Larry Krog: The Phantom Marine

By Carla Khan, Honor Flight Chicago Veteran Interview Volunteer

It would be an understatement to say that Larry Krog always made up his own mind.  Born and raised in Elgin, IL, he was the son of a WWII Veteran who taught him the importance of Army staff maps, and the nephew of a Colonel in the US Army who taught him about guided missiles.   After completing high school, Larry worked for a printing company and stayed long enough to have job security after serving in the military.  When his draft notice came, Larry’s uncle advised him to sign up for the Army but Larry, intent on doing his own thing, watched a couple of John Wayne movies and signed up for the Marines.

There was a 120-day pre-program for testing during which it was discovered that Larry had an unusual kind of color blindness that made him unique in seeing “artificial” colors and it also gave him abnormally clear night vision.  He was not really informed about this but found out later that the Marines had taken notice.  In addition, at 18 years old, he was a good athlete who was well trained in various martial arts.  The pre-program successfully completed on January 12, 1966, Larry was on his way to 3 weeks of Marine bootcamp in San Diego, CA.  Not one to be humiliated, Larry almost did not make it through basic training because when his drill instructor spat in his face, Larry — as he stated — “laid him out cold.”  Thanks to Staff Sergeants Baker and Williams who clearly noticed that this young man had the guts to be a Marine, he got to stay in.  What he did not know either was that during his training he had been pegged by the FBI and CIA who investigated him so that he left bootcamp with special clearance.  It was a sign of secret things to come.

At Camp Pendelton, CA, ITR (Infantry Training Recruit) realistic military skills were refined to the point where live ammo was used during training.  Again, Larry did not heed his uncle’s warning of never to volunteer or talk back because when the question came up if anyone knew how to type and Larry said “yes” he ended up doing office work along with all his other duties.  At one time after an office discussion disclosed where a flag was hidden and Larry and his unit later were supposed to find it, Larry took advantage of the office gossip.  They found the flag and Larry was punished for “lack of adaptability and use of inside knowledge”.  He still has mixed feelings about it.

Training was completed and according to his official orders, Larry was “going to Vietnam”.  Instead, he was sent to the Cherry Point Marine Corps Airbase, NC, where he learned about logistics and embarkation.  Initially he was rather clueless and discovered that his Lieutenant was not much better.  Consequently, they failed inspection but still did better than the other squadrons.   It was here that Larry officially joined VMA332, whose emblem were a top hat and a cane. And wherever he went in the future, he always knew that his Cherry Point Marine Base somewhat was in touch with him. Next, he went to Embarkation School at Little Creek, VA where he learned all about loading ships and aircraft.  From this point onwards, Larry said, everything in his military career changed.  

Larry was first sent to Quantico’s sniper school and then told to go to the Marine HQ in Arlington, VA to listen and learn and take classes in land and air movement.  Finally, done with schooling, he returned to his Cherry Point Base where he was put in charge of a Squadron and noticed that a lot of equipment was missing.  He recruited help from the entire Base to gather equipment and had it all marked so they were ready to travel.  What he also learned at this time, was that he had been given the papers to override any officer’s orders if he thought there was a need to do so.  It came in handy when Group 332 Squadron left for Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, AZ for deployment training.  A Captain on board insisted on loading a huge box marked “aircraft parts” but this box was so heavy that during take-off the aircraft barely missed the trees.  Larry, who suspected that something was amiss, ordered the box to be opened at arrival.  Although the Captain objected, Larry’s Colonel supported him and it turned out that the box contained motorcycles.  The same Captain, not too much later, flew a Douglas A-4C Skyhawk with defective ejection lights.  The Captain ejected; the plane was ditched in the Everglades.  No one could find it till Larry with his special eyesight was called in, located it and the plane was hooked up to a helicopter and retrieved.  Larry said that his job was done.

Finally, Larry became part of a group of 5 fellow Marines, one of whom was a Marine taken from the brig at Camp LeJeune. The men were allowed one week of furlough.  Having experienced harassment from civilians on public transportation, they decided to drive to the Chicago area.  It was during that 4th of July weekend, 1966 when Larry discovered how shellshocked he already had become because exploding fireworks made him dive under tables and counters.  On the bright side, he met a wonderful young woman by the name of Christina, who stuck it out with him and eventually became his wife. 

