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"
Semper Fi,
Jim Herbst
Sgt 29 July 66 / 28 July 70 – RVN – 1st Mar Div 1 Sept 68 / 9 April 70