OS3 James McNorton

I’LL NEVER FORGET THAT EARLY MORNING THE MARINE BARRACKS WAS BLOWN IN BEIRUIT1983.I WAS ON RADAR WATCH TRADING DIRTY JOKES OVER THE SOUND POWERED PHONES WITH THE LOOKOUTS WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LOOKOUT YELLED THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION AND THE BARRACKS WAS GONE. SO I EVENTUALLY WENT UP TOPSIDE AND LOOKED THROUGH THE BIGEYES AND SAW NOTHING BUT A MUSHROOM CLOUD WHERE THE BARRACKS HAD STOOD.I REMEMBER THIS SINKING FEELING COMING OVER ME BECAUSE IT WAS SUNDAY AND THE SUN WAS JUST COMING UP.I KNEW IT WAS HOLIDAY ROUTINES FOR THE MARINES AND MOST OF THEM HAD TO BE STILL IN BED WHEN THIS HAPPENED.WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE BEACH,I WAS USED TO SEEING THIS BUILDING THERE AND NOW IT WAS REDUCED TO A CRATER.IMMEDIATELY WE WENT TO GC AND WAITED AND WAITED AND WAITED.NOTHING WAS EVER DONE ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A SUICIDAL PIECE OF DIRT RAN THE GATE IN A TRUCK LOADED WITH LIQUID NITROGEN AND DETINATED WHEN THE TRUCK RAMMED THE BARRACKS.I’LL NEVER FORGET THE GUYS I SERVED WITH BECAUSE I FELT LIKE WE HAD EACH OTHERS LIVES IN EACH OTHERS HANDS.THEY WERE THE BEST FRIENDS I’LL EVER HAVE AND THE SAD PART ABOUT IT IS I NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE TO MOST OF THEMI WAS PROUD TO SERVE WITH THEM.JEFF ADKINS,MIKE WILSON,OS2 ALLEN,OS2 BROWNELL,MY BUDDY OS1 JOE BULDOC,OS2 CAPUTO,OS2 CAMPOLITO-THE ITALIAN STALLION,OS2 COMPTON-LETS FOGET ABOUT THE FISTACUFFS OK,OS3 DEEGAN,OSSN DECK-MY DRINKING PARTNER,OSSA DYCUS,OSSN GILES,OSSN J J JACKSON-WILD MAN,OS3 ORVIS-REMEMBER ISLE OF PALMS WINDJAMMER,OS1 CLARENCE PURVIS -THE BEST OS I EVER CAME ACCROSS AND ALSO A PRETTY GOOD RACKETBALL PLAYER,OS3 SAM,OS3 SANSING-WILD ASS COUNTRY BOY,OS3 PETE SMITH-REMEMBER I HELPED YOU REBUILD THAT MOTOR FOR YOUR MUSTANG,I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT. I LOVE YOU GUYS. PEACE ———-
JAMES MCNORTON OS3