A Great Marine, A Great Man, A Great Friend

[pianoman9701]

My friend Rocky passed away today at 86 years old. He was born into the Marine Corps, served from '53-'63, as well as being a drill instructor. He was an aikido master and one of the first Scout Snipers, #198 on the sniper association rolls ("You can run, but you'll just die tired.", when I told him he was old and I could outrun him). He gave me a signed hard copy of Marine Sniper, signed by Carlos Hathcock. He also gave me a coin from a closed society of Spec Ops guys. I've since had the pleasure of meeting some of the others. These men are true warriors.

From '63 to about 1970, he "did other stuff" for the US Government in Africa, Central and South America, and "elsewhere". He had many wounds. He was a pilot with 50K hours, 25K rotor and 25K fixed - very unusual. About 15 years ago, he was doing check flights at Ft. Rucker for pilot prospects. He was an elk guide in MT, was married a few times and has several children. He flew and guided many celebrities all over the US and Mexico, people like Billy Martin. He was a crop duster.

I met Rocky when I was selling air ambulance interiors. Rocky was hired for his fluent Spanish and South American contacts. He was about 65 at the time and living in an Airstream trailer on the Columbia River in Woodland. My then wife and I had him stay over frequently, especially in winter when it was cold and very lonely in the trailer. He regaled us of of his experiences and we looked forward to his visits. We became friends for life. I visited Rocky last month in Colorado Springs and damn glad I did. He had very advanced cancer and of course had downplayed the extent of it on the phone before my visit. He suffered greatly from the pain and resisted pain treatments. In the end, his daughter put him in hospice last Saturday where he could finally get relief from the pain and from this world, eventually. I'll miss him. He was a patriot, a Marine, father and husband, and dear and trusted friend to me.

[NRA4LIFE]

Sorry for your loss Pman.  Real, true friends are hard to come by.  I have found that out the hard way.

[LDennis24]

I'm sorry for your loss Pman! Sounds like he was a fun person to be around. Boy does he look like he was born to wear that uniform or what!

[pianoman9701]

He told a story of being at the range qualifying the recruits. One of the recruits actually shot himself in the foot. Rocky looked at the wound and then told the recruit he had to finish his qualification. I have no doubt about this story.

[bearhunter99]

My condolences.  As time passes we lose more and more of these great men. 

[pianoman9701]

My condolences.  As time passes we lose more and more of these great men.

We sure do. I'm getting tired of losing them. Thank you.

[boneaddict]

Sorry John, I'm glad you got to see him on your trip.   The losses of 2022 have been too much

[huntnfmly]

Sorry for your loss prayers sent

[pianoman9701]

Sorry John, I'm glad you got to see him on your trip.   The losses of 2022 have been too much

The older we get,...Thanks my friend.

[Fidelk]

Sorry John, I'm glad you got to see him on your trip.   The losses of 2022 have been too much

The older we get,...Thanks my friend.

RIP. Happy for you that you have known such a man and that you had such a friend.

[bearpaw]

Sorry to hear, great men and great friends are hard to see go.

[KFhunter]

My pops was a scout sniper but I think a few years later than Rocky,  he started with the 30-06 then transitioned to the .308 almost as soon as he landed in Vietnam.   I always wished I could get him an M40 sniper rifle from that era with the Redfield scope.     

So I doubt they knew one another.   Pops grew up very similar to Hathcock, popping squirrels in rural Arkansas as a young boy, dirt poor sharecroppers with no shoes, a hard man these generations do not understand.   

RIP Rocky

[KFhunter]

Pops did mention (on numerous occasions) of a DI that would do a flying kick to his chest when he screwed up in basic....

maybe they did know one another 

[Russ McDonald]

Sorry for your loss my friend.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[Pinetar]

I'm sorry for your loss Pman. Hate this as we get older, always tough to deal with.

[b0bbyg]

My condolences,
 We lost my wifes Uncle recently who sounds like the same sort of guy, one that the world needs more of.
 He was a Green Beret who snuck into the military before he was 18, loved the visits we had and could listen to his stories all day long.