I served on active duty before the days of "Cammies"… we were
issued and wore "Utilities".
The utilities were an olive drab green with a herringbone design
running through the very strong material. We never wore anything
else until we finally graduated from basic training. Then, once
a Marine, we wore Marine Greens, Tropicals or Dress Blues…
depending on the "Uniform Of The Day".
Semper Fi,
Bob MacGillivray
Corporal Of Marines
Platoon 63 "C" Company
Third Marine Recruit Training Battalion
Parris Island SC 1956
You got it and no scopes to qualify!
Yes, What is it with the scopes? Next the laser red dot to qualify? No wonder my son qualified as an sharpshooter better than dad. Shot a pizza box the hard way without my glasses. Didn’t want the handicap of fogged or broken lenses in combat.
Here’s to the days of utilities ,black emnued rank insignia,ink stamped EGA and last name above the pocket . Graduated in summer greens blouse creased and sustained. No orgasms until you picked up Sgt.. No anodized brass either.
I’ll go you one better. When the rank was stenciled on the sleeves of the utilities. And also before the crossed rifles.
You got it Don. Also brown suede boondockers which we had to take the fuzz off. Issued brown ankle hi boots also, which had to be dyed. And the old M-1 Garand which was grand. Man. I loved that rifle, and going to the range. I remember a range instructor hit me on the top of the head with his stick which had a .30 cal on the end, telling me if I didn’t learn to shoot better I would get one between the eyes. I fired Expert, much to his delight. And mine! Man….that was 1953! I know some Marine Iraq Afghan vets.They are good men…..but I don’t know how the Corps today compares with when I was in. I was honored to serve with several WWII vets, and a couple really Old Corps who served in Nicarauga during the Bannana Wars. My favorite was a MSgt named Jogoloff …who was called Jugs. A real Russian! Semper Fi Marines
MCRD San Diego 1960 Plt 167. Utilities.When got to duty station. Utilities worn on base only. Class A uniform worn off base. When was the last time have you seen a Marine in a Class A uniform. The wearing of camies off base is disrespect to the corp. and Marines. Get your Shi* together.
I agree 100 percent. We had to wear the uniform off base San Diego, Ca., 1962
You’re absolutely right GP. When we were off base we would be “lookin good”. And, oh yes I too was in 167, MCRD 1960. Good old days.
Nothing stays the same. But in my way of thinking, if utilities are good enough for the battle field, they are good enough for off base. A squared away Marine looks good in any uniform.
Jack Emr USMC 1954-1958 had to stencil stripes on jacket. Dont get busted or you would have to buy another jacket.
BOOTS!! HERRINGBONE. TWO (2) PATCH POCKETS ON THE FRONT
I joined the “Brown Shoe Corps” , we graduated in Brown shoes . The Marines changed to black when I was with K co. 3rd BN. 2nd Marines,and we were given a bottle of shoe dye to convert! MCRD PI , 1962 Platoon 262 !
Graduate from Parris Island May 1973, I believe we were one of the last platoons to wear tropicals (trops) we were also issued khakis (chinos) never wore them.
I graduated MCRD SD 15 Sep 76 – Plt 1071. Had utilities issued – no Cammies until two years later in 1978. Loved the starched utilities and standing on a chair to ‘step in and break the starch’. Loved the fit and the way they looked. Iron on patches (front left breast pocket & on cover). Starched utility cover in a metal block (if you had one) or something round if you didn’t. Spit shined boots. No weight issues because you couldn’t hide it like you can with Camie jacket. Off base was Charlie’s or Alphas (winter or summer service). Never ever utilities. And what’s this about scopes? You can’t be serious. Qualified expert with just site alignment/sight picture on the M16-A1. Used a bullet to spin up/down the windage and drop. Semper Fi !
Scopes? I never heard of this! I remember our shooting telling us the maximum effective range {no scope} of the M14 was was 500 meters {roughly 460 yards} but since that was “army” maximum effective range, WE fired at 500 YARDS prone position for qual. Made expert, very proud of it too, also learned army used sand bags!!! And yes, Utilities.
