Sgt Grit,
I was assigned to C & E Bn D Co; Basics Electronics School at San Diego MCRD May 1967; these are the remnants of the Quonset huts that remain in that area now. This picture was taken almost 40 years to the day later from when I was transferred to San Diego for school. The huts are currently used as training huts for weapons trainings. The second one is my old living quarters for 6 months until we were transferred to 29 Palms MCB in December 1967.
Be Good, Be Blessed, Semper Fi
Karl Karl
I lived in a tent & a Quonset hut when I went through boot camp in Platoon 3206 in San Diego in 1969. Our chow halls were the wooden type. Everything looked like it was from WWII.
Followed in Karl Karl’s footsteps. Bootcamp aug 31, BES Jan 68, then on to 29 Palms. Then stationed at MACS-5 until discharge June-1971!
We lived in Quonset huts at the rifle range at Parris Island in 1957
I remember Plt. 1101 at MCRD August 1967/Dec1967. My wife saw the pic. and said the yards were dirt and had rocks in them. I informed her that it was Marine Corps grass and white rock landscaping that had to be raked every day and the rocks where kept in military alignment. She said,”Now I know why after 46 yrs. why the yard is mowed and landscaped, once a Marine always a Marine”
I was also in a Quonset hut in 1968 . Our whole platoon was in there all though basic. We had a wood burning stove in the back. We loved it.
You forget? If you were in the Crotch, it wasn’t basic, it was boot camp. Army was “basic”.
I went through boot camp April to July of ’68, all of 1st Bn. were housed in quonset huts at the far east end of the base. We still had the old wooden mess hall at that time too. In late August, I returned to C&E schools “B Co.” for Radiotelegraph Operator (2533) training and they had just started building the 2nd Bn. concrete barracks building at that time. But, all recruits were still in the quonset huts. Our school classroom was on the side of the base near I-5 and just down from the receiving barracks, our building was still one of the old wooden classroom buildings. I was fortunate to go there for boot camp in the spring and summer because event though it was So. California, the nights got pretty cold right on the bay. I never got used to the noise of jets taking off at the airport either…
I lived in those huts in 1968 June-Aug. Went to 2nd ITR then to the rice paddies. Semper Fi Hoorraah
i well remember the Quonset huts in Jan. 3rd 1956, platoon 3. A wood or coal burning stove right in the middle of the hut. It was like 40 degrees in Jan. and ran naked to out side open doored showers, with Cold water running. Fun time !! Fired x-pert on the rifle range; received a GE steam iron for that. Duck-walked everywhere . Got about 4 hours sleep every night. Would’nt change a thing ! SEMPER FI ! OOORAAAH !
Gotta’ luv’ it! Semper Fi !
1955 it was still wwii. chow hall wwi.
I went to boot camp in March 61. Our Quonset huts for 2nd Bat, Plt 217 were adjoining the grinder that now has permanent barracks. Cpl. RL Chersi. 1958025.
Seven of us from Texas enlisted together and started boot camp in March 62. 2nd Bat. Plt 217 (Regimental Honor Platoon).We also lived in Quonset huts adj. to the grinder. Sounds like we in the same place at a different time. John Sitler
While in Diego my boot camp platoon was 264. We live in Quonset Huts and while at Camp Matthews(?) the range we lived in squad tents. Semper Fi Marines!
I lived in the Quonset when I went thru boot camp in August of 1967,I remember being on guard duty watching (guarding) the cloths lines.that was fun!!!
Plt. 245, June – Sept, 1963. Beautiful Quonset Hut, corner lot, directly adjacent to the Grinder. “Stay off my #*&@$/! Ice Plant”!!
yes, memories boot camp July 1967. (Plt. 1018) MCRD, some good and some not so good. But we made it. Semper Fi !
when I went through boot camp in 66, we were in quonset huts, platoon 1118, had oil stove in middle for heat, screens in hotter days, Yes, you had to rake the sand, Rocks had to be in formation order.
Thanks Robert, I went thur San Diego in March 1964 Pltoon 328, I was trying to remember if the oil stove was at the depot or if it was at Camp Matthews in the hard backed tents with the roll up sides or maybe even both, at 69 yrs old I can’t remember a lot of things except my serial and my rifle number and even my eleven general orders including the twelfth general order not to forget the first eleven.
