When I graduated from boot camp, MCRDSD (1962), I remember having a choice of either Sea Duty or Embassy Duty. I talked to my Senior Drill Instructor (Gunnery Sergeant Venizia) and asked him what his thoughts were on my duty station choices. I remember very clearly his words to me. "Sea Duty is the greatest duty station the Marine Corps can offer you… now, YOU make the choice!"
I attended Sea School at MCRDSD during the early 60's… at the time, Sea School was located near the Southwest corner of the grinder… what an experience! Boot camp, ITR, and Sea School (all during my first 6 months in the Corps). Sea School was the CLEANEST facility I have ever been in. We had "field days" after every meal! And surprise daily inspections with different uniforms called out just before the inspections occurred… "Inspection in 30 minutes… uniform will be modified blues"… panic and chaos ruled! First thing we were instructed to do was remove the "quartermaster" from all your brass… we did this by soaking the brass in ammonia for a few minutes, then the Brasso came out. As I remember, the building's roof must be covered with brass! Anytime a Marine's brass was not up to par, it was YANKED off the uniform and tossed up on the roof. I know I am a contributor to that brass roof top! I thought I could pass one of the daily inspections by using a brand new tie clasp (with the quartermaster still on it)… surprise, surprise, it learned to fly… right up on the roof! DUH! I realized (that moment) that polished brass has a shine that is almost a white glow… and the "brand new" brass looked very yellow… that never happened to me again!
You could tell all of the Sea School recruits by looking at their index and middle fingers… stained by midnight brown ShinolA shoe polish! In those years, you polished the bill on your barracks cover and your shoes (including the soles and instep). I was told that, "If a Sailor ever looked up while a Marine was going up a ladder, he would see the spit shined instep and realize what a squared away Marine he was following…"
We actually stripped the wax off the tiled floor EVERY DAY. I remember using butter knives (from ??) to scrape the wax along the coved base bulkheads and around columns… and applying new floor wax… EVERYTHING was about spit and polish. Our classes included classroom study and "field work" too… we went to the Naval Training Center (NTC) close by and trained there as well. We had Naval Gunnery Classes, flight deck firefighting, structure firefighting, and damage control classes… some of these classes were actually fun as we (Marines) competed against the Sailors… of course, you know who won most of those "contests"… all of our liberties were Cinderella Liberties… we had to be back at Sea School by midnight. Liberty in San Diego was nothing to write home about… or maybe exciting things happened after Cinderella went back to MCRD!
Howard Hada
1989822
Sea Going USS Princeton LPH5
Weapons Platoon K-3-1