Advertisement

Robert Vernon “Buck” Yeager Veteran

Birth
Death
19 Aug 1983 (aged 59)
Burial
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA Add to Map
Plot
Sec: 33, Site: 5381
Memorial ID
View Source
.
Words of Paul Moore GySgt Ret. USMC 1942-1963 Find a grave memorial 192645386
Having been fortunate to be in the Marine Corps at the early WW2 era Apr 1942. The Marine Corps was still equipped & operating much as it had since WW1. By that I mean $21.00 a month, shooting awards Sharpshooter $3.00 a month, Expert $5.00 a month, flight pay 50% of base pay. Equipment 03 Rifle, canvas leggings, high top dress shoes, starched cotton Khaki & still had a live bugler giving us all the duty calls, etc. We were under the Navy "Rocks & Shoals" prior to the UCMJ. The bases at Cherry Pt & El Toro were not yet constructed. The runway at Quantico now where HMX-1 is stationed was under construction at Quantico. AMM School was a 6 month course requiring Navy Semaphore, Blinker Morse code & still taught wood & fabric work along with the other aviation basics. I figure many of you when you see me post figure I am still in that era. However I served WW2, Korea, Vietnam and several operations after including "Frequent Winds" evacuation of Saigon Apr 1975 & a super Secret trip to Oman in late 1979 when the Embassy prisoner were in Iran. I retired at the First Wing Hq Okinawa in Apr 1987 at age 62. I was still running the pft with some of the rotating Marine at Futenma Okinawa. Ok enough of that as background!! I want to tell a story of an old Marine Brother that passed on several years ago. He was well known as the oldest TSgt in the Marine Corps. He was also known for his one man routine that was not standard for all of us but accepted at those times. His name was Buck Yeager & we trained together at the than experimental Sqd HMX-1 under the Command of "The Father of Marine Helicopters," LtCol Keith B. McCutheon (Later General 4 star). Buck was a regular on the train "Reveille special" Quantico to D.C. It returned about "O Dark thirty" about 0300 each morning. Being close to HQMC & under close scrutiny we had a formation, inspection each morning. Buck usually showed up in his uniform just as he returned from liberty in D.C. This one morning he was standing there his P cutter at a jaunty angle & lip stick on his face & his nights beer not fully digested. This rather plump Marine Capt came to Buck & pulled his belt buckle & said "That buckle needs some work" Buck promptly pulled the Capts belt buckle & replied, "Yours dont luck so F'''king hot either" He survived this as he had many other times. Not to end here. Later after the Korean war several of us helicopter trained Staff NCOs including Buck were assigned to NATTC, Memphis the task to set up the first helicopter school. We had the HO5S helicopters for training aids & we had to write the lesson guides, tests & the OJT hands on training. (1955). Later we were the first instructors. We had classroom one hour sessions with 10 minute "smoke breaks". I had a car pool that several of us came to work in. One day there was an announcement "Tsgt Yeager report to the SgtMajors office. I knew that Buck was not scheduled in the morning classes & he was in Millington at the VFW having a few cool ones. I called him & told him about the reporting to the Sgt Major. He replied "tell him Ill be there at 1300." That afternoon when we were going home could not find Buck!! Went to the office & inquired, did Buck report there? They said, He sure did & he is in the brig".I asked "what happened ?" They said well he reported here & obviously had been drinking so they seated him outside the COs Office & had the legal Sgt watch him. Buck went to sleep & when the CO called for him the Legal Sgt shook Buck & he jumped up & floored the Sgt. I asked why was he called up for?? The reply," The CO was to award him the Good Conduct Medal!!".
I still remember the CO Col E. C. Glidden he was a Marines Marine!! He salvaged Buck & after drying out he was called back during Vietnam & was promoted to MSgt. Sad thing was few years back I attended the HMX-1 reunion & Buck showed up barely able to walk dying of cancer. He had arrived by bus to Quantico from New York. We all pitched in and flew him home. Buck went to guard the gates of Heaven about 2 months later. I always treasured those days when Marines were not exactly parade ground type & were tolerated by some damn good Officers. Guess this would be classified in old farts language as " A no Sh''ter" but I assure you, it is as it happened.
