Deck Guns - Semper Fi Traditional Geocache
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Semper fidelis (shortened to Semper Fi) is the Marine Corps motto meaning always faithful. I have a customer that use to be right across the street form here. This is the Marine Corps League Paul E Boyd Detatchment 579. Marine Devil Dog Pound 172.
There are two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion. I don't know the history of these deck guns. Every time I've been out this way, there has been noone around. Parking lot is roped off with wire, but I've never seen it closed off completely. You should be able to park within feet of the cache. This should be a reasonably muggle free search for you. Semper Fi and good luck.
"Are you a Marine? Want to spend time with other Marines? Show up on the 3rd Monday of each month. The League meets at 1830 (dinner + meeting). Even if you're in the VFW, American Legion or other groups, if you're a Marine consider joining the League, and the Esprit de Corps that defines our shared experience."
I'm told that they are actually deck guns from an old submarine. They (some salty vets) tell me that you can tell they're submarine cannons because of their mounting.
Paul E. Boyd
There is still a lot of information unknown about Paul E. Boyd, because of the passage of time and the passing of some of the original members of the Marine Corps League detachment.
Paul E. Boyd lived and died in New Orleans. It is believed he was a native of New Orleans but that has not been confirmed. Boyd enlisted in the Marine Corps during WWII and served in the Pacific on Okinawa, and saw action in China. His brother-in-law, Marion Gaudet, the league's first commandant, served with Boyd in the Pacific.
Boyd was in demolition and assigned to bazooka and flame throwers duties. During one assault on Okinawa, he was one of only 6 Marine survivors of a 60 man outfit. After the war, Boyd never received his medals he earned because he was told the records were destroyed by fire. John Carrigan, a fellow Marine who befriended Boyd and Gaudet while in Okinawa heard about Boyd's medal situation from Gaudet at a Marine reunion sometime in the early to middle 1980's. John Carrigan went to work using the Freedom of Information Act and made 10 trips to Marine Corps Headquarters and finally obtained Boyd's records and medals.
The medals and ribbons were presented to Boyd while he lay ill in the V.A. hospital in New Orleans from surgery. The presentation was made by Marine Captain Bill Wood who bent over the silent honoree in his hospital bed and said, "It gives me a great deal of pleasure to represent the Marine Corps and present you the medals you earned during WWII." Present at Boyd's bedside was his wife and daughters, John Carrigan and Marion Gaudet. The medals came to P.E.Boyd 38 years late. Marion Gaudet told his brother in law, "this is just to let you know, podnuh, Marines don't forget."
Boyd's picture in the V.A. hospital receiving his medals was published in the Marines Leatherneck Magazine in August 1985 according to the notations of the picture, but that date has not been confirmed. Information indicates Boyd died before the league was formed and that Gaudet and a few friends were responsible for naming the league after Paul E. Boyd. Paul E. Boyd died in the V.A. hospital in New Orleans in 1984. The Marine Corps League was issued its charter by National Headquarters on 7 February 1985.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Zntargvp - gvgyr