The crazy wild private, er sergeant, er private Marine

(Cont'd) The Marine told me he was thirsty and asked an officer if he would get him a bottle of whiskey and that he would pay him $10. The officer hesitated and then said he would; so sure enough he brought the whiskey to the area, handed the bottle over to the Marine and asked for the $10; quickly the Marine said, "You just broke a rule about getting whiskey to me so you don't get the money; now get the hell out of here!" The officer left. I laughed along with Fred and Buddy and asked wasn't that a little dangerous? He said it was dangerous for the officer! Pretty soon he left the tent to relieve himself and Fred said, with Buddy nodding yes, that this Marine was a hurricane in battle they had been told; any "Jap" he saw he killed; he took no prisoners; and he always was raised in rank to sgt. during battle; and then demoted back to private in non battle zone areas; and that was what he was now, a private. Fred said he heard on good authority that an officer tried to discipline him and this sergeant told the officer bluntly he would obey "if he had to, but that officer had better never be seen by the Marine in battle, because he wouldn't make it back alive!" I had heard of rare instances of officers and M/Sgts being shot by "friendly fire" and I didn't doubt for a second that he meant what he said. Fred and Buddy agreed. The three of us agreed to go tackle the wooden monster roller coaster in Long Beach tomorrow.