Got my first tat in Rota. We had Mines in mags that had secret settings that had to be changed quarterly. We sent teams from Sig to do so and went on a few.
Grandfather was shot by a German sniper, and carried out of Belleau Wood the afternoon of June 8, 1918.
2nd ID, 4th Marine Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 80th Co.
He told me stories about it when I was a little boy, but I didn't really understand the importance of Belleau Wood until I got all his stuff in 2012 when my cousin sent it to me. (Campaign medal, purple heart, photos, letters with relatives and the Corps, etc.). Then I started researching, read a bunch, including "Through the Wheat", joined the 4th Marine Brigade and Belleau Wood descendants' FB groups, etc. Fifth and Sixth Marines saved Paris and turned the tide of the war, and became the modern Corps in the process.Belleau Wood is one of the Marine Corps most iconic battles as I'm sure you know.