This is the forum I visit most often that includes active duty military. I am posting this here out of respect for a fine man and a hell of a Marine.
In another thread a former Marine mentioned his dates of service and locations so I went back though my float books to see who he might be. In the process I followed up on something I had been meaning to do for a very long time: look up the full name of the Lima Company Commander who became my OIC when he moved into the Operations Officer role in 3/8, 2nd MarDiv. I wanted to track down "Dutch" and just chat him up to see how life had been treating him and tell him about my wife and kids. He was and is the Marine who I have the most respect for out of all the men I met while in the service.
I found this: In Memoriam - Schreiber
My fondest memory of Capt. Schreiber was in Cartagena Spain where we were cross training with the Spanish Army. We were spy rigging from CH46's and he looked at me and said "Corporal, can you think of anything about this that will be useful in a combat situation or a NEO (non-combatant evac op)?" I knew the SOP but I didn't think the SOP for this maneuver made much sense when the pilots attached to us were good enough to land on a nickel and give you change and I told him so. He responded: "Me neither, but goddamn is it fun! It's the reward for being a Marine." I never knew until today that he had 'connections' that got him into the Marines. He never pulled strings or adjusted from the most difficult path if he thought it was the right one. He was a knowledgeable, cheerful, hard-charging leader of Marines.
I'm incredibly sad that I didn't follow up with him in the 10 years between my EAS and his final days. I wish I could have told him that every Marine whose service was entrusted to his care that I ever knew loved him for his wit and wisdom and his ability to see the comic side of every situation. When he ran the AmTrak company they were routinely rowdy at formation and first in line for the 3:00 am hump. His men would follow him anywhere.
The knowledge that he was promoted to Colonel of Marines on his death bed tells me that my Marine Corps also understood his value.
Semper Fidelis
In another thread a former Marine mentioned his dates of service and locations so I went back though my float books to see who he might be. In the process I followed up on something I had been meaning to do for a very long time: look up the full name of the Lima Company Commander who became my OIC when he moved into the Operations Officer role in 3/8, 2nd MarDiv. I wanted to track down "Dutch" and just chat him up to see how life had been treating him and tell him about my wife and kids. He was and is the Marine who I have the most respect for out of all the men I met while in the service.
I found this: In Memoriam - Schreiber
My fondest memory of Capt. Schreiber was in Cartagena Spain where we were cross training with the Spanish Army. We were spy rigging from CH46's and he looked at me and said "Corporal, can you think of anything about this that will be useful in a combat situation or a NEO (non-combatant evac op)?" I knew the SOP but I didn't think the SOP for this maneuver made much sense when the pilots attached to us were good enough to land on a nickel and give you change and I told him so. He responded: "Me neither, but goddamn is it fun! It's the reward for being a Marine." I never knew until today that he had 'connections' that got him into the Marines. He never pulled strings or adjusted from the most difficult path if he thought it was the right one. He was a knowledgeable, cheerful, hard-charging leader of Marines.
I'm incredibly sad that I didn't follow up with him in the 10 years between my EAS and his final days. I wish I could have told him that every Marine whose service was entrusted to his care that I ever knew loved him for his wit and wisdom and his ability to see the comic side of every situation. When he ran the AmTrak company they were routinely rowdy at formation and first in line for the 3:00 am hump. His men would follow him anywhere.
The knowledge that he was promoted to Colonel of Marines on his death bed tells me that my Marine Corps also understood his value.
Semper Fidelis