In about July or August (not sure) of 1960 at PI I was on the rifle range for pre-qualification with my M1. I loved that rifle and I have my own now. I fired 10 bulls out of 10 at 500 yards. I had firearms before I enlisted so I was somewhat familiar. I fired expert that day and hoped that I would do the same on the next day for qualification. The range instructor didn’t like me and he was the only instructor, DI, etc that I had a problem with and I don’t know why to this day. That doesn’t mean I didn’t get my butt kicked as part of the normal training program, but I paid attention to duty and did my job every day as instructed. The range instructor kept hammering me and shouting about who was faking my score in the butts. I told him, “the private does not know anyone in the butts” and he said I was lying. On qualification day I started out strongly and in the kneeling position the range instructor was screaming full bore in my left ear. He was obviously trying to distract me and he didn’t do it to anyone else. I really didn’t know what to do about it and I admit that it threw my aim off. Then Sgt. Jimmy McCall, my JDI appeared like superman. He stood between me and the instructor with his hands on his hips and told him to get the hell away from his turd. I thought they were going to come to blows. It was a hair away from a fight and the range instructor backed off. McCall was lean, tall and strong and didn’t stand for nonsense from anyone. The range instructor was just a bully and when a tough Marine faced him down he called it quits pretty fast. And though I did fine in the kneeling position the day before, I only qualified sharpshooter. I felt like I let my platoon and DI’s down and it has honestly bothered me all these years. I saw Sgt McCall at my reserve center in 1965 and I told him how much I appreciated all that he did for me, but I didn’t mention the range. The incident was long gone, but I sure had a strong desire to “run” into that range instructor for a long time. I just wish I knew why he acted that way. If he had done that to others I would have understood his actions as part of a training thing so you could shoot straight under duress, but he picked just me out of my entire platoon. Jimmy McCall on the other hand was tops. I was in platoon 152 arriving at PI on 19 June, 1960. God Bless the Marine Corps and Semper Fi to all you Marines faithful to Corps and country. buzz
Sgt. Giddings, your calculations are off, 500 meters is 546.8 yards. Yes the maximum effective range of the M14 is 500 meters and we fired the 500 meter range. Don’t know about the army.
You have it backwards friend. A meter I’d just over a yard. 500 meters is 546.81 yards
I thought I was Old Corps (1969-1975) but as I read about herringbone utilities and brown side Corps, I feel like a Boot …..
What a bunch of punks. These youngsters have it too easy nowadays. Bring back the old boot camp. These children need to learn a thing or two the real Marine Corps way. Scopes, you’ve got to be kidding me!
Paul, the other day I heard about boots being allowed to claim “stress” or something like that and being able to take a break during their Marine Corps training…………..what kind of Marine calls that out? Are they able to that in combat for cripes sake? I have my utilities from ’53 and still wear my cover like a baseball cap. It’s kinda salty but it’s the fifth one I’ve made worn out. I bought a bunch for my kids and grandkids from Sgt. Grit and they love wearing them.Semper Fi Mac ’till we die.
I was a Marine recruiter from 1978-1981, and I can tell you that these recruits are more physically challenged than all of you old Horse Marines. As for the stress part, if they drop out for a stress reason they will not just rejoin their platoon. They will go to the medical conditioning platoon, and when they recover they will be placed into a platoon that is in the same phase as they were when they were dropped. When General Krulak became Commandant he went to a heavier stress level of training for recruits. It is very difficult to fool the people working at either of the recruit training facilities. If you are just trying to get out they will help you, in time they will help you. So don’t be getting to salty on future Devil Dogs.
PLT.347 3rd Bn. We “finished” boot camp on 28/12 /1958.If we had any kind of graduation, I sure didn’t attend it. I can remember Sr. D.I. S/SG Truax ordering us to ” sit down” outside( we were in the huts), and basically said”thats it, any body got anything to say about boot camp ?” We all know how that got answered….That was it, off to Geiger.
Geiger?? It was Tent Camp 2 when I got there in 1951…all Quonset huts. The heads were in separate wooden buildings.
I entered the Corps on 8 July 1955.We had the herringbone utilities and cover. The D.I.’s did not wear campaign hats, there were no yellow foot prints, or running shoes and exercise outfits. I went through boot camp at the MCRD in San Diego and was in Pl;atoon 248. The SDI was S/Sgt J.D. Healy, JDI’s were Sgt Nelson, and CPL. P. Pelekai. If you want to own a pretty faithful reproduction of those utilities go to a website called At the front.
What a bunch of dildos.
