Trip to Raider Hall

 (PICTURES FROM RAIDER HALL TRIP)

On April 7, I arrived at Raider Hall, using the directions that Shorin-Ryu Shihan, Major Bill Hayes, U.S.M.C. (Ret.) sent me, with the knowledge that I never know where I am when driving. I had been to the former site of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, but not to the newly built and occupied Raider Hall. When I entered, I was facing rows of display cases on both sides, bearing mementoes contributed by former Raiders. They were filled with weapons, captured Japanese weapons, Raider and Japanese Marine uniform, books, captured flags and my favorite, in the first case on the right side, every type of knife or edged weapon used by the Raiders and the enemy. The Raiders used a variety of knives, seemingly illustrating that, at least in Carlson’s Battalion, they used what appealed to them on an individual level and there was a group of varied versions of the K-Bar. The K-Bar has been the knife most identified with the Marines, worn by Officers, Staff NCO’s and Marines in fire teams who carried a BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle). Now, they are for sale on various web sites in specially engraved and even with silver and gold trim.

The first morning started with a pleasant surprise for me. While I sat, chatting with Lt. Col. Shusko, in his office, Guests showed up. The central person was Rio Gracie, of Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, with his number one student and a former karate-ka who was Master Gracie’s host for this visit and who had become a grappler. Rio Gracie smoothly and with great energy, went through 80 years of history. He stated that his father, Helio Gracie, was still on the mat, grappling with young students, at age 93. He then told us that Gracie is based on leverage, never strength. He also mentioned the “Ultimate Fighting” contests, which he instituted and organized for TV, but stated that on one occasion, they went three minutes over and the Championship moment was cut away. Gracie’s partners wanted to ensure this would never happen again, so they voted to limit the time of each match. Rio Gracie told them to buy him out, since the matches were based on a struggle of wills, requiring great stamina. He took his money and walked away and has never bothered to watch the matches since. Going into the mat room he sat cross-legged, on the mat with his companions while the Marine Instructors, showed several mounts and moves. At each one he would shake his head and tell them they needed to stop using strength and to use only technique. This went on for 15 minutes, until I raised my hand and said that I had a question. I said, “If these moves are not okay, why don’t you show us how to do it.” He said, “I was hoping someone would ask that.” He then had his student (whom he believes will be his next champion), mounted an Instructor, sitting on his stomach and I realized that he had extraordinarily long arms, because when he sat back, with lower legs splayed out and his hands around the Marines neck, the Marine could not possibly reach his face and was unable to get him off him. He then showed the Marine what he should do and then by pushing up with one foot, he was able to get out of the hold. They showed several techniques. It was an excellent demonstration. However, it would require a long period of lessons, to become familiar enough to master the techniques, while the course, although intermittently continuous over years, is accomplished within a matter of weeks, depending on which phase the student is in. The other fact that I realized is that every Marine I met, including the students both men and women, were far stronger than most Marines of my era, despite the fact that we were in great shape. Today’s Marine is physically capable of utilizing strength, plus the technique that the course teaches.

I sent a good part of my time hiking up a steep berm outside the Hall to get to the LZ, where groups of students and Instructors went through various instructions such as throws, fighting barehanded against someone with a rifle with a bayonet on it. In the afternoon, the Colonel addressed a group of Commandoes from Norway. He told them about the background of the program and then related the fact that after each martial session, the students were given a discussion on ethics, honesty, effort and gentility when with Marines, civilians or family. In other words, they don’t just make tough Marines who can fight well with any weapon or none, but disciplined citizens who will understand their responsibility in all situations, bringing praise upon themselves and added honor to the Corps. Later, Colonel Shusko brought the Norwegian soldiers into the mat room, to watch stand-up fighting technique, student against Instructor. Both opponents wore flak jackets with jock, shin guards and boots over shoes, as well as, headgear and sixteen ounce gloves and mouthpiece. While the match went on, the remaining students were spread around the periphery of the room, at various exercise stations, which, while varied were all extremely strenuous to tortuous. The one on the end would be the next to fight. Stamina is a must. By the time the hour is up the room temperature from their effort soars and the mirrors are covered with steam mist. They immediately don their camo blouse and get to another classroom or an outside activity on the LZ. Following Colonel Shusko for three straight days almost did me in and at one point, once we were friends, I suggested that he slow down up the hills. Like his instructors, the Colonel wears a flak jacket over his camos, throughout the day. He is a sincere, moral and ethical man, with more vim and vigor than most of the young students, sometimes beating all of them in a run.

