When the Korean War began in June 1950, I signed up, I was single, had five years' experience in construction, and joined the U.S. Navy Seabee Reserves as a Petty Officer.
After a few months of weekly drills and not having been called to active duty, I went to headquarters, Third Naval District, and had orders to active duty initiated. I volunteered for duty in Korea. I felt the single men should volunteer for war areas so the men with families would not be obligated to serve in a war zone.
When I entered active duty USNMCB#4 a mobile battalion, was just being organized, so I became a part of this battalion. Twenty-six days after becoming activated, I was on my way to a tour in the Western Sahara Desert in French Morocco. I sailed on LST 515 which was a flat-bottomed ship with a top speed of six knots.
At that time, we were at sea two days before the Captain was allowed to tell us our destination. This was for our own safety and this assured that no enemy would know where our ship was located or headed.
Today, USMCB#4 is still active and home ported on the west coast. Today, it appears that anyone can check the internet and learn where each member of the USNMCB#4 is located. Detachments of a small number of personnel are, at times, sent on special projects and their location and other information is available on the internet.
Why is this happening? Why jeopardize our military personnel in these times of terrorism strikes? Where is the common sense of 1950? Do we have no military secrets to protect our military personnel? Have we met the enemy, and is it us?
