The one hour sleep story reminded me of my arrival in San Diego in 1964. My plane stopped in Denver, not feeling well I spent too much time in the restroom, missed my flight. Finally got to S.D., took a cab to the Depot. The MP’s thought it was a hoot my showing up in a cab. The processing staff picked me up, when we got to the yellow footprints, they all thought it would be fun to see how fast they could process one recruit. They made bets and timed me with a stopwatch. I don’t know what the time was, I was in shock. The rest of my group had been policeing the area and had not been picked up by the DI yet, so I didn’t miss a thing. When I returned from Nam in 1967, I was posted at 2nd Battalion ITR at Pendleton, almost full circle from my start in the Corps.
D. Nicoll Ssgt.
RVN-65-66
That’s how I feel about MCRD San Diego, Doug. I also arrived in 1964, but I didn’t get such a personalized reception, thank God. Seems like many of my life’s significant events occurred there after standing on the yellow foot prints, and I would return often because the communications schools were located there. I was first married in the base chapel in 1971, even if it would only lasted for nine years. I returned there after my “annus horribilis” with 2/9 in westpac 1975-76 and committed myself to the remainder of my career in the Corps. Hopefully, next year I plan to return for what may be one last time as I will attend the Koh Tang/Mayaguez Veterans Organization reunion in Las Vegas in May, and it is a short drive to San Diego. Semper Fi!!! Top Pro
Where and when were the Yellow Footprints first used? MCRD San Diego , or MCRD Parris Island? Just curious. A Marine that I know was at PI in 64 and said “No Yellow Footprints when I was there”. Harry 1371
Hey Harry – I don’t know when they were originated or first used, but I cam attest that they were at MCRD San Diego at zero-dark-thirty on 27 May 1964. Later, when I was in teletype school, our squad bay was in the very north-east corner of the arcade. We were on the north side and Receiving Barracks ran along the east side. We would often be woken in the night by the sounds of the DI’s working a new bunch of recruits. We would then go up to the second floor walk-way and watch the entertainment. I don’t know why, but some times the bus would let the recruits out on the north side of Receiving Barracks instead of the front where the yellow foot prints where. I think this is why some guys claim that they never knew of any yellow foot prints. Also, I think the north side of Receiving Barracks was were the receiving scene of the pilot “Gomer Pyle USMC” was filmed. I can’t swear to that, but it looks similar to what I remember. Semper Fi!!! Top Pro
I think it was 1965 at Parris Island. Bill
I went through P.I. starting 2nd. Aug. 1963 and they were there then.-Plt. 159
They first appeared in 1965 at Parris Island, and I think they would have been the same at both MCRD’s Harry.
Well, there’s your answer Harry. If Top said he stood on them in ’64 that’s good enough for me.
Affirm! Harry
I was a recruit at MCRD San Diego February 1964 and I stood on those damn foot prints. Semper Fi. RVN 65/66/69
I won’t swear to it cause I’m getting old and senile but I swear they were at PI on 30Jun60!
D Foley SGT 1960-1973 (Plt 160-177)
I think I have said this before concerning the Yellow Footprints. I arrived at MCRDPI in the wee hours of the morning on 13 January 1966. After so much yelling “Hurry up! Hurry up! Hurry up!”, along with other DI vocabulary that I had never heard, those footprints could have been pink , purple or blue and I would not have noticed. Semper Fi Marines….Bob 1381 Vietnam 1966/1967.
Got to PI around 2300 hours on the April 6 1961 and we had 5 seconds to get off the bus and get on the Yellow Footprints. Platoon 119. John Vaughn, 61/65
Read that not only Yellow Footprints at San Diego, but all the buildings are painted yellow. Some Marines refer to it as “The Yellow Hell ?” Harry