And Welcome Aboard
My Name Is Richard Ranes
 
  The DRILL INSTRUCTORS,
( NOT DIs REMEMBER ) were  GYSGT J. S. Nicholas,
SSGT C. E. Saxton and SGT R. J. Horton. I left MCRD,
like all Marines with great anticipation. Went  to 2nd I.T.R.
November Company in San Onofre at Camp Pendalton.
Then to Quantico, Virginia for Ammo School 1170. By the
time all this was over, I was ready to get out into the real
Marine Corps world.
  My first real duty station was at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina with the 2nd ANTI-TANK Battalion, 2nd Marine
Division. This was the last ONTOS Battalion the Marine
Corps had. ONTOS is Greek for " THE THING " a small
tracked vehicle with six 106mm recoilless rifles barrels . It would shoot 6 rounds of ammunition. It proved almost
impossible to reload under fire..They were Disbanded in 1970.

  From there I went to GITMO ( Guantanamo Bay, Cuba )
with H&S Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment
and still with the 2nd Marine Division. Where I was the
Battalion AMMO TECH and latter the Senior NCO in the
Armory. Got out in 1971 as a Corporal.
  After 18 months or so I joined the Marine Corps Reserve
in Waterloo, Iowa. This was a Artillery unit, C Battery, 1st
Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division. The
best reason I can give for doing so is that I missed the
CAMARADERIE that all Marines share. While there I was
first the NCOIC and then the SNCOIC in the Armory. And
like all NCOs and SNCOs was an Instructor for various
Military Subjects. I got out in 1982, for the second time, as a
Gunnery Sergeant. I've met a lot of people in the Marine Corps
both Active and Reserve, all were  MARINE WARRIORS.
                             OOH-RAH



2603304/2311.
  The Phoenix was reborn out of fire. I was reborn out of the fire of MCRD San Diego, Platoon 1219
C Company, 1st Battalion. 1 Dec 1969 to 9 Feb 1970.


                                                                          




                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                            
                                                                                                      
                                                                                                   

This page was last updated on: August 4, 2003


You'll find this site like no other on the World Web. You
won't find lists of Web sites or information for or about
Veterans. I'll leave that up to the professionals. What you will find is a little fun and I hope some thought provoking
thoughts about our CORPS and COUNTRY . Before you
leave please sign my Guest Book and again Welcome Aboard you are about to enter the world of a

 
MARINE CORPS GUNNERY SERGEANT
GODS MOST PERFECT CREATION