Marine Corps Stories: Keep Your Uniform

At one hundred eleven, the Marine Corps’ oldest veteran, Bella Gorkin, needed no surprises. What she did like, though, was for Sergeant Ray McHenry and his crew to travel with his Combat Camera crew to capture her historical moment.

Of course there were grumblings McHenry missed.

“She’s about to die, why should we bother the old lady?” Corporal Matt Corrington said.

“How dare you? This woman is a piece of the Corps’ history and you want to make comments like that? Totally unsat, Matt,” said Sergeant Alex Virgil.

“I mean, let’s face it...she’s got little time left.”

“But she still has her mind. She’s still as sharp as a Ka-Bar. She can mostly do for herself. She doesn’t need anyone counting down her days. She’s good to go.”

“Okay, so by the time we get to her house, if she’s still alive, we’re going to be able to see her wake from a nap, and interview her?” Corrington asked.

Virgil sighed. He then said, “Matt, just cool it with the negativity. This woman has seen Marine Corps history, and world history to boot. She’s lived the life of ten women. She started out as an enlisted typist, then switched to being an officer for the Corps, then became a nurse, then owned a diner, and a lot more. Have some respect for Miss Gorkin.”

“Roger that.”

Once the Marines reached the Gorkin residence, she was already outside waving at the fellow Marines in the van. Corrington grabbed all the equipment, and lugged it out with the help of Sergeant Virgil.

“Now, I don’t want to hear you snicker or guffaw as Ray interviews Miss Gorkin. You’ve baffled me with your words. You’ve been damn rude. Let’s keep it on the up and up,” Virgil said.

“Aye, Sergeant,” Corrington said.

Once all the cameras had been set up, and the lights in their proper places in her dining room, McHenry conducted the interview.

“So, Miss Gorkin, you didn’t stay in the Marines long, but you were a Leatherneck nonetheless?”

“Yes,” her voice sounded small but strong.

“I started at the age of nineteen. I had a chance to do little in the Marines besides sit at a desk. Then I became a mustang, and switched from enlisted ranks to the officers...where I sat at a desk!” Both of them laughed.

“It was rough but you made it through.” McHenry said.

“Yes. I made it through.” She agreed.

“What was life like in enlisted and officer roles?”

“The transition from being someone of low rank on the ‘E’ side wasn’t too different from that of the ‘O’ side. I still had to open doors for field officers and generals as a company officer, but I made it work.”

“What is the best experience you had in the Corps?” McHenry inquired.

“I remember being in Italy, and greeting a young woman who’d just lost everything, and she just sort of waved and smiled at me because I was an American. A Marine.”

“That’s powerful. We wanted to do a little something special for you, Miss Gorkin.” McHenry motioned for Corrington to drop his note sheet, and join in to help celebrate her birthday. They had prepared a cake with three lit number ones on top of it. They sang “Happy Birthday,” and Corrington actually had a tear in his eye. Virgil saw him wipe it away, and smiled.

“Thank you all for this,” Miss Gorkin said.

Corrington wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his Chucks shirt.

“Try to keep your uniform dry, Corporal,” Virgil said smiling.

“Shut up,” Corrington said.