I started boot camp MCRD SD Feb 5th 1960. My Di’s were Sgt Hardy and Sgt Harr, very tough and rough Marines. I was the youngest and the smallest in my plt. 216. Needless to say I got a lot of attention and none of it good. They used to grab me by my stacking swivel (my adams apple) and squeeze and ask me the eleven general orders and other things. Also they would stand in front of us when at attention and hit us in the stomach hard. Before we went to Camp Mathews we did a px call, we all had to buy chewing tobacco and we found out later why. They said that the smoking lamp would not be lit at Mathews, that was fine with me because I didn’t smoke anyway. So why the chewing tobacco?
They marched us down in back of the tent area one evening and made us all fill our mouth with as much tobacco as we could hold and chew and looked in our mouth with a flashlight to make sure we had enough. All you heard all night was one very sick Plt. Still at Mathews one day while sitting on our buckets cleaning our M-1’s the Drill Instructor called pvt Nichols to the duty tent with bucket of warm water, canteen cup, and his tobacco in which he was instructed to fill his mouth with tobacco and drink it down with the warm water. I have never seen anyone so sick in my life. Still at Mathews on the rifle range pre qual day, I was not doing well when I felt my DI standing over me and said ” maggot one more maggies drawers and your azz is mine”. Target went down, target came up, maggies drawers, he said maggot and I looked up as he hit me in the mouth and split it wide open. Next day on qual day I made one point from expert. Anyway getting to what this post is all about, before I went to boot camp my girlfriend was in the family way, we were young, dumb, and stupid and my DI’s knew about this and how troubled I was over this. One day he called me over to where he was and said “as man to man not DI to recruit” would I like to call my girlfriend. Of coarse I did not know what to say or what was coming but he took me to the phone center at Mathews and let me call and even asked me for a dime to call his girlfriend. From that time on I was left alone and never picked on again. Our Plt. was 2nd highest shooters of F Company and we graduated series honor man and series honor Plt and of all the complaining I’ve done I would not have changed a thing. It was an honor to be trained by two great Marines, they made a man out of someone who wasn’t much of a man when I went in. Lance cpl Chuck Seward 1960 to 1968 Semper FI
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Seriously, you’re DI’s were named Hardy-Harr??!? That’s just too funny!!!
yes we were known as the hardy – harr plt.
Best training I ever went through, i preferred them to be hardass that’s what got me through nam
Mine were Sgt. Dunn, and Sgt. Dummer
Our DI did the same thing, had us chew or smoke out in the “boonies” PI, SC. 1976.
At ITR in LeJeune my Dad, a tobacco salesman, sent me a box of chewing tobacco to pass around. Our unit went on a long hike. All of my fellow Marines thought it was salty and cool. A few miles down the road, when a good number of them went from salty to sick, they were ready to kill me. So much for good deeds, maybe a few of them never wanted to chew after that exhilarating experience. Ha!
I would have given a semi month’s pay for a good chaw in boot camp. I was at mcrdpi “57-58 2nd bn. No chewing tobacco in base px so I bought some cigars not to smoke but to chew. When the smoking lamp was lit and all the smokers were a smoking, I was a chewing. Not quite the same as the real thing but you know what they say about any port in a storm. Semper Fi.
Our senior DI in August 58 was a Staff Sgt. named Hardy, a Korean vet. Wonder if he was the same Hardy you had.
Both of my DI’s were Korea vets, so it is very possable
Went through boot camp august 58, shock of my life, 5’6 135 lbs, after about two days I said to myself what the hell did I do? Got out 3 months later 155 lbs thought I could run through walls. One day on the parade field, our Senior DI GySgt Stuart Floyd, says to me is that rifle at the proper degree? (order arms) I looked down said yes sir, next thing I know I m on the ground, when I looked down he hit me in the stomach and whacked me on the jaw, of course I dropped the M-1 , he says that rifle better not have a chip on it. I was in shock, 17 yrs old no one ever hit me like that. You guys will understand this, I would never change that moment, today I feel like that but at the time I said whoa! Parris Island made a man out of me. The best damn thing I ever did was being a Marine. Semper Fi David Ravanesi Plt 182 B Co 1st Btln 58-62. Other DI s Ssgt Lavin, Sgt Kilman.
We were in the same platoon John Brosnahan. What a small world!
John, you are the first contact from my plt.in 56 years. If you have your plt. picture, where are you in the pic. What have you been doing all these years? Please contact me.
Send me an e mail topbros@comcast.net
I’m in the 3rd row 4th from the right. The first row consist of the 3 DI’s and 5 Marines. Who is David Ravanesi and Chuck Seward?
