1980's United States Marine - Jacksonville, NC
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 34° 44.870 W 077° 24.887
18S E 278950 N 3847735
Center piece to the Beirut Memorial
Waymark Code: WMRWA5
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 08/12/2016
Views: 0
County of statue: Onslow County
Location of statue: Lejeune Boulevard, Beirrut Memorial in Memorial Park, Jacksonville
Artist: Abbe Godwin, sculptor
Statue Erected: October 22, 1988
"The design for the memorial came from a competition among graduate students held at the School of Design at North Carolina State University. The sculpture of the marine, which was created by Abbe Godwin, was added in 1988." Smithsonian American Art Museum
Proper description: A United State marine in 1980's combat utilities stands whit sleeves rolled up and combat belt holding packs containing clips for his M-16 rifle. He stands whti rifle in his proper right hand and rifle butt resting on his proper right hip. Combat boots and trousers "bloused" in proper Marine Corps regulation roll.
Notice: his dog tag is stitched into the lacings of his left boot. A practice started by Marines in Vietnam Recon, only inside the boot to hide ID; Lebanon Marines put it on the outside so if killed by and IED your boot almost always survives and your remains can be identified.
When I was there, I was visiting my son who was TAD (Temporary Additional Duty) to Camp Lejeune in preparation for his deployment to a combat drive team in Kabul, Afghanistan.
At the foot of the statue one Marine had place his metal collar rank (Master Sargent) on top of a Beirut shoulder patch;
And another Marine had place on the toe of the right boot his ribbon rack. The ribbons from top left to bottom right are: Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Expedition Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Unit Citation Medal with 3 bronze stars, Navy/Marine Corps Overseas Deployment ribbon