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I arrived in Parris Island August of ’67, a non-smoker, had never even tried cigarettes. In our initial issue of uniforms/toiletries and such we also received two cartons of Marlboro cigarettes. The cigarettes went into my foot locker.
That first week was mostly drilling to different warehouses to draw 782 gear and the like. There was no need of the entire platoon in the warehouse so the DI called for all non-smokers to fallout for detail, smokers the smoking lamp was lit.
As I remember, it was 12 of us who went into the warehouse to draw and organize the gear as directed. Mid-August, the warehouse was very hot and dusty. The work was not all that hard but the warehouse crew were DI wan-a-bes and made things as difficult as possible.
At the next warehouse we ended up, when the DI called for all non-smokers to fall out for detail, I nudged the recruit next to me and bumbed a cigarette.
I became a smoker. read more

Paris Island 1963.
The first day of boot camp our DI asked us to vote whether to smoke or not. He explained how smoking would limit us physically because of the PT and of course double timing everywhere we went. Remember, “Hurry up and wait”. And all the other training, the rope clime, log PT,
the confidence course, etc…….
Our platoon overwhelmingly voted not to smoke. Of course I was not a smoker, but was pleased that everyone choose not to smoke.
At the end of bootcamp our DI gave the platoon permission to smoke.
The comment that was made by many was, “Wow, I forgot about smoking until now”.
We were so busy every day with training that the smokers did not realize that they had not smoked for 13 weeks.
Now that’s a way to give up smoking, enlist in the Marine Corps. 😉 read more

Have seen this before, not that way in July 1961 at SD. But, having heard “Hollywood Marine”, there was actually a movie filmed during boot canp with our platoon running the confidnce course in the background, with Tony Curtis as Ira Hayes, think it was filmed as The Last Man, but released as The Outsider. Honoring today one of our junior DIs, SGT E-4 J.J. McCormack from NY. Saw he was KIA in Vietnam as SSGT E-6. Saw him at I think Butler on Okinawa digging ditches as a PVT and told him he was too good a Marine for that, saw him maybe a year later on Okinawa as SGT E-5. God rest his soul. read more

PI/67 Day 3
He had a Very Heavy Latin Accent, and appeared from out of nowhere.
“I Gon Kill One Of Jew Mudder Puckers An Noooooooo Baaaaaaady
Gon Kaaaaar.” On the nights he had the duty he would get us out the racks an hour or two before Reveille. It was Game time, mostly he would Quiz you on the School Hat lessons, You better get it Right. He clocked a TURD so HARD one night the TURD next to him PUKED. SEMPER FI, LADIES read more

o800 hours on April 5 1961 , as requested, was standing in front of the Post Office of my home town, waiting for my recruiter to pick me up drive me to his office in Nashville Tn and complete the enlistment process. On the way I mentioned something to him that I heard they harassed you some at P I. He at first acted like he didn’t know the meaning of the word and then said maybe for the first couple days but that I shouldn’t worry about it. Easy for him say. Got to the office and met up with 3 other guys from other towns in Middle Tn. Spent the day doing paper work, getting sworn and killing time . Some time in the late afternoon we were walked to the Railroad Station, given our orders, a couple meal tickets and instructions on how to find the bus depot in Atlanta and what time we better be there. Got to Atlanta early on the morning of the 6th and several hours to kill before our bus time in late afternoon. Passed a tattoo parlor and one of the other guys decided that since we were now in the Corps he would get a Devil Dog tattoo. read more

Myth: Common belief is that most Vietnam veterans were drafted.
Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. Approximately 70% of those killed in Vietnam were volunteers.

9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the official Vietnam era from August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975. read more

April 4, 1962, along with a large group of recruits, I was inducted into the Corps at New York City and put on a chartered American Airlines flight to PI. Once airborne, a young looking recruit asked the stewardess for a beer. She complied and another recruit saw the transaction and stated, “Hey, I didn’t know you could get served”. The stewardess, overhearing the comment stated, “We know where you’re going”. Needless to say, the airplane’s alcoholic beverage supply was severely depleted prior to landing in South Carolina. It was a very social group of recruits that arrived at PI’s main gate in the subsequent bus ride. All was fine until that DI stepped onto the bus and boomed out, “All right, Maggots, eyes straight ahead and listen up” You know the rest of the story………… read more

Before I share this story I would like to explain that I wrote these in order to deal with my PTSD. I also thought my family might be interested in learning why I “seem different” to them by sharing some of my experiences. Which is why the stories were written as they were. Those combat Marines who served in Vietnam might remember that we were not very popular back home. I wrote about 50 stories—they are true—they happen to me—I remember every one like it happen yesterday and for awhile these experiences changed my way of thinking, feeling, and interacting with others (including my family). I found that the VA has an excellent treatment program that worked me. “Thank you my brothers and Semper Fi.” read more

Had to respond to the Ham and Mothers…..Even when you were starving…it was hard to gag them
down….and about Cold I was in Vietnam 1967 and 1968.And froze during Tet 68….And how about
being wet for days upon days?Longest I was in bush was 29 days….many many shorter ones.We
all smelled the same Bad!!!!Semper Fi read more