I just wanted to say that I miss Gunny White, S/Sgt Sanborne, and Sgt. Broom.” Platoon 1142 on the Road”, the shit was on!!! MCRD San Diego July 1969. Tried to go to church on Sunday, but damn the preacher was mean too! He had PFC’s and L/cpl’s walking down the aisles, slapping you in the back of the head for nodding off; after a few weeks they would let us buy a newspaper and I would sit on my bucket and read about the Tate-Labianca murders by Charles Manson. The groovy people at Woodstock sure made me homesick too.
Now that is a very astute observation, James. It was much the same in the summer of 1964. I particularly remember one Sunday, when I was really engrossed in reading an article, and I didn’t hear the call to attention when Sgt Sanchez stepped out of the duty hut. I looked up in sheer terror as all I could see was him bearing down on me and I knew it was not going to be good. He caught me under the throat with his open hand and I went tumbling over into the ice plants. Spent the remainder of the morning running up and down the platoon street yelling, “I’m a shit-bird, I’m a shit-bird…” Just a little thump to get my attention. Semper Fi!!! Top Pro