The USS Cleveland made Port here in Brisbane , Australia a couple of months ago, and we decided to have a look while it was in town. we  got a private tour.(.there were no tours for the public)  but because Iam a dual Citizen.. American having lived in Australia going on 20 years,I  carried my US passport, and Military ID, the Officer of the Deck allowed us special entry. I  wore my  7th Marine tee shirt..while on board and  met a couple members of Marine Special Operations Battalion, Bravo Company, Team 5, and invited them to Dinner while in Australia. the last night before the ship left the Port they hired a Van and 7 members of the team drove to my place for a good ole  Aussie Barbi...it was well and truly one of the most memorable experiences that I never forget...all the guys were so polite, and interesting to talk to ..we sat around all night and talked about our time in the Corps...to my surprise, one of the Ssgt was a former member of Suicide Charley,  a Sniper,  SSgt Jed Owens....the same outfit I was assigned to  41 years ago.before being   Medivacd out of Vietnam !...to see his tatoo brought back so many  memories !I felt so honored to host these fine Marines and get to know  them,  these guys served tours in Iraq, and Afghanistan, and were on their way home. these  Marines were well and truly "the best of the Best" and made me feel so . prould to be a American and a United States Marine !  I have adopted  each one of them as my Marine sons and told them to Kidnap me, my 782 gear  is still packed and ready to go!! Marines Present  were Capt. Mike Seely, (team leader) GySgt Mike Crawford,(platoon Gunny) GySgt Josh Raposa, SSgt Jed Owen, SSgt Mike Musick, SSgt Matt Brady, SSgt Isaac Meraz (full Marine hymn on Back), and Me L/corporal Dean "Skip" Smith Suicide Vietnam Marine, 1967

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