David send me an E Mail topbros@comcast.net Semper Fi MSgt John Brosnahan USMC Retired
I went through boot camp in 1971. The recruits that were caught after lights-out smoking in the head were made to place a bucket over their head and smoke an entire pack of cigarettes and then were dealt with even more by the drill instructors.
*Seward only made Lance Corporal in 8 years in the Marine Corps?? I was in 4 years and made Sergeant in 3 of those 4 years and “I also came out a Sergeant(E-5) ! ” *
4 years of the 8 were reserves and not handing out a lot of promotions
Went in 68 weighing 100 pounds and 26 waist,I could say my senior DI was funny perez,SSgt good Sgt nunnery and of course Sgt JESTER all the hard training paid off,I came home on leave weighing 130 pounds and with a waist size of 32″ and I don’t regret it at all . I got my ass whooped by them probably for a reason, you think.
Was Jester a short red headed guy with lots of freckles ?
that be me
If your DI did their job right,then they helped shape who you became.If you washed out in life then they did not do enough.I wish I could tell mine THANK YOU.Semper Fi
I don’t think any D.I. ever failed doing their jobs.Life can throw a lot of curve balls at you for whatever reason.I can credit my drill instructors,SSGT Brown,SGT J.I.Justice,and SGT Pornavetts for making me look adversity straight in the eye and say That ain’t sh#t.
Enlisted in June of 1962, age 20, Plt. 144, MCRD, San Diego. Promoted to Sgt while at Marine Barracks, Naples, Italy 1966. Was there ’64-’66, then 9th CommBn, 29 Palms (culture shock!) volunteered for Drill Instructor duty at San Diego. Graduated DI Scol 10 Nov 1967. Served in “E” Company, finishing tour as Water Survival Inst. Was now a SSgt Radio Chief with orders to RVN. Got to Oki waiting for a hope down south. Division Commander Chief had my orders changed because the 3rdDiv just out of RVN needed Radio Chiefs. I was assigned to the 9th Marines at Schwab. Requested orders back to the Drill Field, got them, so back to the Depot at SD. Had 2 honor platoons in “F” Co. Volunteered to be an instructor at Drill Instructor School as Drill Master. Left there and went to work for my good friend, MGySgt (Ret) Bobby Biers at PTU. He was instrumental in my being meritoriously promoted to Gunny. Was NCOIC of Water Survival Section. So all of this being said, my two tours as DI were the most satisfying duty of my 24 year career. Much of the above stuff went on, but very few DI’s I knew did the extreme stuff. There was a difference between “thumping” and “maltreatment”. Thumping was done for a purpose.in any event being a DI was and is the most demanding, satisfying job a Marine could have. There are Marines who may disssagree, but if you haven’t had a successful tour on the field…..!
To me it made no difference what is said about what the DI’s did or din’t do, they made us men and most importantly they made us Marines forever. No one forgets the important ones in life’s building of men and at the top of the list are the DI’s at thr MCRD’s.. I did the swamp, Parris Island, and I’d do it again.. R.R.Krummel,Jr, SGT (Retired), MOPH VN
MGySgt Irvin, Thank you for your service to our country and for successfully serving two tours as a Drill Instructor. I too served two tours at PISC 70-73 and 79-81, both tours in 1st Bn. If I could go back in today I would like to go as a Recruit or a Drill Instructor.LOL Raymond Edwards, Sgt Maj USMC Ret
thank you for being a DI, it had to be very rewarding and like I said, it was an honor to be trained by my two DI’s which were the greatest Marine”s i’ve ever met.
Master Gy Sgt Irvin I believe that you are responsible for making a Marine of me in Feb – April 1969. I was a house mouse in Honor Platoon 2023. You and the other drill instructors did a great job preparing us for the Marine Corps and Vietnam. I was a draftee and made E5 in 18 months. Meritorious Corporal and Sargent. Thank you for all you did for all of us.
Thanks to men like MGySgt Irvin and SgtMaj Edwards a lot of us boys were made into Marines. Other than my father, my Senior DI, Sgt. Francis X. Muldowney was the most influential man in my life. Have to admit he “thumped” me a couple times but it could have been worse. I did manage to get in touch with some members of India 3/9 where he served as Platoon Sergeant and and Company Gunny in Vietnam. They told me some great stories about this amazing character. RIP Gunny you made a difference in my life. Bob Adcock, Platoon 235, Parris Island Jun – Sep 1965
I began recruit training in December 1961 at MCRD San Diego, Plt. 2002. My Drill Instructors were Senior Drill Instructor S/Sgt. P.E. Meek, JDI S/Sgt T. Ellison and JDI Sgt. L.N. Enos. All three of these Marines were outstanding Drill Instructors. Yes, some of us got thumped, but there was always a lesson learned, it was never done out of meanness. After all these years I still give those three men a great deal of credit for my positive experience in the Marine Corps as well as my positive experiences in my life after the Marine Corps. The reason I give them a lot of credit for the positive experiences in my life is because they taught me how to handle the difficult times.
