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Iwo Jima Association of America
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by Mark W. Stevens Director of Communications, Iwo Jima Association of America

On August 16, 2016 my wife Glorene and I, had the distinct privilege and honor of attending the ship naming ceremony for a new Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer, the USS John Basilone DDG-122, at Camp Pendleton. Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus made the announcement and stated, “John Basilone was one of those Marines who Admiral Nimitz referred to as ‘uncommon valor was a common virtue,’”

I was a Marine once, for about 15 minutes. The closest I ever got to serving was on the day I was called to Whitehall Street in New York City to take my physical just as the Vietnam War was beginning to heat up. I had two children and was teaching math, so I knew there was little chance of my being inducted. I do remember that day standing alone in the middle of the floor in my birthday suit. The sergeant had just told all of us to pick a branch of the service and go to the various corners of the large hall, “Navy here,” “Army there,” “Air Force back here,” “Marines over there.” Everyone made a choice but me. “And where do you want to go?” he bellowed. “I want to go home,” I yelled back.

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