Oil stoves at the Depot…..two years in Lima Co,next to ‘the Little Grinder’ and the runways…….never did see one lit….or even have oil in it. The stoves in the ‘pram’ (for ‘pyramidal’) tents at Matthews were made to burn wood or coal, probably were at least WWII vintage, if not older…..also never saw one of those lit. First barracks after ITR was at Horno on Pendleton…..four oil burners, one in each corner of the squad bay……..sometimes they worked OK, but had to go out at taps. We had a hand-cranked pump on a pipe out of the ground outside the barracks, and used a 5-gallon can to fill the tanks on the back of the stoves.
Yep, September 1965, Series 377, Plt. 377. The ice plants is where I did my first batch of pushups.
hi herb– steve lind plt 377 1965- how are you? sob- finally a living soul from #377!!! came across your e-mail–almost shit my pants! hope all is well with you-can remember the sand pits very well. just thought i would drop you a line and if you want to connect – send me a message! steve
I also arrived at MCRD in September 1965, but was 1 platoon behind you guys… 378. I frequently reminisce about those days, and would love hearing from any other 378 recruits. Semper Fi
Platoon 310 January 1966 Quonset Huts………………….Loved them.
I went through boot camp July 20th 1959 Plt. 149. we also lived in Quonset huts all the way through. Rifle range at Camp Mathews we lived in tents. caught mess duty at the rifle range I got stuck in the DI’s mess. living hell. would not trade those days for any amount of money what a wake up call..
I was in Plt 153 July 1959
Hey there Phipps, I was also in Plt 149 in ’59. I was originally in an earlier platoon but got set back due to a broken wrist, then joined Plt. 149 at the range. Remember Sgt.Lewis? Howard Hargrove
I was close to you in Sept. ’59 Plt. 271. I remember climbing on top of one of these babies with a scrub brush on field day. Great memories of those Quonset huts. (some not so great, lol) Took the cattle cars up to Camp Mathews and got leave for Christmas holidays. Semper Fi my brothers
I remember Quonset huts at Camp Wilson out at CAX 29 Palms. That’s was the early 80’s. Not sure if they are there now.
Nope…..never been Quonsets at Wilson (vet of three Stumps tours writing here, 8 years total)…what you lived in in the early ’80’s were some homemade A-Frames, dirt floor……roofed with 4’X16′ ribbed aluminum from Sears, Roebuck, old tent curtain doors for end doors…….some built by working parties from the EAP, others by SeaBees, Reserve Engineer units, etc. At the peak, there were 80 or so…….design was 64′ long (4′ modular design), 22’wide at the base…… What is out there now (was there August of 2015) are what are known as “K-Span buildings”………look a lot like Quonsets, but the metal is rolled on site by machines mounted on semi-trailers…..concrete floors are poured after the building is up…..how do I know?………In my files is the original ‘benny-sugg” (Beneficial Suggestion) returned from HQMC that approved building them……my design, drawn up when I got a case of the redass over what the EAP (Equipment Allowance Pool) had to spend a year replacing Medium GP Tents for CAX’s (Combined Arms Exercises…known today as Desert Vipers or something like that…….) Life of a tent was 5 weeks, five exercises, or one windstorm, whichever came first………we could build three tent’s worth of billeting space for the cost of two, and if the tin (aluminum) tent lasted two months we were money ahead. (HQMC at the time insisted that for field living, the shelter had to be ‘rudimentary’………they were. (more than one burned…..the framing was all 16’ 2X6″ Doug Fir…and a cook’s field range could catch the thing on fire. Try Google Earth to see what’s out there now……those are K-Span huts
Went to boot camp in San Diego, summer 1967, Plt. 3003 and yes I lived in the Quonset Huts while there. Those were good times. While there we had a airplane crash into our fence line along the airport. Anyone remember that incident?
Yes I was there in August 67 when a plane crashed by the fence . I was in plt. 1043 , we were in Quanset huts and my twin brother was in 1044 living in tents behind us .