Tom Coughlin ounty 63-67 are you related to the Coughlin’s from Kilfinora, County Claire, Ireland? My daughter has relatives(in-laws) there. She wants to plant my ashes in Uncle Paddys’ field. I hope she means out of reach of the dairy cows, although that might be what I deserve and approve.
Went in in 1958. Senior DI was SSGT Hardy. Maybe the same? Jr. DI’s were Sgt Happy and Sgt. Leach.Sgt,Happy was never happy. Yes, we got hit, beat, punished and whatever but it was always to improve us. Elbows and toes on the grinder with our rifles slung across our backs and duck walking at camp Mathews up big and little agony were among the worst. Wouldn’t trade that experience for any thing. They did the job of making a bunch of young kids into men and MARINES.
I’m sure he is the same, but our Jr. DI’s were Sgt. Strahan and Sgt. Deremer. Platoon 347, 3rd. Bn
To my Marine brothers who endured pure hell towards becoming one of the few and the proud, I salute you. I became a Marine on June 5, 1970, Plt 237, 2nd battalion, Golf company. I share your experiences, the beatings, gallons of ammonia poored in the hot shower and every horrific thing ordinary people would ever imagine. That is why we are the few and proud. Or titl, US Marine, must absolutely be earned!!! And yes with all we enduted, we would go through it again to earn our coveted title. Semper Fi my brothers…we do or die.
Went to PISC in Sep. 59. Drill instructors were SSgt Kerney, Sgt Kimick & Sgt Weathers who we nicknamed “Stormy Weathers” which was well deserved. I both feared & respected these Marines who took us wet behind the ears kids and in 12 short weeks turned us into men & Marines. From that time to this I have carried the lessons taught to me many years ago by those DI’s which led to a successful career in law enforcement. Now at 74 years of age I am still a Marine at heart & often wish I was 17 years old so I could do it all over again. Thanks Drill Instructors & Semper Fi, from a grateful Marine. L/Cpl Paul Mac Lean.
Memories of boot camp will never be forgotten, along with the others. People don’t understand what these mean to fellow Marines. I had a former Marines wife ask me how it was we always recognized each other no matter where we were. Once a Marine always a Marine! If you can cut the CORPS, you can cut anything.
Arrived at MCRDSD 56 years ago today. Went in 5’10, 142, came out of boot camp 5’11, 190 solid. You might say I bulked up a little. I don’t remember the names of the original DI’s because about a month in we heard they got a little aggressive with a recruit and suddenly we have new DI(s)! Lucky us , as you can imagine the new DI’s may have harbored some resentment toward us, but it’s all good, we all made it through fine. Funny story that my enlistment buddy and I, a couple of Oak Cliff boys who hadn’t grown up around firearms were the only 2(as far as I know), who qualified expert. The DI’s and boot camp helped me in life to be more disciplined, more organized, and to appreciate the opportunities this country has afforded me. Semper Fi!
I don’t have any wild stories from my days as a Woman Marine. But, I can tell you that the Corps prepared me for the futurel. Eventually, I married a Marine at Camp Pendleton and raised 8 kids. Whenever anyone would ask the kids how come they had not served in the military, their quick answer was “We lived through a boot camp, already.”
LOL. My Marine and I had 50 years and 1 day together before his passing.
GREAT STORIES OF EVERYONE’S EXPERIENCES IN BOOT CAMP, I CAN RELATE TO MANY OF THE THESE STORIES. I WENT THROUGH PI IN ’65 AND VIET NAM IN ’66- 67. I KNOW THAT I WOULDN’T BE HERE IF IT WASN’T FOR THE TRAINING I RECEIVED IN PI AND LATER AT CAMP GEIGER AND CAMP PENDLETON. I WAS IN THE 3RD BLT IN PI, PLT 3027. OUR DI’S WERE; SGT. MOORE, SGT. MCKINNON AND SGT RAMSEY.
