By: Mike Sexton

Well, this isn’t a Trip Trey story but it’s a good one.

I was sitting in my office at VMFAT 203 Cherry Point as the MCO and the Sgt Maj called and said he had a Gunny he wanted to send to Maintenance Control. I said send him down. He came down and introduced himself as Gunny Tippett. I said you look familiar, and we went thru the process of where you were. Here or there and we didn’t figure out where we knew each other.

But I went home and started looking thru my cruise books and no luck. The last one I looked at was my boot camp book and guess what. Bingo Cpl Tippett. He was the one that use to beat the shit out of us.

By: Lance Clayton

When I was in 333. About 1974 or ‘75. I was in Power plants. There was a Corporal in power plants, Rich Parker was his name. He did not make the med cruise with us.

Well, on a Saturday he had barracks duty. I lived in the barracks at that time. The old barracks next to the chow hall. Another Marine we both knew asked Rich if he could borrow his car to go to McDonald’s Rich gave him his keys, told him it was the black over white ‘64 Oldsmobile.

And off he goes to McDonald’s when he comes back, we are in the duty hut, and he looks out the window and sees MPs around a car dusting it for fingerprints. He asked Rich what the MPs are doing with his car. Rich looks out the window and says that's not his car. The other Marine says that was the car he drove.

By: Mauro Iasparri

Here is another story from back in the day involving Top Corvo, Gunny Clapsaddle and of course ME.

Once upon a Time…. Just kidding…. Ok, so, I break my ankle and have a cast cannot drive my TR6 as it is a manual trans. One day I have to get to the hospital for getting X-rays and hopefully having the cast removed and I need a ride. Gunny Clapsaddle tosses me the keys to his vehicle and tells me it is the Chrysler out in the front parking lot. I go out, see the Chrysler put the key in the door, start it up and off I go to the Hospital.

Several hours later I get back to the Hangar give Gunny back his keys and thank him. There was a little to do going on so I ask what was happening.

By: Mauro Iasparri

I can remember a time. The person I am going to mention may remember this. It was definitely in his younger days of I guess his hobby of Power Lifting.

By: Larry Klipp

Playing Acey-Deucy with Woody, and the board resting on our knees near the rear of the ready room, I rolled six consecutive double sixes. Woody got upset and flipped the board and checkers over his shoulder towards the ready room front. End of that 1976 game !

By: Renata Kraft

Hi, I’m not a Marine or a member of the Shamrocks but I found a picture for my buddy John Swisher of his Commanding Officer. The picture has the story with it. John you should share your picture. When I made Johns Quilt of Valor besides putting the USS America picture on his quilt he also wanted his Commanding Officer picture that I found for him on his quilt too. I can’t remember what John said the names were. When I came across the picture and the story I thought it was pretty neat. I found all of Johns military patches but one. I’ve never found his patch when he was on the Mediterranean Cruise.

Formed at Cherry Point on 1 August 1943 as Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 333 (VMSB-333), the logically named “Trip Trey” began their career flying SBD Dauntless dive-bombers from Midway on anti-shipping patrols.

 Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless Dive Bomber of VMSB-333 over Wake Island.

By Conway Kangas

I remember once and I think it was at Yuma. We had one CH-53 Sea Stallion that was shot by a jet that returned with hot guns even though the guns are pinned. I remember talking to a guy that caught  shrapnel in his leg and he got the rest of the day off. I believe it was an A4 that cooked it off or was it a helicopter, but anyway it was on the deck, already parked, and it shot across the ramp. Out of the four CH-53's. It took out the only one that was capable of flying, and I see there was another one where it was a Harrier that came in and the cockpit went open they gave the pilot permission to punch the cockpit because it was so hot in there but he didn't want to in case it set off the seat. I'm pretty sure that was at Yuma. I went to Yuma three or four times between 83 and 87 with VMFA's 122 and 333

There was the time in Japan when an A4 landed and it caught the last cable on the runway and the cable broke and that cable went like a helicopter blade in the air all the way over the enlisted barracks the swimming pool out into town just across from the fence and it took a Japanese car in the garage and put it about a foot into cement and the pilot had to swerve between the ditches at the very end of the runway I was at the swim pool at the time.

Abstract

This report examines the potential long-term consequences of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) decision to divest its tank units. Tanks have long been a critical component of the USMC's combat capabilities, providing armored firepower and maneuverability in various operational scenarios. Evaluating the effects of this strategic shift requires an analysis of the historical significance of tanks in the USMC, the evolving security landscape, and the implications for future Marine Corps operations.

1. Introduction

The USMC's decision to phase out its tank units represents a significant departure from its traditional force structure and operational capabilities. This report aims to assess the potential long-term effects of this decision, both in terms of operational effectiveness and broader strategic considerations.