I was in those Quonset hut in 15 May 1969. Plt. 3089
Those huts where home for Plt 269 in ’61’ And where still in use in 66 for boots I was at C & E blt training aids
Lived in those same quonset huts during basic electronics school . Jan 69. Pretty sure that mess hall was from WWII Pretty damn sure the chow was too. Cpl Wm. Fejka 2490211
We lived in Quonset Huts in Okinawa at Camp Koza and during a typhoon, a 2×4 come slicing through the roof and stuck about 10 inches away from one of our Marines who was laying in his rack. This was in 1960/61…Grandle Starling Parris Island plt. 207 “K” company April 1959. Still communicate with our Head Drill Instructor through Email….
I was in platoon 394 May 1968 for Basic . These huts were home then
Remember the quandary huts in December of ’68. Oil heaters, and not being able to light them without permission. I did one time without permission and paid the price (Dec 68)! Semper Fi, George Smith
I was in platoon 294 in may of 1968. We lived in the Quonset huts by the grinder.. Our pt field was beside the runway of Linberg field.. My dad was retired Navy in San Diego so I went to the commassary often at M. C. R. D. . I saw a reference to Camp Matthews.. When I was in ROTC @ San Diego State College, we used Camp Matthews, near N. A. S. Mairmar & Camp Marstin, near torrey pines, as training with the elements of 2nd tank bn. Camp Matthews & Camp Marstin both had squad bays left over from WWII. I also lived in Quonset Huts both at Los Pogas & San Onafry. Wow what a long time that was! Did a lot of pt up old Smokey. Ahh the glorious days in the “Old Corps”. GySgt J. B.. Gray. U. S. M. C. Retired
Well Then Those were the peaceful years Went thru Boot Camp Plt.156 Sgt. Evans Cpl. Buger Dis 1955 those were the hot years of 55 June – Oct Graduation Time . In That Year. The Huts were the real Thing in Those Days Hu Ra.
Was in Plt 156 MCRD from April 67 thru June 67 lived in Quonset huts back then.
I was in Plt. 155 starting in July 1955. We lived in Quonset huts as well. Our Senior DI was Sgt. Butts, a very small but tough guy.
Started boot camp at MCRD San Diego on 1 July 1958, Platoon 255. Lived in Quonset huts next to the grinder. Showered and went to the head in Quonset huts too. Did our laundry on the open air wooden tables and scrubbed our utilities with a brush. Speaking of the head, the toilets in the Quonset hut were out in the open, no stalls and your knees almost bumped the guy squatting across the narrow aisle on his toilet.. After boot camp, was assigned to RTOC (Radio telegraph operators course, MOS 2533,. Our barracks was across the grinder in the buildings with the arches. We were on the second floor and our barrack room had a balcony, off to the left of the parade ground flag pole, looking at the grinder area. After six months of school and graduation, almost the whole class was assigned to 1st Composite Radio company, first at Camp Smith and then permanent quarters at Kaneohe MCAS, Hawaii. Arrived in May 1959 and Hawaii granted statehood in August 1959. Spent three years at 1st Radio, with numerous overseas TDY’s to various countries.
Went through MCRD San Diego in June-Sept ’62 Plt 144, Charlie Co. 1st Bn. Q-hut 1-D-3 was mine. I came back as a Sergeant (E-5) in ’67 as Drill Instructor in Echo Co. 2nd Bn. We were the 1st series in the new barracks coming back from the range. Left in ’70 and came back a year later for my 2nd tour in Golf Co. 2nd Bn. Went to DI School as Drill Master, then to the training tank as NCOIC (Pool). Retired in ’85 as MGySgt Group CommChief 1stFSSG. Semper Fi
PLT 2071 F CO. arrived 08/29/68 lived in the huts next to the grinder. Mess hall and schools were all wood, even the company office buildings were wood. I slept top bunk next to a window and loved the quietness. Never seen a brick living qtr’s till we went to the rifle range. Sgt. Cecil Fell was one of our DI’s he was from Kansas and so was I…you can guess the rest.
Plt 354 quonsot hut, ice plant and old airport runway across the fence. Quonsot hut at ITR san onofre near bottom of old smokey.
Went thru MCRD Aug.-Oct. 1971 Ist BN. C. Co.. Plt.1084. We lived in the quonsets,we had the new messhall and we were at Edson Rifle Range. We lived in the new brick barracks for 2 weeks and then back to MCRD to finish training.
