Hank Oliver
Final Drill Comp, July '71

HANK OLIVER, USMC

Dec61-Mar62, Boot Camp, MCRDep Parris Island - Platoon 298, SDI - SSgt Colbert, JDI - Sgt Roberts, JDI -Cpl Lay Meritorious promotion to PFC
Apr62-May62, ITR, Camp Lejeune
May62-Aug63, MCAS Cherry Point - (sucked!)
Aug63-Nov63, Sea School, Portsmouth VA
Nov63-Dec65, Marine Detachment USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CVS-39) Quonset Point RI - (sucked!)
Jan66-Jan67, Marine Corps Supply Center Albany GA - (sucked!)
Jan67-Jan67, Staging Bn Camp Pendleton
Jan67-Feb68, 3rd Battalion 5th Marines, Vietnam
Feb68-Jun72, Drill Instructor, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Parris Island (meritorious SSgt)
Jun72-Jun73, 8th Motor Transport Battalion, Camp Lejeune (sucked!)
Jun73-Jun74, 3rd Recon Battalion, Okinawa
Jun74-Jun78, Schools Company Parris Island
Jun78-Jun79, Marine Affairs, Commander Naval Forces, Korea
Jun79-Nov80, Marine Air Reserve Training Center South Weymouth MA (SUPER sucked!) Selected for promotion to 1sgSgt
Dec80-Feb83, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines Camp Lejeune - 3 Med cruises
Departed Beruit Lebanon for retirement at Camp Lejeune

PROMOTIONS:
PFC - Mar62
LCpl - Dec62
Cpl - Feb64
Sgt - Mar66
SSgt - Jun69
GySgt - Jan76
1stSgt - Jan81

(Click images to enlarge)


Parris Island, Feb. '62
Rifle Range


Jan. '65 "Champ"
2nd from right-Cpl. Oliver!
Marine Detachment USS Lake Champlain CVS-39


Staging Bn Camp Pendleton, early Jan. '67

The two guys in the background are Sgts-the "white" one is my clerk/partner-the other is one of the troops. This was taken in front of the barracks.

3rd Battalion, 5th Marines
Republic of Vietnam
Jan67-Feb68

I was there for all the major ops with 3/5, my job mostly consisted of keeping track of casualties, identifying bodies at the DaNang morgue, inventory of personal effects being sent home, preparing letters of condolences, etc. I wasn't directly involved in the bush other than when I went out to confirm what had happened - I was determined to get the correct info to families, and the best way to do that was go out there and talk directly to the squad leaders. If I waited for word to be passed thru 5 or 6 levels of command, it was often distorted or incorrect. So I went directly to the source.


Chu Lai, late May '67


23 June '67, RVN

Right picture is down near the beach. Our area was about 100 feet or so forward from here. In the far right is First Hospital Co.


1967, RVN
1. Tony Stoval (left), Hank
2. Stoval (left), Sullivan
3. Ken Lotridge (left), Hank


Parris Island, early '69


July '69, Parris Island
Meritorious promotion to SSGT, MajGen. O. F. Peatross presenting


8th Motors Force Troops, Camp Lejeune farewell, July '73
Maj. H.C. Valentine presenting


Korea, Oct. '78
Commander Naval Forces


Seoul, '79
Farewell party given by Korean Marines


Sept. '80, on leave Jay, Georgia
Posing "in uniform" with my brother-after my mom so greatly insisted!


Turkey, '81
1. Dead tired after field op with 3/8
2. Staff NCO Compartment USS PONCE-Poker game
3. Squid CPO's sure do eat good! Steak & lobster, USS PONCE


July '81, Messina, Sicily
Italian CPO Club with 3/8...Lovin' it!!


Aug. '81, Brindisi, Sicily
Coffee break--in the field with 3/8, ready to prepare c-rats


Beirut, '82
1. Marines always have a soft heart with kids!
2. Wes Sabo, radioman/driver (left) and Hank
3. Staff & Officewr's Club-Live Entertainment! (Jim's decorations on the walls!)


Beirut, 10 Nov. '82

Hank Oliver (left), Co. GySgt. John Salas (center) and SSgt. "Mad Dog" Jim Adams, Comm Chief (right) on the Airstrip at Beirut Airport-You can see the holes in the roof of the hangar where shells exploded.


Oct. '82, Carney Park, Naples, Italy
1. Hank and Jim (right)--H&S 3/8 Company Party
2. Capt. Rook (left) and Hank


3/5 Reunion 2004

1.Hank, George Brit, Linda Oliver, Curtis Eidson-- George Brit and his band, Another Shot, did an outstanding job performing for us at our 3/5 Reunion...Hank and several of our talented Marines joined in one night for a real musical treat!
2. Hank and "WebbeDebbe" (Debbe Reynolds)
3. Linda Oliver (right) with Bill and Kayla Vandegriff's good friend, Marilyn
4. Hank, Linda and good friend, Carol


3/5 Reunion 2004
"Once a DI, Always a DI"
Hank and Jack Swan having a little fun entertaining the troops
(More great pics at the 3/5 Reunion site)