I enlisted upon graduating from the Univ of IL in June of 1960, declined an offer to apply for jet fighter pilot school and served in the ranks. My best junior DI was Sgt. Jimmy McCall from Ashville, NC. I won’t mention my senior DI’s name because he took money from us and also made us buy two packs of cigarettes at the PX for him. He called it “flight pay” and was court martialed for it. One of the recruits turned him in upon leaving boot camp at PI. It was a real big deal and I had to testify. I made sure I told the court that he was a great DI and did a fine job, but I could not deny that he stole. A lot of the boots were angry that he took their money and testified against him for it. Even though I didn’t like what he did I refused to report him after boot camp and I felt bad about what happened. He ruined his career for a few bucks. What a shame. We also had Sgt Wazelewski who was retiring upon completion of our boot camp and to be honest, it was obvious his heart wasn’t in it though he made an effort. However, Sgt. McCall was blood and guts and nothing got past him, especially when I couldn’t control my laughing though I really tried. I got my butt kicked for that more times than you could count and I never resented it. I knew I had it coming, but screaming at me reminded me so much of my old man who screamed at the drop of a feather and I just thought it was stupid. I would do anything the DI’s asked of me. I loved the Corps and I was in good shape when I went in and was able to do whatever they asked of me. I could do more push-ups, sit-ups, etc than anyone in the platoon (lst Btn, #152) and though I was a quiet hard working lad, Mac made a man out of me and I have forever been grateful. I got punched, kicked, slapped and God knows what else, but I learned to take it and shut up. I could never repay Mac for what he did for me. 5 years after boot camp he was assigned to my reserve center as an armorer and I saw him in hallway and still called him sir even though we were both Sergeants (E-5). I felt bad we were the same rank and we became buddies. I never forgot on graduation day he came looking for me to shake my hand and tell me he gave me “special attention” because he thought I’d make a good Marine. I was touched, surprised and happy to hear it because I really respected him. In 1980 I wanted to go back in the reserves and the reserve center i had served in wanted me back, but HG said no because of my age. I was 42 and still in tremendous condition, running and exercising. I was disappointed, but accepted the verdict without rancor. In 1993 I decided to send Sgt. McCall a letter of inordinate gratitude for all he did for me and got the Commandant to forward it on my behalf to Mac. I never heard back from him and just hoped that he was okay. Earlier this year I posted a note on this blog and asked if anyone could help me find Sgt. McCall and Larry Netter, a great guy and a former Marine helped me. He went on Together We Served and found out that Mac had gone to Viet Nam, made Captain and eventually retired. Sadly he died a few years ago. He was only 3 years older than I am. I am 78 at this time. But Larry got me his son and daughters address. I wrote to them about what a great dad they had and what an outstanding Marine he was for all his recruits. I would have loved to have wished him well and thanked him one last time. I was the only guy among my buddies who enlisted in the Corps and nothing in my life has ever been so influential as the Marines. They put the grit in my gut and gave me an attitude that I could accomplish anything if I put my mind to it. It seems to me you can take a guy out of the Corps (finished his tour, retried,) but you can’t get the Corps out of those who served. That spirit will be with me until I cross that final river. I wear a great jacket I got from Sgt. Grit and it says US Marine Corps on the back. I bet a dozen people have asked me if I served in the Marines and I always look them in the eye and say, “I wouldn’t wear if I hadn’t served.” But I always smile at them when they don’t know what to say next. And if they thank me for my service I tell them I served with pride and it was the best thing I ever did in my life, closing with a thank you to them. Best of luck to all you Marines out there who read this. Thanks for your service to our great nation, knowing that what you did kept all of us free. Semper Fi, Buzz
I went through Parris Island July, 1954. My Drill Instructors were Sgt George, Sgt Klienech and Cpl Heiser. It’s true; one never forgets their Drill instructors. All three were notorious thumpers but that taught us to stay alert and pay attention to all orders. After boot camp, Cpl Heiser joined my Rifle Company, E-2-4, 1stMarBrig in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii in 1955..He remained as sharp as ever and we became friends. As a Sgt E4 (old rank structure), and married with two kids, I returned to the 1stMarBrig in Kaneohe Bay with C-1-4. Ran into Heiser again. This time he was a Marine Major and still remembered me. Damn good Marine. Later, I was transferred to MCRDiego and after a stint at HqCo RTR, I went thru DI school and served as a JDI for 3rdBn Kilo Company Plt 347 and then as PC with various 8wk platoons. Plt 3317 which graduated Nov 1966, was my last herd. This past Nov., Platoon 3317 had their 3rd reunion at MCRDiego. I managed to attend their first one. I would do all of this all over again. Semper Fi to all my Marine brothers & sisters.
GySgt Hinojosa I graduated from MCRD San Diego in Nov. 1966 from Plt 1108. I know you were a DI in 3rd Battalion and I was in the 1st Battalion, but was wondering if by chance you knew a SSgt T.F. Diehl, SSgt R.L. Haycock or SSgt V. Parker? Semper Fi
Sorry, did not have opportunity to meet those DI’s you named. Semper Fi, my brother.
Thanks, knew it was a long shot.
In later life I realized that throughout my life after the Marine Corps no one could chew my ass out like the professional one’s I got to meet in boot camp! Many tried they all failed they could not get the smile off of my face. The DI’s we had in platoon 210 MCRD, San Diego, January 1959 set the bar to high for any civilian. I thank them for that. Semper Fi!