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+SEMPER FIDELIS+ Always Faithful +Psalm 91+

MARINE FOR JESUS


By Jim Baxter Sgt. USMC


World War II and Korea




My brother and I joined the U.S. Marine Corps right out of high


school and went away to World War II. Our mother, a True


Believer, wrapped us in Psalm 91 and claimed God's promises


over us. He went to the Paramarine/Raiders and the 5th MarDiv


and I to the OSS and the 2nd MarDiv. We both went through


combat and returned home safely after the war.




In 1950, with the outbreak of the Korean War, we were both


recalled to active duty with the 1st Marine Division. Our mother


again wrapped us in Psalm 91, gave each of us a small New


Testament, and again sent us off to war with the Lord's


blessing.




As a 12-year-old, I had accepted the Lord but had never been


well disciplined or obedient. I wanted to play patty-cake in the


sand piles of the world. At 25, when I went to Korea, I started


reading the little New Testament my mother had given me.




At the Inchon landing, and for the next two weeks of heavy


combat as a rifle-squad leader, I read a few Bible verses every


day. I loved my brother Marines who suffered and died


alongside me. As the death and destruction grew more intense


- and as I stood on the brink of eternity - I did not like what I


saw.




As my outfit, Fox Company [F-2-1], attacked up the streets of


Seoul, I was hit with a machine-gun bullet. I made it behind a


burning police sub-station in the middle of the street. My


corpsman, Chico, dressed my wounds and as sniper bullets


crashed into the street beside us, he laid on top of me -


covering me with his own body - and yelled in my ear, "You've


had enough!" Other riflemen nailed the snipers and as Chico left


me to help other Marines lying wounded in the street, he was


hit by two bullets that blew the shinbone out of his leg. I never


saw Chico again.




Several Marines threw a wooden door on the ground, rolled me


on it and ran me down the street under heavy fire. It was a


fearsome ride. I was placed on a DUKW, given a shot of


morphine, and dreamed a beautiful restful sleep to Kimpo


airfield and the flight to Japan.




At Yokosuka Naval Hospital for three months, I proclaimed my


loyalty to Chico, my corpsman. One night, the Lord came to


me. I saw the blood running down His forehead, into His eyes,


and down over His cheeks. I looked into His blood-filled eyes.


He spread out His bloody hands and said, "I did this for you."




I was willing to be loyal to Chico - but had not been willing to be


loyal to the Lord. The Lord said, "Come and follow me. I will


make you a man. Put away childish things." I knew what he


meant. I said, "Yes Sir."




With the Lord as the Lord of my life, I re-joined my outfit and


went back into front-line combat for another five months before


returning home.




My brother came home with frostbitten feet and I came home


with a tender rear-end. Our mother cried with joy unspeakable.


We were both baptized and have been His loyal Marines ever


since. Everyday we say, "Yes Sir," to the Lord Jesus - our


CHAMPION and HERO. My Lord and my God.




Winston Churchill once said, "Courage is the most important


virtue because it makes all other virtues possible." As a senior


in high school ready to join the Marine Corps, I thought his


statement was good. The sequence sounded right.




As a 26-year old veteran of front-line combat in two wars, I


came to understand that Churchill was not accurate. Courage


is not the prime virtue. It is faithfulness/loyalty/commitment that


is the prime virtue. It is being faithful that makes all other virtues


possible, including courage. The Corps has it right: semper


fidelis. Always faithful.




"Moreover, it is required of stewards that a man be found


faithful."(I Cor.4:2)




Jim Baxter Sgt. USMC


World War II and Korea




choice.maker@verizon.net


http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/2728