Back in 1999 and 2000 I drove a couple of employees and my own son down to Morehead City, N.C. to do some SCUBA diving in the ship-wrecks out in Onslo Bay and near the Outer Banks. After the first day I spent a lot of time driving up and down the coast and around the Camp Lejeune towns and rural areas trying to get back of the feel and memory of the time I'd spent there between 1961 and 1964. I went on board base at Camp Lejeuene driving past all the places which I had been familiar with.
One memory that came to mind was one morning I was late for duty at the Base Communications Center at building #1. The watch was scheduled to begin at 0800. Oblivious to everything I was making great hase to get there on time. I was called up short by a grizzly old (he seemed to me at the time) First Seargeant. The reason was that morning colors and the raising of the flag was happening at that moment. He seemed a little put out with me, but after the colors were finished being raised he asked "what in hell made" me "ignore morning colors like that?" I told him about being late for duty, and his words were forgiving, saying "I guess there are mitigating circumstances.....carry one, get to work!"
Remembering that as I drove past the place where it had all happened - the little "Armory Building" #11 facing "Post Lane" - I decided to drive back early the next morning for morning colors the next morning at 0800, at the main gate. Here are a couple of videos on this sort of "day after" D-Day to as a commemorative.
YouTube - Morning Colors - - First comes "Attention" then the call to colors
YouTube - Evening Colors
Now comes Morning colors at Camp Pendleton - we see the guys running, but why? They were doing what the First Seargant thought I was doing; trying to beat the colors. I don't think this happened very often, but it's fun to watch.
Marine Corps Morning Colors
I made it back the next morning, standing at attention through the flag raising, not with a salute but as a civilian, with my hand over my heart, but not even an active duty Marine can salute when he's "un-covered".
One memory that came to mind was one morning I was late for duty at the Base Communications Center at building #1. The watch was scheduled to begin at 0800. Oblivious to everything I was making great hase to get there on time. I was called up short by a grizzly old (he seemed to me at the time) First Seargeant. The reason was that morning colors and the raising of the flag was happening at that moment. He seemed a little put out with me, but after the colors were finished being raised he asked "what in hell made" me "ignore morning colors like that?" I told him about being late for duty, and his words were forgiving, saying "I guess there are mitigating circumstances.....carry one, get to work!"
Remembering that as I drove past the place where it had all happened - the little "Armory Building" #11 facing "Post Lane" - I decided to drive back early the next morning for morning colors the next morning at 0800, at the main gate. Here are a couple of videos on this sort of "day after" D-Day to as a commemorative.
YouTube - Morning Colors - - First comes "Attention" then the call to colors
YouTube - Evening Colors
Now comes Morning colors at Camp Pendleton - we see the guys running, but why? They were doing what the First Seargant thought I was doing; trying to beat the colors. I don't think this happened very often, but it's fun to watch.
Marine Corps Morning Colors
I made it back the next morning, standing at attention through the flag raising, not with a salute but as a civilian, with my hand over my heart, but not even an active duty Marine can salute when he's "un-covered".
Last edited:
