Category: Marine Corps Stories

In 1963, we were fresh out of Parris Island,and transported up to NC to Camp Gieger for training at ITR.
It was much better than PI, and everything was going smoothly. Then with about three weeks left, dozens Of us were stricken with some sort of pneumonia like illness, and transported to the Naval Hospital at Camp
Lejune in cattle cars ,I was in the Cattle Car with a boatload of sick Marines with temperatures of about 103* When we arrived, they put us in a large ward, and told us the treatment would consist of bed rest and gallons of fruit juice. Didn’t sound too bad to a bunch of young Marines.About three weeks later they discharged us, and we started to worry about repeating training,the SNCO was pretty good, and said he would put us in companies that were as far as we were at when we left. Well, it was soon realized by the bunch of us that everything was EXACTLY the same ,the sea stories,war stories,and humor ,all repeated verbatim by the instructors. We came to the infamous machine gun course, and we knew what to expect, there were six of us “Veterans” the instructor started with a line about NEVER VOLUNTEER for anything,he said in our short time
In the Corps we had learned that. Then as expected,he asked for a VOLUNTEER! Well all six of us were ready,and up our hands went !! The instructor picked me, and I knew I had made it. After he selected me, he said this Marine will be happy he volunteered for once,because he will be feeding the ammo to the Machine Gun instead of crawling through the course ! It felt so great to have pulled off a little victory over our beloved Corps , and I was happy as could be for the rest of the day. I didn’t volunteer for much for a few years,OOORAH !! read more

There is no higher respect to be given than that to a CORP MAN. As this is typed there are still tears in my eyes from reading what a CORP MAN wrote about Viet Nam and going to ” The Wall ” with his daughter with recommendations that others who haven’t been need to go. It’ been said MARINES guard heavens gates. What’s not been said is: ” Behind every MARINE is a CORP MAN in case he’s needed. MARINES may carry a lot of memories about combat and etc. but NO ONE knows what a CORP MAN carries……for he carried MARINES in his heart and soul. DOC, YOU ARE MY BROTHER. Semper Fidelis read more

I was stationed at MB , NWS ,Concord CA from April 1966 until September 1967 assigned to the first guard platoon.Google Port Chicago Explosion for some background on the base. All we did was security,gates, tower, walking posts , and truck patrols. We also did escort duty back and forth to all the Navy bases in the Bay Area usually in pick ups or tractor trailers. At that time we were day on/day off weekend on/weekend off.We caught the demonstrators from UCAL Berkeley from time to time, but mostly we stood guard.One day on an off weekend we get a call from the captain that they need 4 Marines to go to Oklahoma City for something. Sounded different than standing post so 4 of us volunteered and went to the guard house in greens with our rifles. Once we hit the guard house we got a ride in a pick up truck and we thought we were off to get on a munitions train for a run to Oklahoma City, we had trains loading and unloading at Concord on a daily basis so that was why e expected a train run,anything is better than standing the same old posts everyday we left Concord and arrived a short time later at Mare Island Naval Shipyard where we thought we would get our train to Oklahoma City we drove around the base for awhile and pulled up next to a guided missile cruiser. When we saw the ship we realized that by now the Captain was really laughing at the trick he pulled on us! The ship was the Oklahoma City and there would be no train ride for us! We were then instructed to board the ship and met a GySgt from the Marine Detachment on the Oklahoma City. He then told us why we were here and what we were going to do next! We did at least get a good cup of coffee! We were then taken to the side of the ship and shown a barge (lighter) in the water (screw the nautical terminology for side). A Navy officer explained that each one of us was to stand on a corner of the barge as it was being towed from Mare Island to Concord Naval Weapons Station.Weapons from the cruiser had been offload and we going to be taken to Concord. The Oklahoma City had just returned from service off Vietnam.The weather gets a little chilly in the Bay Area especially if you’re traveling standing on a corner of a barge. The Navy officer agreed that we could be security from the deck of the tug, two on the deck by the stack and the other two could sit in the galley to stay warm. read more

I started USMC Recruit Training April 29, 2002 with 2ND Battalion, Golf Company… I received discipline during Week 7(Rifle Week) of USMC Boot Camp Parris Island while practicing marching. Senior Drill Instructor sent me to the side after I made an incorrect motion, and I found myself in front of a extremely energized DI who was about to teach me the consequences of incorrect actions in presence of the SDI…ordering myself and several other recruits who messed up as well to begin exercising in full battle gear, oh it hurt…At the end of punishment exercises the DI ordered us to “port arms” with the M16A4…I obviously was not holding the rifle tight enough, because as the DI smacked the rifle while still in the “port arms” position the rifle swung back and struck my face causing my eyebrow to bleed, which was obviously noticable…I know that it was my mistake that caused this whole situation anyways…there were no options to fix this situation, way too much blood…The battalion was ordered to return to the barracks, the SDI staring at me all the while I took a quick glance at him as I ran past…while in formation a short while, the SDI pulled me aside to a private area one on one…I was questioned about incident and I stuck to the facts, just the facts…nothing was ever said or brought up concerning this incident as well nothing should have…bottom line is USMC Recruit Training is the MOST SERIOUS military training anyone can receive in order to keep our beloved America safe, day in and day out…Many recruits are not built to handle a career in the US Marine Corps…filtering these recruits by such discipline saves US Marines lives everyday whether on the battlefield or on duty on base…God Bless the US Marine Corps it’s Marines…Recruit Training is what gives each Marine his foundation on what a Marine is…The proof is in the final product…There is no “basic” military training in the world produces any finer product than a US MARINE…OOHRAH!…SEMPER FIDELIS! Love ya’ll… read more

