The legend, then, does not portray entirely the Marine I knew. In effect, I knew the man before I knew the legend. I was impressed (awed might be a better word) by the breadth and depth of his thinking about geopolitics and military history, and my respect for this aspect of the man deepened as I pursued my own studies at Virginia Military Institute (VMI), Marine Corps schools, and the National War College. As we talked, he was unfailingly patient with my ignorance. He was reading when I arrived, and there were books My impressions of that afternoon remain vivid. When I called to follow up on his invitation he asked me for lunch, after which the two of us repaired to the porch with some Virginia bourbon. After the burial, he asked me to come to see him. I was flattered by his interest, which I later learned extended to all Marines. He spotted the uniform and introduced himself in his gruff way, asking me about myself and what I had done in the Corps. Because the old church was too small for everyone, the ladies were inside, and the men were gathered around the grave site in quiet conversation. We met at the funeral of a mutual cousin, to which I had worn my uniform because it was the only appropriate attire I had. He had recently retired, lived near my home in Virginia, and was a friend of my father. I was a sergeant on active duty on leave after a Far East tour, and was near the end of my three year hitch. Dabney, USMC (Ret) For the Marine Corps Gazette, June 1998 The Next Stop is Saigon By Colonel William H. Jim has a Master’s Degree from Boston University in International Relations. He retired from the Army with 22 years of service in 1999. He was selected for the Army War College and promotion to Colonel following his Battalion Command. Jim is a former VMI Tactical Officer and Instructor of Military History in the Army ROTC Department.
LTC Jim Dittrich (USA, Ret.), VMI Class of 1976, is Vice President of Operations for a Time Warner Publisher, Leisure Arts, in Little Rock, AR. Dabney, USMC (Ret.), by Jim Dittrich, September 8, 2005 Cold War Oral History Project Interview with Col. Adams ’71 Center for Military History and Strategic Analysis.
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