I joined in 1962. We were at Camp Matthew’s Rifle Range and I was assigned to be the Tent Commander. It’s cold in California in September and that night we were waiting for the order to put the tent flaps down and the 3 guys in our tent talked me into putting flaps down, saying the DI wouldn’t know it. BIG MISTAKE! We got called to the DIs tent, each one of us doing the obligatory rapping our knuckles on the door and hollering “Sir, private Grav requests permission to enter the Duty Hut”. Eventually we all were in his hut, lined up shoulder to shoulder in front of his rack. He wanted to know who’s idea it was to put our flaps down, so I told him that I would accept the blame, as I was the tent Commander. I received the traditional punch in the gut–but standing by his bunk, I fell back on it and my knees buckled causing me to roll out backwards, landing in the ice plant growing in the mud. He said “you better get your ass back in here Shit Maggot!” I thought he meant immediately, so without going through the door knocking routine, I immediately climbed over his bunk, dragging my muddy combat boot across his pillow. He seemed mildly disappointed, as his face turned red as he Screamed Loudly, “Get the Hell out of my hut you low life Shit Maggot!!!
That was Platoon 255 and I ended up getting pneumonia, ending up in Balboa Navy Hospital. When I went back to Camp Matthew’s I joined up in Platoon 367, graduating as Regimental Honor Platoon and I fired highest in my Platoon on pre-qual day.
Now I’m 78 years old and still full of Marine Corps Pride.
Great story, Paul! Much like you, my first taste of command came a MCRD SD while attending Basic Electronics Course in 1964. I was a hard charging PFC and had been placed in charge of Hut 7-F-3. One night at zero-dark-thirty the Duty NCO, a Sgt. instructor, was making his rounds. Someone had left a footlocker pulled out and he tripped and busted his butt. It scared the crap out of all of us who were sleeping. He chewed my ass, and then limped off to complete his rounds. I was sure glad that I had already passed his sub-course. Semper Fi!!! Top Pro
I enjoyed reading your post. I laughed when I saw that you went in 58 I got out in 62 spent four years got out as a corporal E-4 , wish I stayed in but my father got sick and owned a business and I had to go home to help, I wish I did 27 years like you did? still a proud Marine in my heart
I was speaking in to the phone and I made a mistake. I laughed when I saw you going in in 62, I meant to say I got out in 62.
I got pneumonia in fall of 62 while at ITR,went to Pendleton Naval Hosp for 6 weeks then finally home for Christmas ! I was in Plt 346 at MCRD in July of 1961 ! Semper fi , you crazy bastards !
l also went to MCRD SD. PLT 260 august 24 1962,right behind you.Irember DI saying we will graduate early. So we could go to Cuba, but no one told us why. W T F ? Did not graduate early, did not go to Cuba.
Plt 258 graduated 31 October 1962.