Arrived MCRD San Diego October 1950 Plt. 47. We were in 2 story wooden barricks as I recall just south of the base theater. Wood floors bleached white from field days using sand soap and scrub brushes. From there to Tent Camp 2 Camp Pendleton then to Korea to Fox-2-1 in May1951, 0311.
Arrived MCRD San Diego also October 1950. Unable to remember Plt. #. I remember being on the upper deck of 2 story barracks. Had a setback due to broken knee cap. Next home after the knee healed was Quonset huts close to the Airport with a new set of DI’s. Next stop was Tent Camp 2 Camp Pendleton. Then to Korea 1st Service Battalion (Meals on Wheels delivery service). Ended up on USS Repose Hospital Ship in Pusan Harbor for body damage. Then back to the mainland.
Yep.. them sure is Quonset Huts. Those were the Only Buildings (if you can call ’em that) that were on Camp Garcia, Vieques, Puerto Rico when I was stationed there 1973-74. Actually, they were quite cool in the summer, as long as those caribbean winds kept blowing.
Sgt. Giesler calls out “Platoon 140, on the road!” It was May 1964 and Quonset huts would be a welcome site at days end. Camp Mathews, up the road, reminded me of quarters in Chu Lai 65′ – ’66. ITR at Camp Pendleton put us back in Quonset huts off Basilone Road, where we ran the rolling hills often. We were a hop, skip and jump away from the California Coast. yah baby! It was an experience! Semper Fi!
My platoon was in Quonset huts in Morocco 2nd Guard Company in Bouknadel in 1962-3. The other platoon was housed in an old French garage, so Quonset huts were a step up.
was in one,believe we called them hoochs was in gitmo,1972.
Platoon 342, 3rd Bn. Quonset Huts were home from June 1962 to August 1962 if memory serves. Then Quonset Huts at ITR, Camp Pendleton.
Pretty sure 342 was the first platoon I worked in 1962……..and one of the few for which I don’t have a platoon book. I do have one for 342 a year later…..3 July to 12 September, 1963…….this many years and several platoons later, can’t recall for sure who the other DI’s were in 1962……..SSGT M.E. Carson comes to mind, or GySgt Wozniak. L Company, in the corner by the airport………I was a Cpl at the time, made Sgt about the first of September……
Series Gunny was D.D. Donahu, Senior DI, SSgt (E-6) R.L. Baker, JDI, SSgt (E-5) W.B. Boatwright, JDI SSgt E-6) R.M. Ellis, who was promoted to GySgt and wasn’t with platoon very long; and JDI, Cpl (E-4) M.R. Lynch. Started training 4 July 1962 and graduated 13 September 1962.
Yeah – still remember those Quonsets. Went to boot camp in June 1964. Saw changes the good old Corps was going through back until my farewell in Oct 1986. Man, those were the good old days. Semper Fi Marines.
My Quonset Hut experience was in 1972 at MAU Camp in Subic Bay. Went there for Jungle Warfare Training just after a hurricane came thru. Still had a lot of mud around. The Head was also a Quonset Hut, just a row of wooden seats no stalls. We thought that this standard Marine Corps accommodations. Never bothered us a bit. Hotel Co 2/9.
Cpl DL PULSCHER 1st Bn Plt 105 Jan 1960 I don’t remember troop numbers in each hut but I can remember trying to get out of that hatch in 10 seconds carrying our foot locker. We made it. This posting brings back a lot of good memories. Had three uncles go through MCRD in WWII. Uncle Bud still with us and still a Marine.
Was in the old Quonset huts at San Diego, Platoon #168 September-December 1963. Remember, while in formation, watching the 707s taking off from the airport with the four dark trails of black exhaust and wishing I was on each one of them. Assigned to air wing and wound up working on A-4, F-4 and A-6A (VMA-242) com/nav electronics. Last year in Nam with the old UH-34D (HMM-362). SSgt Moon and Cpl Hicks made good Marines and men out of us. THANKS!
