Saturday is usually lunch over at Ernies. Ernie being a retired heavy Rescue Fire Fighter Captain has some great talent. Cooking is one of them. All though I have to caution him on the "HEAT" his meals are gourmet killer! He is the Chef of Fire.
The crew varies from week to week. We tend to solve all the worlds problems in under two hours or less. It takes place in Ernie's shop among firearms and Bridgeport tool machines.
I pickup Jerry and should I not bring him I usually get the third degree from the crew as to why he is not present. Jerry has Rock Star importance among these guys not because of charming Irish wit and good looks but because of his Elder Statesman status as a UNITED STATES MARINE VETERAN Of World War Two. The crew is very patriotic and dyed in the wool American.
Jerry is well versed on many subjects and is less prone to holding back as of late. The topics covered are politics, public misdeeds, tomfoolery and pension rights to name a few.
He was extremely pleased about the Navy Seals lifting UBL'S scalp back in April. Of course it pains him to hear of casualties especially MARINES.
Today the topic was the pension stuff in Providence and the recent discussion of layoffs.
Ernie made Chicken with Broccoli. With a wine sauce and pasta. Oh yeah, I ate way too much. Jerry gave it two thumbs up.
Ernie needed to test fire some weapons and we went to the range. I asked Jerry if he wanted to shoot? "Sure!" was his reply.
He first shot a 1911 style pistol in .22 caliber. We sent him down range and he drilled the target in the K5 Zone. He pressed pretty quick on the trigger.
"How did I do?" Yes PFC Sherlock you did fine. Old habits die hard." Hey Ernie you were right just like riding a bike." With that trademark Sherlock laugh.
He then shot a version of the M4 Carbine which his present day fellow Marines are fielding in Harms Way. He really liked and it reminded him of the handy M1 Carbine he carried and put to use in the Pacific.
While heading out he told me a few things. "Well I kind of shoot real fast. We had to you know against the Japanese. They would come in around 10 or 11 o'clock at night. They would get fired up on liquor and then their commanders would send them in a Banzai Charge. You had to shoot fast because there were so many. Ten MARINES would be in line shooting. You never really knew who you killed because everyone was shooting. Anyone standing in front of us got shot. The attacks could last anywhere from ten minutes to an hour. At IWO it was much different. The Japanese Commander forbid Banzai charges. He wanted every Japanese soldier to kill ten MARINES. It was very different.
I went to Marpi Point where the Japanese were pushing people off the cliffs. Do you remember me telling you about the woman we found in labor? Yes that's still pretty funny today. That woman gave birth with the help of another MARINE. He asked me if I had ever helped deliver a baby. No I said. Then the Marine said how about a farm animal? I grew up in the city we didn't have anything like that. What are you, crazy?" Jerry then said the MARINE assisted in the delivery and took his T-shirt off and wrapped the infant and gave it to Jerry.
" That woman got up and marched to the POW camp and then I took the baby over to the field hospital. I was exhausted and she marched right alongside of us after delivering a baby. Wow!'
Jerry's burn is looking better. I changed it and dressed the arm and it is looking much better. Fight with a hot cup of coffee.
8 US Service Men were killed this week in Afghanistan.
Two were in the ARMY.
Six were MARINES. They died taking the fight to the enemy. Remember that this holiday weekend. We celebrate Independence Day. They paid the price for us.
As Jerry would say, " SEMPER FI!"
"The deadliest weapon in the world is a MARINE and his rifle."
General John "Black Jack" Pershing US ARMY
