Long Beach Firefighters Hold Special Christmas Dinner For One Marine

Marine Corp Sgt Christian Calvin joins his new comrades for a team photo in the garage of Fire Station 13.
 
At 2:00pm on Christmas day, Christian Calvin, a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps is sitting in a room inside Fire Station 13 watching a Blu Ray recording of “The Town” that Long Beach Fire Capt. Chris Schuetz had received as a gift that morning.
 
A special dinner in Calvin’s honor is being prepared in the station’s kitchen and a turkey is frying in a vat of oil out back. Nearby, a prime rib roast is grilling under the watchful eye of that day’s appointed cook, chosen from a rotation of designated chefs/firefighters. While each member of the six-man crew is required to take a turn manning the kitchen, the less talented of these gladly step aside, an acknowledgment of their shortcomings in the gastric arts, and pass the spatula in exchange for a well-cooked meal.
 
Sgt. Christian Calvin, as well as the members of the press on hand to cover the event invited to join in the meal, would not be disappointed with the results.

“It’s a lot better than the food I’m used to eating on base,” Calvin says.

Stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calvin is serving the remainder of his contract with the Marines in a training capacity.
 
In the field, Calvin was a member of an EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) team. Bringing up an image of an ABV (Assault Breacher Vehicle) on his iPhone, Calvin explains that his job was once done by hand, shifting through the sand until the explosive device was uncovered and disabled. The ABV comes equipped with a full width mine plow designed to quickly clear a path through obstacles before the enemy has a chance to mass fire upon the troops.
 
While Sgt. Calvin, who calls Kentucky home, was the only marine of many invited to partake in this Christmas meal – the others were with their families, he says – he wasn’t alone without them as the crew of Fire Station 13 took him into their hearts and later, their trucks, when a call came in towards the end of dinner.
 
Sirens blared as the fire engines roared out of the garage, leaving behind wives and children of the firefighters, taking with them Sgt. Christian Calvin who joined his new comrades to answer the call of duty.

Firefighter (retired) Dave Smith with Marine Corps Sgt. Christian Calvin in the yard of Fire Station 13.

Firefighter Manny Gomez prepares the gravy at Fire Station 13.