Gy Moon was a plank-holder at Motivation Platoon and my boss (started, up by the swimming pool, about Feb of ’64. ) I knew Charlie Hicks (PCS’d to his last duty station some years ago……am in occasional contact with his widow, and his Marine Son (AmTracker, Desert Storm, LAPD for a bunch of years) have some stories about both Moon and Hicks Senior. (later sometimes known as ‘Goofy-Tooth’…….MT MOS, as I recall…)
nov. 68 lived in Qhuts while in boot plat 1104
I lived in the Quonset huts from April 1962 to July 62. Camp Matthews in tents, I company 3rd Bn. Platoon 330 We scrubed the cement floors with brushes. Pulled out the ice plant and plant it again. Stood guard across the fence from the Airport. Filled up a bucket of sand to do exercises, then use the bucket to sit on to write letters and clean rifles. But all in all. I had a good time, because we had a great group of DI’s. Especially My Platoon Commander S/Sgt J.L. Cunningham. We had the Regimental Honor Platoon. We were one of the first to get the new M-14 right out of the boxes. I have been back to the Recruit Depot several times, and I love it. Semper Fi to all marines, but especially platoon 330.
Sgt Walter, we were in the same outfit. If you have your recruit book , look up Clyde Parker. Sure is great to here from another. The one I remember the most was Arm (Armbrustmacher). If you would like, you may contact me.
Shall add my 2 cents worth; ’67 San Diego boot camp, Platoon 1093 (w/1094, 95 & 96 bringing up the rear). 1093 was Honor platoon I might add, took all but 2 or 3 ribbons also. Issued M-14’s, lived in quonset huts w/oil stove heaters that really didn’t put out that much heat. Edson Range; ahh the good life, new brick barracks w/hot water showers!! SDI was SSgt Dennis (GySgt selectee just before we graduated). JDI’s were SSgt Combs & Sgt Russell. Wonder where & what they are doing now, would like to hear from them also. Never saw or handled M-16 until RVN, M-14’s all the way (damn fine firearm too!). Gary Ross, Fox, 2 Batt., 26th Marines (Khe Sanh and other real fun spots S.E. Asia).
I’m surprised by the references to use of stoves for heating in Quonset Huts. I can assure you that the stoves in the three huts used by 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, MCRD San Diego, Platoon 3013 during the approx. period 17 Nov 1958 – 07 Feb 1959 were never used for heating purposes. They were clean and polished inside and out. I have no idea what fuel they would have used since we never had occasion to use them. One misguided recruit early on decided to sneak a smoke while on fire watch and disposed of his butt in one of the stoves. The odor was easily detected the next morning by the Junior DI on duty who proceeded immediately to the stove, discovered the butt, and within a few minutes identified the offender who left our platoon that morning and never returned. We heard that he was given a Section 8 discharge as unfit for military service, but that might just be hearsay. No matter the temperature, and we certainly did have some cold weather calling for field jackets with liners, the stoves were not utilized for anything other than to decorate our huts. During our stay at the range at Camp Matthews we encountered some very cold weather including light snow (not exactly a snow storm, but snow nevertheless).
I arrived in Parris Island, SC Februaryy 25, 1960 platoon 321, 3rd Battalion, we stayed in Quanset Huts, we moved into a new brick barracks building, I remember we were in by St Patrick’s Day.
After Parris Island boot in early 1952, I transferred to MCRD San Diego for Field Telephone Lineman training school (May 1952). We lived in these very quonsets, and our classes were in these quonsets…right up against the chain link fence separating MCRD from Lindbergh Airport. B-36s were still being built (by Convair, as I recall) and flown out of Linbergh Airport to their USAF destinations. They were true behemoths, and required great skill to pilot. In an area closer to the bay, we learned how to string wire, wear gaffs and climb poles. Chesty Puller came through our area and inspected us one day in June 1952…while we were atop poles. Then to Korea.
WAS IN PLT 120 FEBRUARY 58 IN QUANSET HUTS
We may have been one of the last platoons (#383, August ’54 to October ’54) to quarter in Quonset Huts on Parris Island. Several weeks before graduation we moved into wooden barracks opposite the parade ground. DIs: T.E. Spikes, Sgt., P.T. Timney, Cpl. and C.O. Foster, Cpl.. Foster was the mean sucker. I’d do it over in a heart beat. Semper Fi.
