Hello…
This shot taken at P.I. and worth thousands of words, appeared in a Look Magazine story called "THE MARINE MACHINE" published on August 12, 1969. I sized it so it will fit on your desktop.
Jon Rodgers
Plt. 3137 "Eye" Co. 3rd Battalion RTR San Diego 7-24-69 to 9-30-69.
Remember those days, platoon 2108,MCRDSD, 1970
Plt. 2109 I remember S/Sgt.Ensign’s face right in mine with the brim of his cover pounding the bridge of my nose. Man that hurt, but I would do it again at any time. At least his breath didn’t stink, lol. OooRah!
My DI staff Sgt Spino in your face all boot camp but cried at graduation
That face made me a man and more importantly a Marine.
I graduated PI in 1965. Then went on to Lejune for combat engineer school. Shortly thereafter on to California then VietNam.Then reported to FLSU (pronounced floosie) in Phu Bai Vietnam. Anyone else remember anything about FLSU (Force Logistics Support Unit)? Then transferred to Third Engineers. My MOS was 1371 Combat Engineer Construction/Destruction if I remember correctly.I was in VietNam 1966-1967. Wishing the best to all my Marine brothers and sisters! Semper-Fi…
FLSU 1 and FLSU 2 became FLSGA and FLSGB. Both were sub units of FORCE LOGISTICS COMMAND (FLC). I was with FLSU 1 in Dong Ha. Changed to FLSG Bravo in 1968. We have reunions every year for FLC,FLSU 1 and 2, and FLSG A and B. This year it is in New Orleans, October 9th thru 12th. Info listed on Sgt. Grit reunion pages. Semper Fi
I was in Electronic Maintenance Platoon FLSG-B in Dong Ha. Got there in Feb. ’68 moved to Quang Tri in Nov. 68. Was a Corporal. Made Sergeant when I got back.
Graduated 65 at MCRDSD was at Phu Bia June of 66 to July 67, it was also called floozie 2. Was in truck platoon, many trips to Hue beach, hauled for all services, order of the day was”clear the beach”!
Platoon 2050 June 1978. Sgt McCool aka Tazmanian Devil,made us Marines, but made us earn it ! aka Pvt Muhammad
Platoon 165 P.I. 1974…what fond memories
Was that face, DI at San Diego 2nd Bn Oct 69 – Mar 72. J. D. Winchester, CWO4 (Ret)
Platoon 3088, Sept 23, 1968 – Dec 28, 1968, Sgt Banks, SSgt Bengen
SSgt. Bendgen was my Platoon Commander Plt. 3021 July 1967. Anyone know his whereabouts?
Try the website, “togetherweserved.com”..A Marine buddy of mine recently found one of my JDI’s from June of 1960, Jimmy E. McCall there, but alas, he had passed a few years ago. He was a great Marine and loved his job. Good luck Bill, buzz
That face saved a lot of lives he taught discipline honor courage and a never quit attitude Plt. 2081 PI, Viet Nam 1970 Semper Fi to all DI’s remember if it doesn’t kill you it will make you stronger and it did.
August 1960, Parris Island receiving. Hungry, tired, hot and scared. After initial utility issue with chrome domes on heads, standing in ranks, crazy Drill Instructor gets in face of kid next to me, growls like an animal, and bit him on the cheek. I’m thinking please let me live because I’m next. He puts his face in mine, grabs me by the ears, twists my head while screaming he’s gonna screw off my head and sh$t in the hole. Then he takes off my helmet liner, lifts it up to his considerable arm’s length and brings it down on my head with enough force to cut about three inches off my height. Still on the short side but much better for it.
Platoon 1098, San Diego, 16 August – 14 Dec 1973. . . .SDI Sgt Westervelt, DI’s Sgt Corte-Real and Sgt Durbin
Platoon 1009, San Diego, 13 Jan 1974 – Jun 1974…. SDI SSgt Westervelt, Di’s Sgt Corte-Real, my personal DI Sgt Williams. SSgt Westervelt taught me alot and Sgt Williams was on me all day, every day until third phase – when he put me on super double secret probation.
My Senior DI had been through Two wars and had no Purple Heart. I thought “This is the man to follow”
Platoon 262 Parris Island. August 1962 – November 1962 . SR. DI ,SSGT Schmit, Jr. DI SGT. Stiltner. “if it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger” . Sgt. Stiltner had us counting cadence in German, they made us Marines .
I was at PI from Feb 1960 to May 1960. I also had Sgt, Schmit as a Jr DI. He was the best. I learned a lot from him. My Sr Di was Smith. also we had a Sgt. Gleason that was a different story. He was very cruel and enjoyed pounding on your head more than teaching you how to be a Marine. I swore if I ever seen him during my four years at Lejeune one of the two of us was going to take a butt kicking.
I was with you in platoon 262 Paris Island 1962 Those were the days Sgt. Stiltner or SSgt. McAllister also had us counting in Japanese I can count cadence in three languages 54 years later. Hope some of our brothers from 262 see your post it brought back memories. My friends son just joined and left for PI and I plan to be there for his graduation in November, I told him he picked a great time to join because it’s nice and warm in S.C. This time of the year. If you see my email address contact me and let me know were you ended up and if you know anything about any of the other guys from so long ago. Those boot camp experiences have served me well throughout my life, thank God for the Marine Corps.
