Category: Marine Corps Stories

My brother’s boot camp photo

This a copy of my late brother's boot camp picture from early 1943. His name was Jerome (Jerry) Strumpf. He is circled in the 2nd row. He was in the Marshall Islands and Okinawa campaigns in WWII. He passed away much too early at age 72 in 1997. He was my hero and I followed him into the Corps during the Korean War (1950-53) I would like to honor him in your WWII BS section read more

MCRD Graduation Sept 2010

I had to send you a picture of my son Sean M Alexander at the Marine corp recruit depot on family day. His Grandfather Charles R Spring is also a proud Marine from the Korean war. He had went through extensive spinal surgery and spent time in a nursing home trying to recover. We never thought he would get back home, let alone travel across the country to make it to his grandson's graduation. Sean went through boot camp knowing his Grandfather was also working hard to be able to make the trip. Both of these men were motivated to do their best as a matter of pride and honor in service to our country. The Marine corp has been a large part of our family heritage and I am proud to witness such a great reunion. read more

Getting “Physical” in Boot Camp

Sgt Grit

I read the entry by Sgt DeWitt in the Sept 23rd newsletter and can't help but wonder where he went thru boot camp ? I went thru Parris Island with Plt 3065 – S Co – 3rd R T Bn and I can tell you for FACT that "hands on" was not just common but was damn near an hourly occurrence that began when we were getting off the "cattle cars" in front of the 3rd Bn barracks!! It consisted of being kicked in the ass, smacked and punched while being verbally reminded that you was lower than snakes**t and that the "BEST" part of YOU ran down your mama's leg !! We had different "games" we played when we screwed up, such as "Watching TV", "Jukebox" and a particularly nasty one called "Crucifixation"(involved the chinning bar at the end of the squad bay) . We would also stand at attention with our M14 held by the bayonet lug & front sight resting on our forefingers while being held straight out from your body, parallel to the deck – this would also be done using our footlocker. Push-ups, jumping jacks and SQUAT THRUSTS ( I HATED them the most) were done so much that it's a wonder we ever had time for anything else ! We had 2 hooks at the foot of the upper rack that were used to hang (VERY CAREFULLY) our M14's so they could rest at night. A "maggot" made the unforgivable mistake of NOT properly securing his M14 to the hook. When we were ordered to "mount" the rack for sleep, the M14 crashed down to the deck ! To say that the D I went absolutely BUGF**K would be putting it mildly !! We did SQUAT THRUSTS til I thought my legs would come flying off ! The "wounded" M14 was put in the "maggots" rack to rest and recover while the "maggot" was hung on the end of the rack in place of the M14 (using his cartridge belt under his armpits) ! While at the rifle range, I had a problem with "jerking" the trigger. My D I "solved" this by having me lock the bolt to the rear, place my trigger finger over the chamber with the meat of the finger filling the chamber, then he simply let the bolt slam on my finger ! From the 1st joint to the tip of the finger was "numb" (mashed was more the description) for the rest of the week and so I stopped "jerking" the trigger. The back of my forefinger still shows these marks to this day. I did indeed qualify, which was pretty amazing when you consider that I had never even seen a real rifle before getting to Boot Camp. My point is that these things happened in ALL 3 platoons that made up my Series (3064-65 & 66) and I'm pretty sure they were fairly common in the mid 60's Boot Camp. The D I's told us that this treatment and these "games" would toughen us up and that if we were ever captured by the VC we be wishing for treatment this "KIND" ! I joined the Corps at 17, just out of High School and didn't even know who the VC were, why we were killing them, or where the hell Vietnam was on the world map ! My reason for joining the Corps was SIMPLE, I had seen a Marine in his DRESS BLUES. Since I was 17, my thought process went like this: get that look – FEMALES will line up down the block for me to RAVISH ! Of course the damn recruiter didn't say ANYTHING to burst or interfere with my DELUSION or mention anything about a WAR ! The D I's began to let up as we neared graduation and stopped completely a few days before graduation when we were told our M.O.S.'s. The depiction of mid 60's boot camp featured in the movie "Full Metal Jacket" was as close to reality as anything I've seen yet. EVERY night we "ALSO" recited the "Rifleman's Creed", said goodnight to Chesty Puller and sang the Marine Corps Hymn ! We also did the " THIS IS MY RIFLE, This is My Gun, This is for KILLING, This is for FUN" when someone called the M14 a "gun" in the beginning of Boot Camp ! While all of this might sound IMPOSSIBLE and ABSURD today, this was Boot Camp then ! It was 44 years ago this week that I graduated from Boot Camp (September 22, 1966). Attached is the graduation picture, I'm in the 5th row up, 3rd in from the right. I was and still am ALWAYS both Amazed & Honored that I had somehow been found worthy of the title of United States Marine. The pain has long ago passed but the PRIDE is forever ! As 1 of the bumper stickers says, " Everyone dies, I will die a MARINE" read more

Boot Camp Picture

Just read your latest mail and was suprised to see a pic of that platoon that graduated in Sept 62. What caught my eye was the platoon number. I graduated the same day as they did only my platoon # was 245. enclosed is my grad pic of the platoon. they look the same execpt for the number. Send me the e-mail of the guy that sent you that mail so I can contact him and talk about old times at MCRD. read more

Platoon 316

Sgt Grit:

In a recent newsletter, a letter from a member of Platoon 317 (Feb – April 1962 San Diego) inspired me to write this letter. I was a member of Platoon 316 (Feb – April 1962 San Diego of the 316 Series). Our Drill Instructors were SSgt Sharpe, Sgt Smith, Sgt Lyons, and Cpl Norman. SSgt Sharpe and Sgt Smith were with us during all of Boot Camp while Sgt Lyons and Cpl Norman replaced another Drill Instructor part way through training. I am pictured bottom row 3rd from the left. read more

MCRD San Diego,California 1958

Just thought I would send you a picture of MCRD in San Diego, Ca when I went to boot camp, plt 231, Second Battalion. I am sure there are others who may enjoy this picture with the view of the quanset huts we lived in and scrubed on a daily basis with buckets of sand. I got out of the Corps in 69, served with the 5th Comm Bn, Vietnam 1965 – 1969 as Sgt Robert D. Gordon (Red Baron). 10/17/10 read more