Posted on 02/09/2006 5:15:27 PM PST by SandRat
MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. (Feb. 9, 2006) -- A Marine walks through a village in Vietnam while carrying out a mission of extreme importance. The day is warm and muggy and the villagers cower away whenever the Marine walks pass them. Suddenly, shots ring out in the distance and rounds impact around his location. His platoon sergeant goes down with the onslaught of bullets. The Marine reaches for his platoon sergeant's body to drag him away from the danger, but the wounded sergeant orders the other Marine to run and get his rifle. At that moment a warm piercing sensation starts emanating from the Marine's thigh. He looks down, and it is at that moment that he realizes he has just become a casualty of war.
John W. Loomis Sr., a retired gunnery sergeant, was awarded a purple heart Friday for wounds he received during combat operations in Vietnam, about 40 years after the wounds were inflicted.
Loomis spent three tours and three extensions in Vietnam, he said. During his time in country, he went on many operations where he came "a nose hair's length" away from meeting the Grim Reaper.
"All we were trying to do in Vietnam was what we do in other wars; fight for freedom." Loomis said.
While in Vietnam, Loomis was attached to Company C, 1st Anti-tank Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, he said.
During one operation, 189 troops were sent to secure some villages that had been overrun by the Viet Cong, Loomis said. Unfortunately, the Marine unit was ambushed by the enemy, and suffered 186 casualties. Of the three Marines that survived, Loomis was one of them.
Loomis said that he kept going back to Vietnam to prevent his brothers from going.
"I didn't want my brothers to have to experience what I experienced," he said.
When Loomis returned to the states, he had to endure the scorn of his fellow countrymen who protested against the war, he said. It was disheartening for him to hear of Vietnam veterans losing their lives not overseas, but while home in their own country.
After the Vietnam War abated, Loomis continued his Marine Corps career by traveling the world and helping to train Marines, he said.
During his career, Loomis was a drill instructor and trained raw recruits to be hardened Marines, he also trained civilian police officers on how to effectively detain individuals, and was even an escort for Ronald Reagan when Reagan was the governor of California.
Then, after 30 years of service, Loomis retired from the Marine Corps at the rank of gunnery sergeant and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his accomplishments as a Marine.
After he retired, he tried to volunteer to go back to Vietnam and find certain spots where troops had been buried, but his request was denied, he said.
"It's been a long time, but it's always in your head," said Loomis.
The main issue with Loomis finally receiving this Purple Heart is that now he has the proof he requires to receive the necessary compensation he deserves from the military.
The system makes it so that veterans receive disability compensation for ailments that were caused by their military career, said Loomis. Since this is the case, Loomis made sure to finally get the Purple Heart he rated to have the proof necessary to receive disability compensation.
If it was not for the efforts of the branch medical clinic, located on Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow though, Loomis would not have received this Purple Heart, he said.
"They've got some good people up here," said Loomis.
During several visits to the clinic, Loomis was afflicted by heart attacks in which he needed immediate medical attention, he said. It was the corpsmen at the clinic who made sure he was properly taken care of.
After living a lifetime's worth of experiences in the Marine Corps, it is no wonder that Loomis likes to reiterate the saying, "Once a Marine, Always a Marine."
Calling all Nam Vets!!! One of ours!!!
Three tours in Vietnam?? Amazing!
Thanks to him for his service.
And it's about time.
Vets deserve to be recognized for deeds whether , (at least unlike Kerry), are too humble to do it for themselves.
Salute.
It is men like this that make one both proud and humble to be Americans.
This illustrates the difference between this real soldier and
one like Kerry. This man never asked for a purple heart when woulded or afterward and only did so to receive disability. Kerry did it so he could leave the military and use it for political priposes..
Thanks to him for his service.
Makes 'effin sKerry even less a hero.
I stand at attention and smarly salute him. Yet another example of a real man. Glad to see he finally is going to get the required VA benifits he certainly deserves.
BTTT
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