Platoon 255, MCRD San Diego. 1 July-30 September 1958. After the month of ITR in Camp Pendelton, went to radio telegraph operators course (MOS 2533) across the grinder from Boot camp for almost six months. Our barracks was on second floor above the arches and not too far off to the side of the parade ground flag pole. Almost the entire graduating class was sent to form up 1st Composite Radio co., first at Camp Smith, Hawaii and then on to permanent quarters at Kaneohe MCAS. Spent three years there.
thank you sgt. griffin.pi
I want to thank Staff Sgt. Griffin, and Sgt. Grace for training me at Parris Island, S.C. Graduation in Feb 1976. I have very fond thoughts of all drill instructors everywhere. My highest respect to all Senior DI’s. Semper Fi to all Marine world wide. God keep the USA safe forever.
wow!you never forget! Staff Sgt. Tyrone Sr. D.I. in Aug 1957 to Nov 1957 Parris Island . Will never forget him tossing buckets of SAND on those beautifully polished hardwood floors and telling us we had not cleaned up that pig pen we lived in. Extremely tough ,but showed me how fair he was when he told me I would be a “good marine ” when he removed me as squad leader in the last week of boot camp for an infraction of the rules.Lost my PFC stripe but kept my squad out of trouble. Still respect him!
MCRD San Diego….Plt 3106, Graduated New Years Eve , 1986! SDI Ssgt Osteigh (sp?) Heavy Ssgt Allen, 1st Hat Sgt Mummy and 2nd Hat Sgt Talent. Some squared away Warriors they were! 1986-2007……. OohRah
MCRD, San Diego. Platoon 3228, Dec 12, 1969 – Feb 16, 1970. SSgt Fox, Plt Cmdr. SSgt Gardner, SDI. Sgt Lopez, and later Cpl Sims, JDI. Semper Fi
1105, Birthday Series 1992 at The Island. SDI GySgt Bentley, DI GySgt Ebanol, DI GySgt Ventura, and DI Sgt Power. Gunny Ventura knew my recruiter, and with his campaign cover on came up to my forehead ( I am 5’6″.) He loved getting the guy next to me on-line who was a fair bit over 6 feet. So hard not laugh when he chewed him out and his head cocked way back looking up at the guy. Now DI Sgt Power could inflict insane amounts of pain on you without ever touching you. To this day I remember I still remember how much pain he could he inflict by making you pull the charging handle of an M-16 to the rear and holding it back at port arms. His electric chair stance (he made two guys caught fighting have special quarterdeck time in the head doing his own torture.) Sgt. Power was pretty hard core. Lost him half way through to another platoon who had DIs removed – our serious loss and we lost a lot of motivation for a bit. I ran into Sgt Power (then SSGT) on mess duty about 2 years later. I still quivered when I saw him from across the chow hall. He came up to me and we shot the sh!t for a few. He remembered me and many in our platoon by name.
MCRD Plt 145, HOLLYWOOD MARINE. June23, 1963 thru January 15, 1971. Born and raised in San Antonio, TX. Grew up in the Marine Corps and Matured many times over while in the Crops. Did ITR at San Onofre in beautiful Camp Pendleton, California USA. Trained and deployed to Vietnam as 0351. Upon arriving on the shores of Nam became 0311. During my time in Nam the faces of my DI’s never once left me. As the DI’s stated “It’s do or die Marine”. So having that instilled in me the rice patties and the jungles were easier to bear. Thank You Sir (DI’s) for embedding in me the warrior instinct and the will to survive.
I was there in PI plt 228, 1960.
P.I.-1977-Plt 3310. SDI S/Sgt Bowlings. I’ll never forget him. Threw a recruit down a flight of stairs from the second floor squadbay after chow. The recruit made us laugh just one time too many for the SDI. Both were never seen again after that.
Plt 3149, MCRD 12/72-3/73. SSgt Munoz assumed duty after rifle range where original Senior was relieved of command for abuse… we thought it was just part of training. Also remember Sgt Christopher. All of our DI’s were tough but respected them. Hated them during Bends and Thrusts and Monkey F er’s,laughed at their sick sense of humor and ability to pick out the perfect “nicknames” for recruits…
The Drill Instructor is SSgt S.A. Sudduth. He was my Senior with Platoon 3047 from August until November 1967. He, SSgt C W Johnson, and Sgt R L Tolden were awesome, but when I was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program while still in recruit training they started calling me Lieutenant, and I assure you it was not in a good way. I was constantly asked if I became a lieutenant who would salute first, myself or the Drill Instructors. They assured me that they would all be at the rank of Sgt Major by that time. There was of course no correct answer. “I might salute you first you goofy puke.” Was one response if I chose to follow the proper military decorum. If, on the other hand, I chose to surrender and assure the Drill Instructors that I would always salute them first the answer was, ” Are you trying to ruin my Marine Corps you worthless turd?” In 1969 after I had been commissioned and was serving as a platoon commander with 1/9 (The Walking Dead) I ran into Sgt Tolden in Vietnam at Vandergrift Combat Base. He was with 3/9 at the time. His first words to me were, “Lieutenant, you are a lieutenant.” That was right after he saluted and I returned that salute. I still think of those three Marines who gave so much of themselves to set me on my way to becoming a United States Marine. Semper Fi!
I was in PI july 68 plt. 396 my brother was in plt.399 3rd Bat.I too had SSgt S.A. Sudduth as my senior DI.I remember him well..Proud moment when they called out our MOS….[0311] rifleman..
As I’m looking at this picture up top it surely looks like SSgt. S.A.Sudduth as my senior DI from plt.396 3rd. batt.fond memories…THANK YOU SIR…..
The DI has periodontal disease
Thanks for the dental diagnosis bill Corley you must have made a great naval dental hygienist.
My DI.s Sgt green,Brookshire and cpl ackens many things I remember about my time at PI feb/may 1951 platoon 168– never did I regret my time in MC