Posted on 02/17/2015
I dedicate this blog to Gunnery Sergeant Richard Mennifield.
Gunnery Sergeant Richard Mennifield is the single most important person I have met on this level of existence. I would not be the Sheldon Redditt, that I am today, had it not been for this man. I have been looking for this man since September of 2007. I searched and searched and searched and I never could find him. Part 4 was halfway written when I received word that Staff Sergeant Mennifield had passed in February of 2007. He made Gunnery Sergeant before he retired from the Marine Corps. The news of his passing hit me like a ton of bricks. I NEVER cry when people pass because I fully understand that is part of Life. We all will pass on to the next level of existence, but I believe that on the next level, we continue to exist. That being said, I took his passing really hard. This was the man who saved my life. This man totally changed my way of thinking. He ignited the spark in me. He helped me to begin to see and judge people for who they are and not for the color of their skin. You see, without Gunnery Sergeant Mennifield, there would be no Amy or Hayden because I hated white people at the time. My life would be totally different if I hadn't met this man. I know I am rambling but when I got the news of his passing, I had to rewrite Part 4. Truly one of my biggest regrets in life is that I never got a chance to see you again, to thank you for all that you did for me and let you know all that you meant to me. There is not enough time or paper to fully explain how much you meant to me, but I will try my best to honor you in my book.
Yokosuka, Japan 1994
Today is the big day! I am finally being released from this Japanese Prison. I made it. I am looking in the mirror shaving. Wow I really made it. I hardly recognize the man in the mirror. I think this is the first time I have really looked at myself. I am a fraction of the man I used to be, both physically and mentally. I have lost 120 pounds, aged about 15 years physically, as well as mentally. The tears come uncontrollably. All the beatings, all the days of being so hungry that I thought I would die, the mental abuse was about to be over. I get to go home today. I get to see my son Ryan soon. He is the only person that I care about anymore. Everyone else is dead to me. I am still filled with a lot of anger. I will be back on American soil real soon. I will kiss the ground when I get back. People can say what they want about America but I tell you what. People have no idea how fucked up it is in other countries. You have zero rights and you are guilty until proven innocent, not the other way around. These are my thoughts as I am waiting for The Marine Corps to pick me up. The Marine Corps arrived around 10:00 am to pick me up. I was never so happy to see another human being or two human beings in this case. I needed a moment to take it all in. This was my first time outside of this walls in over 2 years. The Marines had a ton of questions but I couldn't even talk. I think at that moment it really hit me what all I had gone through and that I had survived it. The mental scars would last for another 24 years but physically, I am FINALLY safe.
Palm Beach Gardens, FL, February 17th 2015
I'm sitting in my office as I'm writing and I am thanking God for not only keeping me throughout that experience but also that I am not in a mental institution. I now know that God was preparing me for that experience in advance. I became a vegetarian about 2 months before I went to prison and still am to this day. Becoming a vegetarian prior to my imprisonment, allowed me to have discipline when it came to food. But what if God had not prepared me for that? I would have surely starved to death. There were plenty of nights that I went to bed hungry because I knew that something was put in my food. I would have rather starved than to drink piss or even worse. I began to learn a lot about Religion and History prior to going in and that truly helped me. The one positive thing about being in there was that they would let you read. That was a LIFE SAVER.
Yokosuka, Japan, Day of Release, 1994
I am riding in the car with the two Marines that picked me up, just taking it all in. One Marine asked me, "Lance Corporal Redditt," I haven't heard that title in awhile. "Can I ask you just one question? Is it really as bad in there as they say it is?" "It is much much worse.", I tell him. "Imagine the worst thing you can imagine and multiply that by ten. That's how horrible it was in there." We arrive at base and I am immediately taken to the Commanding Officers' Office. "Lance Corporal Redditt", he began to say, "I understand that you have been through a terrible experience." "Sir, that is a understatement, but I just want to put this behind me and get back home. So what time is my flight leaving today to get me back to the United States?" His answer floored me. "Lance Corporal Redditt, you still owe The Marine Corps time. You see, you were only charged with misdemeanor charges, so you have to go back into the Marine Corps and not only serve the rest of your time, but you have to make up the time that you missed while you were locked up in the Japanese Prison." My heart dropped. I can't believe what I am hearing I know this mother..... didn't say what I think he just said. "EXCUSE ME, SIR! I know you are FUCKING kidding me right? I know damn well you are not telling me that after 2 years, 3 months, 26 days and 11 hours in a fucking hell hole, that you are telling me I can't go home." "Calm down Lance Corporal? Fuck calming down! You need to get me a fucking flight back to America right the fuck now! I can't believe that you would say some bullshit like that to me! After I have....." Four Marines rush into the room. In that moment, I knew I had really Fucked up.
To be Continued.....
Copyright February 2015 by Sheldon Redditt
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