Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 9:07am

Requiescat In Pace: R. Lee Ermey

It’s my firm conviction that when Uncle Sam calls, by God we go, and we do the best that we can.

R. Lee Ermey

 

 

 

Sad news that R. Lee Ermey has passed away at age 74.  A Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps, he was both a drill instructor and a Vietnam Veteran.  He retired due to service injuries in 1972.  He served as a technical advisor on a few war flicks and then achieved fame for his role as, what else, a drill instructor in Full Metal Jacket (1987).  He stayed steadily employed thereafter, usually playing military hard cases, but often with a flair for humor.  He was a conservative in a liberal industry.  He and his one and only wife had four kids.  I will miss him.  First and last he was a Marine and never tired in retirement of supporting the Marines, visiting injured Marines in hospitals and taking part in Toys for Tots.  Fare thee well Marine, and may your next duty post involve guarding the streets of the Heavenly Kingdom.

 

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Greg Mockeridge
Greg Mockeridge
Sunday, April 15, AD 2018 9:57pm

A former co worker of mine was a Marine drill instructor at MCRD in San Diego at the same Ermy was and knew him quite well.

Foxfier
Admin
Monday, April 16, AD 2018 7:45am

First and last he was a Marine and never tired in retirement of supporting the Marines, visiting injured Marines in hospitals and taking part in Toys for Tots.

The way that he supported the Marines– and the rest of our military– that really impressed me is that he would absolutely refuse to do work that defamed the military. Harsh, sure– slanderous? You were not getting his OK and support.

Dale Price
Dale Price
Monday, April 16, AD 2018 9:32am

God rest his soul.

He also did cameo voice work in a SpongeBob Squarepants episode which was pretty funny, too.

Art Deco
Art Deco
Monday, April 16, AD 2018 10:04am

Evidently, his acting career was an accident. He’d been retained as a technical adviser on a film Stanley Kubrick was shooting and Kubrick was impressed with his persona and put him in front of the camera.

Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Tuesday, April 17, AD 2018 3:19pm

I was going to say what Dale Price said. Having kids, it’s hard to avoid Sponge Bob. Lo and behold, there were episodes with R. Lee Ermey in them. I like his show Mail Call.

Godspeed, Marine.

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