MODERN DAY MARINE

Never underestimate the importance of a highway sign. 

While stationed at Camp Lejeune in 1991, Dan Clark read from a sign that Greensboro was an All-America City. “I came here often, Greensboro may not be world renowned as a liberty town, but compared to Jacksonville...”  Upon his discharge in 1992, Clark settled in his favorite liberty town.

PARRIS ISLAND GRADUATE

Clark joined the Marine Corps at 17, after his parents signed the approval papers, “I had to wait several months for an opening at Parris Island, but left my hometown on Christmas Day, 1988.”  After Boot Camp and Radio School, Clark completed deployments as a field radio operator on Okinawa and in Korea before receiving orders to Camp Lejeune, NC.

Almost immediately after arriving, Clark deployed to the Persian Gulf area as a radio operator with the 10^th Marines in preparation for Desert Storm.  “We spent eight months practicing amphibious assaults and field exercises in various Gulf countries.  Compared to the build-up, the war was over in the blink of an eye, but friendships built during those times will last a lifetime.”

Clark wasted no time acclimating to Greensboro.  On his way to a Guilford College degree in political science, he first graduated from GTCC.  All the while, he worked as a part-time tire salesman for Sears and later as full-time Auto Center supervisor until he became store manager of the Sears-owned National Tire & Battery Store in Winston-Salem.

“Even though I thoroughly enjoyed college and working at Sears, I truly missed the Marine Corps.”  Clark found the perfect compromise – the Marine Corps Reserve.  After joining the Reserves in 1993 he was assigned to the Greensboro-based Marine Corps Reserve Unit.

Over the next several years Clark deployed to locations around the world, including Germany, Norway and the Arctic Circle before deploying in 2003 with the Greensboro Reserve unit for Operation Iraqi Freedom as Data Communications Chief.

DAN CLARK PROGRESSED THROUGH LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
IN RADIO, COMPUTERS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

After returning from Iraq, Clark served in several locations around the country, fulfilling the duties of Data Communications Chief and later Company First Sergeant, which brought him full circle back to Greensboro.   

After successful tours as First Sergeant in Greensboro and later Tampa, Florida, he was promoted to Battalion Sergeant Major and completed tours of duty in Newport News, Virginia as well as Aurora, Colorado and Fort Worth, Texas.

In May, 2016 Clark reported to the Marine Corps Reserve Unit in Charlotte for his final tour.  He will face mandatory retirement in May, 2018 after completing 30 years of military service -- at the age of 47.

Clark is the first to admit that the Marine Corps isn’t for everyone, “I joined straight out of high school from the small town of Kissimmee, Florida.  Since I did not have grades, money, or focus for college, the Marine Corps looked to be a way I could grow up, prove my mettle, gain work experience, and travel beyond Florida and Mickey Mouse.”  

It seems to have done all of that for him.

One other tidbit about Reserve service – mandatory attendance, “Admittedly, my commutes were longer and more complicated than most, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.  Long weekends of Reserve duty made Monday mornings especially tough, and duty in the summer sometimes came at the worst possible times.”

When asked about social media’s impact on warfighting, Clark responded “Instant communication is here to stay, but I’ve seen it get too many Marines in trouble, albeit unintentional.  Elements of combat can be taken out of context – the horrors of war don’t need videoing back home or posted on social media.”

Suspecting Clark had no time for hobbies, he surprisingly admitted to saltwater fishing and running as two of his favorite pastimes, completing two Marine Corps Marathons and numerous other events.  In addition, he and his wife Kathy have organized multiple 5K and 10K fundraising events for Hope for the Warriors and other charitable causes.

DAN CLARK -- 2016 -- TWO YEARS FROM RETIREMENT

Sergeant Major Clark has served in every enlisted rank and two wars during his career. He has seen several generations of Marine recruits come and go.  He has a chest-full of personal decorations, and the ethos of a Marine recruiter, “Where else could a young kid lead Marines into battle, handle multi-billion dollar equipment, or fly fighter jets -- all for the good of our country?  

Nowhere!”

