Article by Suzanne J. Tyson

Reprinted with permission from Metter Advertiser

METTER, Georgia — When Craig Winkler looked out the front window of the home that he and his wife Judy share near the Lake Church Cemetery in Metter, Georgia on July 12, he had quite a surprise. 

He spotted an unmarked car driving up the home’s secluded driveway. When the car door opened, Craig, a Marine veteran, noticed the unmistakable Marine Corps “dress blues” uniform. Noting two men were exiting the car, Craig was confused as, he said, everyone knows what that means. The Corps, like other branches of the military, sends two uniformed service members to notify the family of the loss of a family member in the service. 

Craig was confused because he knew that there was no one in his family currently serving in the Corps. Then the back doors of the car opened and he saw four Marines getting out of the car and approaching his front door. He walked out to greet them. The young Marines were carrying a Marine Corps NCO sword and a Marine Corps Ka-Bar knife. 

Upon greeting the men, Craig learned that his brother, Kurt, also a Marine Corps veteran, had made arrangements for Craig to be presented the sword and knife, both specially engraved with his name, in honor of Craig’s serving his country honorably during the Vietnam Conflict.

The story began in 1966. Craig Winkler was a high school graduate living in Wisconsin who had a desire to serve his country. Being only 17 years old, Craig’s father had to agree to sign for him to enlist. Craig’s father, himself a World War II-era Marine who had served in that war’s Pacific Theater, knew what was ahead for his son, so he asked Craig why he wanted to enlist. Craig’s told him: “I want to be a man.” 

Craig says he had a choice of sites for his Boot Camp experience. To a teenager, San Diego, being in California, sounded exciting so he headed to the West Coast, becoming what he calls “a Hollywood Marine.” Very quickly, the young man found out that being a Marine was not all that he thought. 

“I remember being transported to the post for basic training in a canvas-covered truck along with many other guys just like me,” Craig said. “Some were laughing and joking, and even drinking Cokes. As we approached the huge gates with the Marine Corps emblem at the top, we heard the screeching of the metal gates along with people yelling, crying and cursing.” 

It was at that moment that Craig realized things had “got real.” 

Craig feels many small decisions added up to him returning to the U.S. safely after about a year and a half in Chu Lai, Vietnam. 

After turning 18, and weeks of boot camp, Craig found himself headed for Vietnam. He was only a short time out of high school, and he and the others with him, were told to choose a job out of the weapons that were being used in the fight against communism in Southeast Asia. Craig, scared to death, listened intently as the types of weapons were called out. For some reason, he spoke up when “mortars” was offered. He recalls turning to someone near him and asking: “Is that good?” 

Craig quickly learned that mortars was a good selection. 

“It’s the Commanding Officer’s weapon of choice, meaning I was less likely to be in as dangerous situations,” Craig said.

Longtime high school friend Ronnie Schmidt, who chose another work area, was killed 6 months later. Craig is still thankful he spoke up when he did. That was when the on-the-job training started. 

About three months later, a Marine who was heading home asked Craig if he would like to be trained to replace him in his job as gunner.  He agreed and became the fastest, leaving him with the earned task of carrying the site and locking in coordinates. He spent about a year and a half “in country,” attaining the rank of sergeant. To this day, he wonders why that Marine chose him. 

His service didn’t come without sacrifice. His time in Vietnam with mortars is the reason Craig has lost most of the hearing in his left ear. Considering the loss of life and limb that many others suffered, he considers himself lucky. 

After returning to the States, Craig found himself serving the remainder of his enlistment working security at the Marine Base in Beaufort, South Carolina. 

After leaving the service, he worked in a variety of professions. 

“I worked in the service department of the Volkswagon dealership in Savannah, eventually becoming Service Manager,” he said. That is when he met and married a girl from Metter, Judy Mixon. From there he went into the mobile tool business and traveled until he and Judy moved to Metter to open Pine Hollow Nursery & Landscaping. 

Craig’s hearing has become worse in recent years and he and Judy have been working diligently for years to try and document his injuries to see if he’s eligible for disability compensation. As the bureaucracy weighed on Craig, it became apparent to Kurt that his brother could use a boost. 

He wanted to show his brother how much is service was, and is, appreciated. 

Kurt, who is also a Marine Corps veteran who served six years in Operation Desert Storm, presented their father, John, with an NCO (non-commissioned officer) sword and Ka-Bar for his 80th birthday a few years ago. 

“My dad broke down crying when he opened the case, so I knew how much it meant to him,” Kurt said. “I knew my brother would be blown away by this as well.” 

Judy and Kurt conspired to get an NCO sword and Ka-Bar engraved for Craig without him finding out. The NCO sword and Ka-bar are steeped in Marine history and tradition. The sword is the oldest weapon in continuous use in the United States Military, and the Ka-Bar is a World War II knife that is the prize possession of every fighting Marine. 

Staff Sergeant David J. Dailey, a Marine Corps Recruiter, was excited to assist in this special mission and worked with Kurt and Judy to make the plans. 

When the day of the presentation arrived, not only did Dailey travel to Metter to bestow the honor, he brought along three other active-duty Marines. 

“We were honored to present Craig with the NCO sword and Ka-bar that Kurt got for him,” Dailey said. “We thank Kurt for giving us young Devil Dogs (Marines) the opportunity to show our respect to a service member from an era when Marines and others service members did not have support when they returned from overseas.” 

Craig was not only surprised — but felt the honor his family had hoped for. 

“The four men coming and spending time with me meant as much as the sword and K-bar,” Craig said. “We are a part of a brotherhood, and we support our brothers.”

They also asked Craig if he would be willing to share his testimony with other Marine recruits — and he agreed. He’s looking forward to encouraging those just entering the service. 

“These days, they look like children to me,” Craig said as he indicates a photograph showing himself as a fresh-faced teenager wearing the striking dress blues of the United States Marine Corps. “It’s ‘old school’ meets ‘new school.’”

The night of the presentation, Craig said he felt the safest he has felt in over 50 years because of meeting and spending time with the young Marines. 

— Jean Winkler, Monroe, and the late John Winkler are the parents of Craig, Kevin, Cheri and Kurt, all graduates of Monroe High School.