It still rankles my azz to see an adult male wear his cover indoors. Especially if it is a USMC cover (not HAT). They should know better. We wore utilities, not cammies in the early 60’s. Only doggies and fly boys would wear something with “ies” on the end. Our Sumer tropical uniforms were only worn on base and starched as were our utilities. The khakis were the summer uniform off base. The pizz-cutters were only to be worn off base if you were on overseas orders. The greens were winter uniform of the day and the overcoat we called a horse blanket for good reason. Umbrellas were un-manly and thus not part of the uniform issue in the old Corps. Rain happens, suck it up. Also, every day was a “crucible” in the old Corps boot camp b
Three kids went into the USAF….. Glad they’re serving , but I get the CHapped Ass when I see them in their Jammie’s out in public
THE PICTURE OF THE MARINE LOOKS LIKE I DID IN JUNE 1955 PLATOON 238 MCRD SDIEGO , DI’s WERE SGT J.C.TINNEY & CPL H. D. HOLLINGSWORTH, STRAIGHT OUT OF KOREA AND HAD NO YELLOW FOOT PRINTS AND NO GRADUATION, JUST A PICTURE IN TROPS. SEMPER FI.
Talk about old car went through MCRD San Diego platoon 327 1963 when issued are weapons of issue was the M1 Garand prior to the rifle range we turned into M1 Garand and was issued the M14 both weapons were exceptionally good
I graduated from Parris Island in June, 1964. In book camp we were issued brown dress shoes along with a bottle of black dye. I don’t remember how many coats of dye we put on the shoes, but it was a lot. This is the first I’ve heard of using scopes….really??? The world has certainly changed. But I believe that the MARINE CORPS still makes MARINES, and we still win battles. The small stuff doesn’t matter. Semper Fi. (1964-1968)(RVB 1966)
When I went through P.I. in 1956, you would never hsve dared the top two buttons of your utilities blouse un-buttoned as pictured above. Maybe the pkoto was taken while he was off duty. Anyway, it brings back memories. Platoon 216 from July thru November with D.I.s Gunny Stipanovich, Sgt Jones, & Cpl Dixon. Ahh, 12 weeks of paradise. Anybody from Plt 216 out there ?
When did the name change from Dungarees ?
500 meters is not 460 yards. It is ~544.4 yards
Does anyone know why chevrons in the 1950s were some being larger than others such as Sgt e4 verses Sgt e 5. Also during Korea there were thinner stripe ones along with the wider such as staff Sgt 5 . Richard Kumler 195—- Plt. 315 MCRD 1961. Sa Diego SDI McDowell Gy Sgt. E6, SSgt _E5 Day, and Sgt E 4 MCully, thin stripes
Gosh, Almighty ! I guess these days, we Marines from the early 1950’s are an anachronism and condemned to the stone ages. The old Boon-Dockers and Herringbone Utilities being the best of what the Marines wore are gone forever. I would give anything to have a complete set again. WWII and Korea combat gear ( series 782) are also a thing of the past. You present day Marines have no idea of what it meant to have those duds get “salty” having been washed in salt water several times and turned a lighter shade of gray. I know the “cammies ” may look cool to you now, but the real look of a Marine in my humble opinion is the Herringbone and Boon-Dockers.
Who remembers the Marine Barracks at the Train Depot in Yemassee SC, the gateway to Parris Island. Stood my first 2 hour Fire Watch there after arriving by train in the night from Boston, and the Grits in the morning at the local drug store/eatery. It was in the summer of 1953 (June 17th) and was assigned to the 5thRecTrnBn, can’t remember the platoon number, Senior DI was a Sgt Jones and we had many JrDIs. Later assigned to DI Duty in Feb.1959 at MCRD San Diego, Great memories of the Range at Camp Mathews, the tents and those damn stoves, the hike back to MCRD. Washing and hanging the clothes on the metal clothing lines, using the ty tys to hang the clothes up. And of course we always had one Turd who stamped his name upside down on the Utility Jacket. Semper Fi Marines.
I remember my dungarees from 1942 .All I got to say is Semper Fi to all you youngsters. By the way I am 94 years young .
“Beautiful Beaufort by the sea, I am a shitbird from the Yemasee”. A poem by JDI Sgt. Wright, plt. 374 Parris Island, August 1960. To be recited while hanging from the squad bay chin up bar while he pummeled you. Who could forget?
The real Marine Corps way. Scopes, Scopes, WE DON’T OR DID NOT NEED ANY STINKING Scopes!!!!!!!!PLATOON- 217- PI./ AND WE WORE Utilities. RUSSO.
I MEANT PLT 217, GETTING OLD CRS.
