Michael Parr:  

Graduated in the middle of the class in '64. Went to Boot Camp on 3 August and Earned the title U. S. Marine on 22 October from MCRD San Diego. Spent the next 20 years in the Marine Corps and retired in 1984. Tried marriage a couple of times, they didn't take. I had a son by each wife, but only recognize the one by the 2nd wife. I pretty much raised him by myself after I retired from the Marine Corps. I spent 23 years in student transportation as a route & charter bus driver and a driver trainer. A career I never had any idea that I would follow. I found being around the kids and watching them grow was very rewarding. Many of them still greet me and introduce me to their friends & families. I also operated a specialty delivery service for 11 years during the festival season in the greater Chicagoland area and Wisconsin. I had to give it up for health reasons. Took early retirement for Social Security in 2008 as I began to age and health problems continue to impact me. I joined the Fox River Detachment of the Marine Corps League (MCL) in 1985 and was somewhat active as raising a son and work would allow. I organized the Walworth County MCL Detachment in 2000 and have been very active in its operation and the Department of Wisconsin MCL. I have served as an officer of both the Detachment & Department for the past 12 years. During my 20 years in the Marine Corps, I traveled to many places here in the States and abroad. I was stationed at the following stateside bases: MCRD San Diego CA, MCB Camp Pendleton CA, MCAS Yuma AZ, MCAS El Toro CA, NATTC NAS Memphis TN, MCAS Beaufort SC, MCAS Cherry Point NC, MCAS New River NC, MCAS Kaneohe Bay HI. I was stationed at overseas bases: Okinawa (including MCAS Futema, Camps Hague & Mctureous, NAF at Kadena AFB), and MCAS Iwakuni JP. While I was overseas I deployed to the following locations: NS Subic Bay RP, Kwangju ROK AB & Taegu ROK AB Korea, and Tainan Taiwan. I served in Vietnam in 1966-67 (18 months) with HMM-164 at Marble Mountain AF & Hue/Phu Bai AF, also onboard USS Princeton (LPH 5) & USS Tripoli (LPH 10). For those of you from the Class of '64, I was at MMAF on 23 July 1966 when Tom Madison was killed at Hill 55. I didn't find out about it until 10 days later. Semper Fi, Marine. In 1975, I served as the Maintenance Chief for Camp #8 at Operation New Arrival/New Life at Camp Pendleton CA. Camp #8 had a popuplation between 1500-4000 VN refugees. My Maintenance section consisted of myself and 6 other Marines, none of which had any prior experience in the operation of the utility systems associated with a tent city of that size. Those Marines were outstanding. The normal day for them was 16-18 hours/6 days a week. They were the daily, direct contact with the refugees and responsible for ensuring their safety and well being in their living areas. The words: Adapt, Improvise and Overcome were the operational mantra for those Marines assigned to Camp #8 Maintenance & Supply Section (S-4). While serving with VMFA-232 at K-Bay HI, I TransPac'd with the squadron aircraft maintenance teams several times with stops at Wake Island, Midway Islands, Guam & Okinawa. The squadron also attended 'Red Flag' at Nellis AFB Las Vegas NV. I was part of an acceptance team at NAS North Island, San Deigo CA for several months while the squadron received new aircraft. In the 39 months that I was assigned VMFA-232 in HI, I was only physically present less than half of the time in the islands. The normal work week for the Aircraft Maintenance Department was 10-12 hours/ 5-7 days a week depending on the OpTemp. The saying - Just another sh-tty day in Paradise - took on real meaning for many. The families suffered alot and many didn't make it thru the deployments. The Unit Deployment Program (UDP) started in 1977. It looks good on paper, but the stress on the Marines and their families is vary hard. Even in peacetime, it is difficult to serve in the Armed Forces, throw in the current...Expand for more