Donald N. Hamblin - One Tough Marine: The Autobiography of First Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen, USMC

Searing... An inspiring story.

Publishers Weekly

I have been associated with countless service personnel during my lifetime and Sergeant Hamblen tops the list of selfless, dedicated, all-American tough Marines. Words are inadequate to portray his life as fully as he has lived it, but his biography will serve as an inspiration and be a worthy model to be emulated by all who would aspire to be among the few good menthe Marines. As one of the Godfathers of the Marine Corps deep reconnaissance, it has been a privilege to have known and served with Woody Hamblen. Semper Fidelis.

Herman Nickerson Jr., LtGen., USMC (Ret.)

ONE TOUGH MARINE

Also by Bruce H. Norton

Force Recon Diary, 1969

Force Recon Diary, 1970

Stingray

Encyclopedia of American War Heroes

With Maurice J. Jacques:

Sergeant Major, U.S. Marines

With Len Maffioli:

Grown Gray in War

With Charles R. Jackson:

I Am Alive

The Autobiography of

First Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen, USMC

First Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen, USMC (Ret.)

and

Major Bruce H. Doc Norton, USMC (Ret.)

One Tough Marine

Quadrant Books

Published by arrangement with Bruce H. Norton.

Copyright 1993 by Donald N. Hamblen and Bruce H. Norton

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the publisher. For information please contact: or by writing us at the following address:

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eISBN: 978-1-937868-23-9

ISBN: 978-1-937868-29-1

Cover design by Toni-Tomislav Dalmatin.

Cover image by Action Sports Photography via Shutterstock.com.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013915711

Neither the United States Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense has approved, endorsed, or authorized this publication.

Quadrant Books are published by Endpapers Press, a division of Author Coach, LLC. Visit our website at www.endpaperspress.com.

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This book is dedicated to the memory of my mother and father and to my wife, Reiko.

Don Woody Hamblen

To Helen Katrina Jackman, who is truly the love of my life.

Bruce H. Norton

My first contact with then-Staff Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen was shortly after the tragic circumstances in 1962 when high winds drove his parachute into high-tension wires at Camp Pendleton, California, where I was commanding general of the 1st Marine Division. He requested an interview with me to express his strong desire to somehow remain in active service to his country. His record showed that he had been severely wounded twice by mortar fire at Bunker Hill in Korea, and now, as a result of his accident, he was an amputee facing a medical discharge. His dedication and determination were evident throughout the interview. He wanted a chance to prove that after rehabilitation he could remain on full duty with the Corps. This was one amazing Marine!

I wondered why he didnt quit this rugged life and take his many talents of leadership and experience into the civilian world, but he had only one goalto live his life as a Marine, and he left no stone unturned to convince others that he could accomplish the near impossible. The Marine Corps gave him that chance, and by sheer willpower he qualified for full duty.

In 1966, while in Vietnam, I was again commanding officer of the 1st Marine Division and became aware that Staff Sergeant Hamblen was there, too, having done many months of outstanding long-range patrol duty. I asked even more of him: to accompany me on visits to the Naval Hospital in Da Nang and to the hospital ship offshore. His presence among the severely wounded, many of whom were amputees, did greater good than any medication. He couldand didshow-and-tell, using his own artificial leg to demonstrate what could be accomplished. He moved from one hospital bed to another, encouraging the men by proving that severe handicaps could be overcome.

I have been associated with countless service personnel during my lifetime and Sergeant Hamblen tops the list of selfless, dedicated, all-American tough Marines. Words are inadequate to portray his life as fully as he has lived it, but his biography will serve as an inspiration and be a worthy model for emulation by all who would aspire to be among the few good menthe Marines. As one of the godfathers of Marine Corps deep reconnaissance, I have been privileged to have known and to have served with Woody Hamblen. Semper Fidelis.

Herman Nickerson Jr., LtGen., USMC (Ret.)

During the 216-year history of the United States Marine Corps many men have stood proudly at attention before their fellow Marines as they were recognized for making some lasting contribution that bettered our Corps or for having distinguished themselves in acts of great personal courage on the battlefield. Their individual achievements and moments of bravery have become a lasting part of our military history; these accomplishments serve as examples for all to follow. However, the pedestal of recognition on which these Marines have stood often seems to be made of very delicate, shifting sand as their moments of recognition, being much too brief, are quickly eroded by time.

Occasionally, a very few Marines find themselves having to stand tall more than once, as again they are recognized for their sustained exemplary service or for their repeated demonstrations of personal courage during combat. These Marines are an extremely rare breed and they become our mentors and our heroes. This is the story of one such individual.

In 1950, an eighteen-year-old boy from the small New England farming community of Winthrop, Maine, questioned whether or not he was man enough to wear the Greens and enlist in the ranks of the United States Marine Corps. He heard that Marines were tough and wanted to join with the best. He went to boot camp at Parris Island and he got his first taste of combat serving in Korea from 1951 to 1952 as a rifleman assigned to D Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. He was wounded two times in one day during fighting against the North Korean Army.

Following the Korean War he chose service with the Marine Corps as his lifes profession and learned his trade serving with the infantry at Camp Lejeune, at the Marine Barracks, New London, Connecticut, and with the 1st Marine Brigade in Hawaii. Subsequently, he returned to Camp Pendleton, California, and volunteered for duty with a Marine force reconnaissance company and honed his combat skills at the Armys Airborne School, at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Marine Corps Mountain Leadership School in Californias High Sierras, and the Navys Underwater Swimmers School in Key West, Florida.