I know that a lot of good Marines comment here. It’s hard to think of my time 1972-76 as “old corps, but yes sir, we had the basic green, trops, and a dang nice green wool uniform . I was particularly fond of the long coat. Once a Marine …… Semper Fi
Gunny Marso says he graduated in brown shoes. So did I (1958/san Diego), sort of. We were issued brown shoes but were only allowed to shine them with black polish. By the time we graduated they were black. We were issued heringbone utilities but when it came time to replace them they were no longer available. Consequently, many guys bought the new utilities in order to preserve the heringbone style to prove how salty they were. They had also stopped issuing the “Ike Jacket” for the winter greens uniform but I inherited one from my brother when he was discharged. Caused a lot of envy among my friends. I also fired 10 for 10 on the 500 yard line but never shot higher than marksman. The rapid fire did me in. I wore coke-bottle glasses and as I fired they would shift on my nose, distorting the target. I’m still looking for more funny boot camp stories from you guys. The book is under consideration by a publisher but I can still add until they finalize their decision. I am also looking for funny stories from Drill Instructors. Send all to bootcampstories3@gmail.com.
P.S. We were also issued Khakis, which I liked, but lordy they were easy to wrinkle.
Graduating out of the 2nd Bn. Plt 2030 in 1959 some of our people were issued the Herringbone utilities while the rest of us received the all green . Can’t believe they are getting away with no more spit shine shoes and boots, and did they throw away their Brasso cans? Also got to wear the Ike Jacket for awhile till the were phased out sometime in the early 60’s. I’m still in touch with many of my former platoon members ,and one of our Drill Instructors. Can never forget boot camp and Parris Island.
It all comes down to a lean mean green fighting machine no matter what a Marine has on, my favorite was jungle camo with just a touch of the dirt and sweat and scopes we had them mounted on top700 Rem bolt action rifles that man was a scout sniper, from a boot to a devil dog in 13 weeks they still teach how to shoot and stay alive. Once a Marine always a Marine Semper Fi Brothers and never forget the ones that didn’t make it home. Plt 2081 Paris Island, Nam 70-71
plt 356 MCRD san diego July 4 1957. SDI S/ SGT JOE CURLEY was asked all day if we were going to celebrate the 4th of July several times if we were going to celebrate the 4th. He always said yes. The day wore on as usual with no celebration. Finally as were being dismissed at the end of the day someone asked again. So he said PLT YELL BANG THREE TIMES which we did. Any body else remember? CLP E4 R D HARTLEY 1607484
I was in one of the last Platoons to train and qualify with the M-14. ( what a great weapon) I qualified Expert, we wore “utilities” and the only scope I ever saw was a star lite scope – 1 per platoon for night vision after boot camp. We had to ingest salt tabs 3x a day. I served from 73-75. And lived in a 80 man barracks the whole time. In MCRD Parris Island I was in Plt 183. The rest of my tour was with Kilo 3/2 2nd MarDiv.
Herringbone Utilities were issued in 1958 to get rid of them if they had your size. I was issued one Herringbone shirt with one pocket and one two pocket olive green shirt about 25 out of 75 got them and another 30 or so received Herringbone Covers. I don’t remember any Herringbone trousers being issued at all but remember seeing them at Camp Geiger after Boot Camp. My dress shoes remained brown till 1962 but my Boon Dockers (another WW-II issue) were brown and we had to dye them black. our boots were black. I was also lucky enough to be issued a Battle Jacket (about 15 of us got one instead of two blouses). I never heard an era Marine call them Ike Jackets before. I sold mine in 1962 when I got out for $25 and I think it could have been more if I had Marines bid on it.
This is Jim Evans, Platoon 1043, MCRD, Boot Camp Sept., 1956 to Dec., 1956, then to Pendleton for ITR at Camp Horno. I was the 7th squad leader in Boot Camp. Gunnery Sgt. J.D. White was our Senior Drill Instructor. I qualified Expert at Camp Matthews shooting 237 with my M-1, open peep sights, no scope. They let some of us shoot offhand from 500 yards, just for the hell of it. I got ten shots in the black offhand from 500 yards. If you remember, the black was a 20 inch circle at 500 yards. Hard to miss it prone, but a bit of a challenge offhand. We wore all green herringbone utilities only on base. Against regs to wear utilities off base. I still agree with this policy. The all green herringbone Utes were a great uniform. Really good material. Are there any of you guys still around from Plt. 1043? I live in San Diego and woul love to see you. There are only two kinds of Marines–those on active duty, and those on inactive duty. Once a Marine always a Marine. It never leaves you.
Anyone out there remember the River Creek incident in 1956?
