TBS 2-67 Cruisebook_Updated_7Jan23

Second Platoon
drug him out and tried CPR. After 10 minutes (her
words) she got no pulse so she picked him up and
carried him a distance to the nearest house.
The transplanted former Lebanese drove them to the
hospital where they got his vitals going again and then
transported him downtown St. Paul to the preferred
hospital for drowning victims. There Josh lay for 12
days with tubes in and out and respirator on and an
intracranial sensor installed in his forehead to signal
brain swelling if it does. He came out of it and he grew
up to now age 38. But his brain (frontal lobe) is
damaged. He can work, but simple jobs. Autoshop
cleaner, Lumber yard board mover, etc. He, and his
brother, Chip, both live up here in Wisconsin but not
with me. They did the first 2 years, 2009, 2010. Now
Chip is married to a local. Josh resides in a small group
home 10 minutes from my farm. Ginger and I parted
ways in 1991. I didn’t behave well towards her after the
accident. She didn’t want to deal with me anymore.
Couples counseling didn’t exist in1982 as far as we
know. So she left Tampa (yes I gave her the car and
bought a used replacement) with the boys to live in
Dallas with her cousin and longtime amigo. The boys
grew up to adulthood without seeing me more than
once or twice a year. When they came to live with me
in Wisconsin I made sure they were properly evaluated
medically and psychologically.
Chip has “Asperger’s Syndrome” and can hardly hold
a job. Josh has frontal lobe damage and very poor
memory. I made sure both boys were eligible for SSDI
and they got it. I am Josh’s legal guardian since 2010
and was Chip’s from 1998 until he married Tracy here.
In 2018 they decided Tracy should be his Guardian.
Meanwhile, the rest of the story: In 1992 I remarried in
Tampa, 2 years after Ginger left, to Nancy Hardee who
was a classmate of my youngest brother in first grade.
We had a great and fun marriage including the
Computer Renaissance store. She passed away in May,
2008 from “inflammatory breast cancer”. She (her
family God bless them all) left me sufficient income
that enabled this farm.
Two years after arriving in Wisconsin and started the
farm business (The Griggs Cattle Co.) met a lovely lass
named Pamela Linder. She was born and raised in
Duluth from very Swedish stock who arrived in the
USA in early 1900’s and came to northern Minnesota to
farm. She has more cousins than Carter has pills. Never
can keep them all straight at this age. She will be with
me at the Reunion.
What I Learned from My Time in the Corps: TBS was
a really well thought out and planned out experience. I
met many many aviators (please note: I use the term
”aviators” not pilots) over my 26 years in the Corps
who hadn’t attended TBS and they mostly had shallow
knowledge of how the Marine Corps functions. My
issue is that because of the football recruitment I
missed roughly 30% to 50% of the learning info/
experience, and not bonding with my peers. The old
adage fits: “Outa sight, outa mind.”
My Home Address: 60435 Maple Ridge Road, Ashland,
Wi 54806
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