Hello, Honored Readers, I’m Petty Officer Edmundson, and THIS is the Veteran’s Voice.
On April 15th, 2018, Gunnery Sergeant Ronald Lee Ermey passed away. He was born on March 24th, 1944, in Emporia, Kansas. He grew up on a farm outside of Kansas City, Kansas. As a teenager, he got in trouble with the local authorities twice. On the second arrest, the judge gave him the choice of going to prison, or joining the military. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1961. For the first few years of his service, he served in the aviation support field before becoming a drill instructor in India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, where he was assigned from 1965 to 1967. Ermey then served in Marine Wing Support Gropu 17 at Marine Corp Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, Japan. In 1968, he was ordered to Vietnam with MWSG-17, and spent 14 months there. During his service in Vietnam, Ermey advanced to Staff Sergeant. In 1972, he was medically discharged due to several injuries he received during his service in Vietnam.
Following his discharge from the Marine Corps, Ermey began his film career. While he has played numerous roles, most notably military adn authority figures, he is best known as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket”. Ermey was originally brought into the production as a technical advisor, but after seeing an instructional video that Ermey put together, Kubrick chose to cast Ermey in the role of the Marine Corps drill Sergeant. Stanley Kubrick gave a rare honor…he allowed Ermey to write and/or improvise his own dialogue. Ermey’s performance became another rarity for Kubrick, needing two or three takes per scene. Ermey’s performance in “Full Metal Jacket” earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Since that time, Ermey has played in numerous film and television roles. He was also known for “Mail Call”, a military themed documentary series he filmed for the History Channel. In Mail Call, Ermey discussed subjects ranging from weapons to tactics. “Mail Call” was followed by “Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey”, again on the History Channel. On this second show, Ermey discussed weapons used by military forces around the world today.
His military citations include: the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross.
On May 17th, 2002, General James L. Jones, the Commandant of the Marine Corps honorarily promoted R. Lee Ermey to Gunnery Sergeant in recognition for his continuing support of Americans in military service. Ermey was also a board member of the National Rifle Association.
Ronald Lee Ermey is survived by his wife, Nila Ermey, and their four children.
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That’s all for this post, honored readers. I’m Petty Officer Edmundson, and this has been The Veterans’ Voice.
The Veterans' Voice 