Ol'Harry

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came out in the jungle to our battery to congratulate us upon firing our 100,000^th round – at 150,000 rounds we were withdrawn for refitting on Okinawa.”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.