rhino Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 Last night BigDave and I joined some other friends of mine for an interesting evening at a local restaurant and tavern. The scheduled "event" was a personal appearance by author and USNavy SEAL Richard "Rogue Warrior" Marcinko, CMDR USN (ret.). We got to meet Commander Marcinko (I was afraid to address him as "Dickie" as some of his friends suggested, followed by an evil laugh) and I had the distinct pleasure of receiving a rather interesting barrage of good-natured verbal assaults from him. I didn't understand everything he said because he rattled it off so quickly, and of course I was afraid to ask for a repeat! I think he could have killed me just by flexing his eyebrows! No, I'm certain he could have killed me with just his eyebrows. Those are some scary eyebrows! The first thing he said to me after I was introduced was something about how well I was able to occupy space. Later he said, "So what else are you good at ... besides eating?" Ordinarily the rhino would have a snappy comeback ready, but all I did was grin and stutter. He was very friendly, but also incredibly intimidating. He also asked me what I do for a living, and he was impressed by my ability to survive without working. My friend who invited us (the G-Man) told him that I was a good shooter, to which CMDR Marcinko said, "At paper?" I sheepishly admitted that I only shoot at things that can't shoot back at me, but I don't think he was surprised at all. I'm not really sure what else we talked about, but it was an interesting experience nonetheless. BigDave flew under the radar in the harassment-by-professionals department, but to make up for it, I will pick on him mercilessly at the NRA Action Pistol match tomorrow. We also met some other original members of SEAL Team 2, including Chief Jim "Patches" Watson. The Chief is definitely an interesting character as well and he lives about an hour and a half from my home. We also had a lot of fun joking and listening to stories from another local friend who was an associate (he was in the army) of the aforementioned SEALs while in Vietnam in the late 1960s. He only threatened my life two or three times while we were having dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonub Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 i read marckinkos books, wow you were lucky that you got to meet him in person Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 I liked the first two books that Marckinko wrote, but they went down hill BIG TIME after that. Watson's book was also good. Last time I counted I have read something like 45 books on the Navy SEALS, covering from before they were even UDT Team's to present. I think Dick Couch is my favorite author of the bunch, and his two most recent books "The Warrior Elite" and "The Finishing School" are great sources of current info about The Teams. Cool that you got to have dinner with some of the legendary "Meat Eaters." I bet the stories were something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 Yes, it was a lot of fun. I'm lucky because I'm friends with a guy who is connected with them through mutual experience in Vietnam, so I got "introduced." The interaction after the introduction was noticeably different ... with Marcinko, it's when the insults started! With Chief Watson, the first thing he said to me was, "I like you already!" after I handed him a beer, of course! (I was coached! ) It's obvious when you talk to him that he has a lot of input in the actual writing of the books because he talks very much like the books read. I used to think some of the stuff was affected by the co-author (and other collaborators), but that's the way he is, at least in public! I have to admit that I have not read the Chief's book, but I will do so in the near future! He had some interesting things to say about the debacle in Mogadishu in 1993 that were not related in Mark Bowen's book (Blackhawk Down) or the mainstream media. Well, he has some interesting things to say about just about everything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 Needless to say, it was an interesting evening. I've been in the company of so-called "professionals" before, but these folks were in a completely seperate league. They didn't need to say a word, you basically just knew. It was a great evening. To see and hear Mr. Marcinko verbally (thankfully, not physically) assault my good friend Rhino was a treat not soon to be forgotten, if ever. For those of you who don't know him, I've never been around Rhino when he did not have a comeback or some quick wit to throw in the face of his would-be verbal attacker. All he could say was, in his best Oliver voice, "could I please have a poster, sir?". It was priceless. A rare evening, with rare characters indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted May 1, 2004 Author Share Posted May 1, 2004 It's true! And when I addressed him as "Sir," he asked if I meant "C-U-R" or "S-I-R." Having read the books and having been coached earlier, I reacted based on my training ... "CUR, of course!" He was pleased by that response. I didn't think about the Oliver thing, but it's right on the money. I'll bet my usual adolescent voice was downright pre-pubescent right then. I'm surprised I didn't break some glass with the high pitches I probably reached! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted May 2, 2004 Share Posted May 2, 2004 That's gotta be the coolest thing I've heard all week.... Next time that happens someone has gotta get ahold of me....that would be fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted May 2, 2004 Share Posted May 2, 2004 Oh yeah, there is now, somewhere, photographic evidence of Rhino with a beer in his hand, standing next to Mr. Marcinko. Try getting elected to public office now, wise guy! Bwahahahahahaha!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted May 2, 2004 Author Share Posted May 2, 2004 (edited) That's gotta be the coolest thing I've heard all week....Next time that happens someone has gotta get ahold of me....that would be fantastic. Jake ... I'll try to let you know the next time ... I only found out Thursay afternoon, so it was a last minute thing. The last time it happened (a few years ago), my friends who know him went and didn't tell me about it until afterward. I gave the G-Man hell for well over a year and a half for not inviting me to go along, so this time they saved themselves the grief and let BigDave and me tag along. I'll see if I can find where he will be on the rest of the stops in the tour. They tend to make a big loop around the country, so maybe they will stop near you. Okay ... the schedule for his public appearances is here: http://www.dickmarcinko.com/ It doesn't look like anything in Michigan any time soon, but keep on eye on the web site! Oh yeah, there is now, somewhere, photographic evidence of Rhino with a beer in his hand, standing next to Mr. Marcinko.Try getting elected to public office now, wise guy! Bwahahahahahaha!!! Not if I destroy all of the evidence ... assuming there really is evidence ... which is obviously impossible, since nothing of the sort happened. IGNORE THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN! Edited May 2, 2004 by rhino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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