This past October I went on a 3-day bus tour of Parris Island
sponsored by the Marine Corps League, Sgt Jason M. Ileo Detachment
1147 of Centerville, MD, along with a few other detachments from
Maryland. There were about 40 Marines who went on the trip. We had
a great time seeing first-hand all the training the recruits
undergo in becoming Marines. It brought back a lot of memories for
me. One of the proudest moments for me was seeing 509 Marines
graduate. This really reinforced my belief that the Corps is in
good hands.
The real reason I decided to go on this trip, along with my boot
camp brother, Marine Ken Webster, Platoon 358, he belongs to Anne
Arundel County Detachment 1049, was to celebrate our 50th year
since graduating from Parris Island. Our graduation was on October
23, 1962, at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. We all
thought at the time that we were going to war with Russia.
I would have to say for me that the highlight of this trip was
meeting up with our Drill Instructor, Sgt. Leonard Patchin. I
looked him up in the Marine Corps Association Membership Directory
(see photo) and found that he was living in Port Royal, SC. We met
him for dinner and had a very special time telling sea stories and
getting to know him all over again. He was still in great physical
shape and could, if necessary, run our b-tts all over the Island.
He gave us a special tour of the Island where we got to see our
old Third Battalion barracks before they got torn down. We then
went to see the new Third Battalion barracks. They are really
modern looking. He took us over to tour Marine Corps Air Station
Beaufort, Elliot's Beach and other forgotten places; there were a
lot of changes. My real reason for wanting to see Len again was to
personally thank him for all he did for me. He embodies, to me,
what it takes to be a Marine.
I have belonged to the Marine Corps League for the past 22 years
and have met so many great Marines, and made lots of friends from
all over this wonderful Country. I have received awards and honors
along the way, but I couldn't have done any of this without first
becoming a Marine. I told Len I couldn't have achieved any of this
without his guidance, leadership, and discipline. I owe this
Marine so much and will never forget him.
We all were especially glad we had the opportunity to renew our
acquaintance, only this time not as a DI and recruit but on equal
terms as one Marine to another. In the photo from right to left:
Severn, Patchin, Webster.
All in all, this was an outstanding trip for me, and one that I
will never forget.
Semper Fi
Jack Severn
Marine Corps League