When I got off the train at Yamasee, SC in Aug. 1961 our Drill Instructor (a DI was Jake Webb in the movies that we learned the hard way) was a interesting young man that had a very loud voice and an abrasive attitude. He turned out to be one of our junior Drill Instructors (Sgt. Adcock). He was a young female feline compared to SSgt. Jacoby who was the Senior Drill Instructor. When we reached Parris Island the next day I don’t remember yellow footprints. I suspect they came later for the intellectually deprived recruits which also deprived the Drill Instructors the FUN of getting the mob in line. Memories!!!!
I arrived at PI in the Fall of ’62 and my Senior DI was a Sgt. Adcock (Talmadge P. from Baton Rouge, LA I believe) and he, I can assure you, was no longer a”female feline”!! And there still were no yellow footprints and Sgt. Adcock thoroughly enjoyed getting us/the mob in line!! S/F, Curt Curtis (Sgt. Retired)
PS: I thought he was one terrific DI (although not ’till Graduation!!).
I was at P.I. in Jun 15 to Sept 13, 1962 Plt 238 L Company was must have crossed paths.
Sgt Court C. Conkwright
its only in your dreams that Hollywood marines are any different then you pi boots
Thank you for saying this my brother! I’ve often wondered why we, Marines who deployed to MCRD SD, were called Hollywood Marines! It seemed like who ever was saying this was trying demean us or make us sound as if our training was anything different than PI! If I recall correctly, we had the same haircut, same forced marches, some mud pits, same WELL trained DIs, the same uniform and, of course, the same spilled blood, sweat, and tears and the honor of being called a US Marine! So, what is it? Guess what PI Marines, we are all Marines, we are all brothers and sisters spilling blood together all over the world, so please stop with the Hollywood Marines title! Last I checked we all had the same EGA and honor to be called a Marine! Can I someone please tell me how I’m different than a PI Marine? SEMPER FI to ALL my Marine Family no matter where you suffered (and became one of the Few and Proud) at the hands of Marine DIs!
PI? Hmmmm isn’t that where they train WOMEN Marines??
I was a recruit at PI in 1972 and a Company Commander at MCRD San Diego in 1990, no difference a Marine is a Marine. Happy belated 244th to all Marines!!!
Semper Fi
Mike Collins
Capt USMC ret
I don’t remember any yellow footprints at receiving barracks when I got to MCRD SD the night of 06 June 1958. The only difference between MCRD San Diego and Parris Island was that at San Diego we could see through the fence line at the naval recruit training center in the distance and see the Navy recruits walking with their girlfriends/wives on Sunday afternoons. Semper Fi!
27 December 1955 P.I. Platoon 197, age 17. I needed this training and 64 years later with AA, BA, MA & Phd, it was s till the best training I have ever received! It got better as my Certificate of promotion to SGT. 1 December 1957 hangs above all the other degrees. Yes, promoted to E4, SGT. in those days at age 19. Talk about a challenge! I realized I needed more formal education, so after my 3 year enlistment, was discharged and started school. Now at age 81, I can appreciate Parris Island.
PI is where women Marines traine. And I went to boot camp at SD 1968 then later a Senior DI 3rd Bn K company 1982. The one thing I know to be true is women Marines have fought and died serving this country and have earned the EGA. Semper Fi
Terrence (Terry) E. Carbonara (Retired, USMC CPL, E-4)
1960-1964, TDRL, 1964- Permanently Retired, 1969)
I personally can’t give an opinion as to the day to day, month after month, year after year banterring as to which recruit training depot was a tougher location to earn the coveted Eagle, Globe and Anchor. I graduated from MCRD, San Diego, prior to ITR at Camp Pendleton, CA. All Marines graduating from SD, had their own challenges, as well as triumphs as part of the process as did the graduates from Parris Island, S.C. One might debate as to the merits of climate, terrain, insects, former combat D.I’s as opposed to non-combat instructors. I’m certain the question of years served becomes an issue as to non-combat and combat assignments, ie: WWII, KOREA, VIETNAM, BEIRUT, and so on. The inquiries, questions and comments will continue as long as there are Marines to stroke the friendly fire(s). We all realize the U.S. Navy as a whole banters as well regarding the Great Lakes, NTC and the former San Diego, NTC; accordingly the U.S. Army has had its training locations challenged between units of the 82nd. and 101st Airborne. I can’t address the possible comments/concerns that may have been circulated regarding the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Coast Guard.
