Hey everybody,

It's been insanely busy in my neck of the woods. One thing I had going last week was a two day trip down to Camp Lejeune for a conference. While I was there, I went to my old stomping grounds of 10th Marines - the East Coast artillery regiment (of 2nd Marine Division.) They have a nice gun park there and here are some pictures:

An M114 155mm Howitzer (the Pig)

My old gun (I say old because it has now been completely replaced in the USMC by the M777 155mm) the M198 155mm:

A M107 175mm gun (as opposed to howitzer - higher velocity and lower angle of fire):

The rare M99 107mm "Howtar". This was a cross between the carriage of a 75mm Pack Howitzer and a 4.2 inch mortar:

The afore-mentioned M-30 107mm (4.2 inch - the "four-deuce") mortar:

See more angles of these and others here.

First I want to say Thank You to anyone who has served, in any branch, for the United States. I know I have freedom today because of sacrifices that other people have made.

I am hoping to find more information on the company that my Grandfather served with during WWII. I have some of his papers. I have heard that he could have been attached to the 14th but then was told it was most likely the 6th he was attached to since he came home after Europe. Any help would be appreciated. I am already very proud of him (he is no longer with us) but I have this strong desire to learn more.

Thanks,

Kim

He was with Co.A 125th Armored Engineer Battalion

His Battles and Campaigns listed were:

Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Rhineland, Southern France, Central Europe

i feel really bad for that guy there no room for error in this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9q7b_2tkMo

Vee

Thought many would enjoy this, especially VEE!

Applebries

With the French spending less time eating lunch, THE WEEK asked its readers to come up with the name of a French fast-food restaurant.

Brief Bourguignonne

Kentucky Fried Chic

Tore de Pants

Fatatouille

Fryer Jacques

Have it Eur Way

Chomps Elysees

A great letter concerning one of the songs on our music site (it's also featured in my documentary)!

Hello:

 

I came across your web site while I was looking for the lyrics to a song that I remember hearing off of a 78LP my grandma had in her collection. I thought the title was “Goodbye Mama, I’m off to Okinawa.” However, I can now only ever found reference to “Goodbye Mama, I’m off to Yokohama.” (Fred Coots)

 

However, I remember some different lyrics that do not appear in the lyrics for Yokohama. These lyrics, in-between the chorus, included:

 

“We’re learning jujitsu, where you kick with the feet.

 

We’ll kick ‘em in their togas and watch them retreat.”

 

 

And

 

 

“Tell dad I plan a big surprise, nobody knows.

 

I’ll bring him back a Jap valet to care for his clothes.”

 

Additionally, I have found personal histories from marines and sailors who shipped out to Okinawa, and they reference playing/singing “Goodbye Mama, I’m off to Okinawa” in their accounts.

 

By any chance do you know anything about this? Was a variation of the Yokohama song perhaps created specially for the troops heading off to Okinawa?

 

Thanks for your consideration.

 

Gene Becker

Madison, WI