RICHARD CRAPSE -- MAN OF MANY SERVICES

Richard Crapse’s military service shadow box could be confusing at a quick glance.  It contains medals, decorations and awards from the Civil Air Patrol, the Marine Corps, the National Guard and the Air National Guard – all of which were stepping stones to his military retirement.

His Marine Corps service came first, 1965-1971.  “Our St. Petersburg, Florida High School senior classes cycled around the services – one year, most joined the Air Force, next year the Navy, etc.  My year was the Marine Corps’ year.”

NEWLY-WEDS KATHLEEN & RICHARD CRAPSE -- 1969

That was also the year recruit training at Parris Island was shortened from 12 weeks to eight weeks, “All that did was shorten the time between being a civilian and serving in Vietnam by one month – the Parris Island experience remained the same.”

Actually, Crapse was given a choice between Arctic Survival Training or Vietnam, “I didn’t figure a Florida boy would fare well in the Arctic, so by year end, I was lobbing 105mm howitzer shells into the Vietnam jungle.

Our guns were of World War II vintage and needed rebuilding after firing 50,000 rounds.  Several big wheels came out in the jungle to our battery to congratulate us upon firing our 100,000^th round – at 150,000 rounds we were withdrawn for refitting on Okinawa.”

As for World War II, Crapse recalls eating C Rations of that vintage as well, “They still tasted OK.”

From Okinawa, Crapse made brief stops in the Philippines and Taiwan before his 105mm battery was assigned to a Battalion Landing Team operating from an LST off Vietnam, “With amtracs, helicopters and small boats, we could do about any type mission.  We took casualties of all sorts – from enemy fire, friendly fire, and others from crashes and accidents.

At times, North Vietnam artillery was incoming from our front and big guns from the Navy were incoming from our rear.  Those were the times I wondered how it was in the Arctic!

During one operation, we were too far inland to resupply from the beach and the jungle too thick for helicopters to land, so we had to improvise.  We took five-gallon cans to a river for water, and made a bath call while there.  The enemy jumped us in our birthday suits, but we had enough Colt 45s close by to ward them off.”

While Crapse was flown into Vietnam in an air-conditioned airliner with stewardesses, getting out was more complex, “Offshore, aboard a Navy ship, I was told I had been rotated and that a helicopter would pick me up.  It never showed and the small boat I could have caught left the ship before my gear could be loaded. 

I was finally helicoptered to Da Nang, but my orders could not be located.  I missed the short-timer flight from Okinawa by one day.  While in the waiting mode, a typhoon came through and blew away the shed in which my seabag had been stored.  Most of my personal gear and uniforms were lost.

After traveling on emergency orders, I reached Travis Air Force Base and eventually made it to safe haven at Camp Lejeune.”

Later, Crapse interviewed for duty at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., home of the Marine Corps Band and ceremonial drill teams.  “I told them, no thanks, but they told me it was an order, not an invitation.

I was honored to be at Marine Barracks, but did not want to stay, so I signed waivers to go back to Vietnam.  Instead, they sent me to Jacksonville, Florida, where I signed more waivers to go back to Vietnam.  This time they worked, but only got me as far as Okinawa and Japan for a year or so.”

It was back to Camp Lejeune in 1971, where Crapse was again ordered to Washington, D.C. – this time to quell Mayday protests.  “We were dropped into the Mall to take back the Washington Monument from protesters – the Park Police had given it up and taken cover inside the Monument.

The next day’s Washington Post identified us as secret storm troops.”

Crapse admits that his time at Marine Barracks wasn’t all bad, “I escorted six girls to an Evening Parade one Friday evening.  I shuffled five of them off to buddies, but kept one for myself – Kathleen Pummer, from Allentown, Pennsylvania, and I have been married 47 years.”

RICHARD & KATHLEEN CRAPSE -- 2016

Kathleen has a master’s and law degree from Campbell University.  Her law practice was in Reidsville, where they have lived for the past 24 years.  Richard Crapse has worked in law enforcement and the Greensboro Housing Authority.