One day in Clarksdale, Glenn Morgan finally turned 18, graduated from high school, packed his gear and joined the Marines. Passing all his tests and physical requirements speaks to the determination, grit and stubbornness to change his course in life like so many before him.
Choosing the Marines speaks to the institution that ranks top among the hardest branches of the military to successfully be accepted into and complete.
The Marines require a 12-week boot camp, compared to some branches that require eight to 10 weeks. Any Marine may join another branch of the service without going through boot camp again, but to become a Marine you must go through Marine boot camp if you transfer from another branch of the service.
Just these facts alone in the face of a rebellious Delta teen would be enough to make some turn tail and quit, but not Glenn. All that hard stuff just made him think “bring it on,” and when it came to firing the weapons, it just came natural as ever for the longtime hunter.
With boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, behind him, his test scores again gave him the opportunity to be assigned to the Air Wing. He could choose fixed or rotary, and he chose rotary. Being part of the air crew was strictly voluntary, so off he went to another school to eventually become crew chief while training in Marine Corps Air Station, New River, North Carolina — the largest base of its kind in the U.S. with 2,600 acres.
As Glenn explains it, “That CH-53 Sea Stallion becomes your responsibility, your name is painted on the outside, you determine if it is fit to fly, [and] when it flies you fly.” The CH-53 is a heavy-lift aircraft, and depending on the situation, it could carry two pilots, a first mec. training to become a crew chief and a crew chief for cargo and resupply. In the event it is used for resupply, troop insertion or troop extraction, it is capable of transporting 60 personnel. When a fixed-wing aircraft went down, a CH-53 would go in to get the personnel out.
Glenn didn't lose his high school graduation ring to a girl; he watched it bounce down a gangplank into the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam. He also lost his best friend, Kenneth “Kenny” Crody, to a surface-to-air missile (SAM) while Kenny rode in the lead position of a troop insertion. To this day, Glenn wears the black aluminum ID bracelet for Kenny Crody. Glenn says, “If his name is spoken, he still lives.”
Glenn spent eight years in the Marines, returned home and farmed a few years, then went to the University of Mississippi and majored in engineering. He gives credit for his sticking in school to his wife Janna, who refused to let him quit. He gives credit to the Montgomery G.I. Bill for his ability to afford college and believes that is one of the greatest benefits of military service.
When Glenn and Janna’s son David turned 18, he had that same pull to join the Marines as his dad, but Janna vetoed it — for a while anyway. Both parents active in the church and servants to those in need, they finally saw the blessing in David joining the Marines.
David became a crew chief on a V-22 Osprey with training in San Diego. Father teases son about being a Hollywood Marine while he is a real Parris Island Marine. After 12 years, David got out and now works at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, as part of a civilian crew doing inspections and maintenance on C-123 aircraft for the Air Force.
One of the greatest honors Glenn enjoys is being part of the Patriot Guard. It is made up of individuals, most riding motorcycles, escorting deceased service personnel to their final resting place. It got its start early on to prevent war protesters from harassing fallen soldiers. Now, in these parts, at any rate, with patriotism held in high esteem, the Patriot Guard acts much like an honor guard with flags flying and a final salute.
A family must have a DD-214 and request a Patriot Guard from the funeral home or someone known to the guard, but most funeral directors know how to get the ball rolling. A three-day notice is best to get all the participants lined up. There is no limit to the distance a guard can travel, and a relay guard can be arranged across multiple state lines if necessary. Those riding motorcycles need not have been in the military. It is an honor to those participating. Friends and family can join behind the Patriot Guard, flying flags in their cars or trucks after the memorial service. There is never a charge for this honor and no one will ever ask for money.
Thank you to all veterans. We
