear off still (as you can see the Japanese "dead" are still moving off the ridge to regroup).


Lastly imagine our surprise when we'd been living in nice mid-high 70s, we go to bed and wake up to what is now called the "Chosin Reservoir." Needless to say our weapons got a lot of attention and oil later that night when we got home.

oorah Marine! You finally made the transition eh? And congrats on the Sgt promotion! I'm looking forward to meeting you in person sometime soon, maybe when you rotate back to the world. Of course, we'd love to have you out at Camp Basilone!

I'm liking your pictures too. lol- love the shelter half man. "Home is where you dig it."

Did you join the facebook group yet?

I have!

Yeah that was a very fun and very cold and miserable event. The night before we arrived at midnight and spent the night in a dry wash bed. Both nights I had nothing but a blanket and the clothes on my back. We made the bad mistake of assuming the temps wouldn't dip below freezing in an area thats up on The Grapevine.

Welcome aboard! Congrats on the promotion, and I love your pictures!

Thanks! Glad to be "back!"

I'm kinda having 2nd thoughts about not bringing my Nam gear with me (I am bringing my WW2 Marine uniforms and equipment).

we can outfit you just fine Marine.

Lol nah, I'll have my gear with me if I give ya'll a hand. Its just that I think I would have liked to bring it with me to Japan. I brought my WW2 stuff hoping for a chance to wear it on Iwo if I get to go again, though I'm sure that could stir a pot too... Im planning on throwing down for ERDLs as well.

I was getting pumped up watching your Basic Recon video again. I do plan on scrounging the cash to build a semi-M16A1 though. I'd like one for reenacting/range plinking purposes.

I put my AR together (in A1 configuration) for about $700. Not bad. I got a complete upper, barrel/etc, BCG, and stocks/grips for about $500, then bought a no dak spud retro A1 lower for $120. The old finish off my VN upper and the new NDS matched almost perfectly. The only thing I needed to do was buy a lower parts kit (another $70) and put it together. easy as pie.