Lance Corporal James Johnson

Burbank, CA

I joined the Corps because my Grandpa served during the later years of the Second World War. Altough he never went into details of the battles he was in, his pride of being a Marine was always grand. He was a simple man with a 6th grade education, and being an old Leatherneck meant all the honor he needed in the world. He was so proud of me when I enlisted and made certain I knew my Ten General Orders before Boot Camp. Throughout my time in the Corps I would send him letters of where I was and what was going on, but I never got to see him during those years. Today I have two young teenage boys of my own who know all about the honor of being a Devil Dog. We even called our city basketball team the "Devil Dogs", and the returning kids each year tell the new ones how tough it is to be a Dog. By the way, the Devil Dogs were the 2007 Burbank City League Champions. "Once a Marine, always a Marine", and I try to teach my boys that honor and dedication in their everyday lives. I am so pround of the men and women who are serving in the Corps during this very difficult time now. I wish God's Speed to you all, and know that if we could, all of us old Devil Dogs would be there with you right now. God Bless the Marine Corps! Semper Fi!