In July 59 at Parris Island quonsets were still the norm in 3rd Batt. 1st and 2nd had WW2 wooden barracks. I was in plt 342 mostly comprised of 6 month reservists. Our Plt was honor Plt took all the awards ,drill,rifle range and field day. Was there during a hurricane spent three days in the wooden barracks with c rats. Also got to stay an extra two weeks to help clean up the base. Always have wished I would have shipped over for the full 4 yrs. Love the Corps the older I get the more I realize it was the best years of my life. SSGT kritz was senior DI with another SSGT for JDI named Lovinggood, another JDI Wolfe. Mostly were korea vets. Would like to hear from any body still around who was there there then the hurricane will be the thing to connect us. God bless the Corps and all the fine you men who still serve and and make us old old Corps so proud. Charles L Miller E2 1690030
When I went through PI in February/April 1969 we (Plt 228) were in wooden WWII barracks and 3rd Batttalion were in the new brick barracks and the rifle range was brick barracks too. I lived in my first Quonset hut in ITR at Stone Bay, Camp LeJeune.
For Richard Young, Sgt.(54-57): Good to finally hear from someone who was in the same time I was, only a few months later! I was at P.I. from October 22, ’54 until January 18, ’55. We stayed in the huts at the rifle range, Dec. of ’54. The day we qualified, the low that morning was 12 degrees F.! Platoon 437, A company, 1st Bn. Almost froze my as off, as you know what we had to wear back then. D.I.’s were S/Sgt. Pleveyak, S/Sgt. Conklin and S/Sgt. Chism, and I think a Sgt. Kazinski. Liked old Pleveyak and Kazinski. Our Senior drill instructor at forming was a T/Sgt. Allen from Lyons, GA, but he got relieved of command due to the fact that he literally beat the crap out of a punk from Wasington, D.C.. I was afraid of that man. Ever run into him while in the Corps? Joining the Corps was one of the best decisions I have ever made……………..Semper Fi!…………David Earl Tyre, Sgt. (’54-’57)
I went to basic electronic school, basic radar,and ground radar school in 1964 and part of 1965. We livedown in those huts the whole time about 6 months.
Arrived MCRDSD June 15,1964 , Plt 350 and departed Sept. 10 for ITR at Pendelton. 3rd Bn was by the little grinder next to Lindberg field. DI’s were McAvoy, McGary and Urbina. Mathews was closing down and tent city was closed so they put us in an old warehouse. Lot of memories of “little and big ” agony. Left there in early August I believe and gates closed behind us. Wouldn’t trade a minute of it and would do it all again. Semper Fi.
When running became ‘the thing’, about that time period, McAvoy, who was, I think, by then in HQ Co with all the bayonet instructors, hand to hand, obstacle course, etc.etc. DI’s, really got into it….(Sgt Major John Massaro was the HQ Co 1st Sgt at the time)……he became known as “Million Mile McAvoy”…….(I was in STB, one of the DI’s for Motivation Platoon…we all ran…..a lot…….)
McAvoy was my DI, platoon 376, August of 1964. I was in Las Vegas in 1965 and I saw a parade going down the main drag, as I got closer I saw a banner, it read, USMC, walk from San Diego to Las Vegas…….. And there, in starched utilities, walking by himself, was SSGT McAvoy !!! I couldn’t believe my eyes, there was my boot camp DI, marching right down the middle of the street in Las Vegas ………. LOL ………
Nov. 66 – Jan. 67 I wish I had mine in my back yard now!
No quonsets for or barracks for recruits at MCRDPI in 1952. 8-man tents. Semper Fi had a different meaning in those days, too. I prefer the more recent meaning.
All my memories of MCRD started on 4,June, 1959. My Buddy Bob Acree and I flew in from Dallas like a couple of Hollywood Marines, when suddenly a little Bus pulled up and Gunny Baker, our new found Buddy for the next 7 or 8 weeks stepped out. You talk about getting your sh.. together…..I will never forget him……All these years later, I still wonder if his dream of becoming a Sheriff back home in Alabama ever came true! Some of those DI’s were OK Guys, He was the best! Oh! that 2nd Quonset Hut was mine……
Went thru boot at PI Grad 14-AUG -1972 , PLT 154 – 1st Bn and we had the NEW BARRICKS … Right across from main parade deck . But , 2nd Bn had the old wooden barricks with the dang steam pipes over head out side always making noise when heating up .. you could hear them at night over in 1st Bn .. Our Sr DI was SSGT Bishop & DI SGT Kincaid .
