Photo attached of JFK watching the Pugil Stick training. My memory of this training goes all the way back to January 1957 when the sticks were in their beginning and had no padding whatever, just each end duck taped with a pad. As for we trainees all we had was a football helmet and no face guard also boxing gloves. No other body or groin protection. We just formed a circle and the DI would insert one, two or sometime three against one however his mood at the time.
Pugil Sticks
Have to love pugle stick day In 2005 they have you on a thin platform about seven feet up from the ground so you also have to worry about falling off while getting hit in the head. Lol. Fun days devils
I remember Boot Camp!, just like it yesterday, in reality it was 45 years ago, the DI ambushes, 3 mile runs in FULL Combat Gear, pugil stick fights, our Helmets were the Steel Pot- M1 Helmet/ w/Liner, OD Green Utilities, 1st haircut ( Lmao) after the 3rd week I wondered to myself what hell did I get myself into!, looking back?, I’d do it all over again
Pugil Sticks – 1969 MCRD San Diego. Just a football helmet for protection. There was also a length of rubber hose added to the matches between recruits. It was supposed to represent a knife. One recruit with the hose and the other with the pugil stick. Two platoons would square off against each other, one recruit against another. The winner would get back in line to fight again. This would go on till one platoon was wiped out. Fun times!
Fall of 91 at MCRD San Diego with pugil sticks after only a few weeks of arrival
Pugil Sticks – summer, 1957, MCRD San Diego;
Waltzing around with the sticks, not sure if we might hurt someone, the DI pulled someone out to demonstrate the proper use of the pugil stick.
I woke up a short time later with a head ache – good class though.
Aug. 59 had the pleasure of always being paired up with the biggest guy in the platoon also an amateur boxer, The first time I charged him and got him good. After that I got the crap knocked out of me, oh the fun days.
Need to add god bless pvt Heath were ever you are!
Two weeks in a row for pugil sticks, so I’ll tell the story again: Quantico, 1965: Jackie Proctor was a VERY tough OCS candidate out of Alabama. “En garde” was the last thing I remember!
Pugil Styx,,, 1984,,,”Bridge Over Troubled Waters”!
Me and my older Brother, ” Buddy System”.
The DI’s Loved Us!, Oh Yeah!
Anyway, I was kicking his Ass, he got a lucky blow,,, and I got the whistle, and was pointed towards the water!!!
GOOD TIMES!