US Marine Corps Recruit Depot - Yearbook (Parris Island, SC)

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THE MENTAL AND MORAL QUALITIES ofthe United States Marine have been tested constantly since the birth of the nation. All through the long history of the Marine Corps there are examples, both in war and peace, of his versatility, trustworthiness, singleness and tenacity of purpose, cour- age, faithfulness and self-sacrifice. The rich tradition of the Corps dates back to November 10, 1775, when it was established by the Contintental Con- gress. In the Revolutionary War, the Marines fought against the British Fleet on the ships of john Paul jones, and made their first amphibious landing on the beaches of the Baha- mas in 1776. Marines ended their war with the Mediterra- nean pirates when they planted the Stars and Stripes over the pirate stronghold of Derne, in Tripoli, after a six- hundred-mile march across the desert of North Africa. In the War of 1812, they fought on Lake Champlain and Lake Erie, and were with General jackson behind the barricades at New Orleans. They defeated the Seminole Indians in the dense swamps of Florida in 1836, and fought under General Scott in the Mexican War of 1846-48. Their first visit to japan came in 1854 as guard detachments from the ships of Commodore Perryis fleet. Under the command of Colonel Robert E. Lee, U.S.A., Marines captured john Brown at Harperis Ferry in 1859. They fought savages in Formosa in 1867, and stormed the barrier forts of Korea in 1871. During the Spanish-American War, a single battalion of Marines held the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, against 6,000 Spaniards, while oth- ,ff er Leathernecks distinguished themselves at the Battle of Santiago and with Dewey at Manila. They helped quell the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900, and from then on until World War I, men of the Corps campaigned in the Philip- pines, Cuba, Mexico, Haiti, and Santo Domingo to protect American lives and property. On the battlefields of France, Marines were called N Devil Dogsu by the Germans because of their courage and tenaci- ty of attack. In the first World War, the Fourth Brigade of Marines took part in five operations as part of the famed Second Division of the A.E. F. - Belleau Wood, Soissons, St. Mihiel, Chapagne, and the Meuse-Argonne. Marine units were decorated six times by the French during these campaigns. The interim between world wars found the Marines en- gaged in developing the technique of amphibious warfare and in their traditional pursuits around the globe, from guarding the U. S. mails to fighting bandits in Nicaragua. World War II saw the men who wear the eagle, globe, and an anchor valiantly defend Wake Island and Bataan and then spearhead the amphibious landings across the Pacific in the Solomons, at Tarawa, Saipan, Guam, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, to name a few. Following the war, Marines found a new type of service - duty with United Nations Forces in Korea. The United States Marine Corps, rich in tradition and world-famed for its battle record and esprit de corps, plays an important role as the nation's uforce-in-readinessn to help keep the peace throughout the world today.

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SERGEANT MAJOR E. W. JOHNSON SgtMaj Johnson joined the Marine Corps Reserve in 1956 and underwent bootcamp that same year at Parris Island, SC. SgtMaj Johnson remained in the Reserves until February of 1959, at which time he reenlisted into the active duty ranks. He has served with First, Second and Third Marine Divisions. During his career SgtMaj Johnson has served tours of duty with Marine Barracks Bermuda and Marine Barracks Lakehurst, New Jersey, Inspector-Instructor duty Little Rock, Arkansas, Battal- ion Sergeant Major, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Ma- rine Division for 3 year and 5 months, Recruiting Station Birmingham, Alabama, New River Air Station, Jackson- ville, North Carolina for 1 year, and 2 tours of duty on the Drill Field at 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Parris Is- land, working as a Drill Instructor from 1965-1967 and as the Series Gunnery Sergeant and Chief Drill Instructor from 1970-1973. SgtMaj Johnson served in Vietnam for 13 months. Dur- ing this time he served with L Company, Third Battal- ion, First Marine Division as the Platoon Sergeant and Platoon Commander. Among his decorations and awards are: National De- fense Service Medal, Vietnamese Service Medal with four stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, two Navy Achievement Medals, Marine Corps Expeditionary Med- al, Combat Action Ribbon, two Navy Commendation Medals, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commen- dation with one star, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal with palm, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one star, and a Good Conduct Medal with eight stars. Prior to reporting to Parris Island, he served as the Sergeant Major of Recruiting Station Birmingham, Ala- bama from June 1981-April 1984 until his appointment to Parris Island. SgtMaj ,Johnson is married to the former Fredna Pow- ers and they have two children, Richard and Terri. Rich- ard is a Physical Education Teacher in Vicksburg, Missis- sippi and Terri is married to Mr. Shane Fisher and they reside in Winston Salem, North Carolina.

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UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRISISLAND-soufrn CAROLINA