A Salute to "Loveable John," On Veteran's Day

Back in the old days, before Armistice Day became Veterans’ Day, we young Marines were told that the reason November 11th was a holiday was to allow all Marines a day off to sober up from celebrating the Marine Corps Birthday on the 10th of November, and my recollection of some of the more memorable celebrations of that annual event, in Dress Blues and all, is testimony that if this is not a historical fact, it should have been.

Etched in my ancient memory banks, for example, is a picture of stalwart First Sergeant "Loveable John" McIinnis USMC, all buttoned up in Full Dress Blues, toasting the Corps for at least the 19th time at one of our Marine Corps Birthday Balls in the late 50s and falling flat on his back perhaps because his glass had become too heavy to hold in his hand. You can't keep a good man down, as John himself would have said, so after we helped him to his feet, he propped himself against a nearby bulkhead and remained upright for the duration of the celebration.

Years later, Lovable John and I would reunite in Vietnam, John now the sergeant major of an infantry battalion, where his welcoming words were, “Sit down and have a beer, Robert... I want to tell you how this fucking war sucks.”

I have a hunch that many Marine sergeants major embroiled in the quagmire of Iraq might greet an occasional visitor with a similar remark, if the goody-goody-two shoes of the Bushies’ press screening process would allow it to happen. But Marine sergeants major, past or present, are not listened to, unfortunately for the welfare of the nation.

Uncle Bob
Former Sgt. Major, USMC

(Thanks to Uncle Bob for taking this assignment to "write something for Veteran's Day." Uncle Bob is my own personal hero, not just on Veteran's Day, but every day. I salute him, and join with all of you for thanking him and all veterans for their service to our country.)