It was November 10, 1775 that the United States Marine Corps began, specifically with the Continental Marine, assuring our ships were safe and to assist landing forces. One of the first expressions you think of is “Semper Fi,” or “Always Faithful,” the Marine Corps motto. Then, you might think of “From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli, we fight our country’s battles in the air, on land, and sea,” the opening to the Marine Corps Hymn. Name someone you know locally who served as a member of the U.S. Marines. What distinguishes him or her to you?
Today’s Marine Corps serves in ground combat, aviation combat, logistics and command forces. Known to be decidedly accurate with weaponry, whether gun, knife, or hand-to-hand combat, a U.S. Marine is a fighting force that few opponents want to have to face. It’s not myth, it’s not hype, it’s for real.
Although not exclusively a trait only of the Marines, you do think of someone who is intense, focused, disciplined to the “nth” degree, and whose branch of service makes the phrase “Leave no man or woman behind” a code of honor and life that cannot and will not be breached.
The term “Jarhead” is almost synonymous with “Marine,” within the U.S.M.C. itself. Instantly, you envision someone who has mastered hand-to-hand combat, who can survive desert climates, live under the worst weather conditions (from monsoons to intense drought), lacking food and water for longer than most people can be expected to survive.
The words “Marine sniper” just seem to go together because accuracy in marksmanship is a trait of importance. Bravery, courage, and refusal to leave a fellow Marine behind in combat are three more instant things we think of. Where do we get these images? We either know a Marine personally or we see them on television and in the movies. Fair enough to say.
Let’s face it, one of the most recognizable faces of the U.S. Marine Corps is not a Marine service person at all. It’s actor Mark Harmon, portraying Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the CBS drama, “NCIS.” There are two reasons it is acceptable to think of “Gibbs” when you think of Marine. For the 14 seasons it’s been on the air, “Gibbs” has never failed to be a Marine first, then NCIS employee second.
“Jethro” carries through Marine ideals faithfully in each episode. Second, the man who created the character and the show, Donald P. Bellisario, is a Marine who served four years and achieved the rank of sergeant. Bellisario created the show “JAG,” first, in which Marines and Navy personnel were depicted so positively that surely it had a role in serving as an exemplary recruitment tool. And for now 14 years, Marines and Naval personnel have come into the homes of millions of Americans in an exceptionally warm and positive way, based on Nielsen ratings. That’s positive to get you in the service, but what happens when you get there?
In the fiercely competitive and grueling training camps for Marine personnel, leadership characteristics come forward quickly. Each man and woman is taught the value of the life of each person in their unit. They are men and women together functioning as a single unit. There is no room for dislike and there is no time for dissension. It’s one for all, and all for one, just like the other service personnel branches.
As you review the names of those local Brazos Valley Residents whose names are recorded on our Wall of Honor, may we all take a moment to note them all and say thanks for their service to our country. We are all the better for it, every day we live here. Semper fi.
Cody D. Jones ‘02
Owner and Community Member
Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial
U.S. Marine Corps Personnel
A.H. Holland Winder
Travis C. Winder
J.P. ADAMS
Jason A. Adams
GEORGE A. “PETE” ADAMS, JR.
Robert Ray Akins
John Albers
Robert L. Allen
Dwight Reeve Allen, Jr.
George Amelia
JAMES W. AMOS
JOHN E. AMOS
TOMMY EUGENE ANDERSON
Richard Bret Anderson
Leonard James Arias
Robert Russell Armstrong
William Phillip Armstrong
Howard E. Austin
CLIFFORD AUTREY
Darrell Eugene Ayers
Richard E. “Rejy” Bacchus, Jr.
William L. Barba
Craig P. Barrow
ROY L. BARTON
WILLIAM C. BATTEN
Nathan E “Nate” Bauer, Jr.
