Marine Corps Association & Foundation

Over the years I have often talked about Vietnam…how it’s looked at differently than the wars that preceded it. When I addressed the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines in October, I  began by asking a simple question:  “I am sure that most of you here today were at least aware of some of the history of this battalion before today.

This Friday I took a few minutes out of my day to wish my friend Glenn Prentice a very happy birthday. Now I will be the very first to admit that I am TERRIBLE at remembering birthdays, but his always sticks in my mind….On 20 January 1968, he was serving with the India Company,  3d Battalion, 26th Marines on Hill 881S. He celebrated his 19th birthday while on a reconnaissance-in-force up Hill 881N. Said Prentice,  “44 years ago we went up Hill 881N engaged the NVA---what a day! The start of Tet---I turned 19--thought I would never see my 20th Birthday---it was that bad…”

One of the things I enjoy most about my job is the opportunity to interact with Marine Corps veterans. Several years ago, while working as a research historian on the National Museum of the Marine Corps project, I was tasked with learning everything I could about the siege of Hill 881S, one of the hill outposts near Khe Sanh Combat Base. In the course of that work, I was fortunate to meet many of the veterans and to develop close friendships with several. One of these was former Corporal Robert J. Arrotta, who passed away in 2009.

As some of you may know, I have many friends who are former British Royal Marines. This weekend, one of them, Dave Lilburn, and five others took up a daunting challenge. They pulled a 700 pound sled some 60 miles from London to Brighton in an effort to gather toys for the children of Royal Marine Commandos who had been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Prior to the actual pull, they had already been incredibly successful, raising money and gathering gifts. Their commitment to the task at hand was complete.