“I remember when I lied when I went in, I didn't tell them I belonged to the ROTC when I was in high school, and when I signed up the Sergeant told me one rule, keep your mouth shut and don’t volunteer for anything... about two weeks into it I got called into the Drill Instructor’s room, and they chewed my butt up, back and down because I had military training, because I wasn’t making any mistakes,” United States Marine Edward Dymek recalled to the United States Navy Memorial Film Crew at the USS Leyte Association Reunion in Pennsylvania in the fall of 2012.

While recounting his entry into the United States Marine Corps, he spoke of the experience as if it was yesterday. He shared, “Was it tough, your damn right, was it cool, your damn right. Were they indifferent, damn right. Why? Their whole intent was to break you, they break you then they don't want you. If you get through it then you will be the guy who backs up the guy (behind you).” This theme of teamwork echoed throughout his interview.

His boot camp experience would prepare him for future challenges he would meet defending the Nation. He vividly remembered his days learning the life lessons of the Marine Corps, “What did it teach me? Discipline, discipline, pure and simple. Think, if you are allowed time, before you react. Don't judge everybody because somebody says something. Shut up until you know what the facts are. If you have to stall, stall, don't make quick judgments especially because you are not walking in their shoes.

Remembering his first assignment, Edward Dymek recalled, “My first new experience with the Marine Corps... was going aboard the USS Leyte which was a brand new ship... 

We had the responsibility, within three days, of demagnetizing and loading the ship with all of the ammunition needed...that small contingent of people loaded all of the ammunition aboard that carrier, which meant we worked two eight hour shifts, did our four hour duty on guard duty and four hours of sleep.  That was a rough, rough introduction into that.” This early introduction to life on the USS Leyte would be just the beginning to his experiences as a United States Marine. While on the USS Leyte, Edward Dymek was involved in many of the ship’s early operations. As a Marine on a U.S. Aircraft Carrier, Dymek saw firsthand the realities of the Cold War and would vividly share them throughout his interview sparing no detail and leaving the listener with a lasting impression of this monumental period of American History.  

The United States Navy Memorial honors Edward Dymek, featured within this series titled, Stories of Service, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial.