Regarding the story Hollywood Marine, I had a similar experience. The day before heading to P.I, (3/10/58) my Dad took me to a luncheon for the then senator John Kennedy (see enclosed photo). My Dad was a state senator in Mass. and knew JFK from earlier campaigns. We went over to meet him and shook hands. He asked me, "What are you doing now?" I said, "I'm leaving for The Marines in the morning." His face changed and he looked "hard" at me and said, exact quote, "You watch your azs with those people." End quote.
Off I go to the yellow footprints and all the fun and games that come with them. We were living in the huts in the Third Bn. I was made squad leader for second squad, so they had my name early. Quotes from Plt 347 DI's – S/Sgt Truax, S/Sgt Sherman, and Sgt Baggett included:
"I'm from so far south, I call people from Georgia Yankees. Anyone here from a town of over twenty thousand is a "Hoodlum". You should have taken the four years from the judge. Did your mother have any children that lived? Are there any more at home like you?" And on and on and on, you all know the lines.
We had mail call every night during which the DIs had the letters opened and read after checking if there was quote "any pogue bait in this letter?" My proud mother had sent me a copy of the attached photo in a letter. I had to open it and when the D.I. saw the photo, he liked to sh-t.
Next A.M. after chow, "Sh-tbird McDermott, Get your azs up here". Same story as Hollywood Marine, except there was a Gunny, a Captain and a COLONEL!
"I spent twenty minutes basically repeating, I'm very happy I'm at P.I., I don't write letters to my Dad or Senator Kennedy, I don't know my Dad that well, etc. etc. I think what finally convinced them was when they asked why I had joined, I was able to present uncles and cousins who had served in WW II and Korea. As they were my heroes, I could speak in detail on their service.
I was finally dismissed with a look from S/Sgt Truax that this discussion was not really over. I still believe to this day that I set the world record for squat thrusts over the next week.
Two last points:
I did manage to leave P.I. as a PFC. My files (I forget the right name) included a stamp: P/I that I was told stood for "Political Influence".
Continued success.
Bill McDermott