JIM A. BAYER
NORMAN L. BEAL
Robert L. Beal
Paul D. Becker
Matthew Patrick Belcik
Timothy Bennett
Milton William Beran
Delroy J. Berdahl
Steven N. Berry
Peter E. Binion
ROBERT BIRDWELL
PAUL BLACK
- Gary Blair
Robert M. Blakely
Brett A. Bohne
Paul Mitchell Bonarrigo
ROBERT LEROY BOONE
Latham Boone III
Evan E. Borell
Joan Gregory Borell
JEROLD F. BORING
John Gregory Borrel
JAMES R. BOSWELL
Ernest E. Box
Raymond A. Box
Calvin Clay Boykin, III
BILLY RAY BRAATON
ROBERT ALLEN BRAATON
Ernest William Bracewell
Joseph Brandesky
Ercel Gene Brashear
JAMES O. BREWER
ROBERT E. BRISHER
Charles Ray Briton
August O. Brochu
John N. Brown
Luis Andres Bujanos
David Linton Burch
John Joseph Burchfield
O.T. “Ozzie” Burke
Carl Wm. “Bill” Burkhardt, Jr.
Carl William Burkhardt, Jr.
Olivia W. Burnside
Glenn G. Burnside, II
Benjamin Z. Burroughs
Christopher Buttry
Thomas L. Calvin
Frank Calvin
Earnest Stewart Camp
WILLIE N. CARGILL, JR.
LAWRENCE I. CARLSON
Jack Carpenter
Paul Tyler Carroll
Christopher Allen Carson
Juan B. Castillo
Danville Shaw Chadbourne
T.C. “Tom” Chandler
Thoams Ray Chaney II
WILLIAM W. CHARANZA
William H. Charlotn, Jr.
Rodney P. Chauvin, Jr.
Brian J. Chickadel
LEO S. CHILDERS
William J. Clark
Charles “Chuck” A. Clark
Coldy Jack Clemens
Lonnie Clinard
Bill Tom Closs
- Ross Closs
R.V. COLE
THOMAS T. COLE, SR.
Roland H. Collins
Roland K. Cook
William Frederick Cornish
LONNIE E. CRADDOCK
Floyd Crain
John Crenshaw
Mitchell Crenshaw
Carl Cummings
Norman Edward Cumings II
- David Cunningham
Herbert L. Currie
LUTHER BRACK DANIEL
Richard M. Daniels
LELAND L. DAVIS
Warren B. (Stub) Davis
Warren B. Davis
Jeffrey P. Davis
John F. Deatherage
TERRY M. DEES
Frederick A. Deitsch
ADOLPH C. DIAZ
ARTHUR E. DIXON
JAMES RAY DIXON
Daniel M. Dowd
John Daniel Dowling
William Ross Dowling
VICTOR B. DROZD, SR.
David Dudley
Weldon Dudley
Raymond Dusold
John W. Eason
William Truitt Easterling
WILLIAM S. EDMONDS
CLAUDE WALLACE EISSLER
EDWIN JOHN EYRE, SR.
JOE E. FANNIN
Thomas Joe Felts, Sr.
Daniel L. Fletcher
William Lamar Fly
Robert E. Fojt
Scott Alan Foltermann
Ronald “Ron” W. Forrester
Rex Forster, Jr.
John Fotorny
John H. foy
ERNEST E. FREEMAN
RAYMOND FREEMAN
Vernon L. Frenzel
Johnnie L. Garner
Johnnie L. Garrett
JOE O. GAUDET
HAL GAY
Darrell Ray Geisendorff
GEORGE P. GERONIME
Jeffrey E. Geronime II
Oliver Forrest Goen
Garrett Edward Goyen
Max Carl Grenwelge, Jr.
Charles D. Griffin
W.W. (Willis) Grisham, III
Ronald Malcolm Grout
Erik Kristoffer Grout
Calvin R. Guest
LEE ALAN HAINES
- Norman Earl Halbrooks
Herbert Byron Hancock
Stephen Colvin Hand
Tom Hanson
Tommy L. Hargrave
GEORGE L. HARMON
Milton L. “Bubba” Harris
Mark E. Hartman
Ernest L. “Dutch” Harvell
Mason G. Harvey
EDWARD F. HAVERKORN
Thomas J. Haynie, III
CURTIS WAYNE HAYS
EDWARD E. HAZEN, JR.