In the Corps during my era, if you were a graduate from college, you first went to Officer’s Candidate School (boot camp) and if you attained the goal of being commissioned a Second Lieutenant, you were then passed on to Basic School. Basic School takes eight months to complete, in order to learn everything an Officer is required to know before commanding troops.  Therefore, you were a Marine for eleven months before you got a command. When I finally got orders, I was assigned as a Platoon Commander at the Officer’s Candidate School, with two Drill Instructors under me, as well as, fifty candidates. I was one of four Second Lieutenants to Command a Platoon, since most platoons were commanded by Captains. I turned out the Honor Platoon and, as a result was given an Excellent to Outstanding Fitness Report, signed by my first Commanding Officer, Colonel Louis Hugh Wilson, Jr., who became my personal icon and whose bravery, as a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and leadership values that I witnessed under his Command. He was an impressive man, whose personality was easy and calm, while his decisions were Solomonic. He was a Marine’s Marine and went on to become the Commandant of the Marine Corps. I met just such a man in Lt. Col. Shusko, who with his vibrant energy exhorted both his Command and their students to move to a higher plane and succeed at a level that they had thought was out of reach. His ethical and moral substance is evident in his conversation and the actions he carries forward. He oversees every detail of the course and yet, he allows his people to do their assigned duties, allowing creativity and innovation. His people search for better methods, additional information, constantly look to upgrade the course. He discusses every change with his senior staff, so that they know they are a part of the overall plan. His troops admire him and look up to him. They enjoy serving under his Command, it shows on the way they speak to him, the look on their faces when he walks into a room and they are the most charged up Marines I have ever met.

The course, itself, is rugged for the students, as well as the Instructors, especially in the mat room sessions where the shouting and the din, is continuous and monumental. Several times I had to step outside to get away from the noise. When they spar, fully padded, they do not strike to the head (perhaps they do at the higher levels) but they kick with their shins into the opponent’s legs with incredible force, and drive strong punches into the body, often dropping the opponent to the deck. They have a system of defense somewhat Mohammed Ali, using their arms, held high, with their gloves to the side of their head, blunting the impact with their arms.

The classroom where they study the tactics required for empty hand defense, while the other half of the room contains a great gym where both students and teachers go to work out. I sneaked in a workout of my own while there, despite the fact that chasing after Col. Shusko, was enough to trim a few pounds off my body.

On the third day, I was introduced to a Mr. Homer M. Brett, who is a professional photographer and the author of the book, “Knives and Bayonets,” which is in the showcase with the edged weapon display. He also serves as a consultant on the topic, as an official Subject Matter Expert. He took a photo of Colonel Shusko and me, while bustling all around Raider Hall. On the third morning I gave Lt. Col. Shusko and his Instructors a seminar on standing fighting, showing them that “Movement” was their best friend, since it keeps the opponent off edge and unable to settle into an attack. I spoke about timing and spacing, as well a some of the tenets of Tatsuo Shimabuku, Soke, such as, “Strike Only When the Opportunity Presents Itself,” and, “Imbalance is as a Weight.” I showed them the way we pivot to the side, as in Chinto and spin behind someone attacking you, as in Sunsu. I told them to keep their feet under the center of their body at all times. After an hour or so, it was time for me to leave, since I was going to the National Archives II, in Maryland, to pick up a ton of information on the Marine Raiders, before I left for home. It was an exhausting three days, but well worth every moment at the Martial Arts Center of Excellence. One Mind-Any Weapon, is their motto, Semper Fi.

                           Ed McGrath, Ju-Dan

                           Grand Master, Isshin-ryu

              Successor to Don Nagle, “The Legend Lives” 

[return]