Any injury was (not usually debilitating) were imparted by the platoon members on those that just didn’t get it or we’re inept. It usually consisted of a hard nudge by one or more of the other recruits or verbal education as to the turd balls need to stop doing things or improve in one or another activity so the rest of the platoon didn’t have to suffer the idiots idiocy. I did experience one that got me “this recruit” a black eye just before an inspection in our greens by the company CO. Want to see some scared and pissed off DIs, man. My rake was by the door of the Quonset hut and we were all doing things that needed to be done for the upcoming inspection. I was polishing my M14s stock, standing by the rake near the hatch. The Senior DI was “coaching” in a loud a boistous manner another recruit, that was short skinny little guy in the fashion of Motimer Snerd and very “INEPT” that we nick name Weasel and couldn’t seem to do any thing right including put his name in his scivies even with his “loving, caring, nurturing Senior DI, “calmly” instructing him in that manly art. It was quite noisy in there as I recall. And a lot of those terms we heard every day were being uttered in rapidfire fashion and all the rest of the recruits present, of course, were feeling sorry for that poor soul, with very small smiles on our faces. When, the DI decided there was nothing more that he could do and decided to leave, in a hurry, I, unfortunately, got in his way as he stormed out of the hut muttering his displeasure. I turned and ran smack dab into you know who, the Rifle butt hitting me in the face, with an eventual black eye. He did nt slow down and let me know of his displeasure.
I, “this recruit” was called then to the dreaded home of our beloved DIs knocked on the frame of the hatch in the proper manner that, “thank GOD” and was admitted to the inner sanctum, for the only time while at MCRDSD, for a few question from the entire cadre of DIs asigned to our care and education. I was asked what I was going to say viza vee the black eye, in as many way as could be asked by all. I was then dismissed, did a perfect, if very nervous about face got the hell out of there. As I ran for my life back to my asigned home for 12 weeks. Upon entering I was told that the Senior DI was outside his home away from home slashing the air at my back with his sword. Looking back, obviously to amuse the rest of the platoon. At inspection I was asked about the black eye, DUH, and dutifully reported the truth of the matter to our CO that I had met my Senior DI in a big Oops at the door, etc.
By the way, Weasel turned out to be a good guy in the end and after additional instruction of our friendly DIs and counsel of eventual friends.
C.M. Gibson, SSgt Aircraft Radio replacement expert for A4 C- E and shop assistand supervisor, at the end, 1963 – 9. Fun time. Semper Fi! read more

Became friendly with a Chaplain in boot camp as he was available on Sunday to us- and I guess I wanted to talk to someone other than the DI’s to keep my sanity. He asked me after I graduated on Graduation Day if I wanted to talk to unfortunate recruits in P O U and the S T B platoons. He explained what the recruits in P O U did all day- stand in skivvies all day- with a corpsman at a desk and D I ‘s ( who were trying to make or break them)- one recruit I was told by the Chaplain – said he could not take it – while on the second deck- ran to a door and out the hatch- went over a railing and fell one story to the deck below- really hurting himself. Spoke to these recruits and I hope I gave them some confidence to get ahead – and try to go back to a unit. Also, visited the S T B- with the chaplain- overweight and underweight recruits were whipped into shape- carrying buckets of wet sand for motivation- or P T to death to get stamina up – tried to instill a little pride in them too- The Chaplain was Protestant – not my religion either- but he had a way with us Marines and motivated me more than I thought he could- as we have to believe in something during boot camp. read more

Joined the USMC in 1960 with four of my friends from the south side of Chicago. Had the usual Drill Instructor screaming and shouting on arrival in San Diego. Raced with much encouragement into the Quonset Hut with two recruits standing by each bunk bed with the mattresses rolled up on each bed. Then into the doorway came this relatively short Drill Instructor yelling attention. He looked as if the starched creases on his uniform could cause serious gashes and he had a long cigar in his mouth and I am know the ashes were afraid to fall off. He looked around at the group and then came directly to the back of the hut where I was.
He then addressed me with the forceful thrust of his right palm to my midsection and I fell back on the springs unable to find any air that would go into my lungs. He started screaming at me and asking me where I was from. Still could not get my breath. Then he was on top of me with me laying on the rack on my back. He started screaming again the question as to where I was from. By this time he was sort of “examining” my neck and throat and I tried to answer and say Chicago. He didn’t understand my guttural speech at the time and thought I said South Dakota. He then said as he yanked me up that no piece of -I will use the term human excrement – from South Dakota had ever made it in his Marine Corps. As he was leaving my bedside as I was just starting to stand up he then addressed my mid section forcing me to find some air again. I must say I had the thought at that moment of what the sam hell have I gotten myself into. However I made Guide and graduated PFC and loved the Corps ever since. read more

Back in 1957 at MCRD-PI Plt 232, 2nd Bn. the threat used by Drill Instructors were to send you the POU and kick you ass out of the Corps. At that time it stood for “Psychiatric Observation Unit” and only one of our Plt. was sent, he was a Reserve 90 day guy and he had a total melt down in front of the Plt. the Drill Instructors were always trying to get to him and they did. Once at POU he was still there at PI for long after we completed AIT at Lejune, he ended up with a medical discharge. No one wanted to go to that Unit and have the Shrinks looking into your life. read more