.
Words of Paul Moore GySgt Ret. USMC 1942-1963 Find a grave memorial 192645386
Having been fortunate to be in the Marine Corps at the early WW2 era Apr 1942. The Marine Corps was still equipped & operating much as it had since WW1. By that I mean $21.00 a month, shooting awards Sharpshooter $3.00 a month, Expert $5.00 a month, flight pay 50% of base pay. Equipment 03 Rifle, canvas leggings, high top dress shoes, starched cotton Khaki & still had a live bugler giving us all the duty calls, etc. We were under the Navy "Rocks & Shoals" prior to the UCMJ. The bases at Cherry Pt & El Toro were not yet constructed. The runway at Quantico now where HMX-1 is stationed was under construction at Quantico. AMM School was a 6 month course requiring Navy Semaphore, Blinker Morse code & still taught wood & fabric work along with the other aviation basics. I figure many of you when you see me post figure I am still in that era. However I served WW2, Korea, Vietnam and several operations after including "Frequent Winds" evacuation of Saigon Apr 1975 & a super Secret trip to Oman in late 1979 when the Embassy prisoner were in Iran. I retired at the First Wing Hq Okinawa in Apr 1987 at age 62. I was still running the pft with some of the rotating Marine at Futenma Okinawa. Ok enough of that as background!! I want to tell a story of an old Marine Brother that passed on several years ago. He was well known as the oldest TSgt in the Marine Corps. He was also known for his one man routine that was not standard for all of us but accepted at those times. His name was Buck Yeager & we trained together at the than experimental Sqd HMX-1 under the Command of "The Father of Marine Helicopters," LtCol Keith B. McCutheon (Later General 4 star). Buck was a regular on the train "Reveille special" Quantico to D.C. It returned about "O Dark thirty" about 0300 each morning. Being close to HQMC & under close scrutiny we had a formation, inspection each morning. Buck usually showed up in his uniform just as he returned from liberty in D.C. This one morning he was standing there his P cutter at a jaunty angle & lip stick on his face & his nights beer not fully digested. This rather plump Marine Capt came to Buck & pulled his belt buckle & said "That buckle needs some work" Buck promptly pulled the Capts belt buckle & replied, "Yours dont luck so F'''king hot either" He survived this as he had many other times. Not to end here. Later after the Korean war several of us helicopter trained Staff NCOs including Buck were assigned to NATTC, Memphis the task to set up the first helicopter school. We had the HO5S helicopters for training aids & we had to write the lesson guides, tests & the OJT hands on training. (1955). Later we were the first instructors. We had classroom one hour sessions with 10 minute "smoke breaks". I had a car pool that several of us came to work in. One day there was an announcement "Tsgt Yeager report to the SgtMajors office. I knew that Buck was not scheduled in the morning classes & he was in Millington at the VFW having a few cool ones. I called him & told him about the reporting to the Sgt Major. He replied "tell him Ill be there at 1300." That afternoon when we were going home could not find Buck!! Went to the office & inquired, did Buck report there? They said, He sure did & he is in the brig".I asked "what happened ?" They said well he reported here & obviously had been drinking so they seated him outside the COs Office & had the legal Sgt watch him. Buck went to sleep & when the CO called for him the Legal Sgt shook Buck & he jumped up & floored the Sgt. I asked why was he called up for?? The reply," The CO was to award him the Good Conduct Medal!!".
I still remember the CO Col E. C. Glidden he was a Marines Marine!! He salvaged Buck & after drying out he was called back during Vietnam & was promoted to MSgt. Sad thing was few years back I attended the HMX-1 reunion & Buck showed up barely able to walk dying of cancer. He had arrived by bus to Quantico from New York. We all pitched in and flew him home. Buck went to guard the gates of Heaven about 2 months later. I always treasured those days when Marines were not exactly parade ground type & were tolerated by some damn good Officers. Guess this would be classified in old farts language as " A no Sh''ter" but I assure you, it is as it happened.

Gravesite Details

GYSGT US MARINE CORPS; WORLD WAR II; KOREA