While moving some books in my office tonight, I picked up some given to me by Lt.Col. Christie.
This Marine served as an enlisted Marine with 4th Marines in China (in 1936-1940), crewing a water cooled .30 cal.
He was discharged in 1940, and called up and spent 6 months pushing troops at PI, before being commissioned in early 1942.
At Normandy (yeah, Marines were there), he commanded the MSG detail aboard the Quincy (CA-71). His battlestations position was commanding a gun section. They also participated in the shelling of Nazi positions at Cherbourg, and the invasion of Southern France. After that, they carried FDR to the Yalta conference.
During Korea, he commanded 1st ANGLICO. He had a pair of boots without holes, and gave them to an enlisted Marine. He had maps that he had kept, still showing positions, lines of march, etc because he wanted the world to know why X Corps got hammered so bad, and the Marines came out in much better shape. He said that while General Almond (X Corps CO, USA) demanded that the 1st Marine Div move quicker, General Oliver Smith demanded that Marine perimeters be pulled in tight, maintaining the small, company, and battalion sized unit integrity much better than some other units.
He finished his career commanding the 2nd RTB on the Island.
After that, he taught sorry butts like me Communications at Valdosta State College. He was thrilled as he could be every time he discovered a Marine in his class. He also caused puzzlement to each Marine, when in answering questions about his WWII service, would say "I'm not sure about Saipan, I was at Normandy". That was always good far laughs. He needed those laughs, because questions about Korea made him somber.
Until he died 5 years ago now (until a month before his death), he organized Marine Birthday lunches at the Valdosta Country Club each year. If an old Marine didn't have the price of a ticket, one appeared for him. He brought speakers in every year (his rule was one Field Grade or General Officer, and one Senior SNCO or Warrant.
He assisted the local recruiting command with the Birthday Ball, securing the facilities for that. During his spare time, he was in on the initial sale of bricks for the DI Monument.
Col. Christie called me about once a month to talk. Each time I picked up the phone, his first words were "How are you, Marine?".
He's been gone 5 years now. At his funeral, the line stretched around the funeral home, and down 2 full city blocks for 3 hours.
Sorry for the long post, but after I picked up that book tonight, and saw his signature, I had to tell that old China Marine good bye, one more time.
I miss him.

Lyle West
Moultrie, GA