I graduated from P.I. in Sept. ’71 Plt. 161 our ADI was a Sgt J. Bishop. It probably was the same Marine
7-59 to 9-59 Quonset huts at MCRDSD and 4 man tents at Camp Mathews. Sand (grass) all around QH, racked lines in soil that had to be perfect and in line. If not, DI’s walked all over grass, redo again until perfect.
12 weeks in Quonset huts plt 437 nov 51 feb 52 great time never forget it
Went thru MCRD SD Aug 66, and yes we were in the huts! Never had any heat out of the stove either. Huts at ITR San Oneryfy too. While I was there, the Troop handler ‘volunteered’ me to fire up his stove as it was supposed to be cold that night. So, found where to pump out the oil, drag it back to the duty hut and start it up… That is when I found out that someone had painted it with silver paint. I got out of there quickly but was caught by the troop handler just as the smoke got REAL heavy!! He was pissed but just had me go shut it down…took a couple hours for the smoke to clear I think. Quite comical now remembering it some 50 years since it happened. Any Plt 1096 guys out there?
MCRD, June 1971, platoon 3065. I think they had just put up a couple of the new multi story barracks building over near the chow hall. We were shipped to Edson Range for range training, and back for phase 3. Racking and watering the “grass” was a part of the normal morning routine. We didn’t have any pretty white rocks.
Boot camp February 1964 Plt. 324&128, ITR camp Pendleton …. All quansit huts… Had a heater that I don’t ever remember being used, except for sneak smoking…. Any marine reading this from Plt 324, or 128 I would be glad to hear you… Semper Fi… H Young 64/69. RVN 65/66/69. 0311/2311
Boot camp Sept. 1956 platoon 2044 on the big grinder. All quonset huts them. Tents at camp mathews. What a wake up call when I met my DI’s. at MCRD SD
I was billited in Quonset huts Plt. 10 January 1957 Paris Island
Spent a lot of time in Quonset huts. Lived in them for ITR in Stone Bay, Camp LeJeune in April/May 1969. On to Basic Electronics School in San Diego, once again in the huts but these were worse, they were at the end of the runway of San Diego airport. The electronics instructors had to stop teaching until the jet noise would subside, sleeping in the huts in summer with the jets taking off was another experience. Then on to “The Stumps” (29 Palms) for Ground Radar School, another lovely place in the middle of the Mojave with snakes and scorpions for bed and boot pals. Hardly a woman in sight. They had to bus in women to dance with for the Marine Corps birthday. Ah, those were the days.
We were living in the Quonset huts while at the rifle range on PI the summer of 1959, that is until a hurricane hit the island so we spent the night sleeping in the passage ways of the wooden barracks. The hurricane did some damage and we lost a weeks training which we made up after we graduated Nov 9,1959 platoon 155. Had to spend and extra week on PI. Semper Fi
Had a great time Plt.229 April “62” look forward to hearing from anybody that’s left! Bob Kasprzak
We were in Quonset Huts at PI from Jan 1960 until we went to the rifle range where we went into barracks and sick call went up. I heard Sgt Wilson our Senior Drill Instructor say, “They freeze their asses off in Quonset huts and they are healthy, but you give them steam heat and they all get sick.” Great Memories!
Sgt.Wilson was a Staff Sergeant, wore jump wings and was a Korean War Vet so he probably served in Vietnam. I pray he made it to retirement.
LCp/ Marvin phelps platoon 3041. Feb. 69 to July 69 I was also in the huts at boot camp and was sent to motivation. The only DI I remember was gunnery Sgt. Noakes. Thanks to him and the other DI’s at MCRD and ITR at San Onofre. I made it back from Viet Nam without a scratch in Sept.1970 Gulf Co. 2nd Battlion 7th Marines 1st Marine Division .