I believe you refer to the incident when Sgt. McQuewn (sp. ?) took a bunch of poorly performing boots (goof-ups) out to march in a swamp. Several were drowned and the Sgt. was court martialed. He stayed in the Corps following his demotion to private. Always felt sorry for him. Semper Fi, Sgt. A.Barry Hoelscher (ret) , Plt 8, San Diego, 1946.
As I recall, it was a Sgt Mckeon. I think that is the correct spelling.
It was Sgt. Matty (Matthew) Mckeon. He was in our Marine Corps League Worcester Detachment 144 until he died about 15 years ago. His brother Ned, also a WW II and Korea Marine died about three weeks ago.
I have seen but never worn herringbone utilities. Ours were solid green. I was San Diego 1966, platoon 2260 Second Battalion. It seems like a few days ago but it has been 50 years. Wow, the shit you remember and the shit you want to forget. I am and will always be a Marine. If everybody could do it, it would not be the Marine Corps. Semper Fi brothers
Aug. 31, 2061 at 11;30 am
I don’t remember the barracks at Yemassee,SC but I do remember the depot, which I understand has been relocated. I arrived there late at night 11/16/54 by train from NYC by way of DC, then boarded a USMC bus for MCRDPI immediately. I also remember the Gung HO shop on the dirt square by the depot. We were assigned to 3RD Bn 451 with SDI S/SGT Rogers, JDIs S/SGT Delkoski, S/SGT Mann and JDI Sgt Wren.
We were issued HBT utilities and and all uniforms and equipment including the green wool Battle Jacket (recently handed off to my Son in Law). Back then 3RD Bn was in Quonset Huts with oils stoves and heads in a separate building a good distance away. Washing everything by hand with a scrub brush and hanging the clothes on the metal clothing lines, using the tie ties hang the clothes up. Lots of good memories, Semper Fi Marines.
I remember the train arriving in Yemessee around midnight on July7,1966: after a long ride fom New York City. We got off the train scared sh..les but, to our amazement no one was there to pick us up and bus us to Parris Island. About 30 minutes later we could see headlights approaching from a distance away. Out stepped a Lance Cpl and all he said was “get on the damn bus.” As we arrived in P.I. he yelled out, Ya’ll be sorry now!” Then we arrived at the reception area and out of the darkness, came the meanst looking D.I.I ever saw. He stepped on aboard, didn’t say a word as he looked at us while he walked up and down the isle. He went back to the front and the yelled at the top of his lungs, “you got 30 seconds to put your feet exactly on the footprints outside there, MOVE!! And so it began! 8 weeks of shear misery in the brutal heat of a summer in South Carolina\. Those of you who were there durng he summer monhs, I’m sure will always remember “snapping in” at the rifle range; wearig utilities and sweating buckets. Those were the days!! I often say that I graduated from College; went immediately into the Corps and got my “Masters Degree” afte 8 weeks in P.I. Those 8 weeks truly prepared me for the real world; I contend just as much as a Masters degree in Business culd
Sorry for the typos!
I remember Yemassee, S.C. very well, how can you forget if you were there overnight. We arrived by train from Baltimore, Md, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pa. &New York in the middle of the night. The receiving instructors beat the hell out of us, throwing trash cans, hanging on a pull up bar and punched in the chest and belly. Fright Night we called it. We wore the brown boon dockers and herringbone dungarees. Loved the M1 riffle. One of my drill instructors was a Korean War vet, hard as nails. He was a skinny little Staff Sgt. Name Maclemore. Unfortunately, for me , I looked like his twin brother. He would slap me around a little bit and say “How Dare You Look Like Me”. Anyway, on pre qualification day I failed to qualify, shot a 175. That night I had to walk guard duty around an empty clothes line. The next morning, qualification day, McLemore comes over tome and says Manning you better qualify today or I will kick yor ass back to Baltimore. I shot 215 that day and with chalk I wrote that number on my helmet. After marching back to main side McLemore shouts Manning fall out behind the barracks, I said to myself I hope he dosen’t kill me. He got in my face and says to me, What Did You Shoot? I said Sir the recruit shot 215 Sir, He says don’t you lie to me turd, I say, Sir the recruit is not lying to you Sir. He put out his hand and said put it there, I am very proud of you and walked away. I never saw him after that, he was promoted to Senior Drill Instructor of another platoon. I will forever remember him as being the most squared away-tough Marine. Semper Fi to all Marines, Arthur J. Manning, Depot Honor Platoon No. 103, November 18, 1955 U.S.M.C. Sgt./E5 Retired.
Here is one for all u boots Remember being issued the canvas leggins to wear with utilities???platoon 168 2nd RTBPI Feb 1951