JOE LOVE HEDRICK
Edward O. Hefti
Jon Kerness Hennigan
Alton E. Hensarling
Arthur R. Hickle
Arthur Scott HIckle
K.D. “Jack” Hicks
Aubrey Hill
Patrick J. Hilton
JOEL ELIJAH HOGAN
Justin Lee Hollis
John Harvey Hood
RICK HUNT
A.J. ILER
Wayne Gilbert Irwin
Maurice H. Ivins
John T. Janik
Richard G. Jetton, Jr.
Harrell E. (Bubba) Johnson
Christopher Ardelle Johnson
Oran B. Jones
David R. Jordan
Steven P. Jordan
Gilbert Dario Juarez
Pascual Juarez, Jr.
Frederick J. Karch
CAROLYN KEMMER
JAMES KENNEDY
Michael Kennedy
Nat M. Kieffer
Tom Kiker
Jay T. Kimbrough
Travis W. Kiser
WILLIAM HORACE KLING
William Stephen Koran
Charles W. Kraatz
Christopher W. Latterman
James R. Lawrence
GERALD F. LENZ
William P. Lepore
LANCE R. LESCHPER
Amos Bennie “Lew” Lewallen
Colburn R. Lewis
CECIL LOCKHART
Bobby J. Loehr
George S. Lucas, Jr.
Donald L. Lueken
ROBERT L. LUZA
Stuart D. Lyda
Robbin D. Lynch
Sean William Lynch
JAMES EDWARD MAGUIRE
BEN T. “TOM” MAHONEY
GEORGE K. MALLARD
SAMUEL STEWART MALONE
Adren Morgan
B.V. Martin
Samuel F. Martin
Jose V. Martinez
RAYMOND B. MARTINEZ, SR.
Jesse D.J. Massey
GAYLAND J. MATEJKA
William R. Mather
Russell N. Mather, Jr.
Harold Wayne Mathews
HIRAM MONDRICK MATHIS
DONALD J. MATOCHA
John Madison Mayes
Edwin L.Z. McAuliffe
MOR J. MCCARTHY
MARK A. MCCAULEY
Michael D. McCord
DARWIN MCCREARY
MORRIS J. MCCULLOUGH
John D. McGuire
RN “Nick” McGuire, Jr.
JEFFREY BRYAN MCILHANEY
ROBERT LEWIS MCINTYRE
Danny Lee McMillen
James Earl McMillen
CAROLYN D. MCMURRY
EDGAR D. MCMURRY
AARON L. MCNAIR
Paul David McNeel
Richard G. McPherson
Michael G. McPherson
Sean C. McPherson
K.C. MEADORS
THOMAS L. MEDINA
TALMADGE S. MERCER
R.Z. Michael
Rex Z. Michael
Rex Z. Michael, Jr.
Philip Ralph Milian
R.G. (Butch) Milan
T.P. Pat Milan
Thomas P. Milan
John H. Miller
Julian Creighton Miller, Jr.
Jack E. Mitchell
Norman S. Moise
Bruce W. Morehead, Jr.
Edward H. Moreland
Peter Alexander Moreno
Steven N. Morgan
William Ara Morgan, Jr.
CHARLES A. MORRIS
Richard H. Mueller
Richard Henry Mueller
BERT DAY MULLINSS
EDWARD BRENT MULLINS
JAMES F. MULLINS
FINNIE “MOON” MULLINS, SR.
CLAYTON J. MYERS
Christopher Ram Naraynan
George Luis Narro, Jr.
JAMES W. NEW
James Elmer Newcomb
LOUIS MURAT NEWMAN, III
FRANKIE E. NICHOLS
J.C. “Buddy” Oelkers
MICHAEL E. OGNDEN
Peter J. O’Hagan
Clarence L. Oldham, Jr.
