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I received this email from someone who read my webpage.
Lt. Grose;
I stumbled across your web-site while looking for information
on R. Lee Ermey. I share the same love, and respect as you do
for Lee.
I think I should introduce myself to you. My name is James
Godwin, Cpl., Disabled USMC. I served with Force Recon, Seal
Team 3, 1st ANGLICO. I served on several ops including two tours
in country, the Hostage rescue of the US Embassy in Iran (extraction
1 & 2, 1979), Lebanon, and Marine Barracks Beruit. Needless
to say, my career was cut short by a snipers bullet in Grenada.
Even though I was no longer able to serve, my heart and soul
was with my fellow Devil Dogs when you were deployed to the
Gulf. I wish that I could have gone, not that I enjoy war, but
to be able to help provide some kind of leadership to my fellow
Marines..
You are probably wondering why I only reached the rank of
Cpl. Well I just couldn't keep my hands off Boot Lts. I'm sure
you can relate!! I have nothing but respect for Mustangers!
I'm sure that you have met your share of "stupid Lts"! Please
LT, I mean no disrespect to you, Sir! I could tell you more,
but those are old war stories that I'm sure you might not want
to listen to.
Please excuse me for rambling. Sometimes it's just nice
to talk to a fellow Marine.
The reason I wanted to send you this email was to ask you
if you had an email or some other address the I might be able
to contact Lee. I have tried to find out some info about him
and where to contact him, but I have been unsuccessful. If you
have any information on this, it would be great if you passed
it on.
I hope that we can continue to communicate with each other
in the future. My email address is: jtgodwin@arn.net
Tanks and Semper Fi
James C. Godwin
Cpl USMC
(disabled)
This was my response.
Jimmy,
You were forthright with your opinions, so I will be so
with mine.
You know, it seems that every lieutenant starting in the
mid-1970s was either punched, slapped, or generally ass-kicked
by a junior troop, if you were to believe every former Marine
that likes to tell you so. If I were in that situation and assaulted
an officer as a junior troop, I would not brag about it. It
would just broadcast my lack of discipline and professionalism.
I will admit that there are some new officers that are not
instantaneously Chesty Puller right out of TBS but I have met
very few of them that deserve to be treated any less than a
Marine Corps Officer should be treated. To undermine him, especially
as a Lieutenant when he is trying to establish himself and learn
the ropes, is not only unfair to him but damaging to the entire
unit.
I admire your service to God, Country, and Corps and it
sounds like you were in some hairy situations. It is a shame
that your behavior held you back from higher ranks where you
could have had an even bigger effect on helping even more Marines.
I am not in contact with R. Lee Ermy or I would pass on
any information I had. I hope to run into him again someday
but I know that the chances are remote.
Semper Fi.
Jason D. Grose
Lieutenant
United States Marine Corps
https://members.tripod.com/~jdgrose115/
I thought I would never hear from him again but a few days
later, this is what he sent back to me.
Lt. Grose,
I want to thank you for the reply to my email. I have to
admit that I was set back by your words. I re-read my email
to you, and what seemed to be bragging was just a poor choice
of words. You were correct in pointing out the "lack of discipline
and unprofessional manner" that I had displayed in my explanation.
Someday when you have time we can talk about the circumstances
behind my actions.
I was trying to point out my down fall and immature choices
of my youth. I have served under many fine Officers and still
to this day have "respect" for their abilities. One of the officers
I had the privilege of serving with was Capt. Dale Dye (Ret).
I volunteered to work at FEN Okinawa while stationed there.
The CO was CWO2 Dale Dye. His wife was MSgt. Dye stationed at
FEN also. CWO2 Dye became an LDO and promoted to 2ndLt. Dale
Dye has gone on to work in such movies as Platoon, Under Siege,
and Firebirds just to name a few. I guess I can say I knew him
when.
I ran across a desktop theme for Win95 that features not
only The Corps, but it also features the voice of R. Lee Ermey.
Be advised that the language is a little strong, but I think
it is "outstanding"! I will send it to you "only" as per your
request. Due to the amount of viruses that are sent via unsolicited
files I didn't want you to delete it.
Sir, again I would like to thank you. I respect your honest
opinions and I'm sorry that I never had the honor of serving
with you. You have gained my respect!
No hard feelings and no disrespect given or taken!
Jimmy Godwin
Cpl USMC
(Disabled)
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