Sep/Oct 2008 - Korean War Veterans Association

John and Dianne Camara. John is from Bayonet Point,
Florida
John A. Lejeune.
“I’m proud to be a part of the
Marine Corps League,” he said in
a conversation in the KAL lounge
at Dulles International Airport
prior to his flight to Korea. “They
do fantastic work sup porting
[Marine} wounded all around the
country. They personify the idea
of’ once a Marine, always a
Marine.’ They provide tremendous
support to wounded Marines with
their Semper Fi Fund.”
On his first day in Korea,
General Gray had lunch with the
Marines at the Navy Club at
Yongson Army Garrison. There,
the former commandant seemed
Jan Gray, wife of General Alfred M. Gray, meets the ROK Marine Corps
Commandant Lieutenant General Sang-Ro Lee
to be in his most comfortable element—with
fellow Marines.
Major General Frank Panter,
head of Marine Forces, Korea,
invited General Gray to join him
at an intelligence briefing and a
Korea update at his headquarters.
After the briefing, the Marines
around the conference table
enjoyed talking with General
Gray.
They listened with rapt attention
as the former commandant
delivered what could have been a
post-graduate course in the art of
being a Marine. Amphibious operations:
“We come from the sea—
other people come over the sea.”
Expeditionary
warfare:
Expeditionary warfare means light
enough to get there, heavy enough
to win. “On building alliances:
“You’ve got to be with them and
share their hardships.” Reflecting
on being one of the service chiefs:
“Only one is a ‘Commandant’—the
Commandant commands the
Marine Corps—the others have
titles like ‘Chief. of Staff.’
“What are some of the things
you are most proud of?” asked Col
Douglas Fegenbush, Deputy
Commander for Marine Forces,
Korea.
“One of the things we tried to do
was turn the Marine Corps loose;
to show that we could do more,”
General Gray said. “There has
been a greatly increased understanding
of the capabilities of
Marine generals in the last 20
years.
“And,” he added, “I wanted a
Marine Corps University.” In
keeping with his interest in the
professional military education of
officers, staff non-commissioned
officers and non-commissioned
officers, he had established the
“Commandant’s Reading List,” an
extensive list of books that every
Marine leader is expected to read.
By the next morning, the
Alexandria, VA-based Military
Historical Tour group had arrived
in Seoul with a strong contingent
of Marine Corps League members.
54
The border between a divided country
September – October 2008
The Graybeards