(Story by Joseph Beneth Allen)

Five minutes before eight o'clock on weekday mornings, four young, ramrod-straight Marines step outside of the double glass doors of Camp LeJeune's Marine Base Headquarters Building and silently assume their positions in formation at the bottom of the concrete steps.

Once the four Marines have assembled, the leader gives the order to go forward and they silently march across the semicircular driveway and up the brick walk-way leading to the building flagstaff and wait for the correct time to hoist the flag. The leader checks his watch approximately every thirty seconds.

When the watch has inched its way up to eight o'clock, he gives the word and the American Flag is attached to the flagstaff’s halyards, Eight bells is struck on the large ship's bell mounted on the flagstaff, and the flag is hoisted smartly.

Walking up to the 280 pound brass bell mounted on the pole after morning colors, the inscription, USS LeJeune 1944, may be read. The bold letters and numbers of the inscription lead one to believe that the bell came from the Naval Transport USS LEJEUNE that was commissioned on April 15, 1944 -- that is, until the bell's inboard inscription is read.

An examination of that side of the weatherworn brass bell reveals the single faded inscription: WINDHUK.

Camp LeJeune's morning bell was the first bell of the German warship WINDHUK; the bell was aboard the ship when it became the USS LEJEUNE.

Since then, Camp LeJeune's historic bell has sounded morning colors for fifteen years and will continue to do so until the seasons totally wear down the proud bell.