In my final summation I can say without reservation that I did enjoy and get a bit of stress relief watching the twinkling lights from the homes in the hills of beautiful California as I ran around my platoon trying to catch my mail from home before the letter(s) hit the deck-never made the catch!
Yeah, at MCRD San Diego we had it much easier.
In 1961, we were issued lounging pajamas, smoking jackets, and sunglasses. Uniforms were Dress Blues & Tennis Shoes or cammie bathing suits. Close order drill involved young starlets brought in from LA by bus to entertain us. Our PT involved volleyball and surfing lessons. Our 782 gear was ditty bags full of beer, hamburgers, suntan lotion and candy.
Our DIs called us ‘gentlemen’, said ‘Please’ when asking us to do something, and tucked us in every night with a forehead kiss. At Camp Matthews, we qualified with shields, broadswords, bows & arrows and spears.
Every day a holiday, every meal a banquet, every pay day a fortune, every formation a family reunion. US Marine Corps: just one good deal after another.
Shoot, by 1964 we were even issued lawn chairs from which we could watch the sunsets.
In all fairness, while the Drill Instructor experience is the same in either place, those of us that went through MCRD SD did not have to put up with insects, and high humidity.
But they didn’t have Mount Mother F_cker either! LoL
Yo, Stony, Good old days… Camp Matthews Hills called “Little Agony” and “Big Agony”… “Old Smokey” at ITR… Marines on a force march groaning “Not another F’n hill”!!! M60 weighed 23 lbs. at 0-dark30 and a hundred and 23 lbs by noon 30… ” Another glorious day in the Corps. Everyday is a holiday and every meal is a banquet. Steak and eggs for breakfast… Turn too, Turn too… Drop your c**ks and grab your socks” Semper Fi Stony… From Sgt. J.
Got to San Diego in June 1963. There were yellow foot prints. And yes our platoon starred in a TV Series “The Lieutenant”. Rip Torn and Gary Lockwood were some of the actors. I bought a dvd of the series and can see myself marching with “DI” Rip Torn. Our real Senior DI (Dan Brophy) Sgt. E-5 now retired Captain got hit by a .50 caliber in Vietnam. He’s been in a wheel chair for the last 50 years. We keep in touch. I remember one time he had all of us get into a quonset hut and said “in case I missed any of you”, had us all remove our covers and then proceeded to pound each and everyone of us on the head.
After Graduating from PI in early February 1976, it was off to Fort Knox, KY for Tank Crewman (1811) school. First of all I was shocked to see two Drill Instructors. Fortunately, they weren’t the same as boot camp DIs. But I mention this because one of them were named Adcock and he had a very deep southern drawl. I can’t quite remember if he was a SSGT or Gunny. Anyway, in 1978 I get orders for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Marine Barracks, Ground Defense Force (you had to get big envelopes to fit that all in the return address corner). I report to Tank platoon and there’s two Gunnery Sgts. running the platoon and one of them was Gunnery Sgt Adcock. I remember somebody asking him where he was from and he answered “LA.” To which they responded, “you sure don’t sound like you’re from Los Angeles” and Gunny says, “ who the hell said anything about Los Angeles, I’m from Lower Alabama.” Both he and the other Gunny were our instructors at Ft. Knox. I don’t know how to spell the others name but it was pronounced all-clear, or something like that. Both great guys, funny as hell.
My previous text was in response to the fellas that mentioned a DI named Adcock and nothing to do with my own PI experience. Obviously
My dad was a Yamasee Marine, December 1951. When I was a boy, he told me stories of getting off the train and how the DI’s
MESSED with them from the very start.
I am the other hand, was a “Charleston”
Marine 1976. Bus’d to PI, SC. (My dad rode in “cattle trucks”). We arrived and stood on the YELLOW FOOTPRINTS about 0200. S/F
SSGT. Tony Woconish, 1976-1982