Marion Earl Oldham
John Dyer Oliver
RONNIE L. OWENS
Michael Edward Palmer
Michael Andrew “Andy” Palmer
Tommy D. Palmos
Charles F. Palumbo
Alfred Ray Patterson
LONZELL PAYTON, JR.
Rufus Thomas Pearson, Sr.
ERIC D. PEASLEE
FRANKLIN H. PERRY
John V. Perry, III
GEORGE S. PHARIS
Garland Coke Pillow
- FRANK PIPES
LEE ANTHONY PIZALATE
Robert Plagens
H.M. PLOEGER
Douglas F. Pollard
Bernard Edward Polzer
BUCK E. PORTER
Molivàa Poyer
Gary Ross Rackley
Terry Edward Raines
KURT THOMAS RAMSEY
LOUIS DANIEL RAO
Douglas C. Rapé
Travis C. Rapé
Courtney M. Rapé
Ross Rayburn
William T. “Ted” Read
Jerry Owen Reed
Thomas L. Reeder
Richard Rees
Donald Ray Regmund
Johnny D. Restivo
Philip G. Restivo
HOY A. RICHARDS
Stephan H. Richardson
KENNETH ALAN RITCHIE
Anthony E. Rogers
Anthony Ruiz
Byron Ray Rychlik
Johnny Sage
DAVID SAHM
Joe Scanlin, Jr.
Ronald Schmidt
Karl Jakob Schneider
Alfred E. Scott
Woodrow Wilson Scott, Jr.
Ernest F. Sebesta
FRANK C.C. SEIFERT
Carl D. Sieter, Jr.
Anthony F. Serra
HERBERT SHELTON
Roger N. Sheridan
Roger O. Sheridan
Scott Russell Shinn
Chris Shivers
Clinton A.K. Sikes
BENJAMIN CHARLES SIMPSON
Ormond R. Simpson
William Neal Simpson III
JOE C. SMITH
PATRICK MONROE SMITH
Lawrence Smith
Robert Pat Smith
- Lawrence Smith
Richard J. Soltis, Jr.
WALDEMAR C. SOSOLIK
RANDAL K. SOUTH
Herman Henry Spoede, Jr.
Derrek M. Stanfield
DON MERLIN STARKEY
Edward Anthony Stavinoha
EDDIE ROYCE STEPHENSON
Tommy Rex Stewart
John J. Surovic
Johnnie J. Surovic
Gerry W. Sweeten
STEVE TAGGART
Carol Talcott
EDWARD J. TANKERSLEY, JR.
Lyndon P. Thomas
James A. Thompson, Jr.
Malo Tigerina
Alice Tigerina
Billy Dupree Todd
Timothy Michael Trammell
ROBERT D. TUCKER
Edward D. Turcotte
James E. Turcotte
ROBERT L. TURNER
Bobby Lee Twitty
Gary Wayne Urso
Walter H. Vance
Matthew Ryan Bandergrift
Curtis Allen Vincent
CHARLES R. VROOMAN
THERESA JEWERAL WADE
Albert Morris Ward
Edward E. Ward
William Michael Warren
James Carroll Weaver, Jr.
Lewis Terry Webb
JOSEPH F. WEBER
Clint J. Weber
Russ M. Welch
Ian Crist Welch
J.E. (Coke Wellman)
J.E. Wellman
Lucas J. Wells
Jimmie L. West
Billy Joe Whalin
ROBERT NEIL WHITE
William K. White
Noel Edwin White
William K. White Jr.
Alan Spencer Whiting
Donald L. Wiley
Bobby R. Wilkinson
George Clifton Williams
Mitchell L. Williams
Wade Wilson
GARY L. WIMBERLY
L.E. WINDER, JR.
CARL WISEMAN
WILLIAM WESLEY WISEMAN
John Arthur Withers
Clarence C. Wolbrueck
Wilbur A. Woods
Dwight E. Woolston
Charley V. Wootan
Richard Raymond Wright
Jeffrey Alan Wright, Sr.
Glenn Wyatt
Kevin Wayne Yargo
Francis Henry Young
