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WE ARE REMEMBERING
CAPTAIN ERNEST COCKRELL
ON THE THIRTEENTH
ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH
OCTOBER 13, 1993
CAPTAIN ERNEST
COCKRELL, “A MARINE’S MARINE!”
HE ALWAYS LEAD
BY EXAMPLE, THE TRUE MARINE WAY.
HE COULD RUN ALL DAY AND
NIGHT, WHILE WE TRIED TO KEEP UP.
HE DEMANDED THE BEST WE
COULD DO, THEN ASKED FOR MORE.
WE HAD TO WORK HARD TO
MEET HIS EXPECTATIONS.
NOW WITH THE PASSING OF
TIME WE WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED IT ANY OTHER WAY.
HE WAS AN EXCELLENT
TEACHER AND A JUST DISCIPLINARIAN.
HE HAD NO PATIENCE FOR
THOSE WHO DID NOT TRY.
HE KNEW JUST WHAT WE WERE
CAPABLE OF ACCOMPLISHING.
AS LONG AS YOU DID YOUR
BEST, RIGHT OR WRONG, HE DID NOT FROWN, HE DID NOT SCREAM,
INSTEAD HE SMILED AND YOU KNEW HE CARED.
WE LITERALLY WOULD HAVE
FOLLOWED HIM INTO HELL IF HE GAVE THE ORDER.
IF HE ASKED FOR
VOLUNTEERS, WE WOULD HAVE ALL STEPPED FORWARD.
WE LEARNED FROM HIM,
FIRST HAND THE MARINE ADAGE:
“THE DIFFICULT WE DO
IMMEDIATELY,
THE IMPOSSIBLE TAKES A
LITTLE LONGER”
REST EASY OUR CAPTAIN
FOR YOU TAUGHT US WELL
AND YOU LIVE ON, IN EACH ONE OF US
SEMPER FIDELIS
Copy and photo by Vern Smith
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