Upon returning to Cherry Point, the unit received orders from D.C. to go to Ecuador “to neutralize the situation” and a C-130 aircraft would drop them off somewhere. All they were shown was maps and were told “to make corrections” because “the alternative army” was trying to take over.  They posed as tourists because officially they were not in country.  When asked where they slept, Larry answered that some slept standing up leaning against a tree while others kept watch. The hardest part, Larry remembered, was not knowing exactly what to do.  Eventually, they completed their task, found out what was going on, and were airlifted by helicopter.  They never received a nice job compliment or medal because, they never were there!

During this time, the war in Vietnam was heating up and this was going to be the place of Larry’s most memorable undercover maneuver.  The 5 Marines first flew into an Air Force Base in Portugal with the reputation of having the worst food in the mess hall.  It was true; even the fried eggs were terrible.  Then an overnight flight to Naples, Italy in a big C-130 that also carried a huge container with Agent Orange.  The final destination was Da Nang where they had to help “doing some snipering close to the Cambodian border and shoot anything that shines”.  At one point, Larry said, he had a guy in his sights and knew that the guy could see him just as well.  Rather than shooting and trying to kill each other, they both walked away.  This was also the moment when Larry realized he needed spiritual intervention and he received help from the priest at the base.  Since Da Nang was getting mortared day and night, Larry and his Captain decided to save an aircraft that otherwise would have been destroyed and they flew it out to a safe destination.  Da Nang?  Larry never was there!

The Marines’ next assignment was in Izmir, Turkey, participating in secret amphibious procedures with the 6th Fleet and ships of 5 European, mostly Mediterranean countries. During the flight, the Marines noticed that they were followed by MIG jets.  Upon arrival, they were told they had to walk close to a specific area and when they came around the corner there were Turkish guys pointing guns at them.  Those guys did not mess defending their civilian area.  Unfortunately, the Navy had not been in that port for 6 months and as Larry said, they went wild.  A huge fight broke out.  The Marines on shore patrol were only equipped with night sticks, sailors got beaten up and when the fight was over, Larry found himself in a filthy and primitive Turkish jail.  Initially, the US said that because the 6th Fleet was not there, they could not help get Larry out but when the Fleet was leaving, Larry was released quickly.  The only proof he still has that he had been in Izmir is two postcards he sent to his mother.  But, Larry never was there.

Exercises on board the ship consisted of the ships moving apart with lines in between and baskets hanging off them.  Larry who thought it was interesting was told to wait and see. Finally, the distance was such that a submarine could sail in between and Larry had to get into the basket and was lowered onto the sub while a Russian sub hovered nearby.  

Arriving back at Cherry Point, the Marines’ next assignment, they were told, was to get VIPs out of Czechoslovakia.  All they needed to do was find a contact person who would tell them the location of the VIPs.  It worked out as planned till the security guard at the building was alerted and when the Marines were on their way out, Larry got shot in the back.  He was down but the buddy who had been recruited from the brig in Camp LeJeune, came back and carried him out.  Larry’s bullet stayed in his back for many years despite the fact that he never was there.

They flew home via Corfu, Greece.  Larry’s service time was up.  Back at Cherry Point, the Marines offered him a promotion and an annual salary of $46K.  He discussed the option with his wife-to-be who said that whenever she sent him a gift or tried to locate him, it always took 6 months to get an answer and because she was tired of not being able to reach him, she gave him an ultimatum, It’s the Navy or Me.  Larry chose for Christine.  He checked out in only 24 hours.  The debriefing was short because, after all, he only was there on paper and had never been anywhere else.  

Larry returned to Elgin where he married Christine on March 16, 1968.  They were very happily married for 32 years when Christine passed away.  She understood him well and knew how to deal with his PTSD.  Larry has 3 children and 7 grandchildren.  He resumed his career with the same printing company he had worked for before his military service and stayed with them till he retired after 25 years.  That is when he found a new career as a school bus driver for special needs children.

Currently, he is retired and lives in a Chicago NW suburb.  And, he is there!

“Not ever having been there” and not having any open records had its consequences when Larry applied for care from the VA.  There were no records that he ever had been shot or had been in a combat zone.  It took special research for him to receive the assistance to which he was entitled.

And, finally, the proof that “he’d never been there” came when he wanted to travel to Europe and was denied travel.  His airline informed him that he could only fly domestically because he was on an international no-fly list!  

Ecuador, Czechoslovakia, Europe, Turkey, Vietnam?  He never was there!

Larry, thank you for your service, enjoy your well-deserved Honor Flight and Welcome Home!