NO CANDY A.. OR HOLLYWOOD HERE! PLATOON 187, PARRISS IS., S.C. 3/54 – 5/54, NOTHING BUT QUONSETS & ASPHALT SEMPER FI
Yea, we were Hollywood Marines alright. Sun glasses, and leaning back in the chairs soaking up the sun…aaaahh, great times…lol …except for running in ankle deep sand on the PT course with telephone poles on our shoulders, and crawling thru stinking water in metal pipes. Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? Semper Fi
June 12, 1969. G Co., Platoon 2108. First night at MCRD we were allowed to “sleep” for about an hour in the newest of the concrete H patterned buildings. Then we moved to Quonset Huts until we went to the rifle range at Camp Pendleton. Then back to SD and Quonset Huts for a week. For the last couple of weeks until graduation into the older of the new H patterned buildings. Lived in tents at ITR in Sept of 69. I also lived in Quonset Huts at Camp Telega (64 area) while with Hq. Co. (Nuc), 4th MarDiv in early 1970. We had more tents at Mt Fuji, Japan when my unit (Hq. Btry, 3/12) went there for cold weather training in March 1971.
APRIL 1965 PLT. 133 QUONSET HUTS ,LITTLE AND BIG AGONY RIFLE RANGE 98.07 % QUALIFIED RIFLE RANGE/RANGE RECORD FOR A SERIES. SGT BUTLER,SGT TRUJILLO AND CPL.(MOUSE) HANNIFIN
1958, PI Plt. 350, 3rd. Bat. had Quonset Huts, Rifle Range at PI had Quonset Huts and ITR at Camp Geiger had Quonset Huts. 5 months of nothing but Quonset Huts.
Lived in Quonset huts Paris island 1957 Platoon 80
When I was recalled to active duty at the start of the Korean War, 1950, my tank bn., the 7th TK, was housed in quonset huts on the hill to the North of Baseline Rd. and the road to the rifle range at Çamp Pendleton, CA. We had pit toilets and gravel streets. I believe our huts had about a 36″ concrete side and end walls which increased the interiour height to more usable proportions. The huts were very livable and I still remember them fondly.
I loved the shape of quonset huts only regret was the tarantulas living there also. Parties island 2nd battalion series 227 platoon 226 super great DIs gunny Jones, s/Sgt Cabrera , Sgt brown, sorry Feb. 1967
When i went to boot camp in June 1960, i was in platoon 146 1st Bn. We lived in quonset huts the whole time, except for the tine at Camp Matthews for the range. I don’t guess they are still there. Have not been to MCRD San Diego since late in 1964. Does any one know if they still exist. Great DIs s/Sgt Gosch, Sgt Gunstrom, SGT Gaudreau. When i got to Okinawa S/sgt Gosch was my Plt sgt. I was in 1st AMTRAC Bn, H&S CO.
Our entire 3069 Series MCRD San Diego (Plt. 3069) was assigned to Quonset Huts in 1972 for four weeks before being rotated to the NEW Hotels. 0-dark thirty San Diego air was nice and cool on the upper Rack near the window but hated that loud speaker playing Reveille every morning five feet from my head. And again at Infantry Training School and again later for Machine Gun School. My wife had so many photos of me in Quonset Huts that she started watching to catch a glimpse of me on Gomer Pyle. I was going to enlist in 1969 but my Wife was against it, So I waited for the Draft to Out Rank my Wife. In 1972 I wanted my chance in Viet Nam to get Even for so many Friends who didn’t come home that I enlisted. Half way through Boot Camp I received a letter from the Draft Board informing me I had been Drafted into the United States Army. My D.I. couldn’t stop laughing. I loved Quonset Huts, Hell of a lot easier to Clean on Field Day’s.
1972 at MCRD, (Plt 1094.) were in the Quonset huts for a short time and then to the new barracks. Back to the Huts at Camp Pendleton where the Heads were at the end of the street. Was punished for talking and laughing in the head while field day. Ended up in the DI’s office pushups while he stepped on my back and screamed. Also had Quonset huts at Cherry Point rifle range for offices and storage. And we did wear Pith helmets on the range. Mine was red (as the 2111 range armorer) ixture of M-14’s and M-16’s for qualification in 1974.
Went through MCRD Sand Diego in sept to December 1958. I still remember the cold Quonset huts! Then it was off to Treasure Island San Francisco for basic Electronics and back to MCRD C&E battalion for the Aviation Radar repair course. They were good days with lots of fond memories. Semper Fi to all you great marines who remember these things.