YELLOW FOOTPRINTS
We traveled all through the night.
First by train then by bus,
for many their first train ride if you rule out the subway.
It was a long tedious journey
through one state after another, after another, then another,
arriving just as night expressed its last vestige of darkness
and began a slow fade to white.
Dawn’s early light, day’s rebirth,
and soon to find out ours as well…the timing was symbolic.
Peaking from the window of the bus
I saw rows of yellow footprints painted on the concrete in the distance.
Curious.
Bus airbrakes hissed, then screeched assaulting the silence
and announcing our arrival to fluttering sleepy eyes.
This was our alarm clock for the new day.
Suddenly.
Accordion doors sprang open simultaneously in the front and back of the bus.
Angry screaming men wearing Smokey Bear hats stormed through the open doors barking and snarling orders.
“OUT OF THE BUS! OUT OF THE BUS!
OUT OF THE GODDAMN BUS!
NOW!
MOVE IT! MOVE IT! MOVE IT!
FASTER! FASTER! FASTER!”
Ambushed by sudden sound and activity, inert bodies stumbled into action
and into each other trying to flee this assault, like wildebeest fleeing attacking lions.
Some fell into the narrow center aisle as our group tried to evacuate
the confining carcass of the bus,
which now began to excrete its bowels onto the tarmac.
Salty, sodden, South Carolina air spit in our faces
as we jumped from the doorways of the vehicle.
“Line-up on the yellow footprints!
DO IT! DO IT NOW!”
“On the yellow footprints!
STAND AT ATTENTION!
DO IT…DO IT NOW!”
We ran towards the footprints, but not fast enough, never fast enough!
They nipped at our heels.
We were herded as hyenas herd their prey.
Some stumbled or fell.
Several Smokies pounced upon them to motivate them back into the herd.
Finally arriving on the footprints no one moved.
No one spoke.
A moment of deafening silence…
Then from the precipice of Hell,
a lone booming voice addressed us.
“Welcome to Paris Island—Marine Recruit Training Depot.
You low-life worthless pieces of whale shit!”
1969
Great poem, Anthony!! Best I ever heard about receiving barracks. Semper Fi!!! Top Pro
Memories ( August 66 ) Parris Island , Semper Fi ??
Remember it like yesterday June 1968 they had those same footprints @ sa n Diego boot camp!
SAME OLD STORY–WELCOME TO HELL
A memory you’ll never forget even if you have that disease that wipes out your memories. SN Diego@ midnight. RVN65/66/69, USMC 64/69
I remember it well!!June 27. 3 day after Graduation from Hicksville high school. I was 18. 1967.
Some things never change. Feb.67PI.
Brings back memories. Viet Nam August 67-69. 3/9. Semper Fi
Herb Z.
Outstanding, I joined in August 1965 and that is exactly how I remembered arriving at P.I. The only difference is, our bus came from Florida so we were used to the heat & humidity. By the end, I was laughing so hard that my wife came in to see what I was doing. Great read. (foot note: my wife and I got married when I got back from Vietnam in 1968 and we are getting ready to celebrate 54 yrs. of marriage, I was not playing with a full-deck when I got back, but she stuck it out, Thank God)
Most interesting day of my young life. June 28 1967.
MARINE YOU NAILED IT WITH YOUR DISCRIPTION OF THAT MIND BLOWING DAY. NOTHING LIKE BEFORE OR AFTER IN MY LIFE.
THANKS FOR THE NIGHTMARE.
BRENDAN.
Bro as I read that I went back to 25 April 1994! Platoon 2002! You nailed it! ERRRRR!
The adrenaline rush experienced during these first few moments in the Marine Corps is only matched when you finally receive your Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and you are called MARINE for the first time.
I joined January 11 1960 ,5 months before my 18th birthday.4 years active,2 inactive reserves.
Corporal E4.
I can still remember most of the beginning changing from civilian to Marine,no yellow footprints.
I think that was later in the 60’s.
Plt 305 Honor Platoon, PI SC
Once a Marine always a Marine.
Simper Fi to all.
17 yrs old..longest night of my young life 3am in the morning..long flight from Detroit Michigan..to MCRD San Diego..and then on those ..yellow footprints..1969..
Sept. 30, 1951. No yellow foot prints, line-up by height, right turn and marched off to the company area , dropped off what ever junk we had with us and off to draw bedding and bucket. Instructed on how we were to assemble our bunks, and yes we were given hell from the time we were picked up until lights out.
Next day hell all over and we were told ” You are lower then the lowest thing on earth and that was Whale shit and that’s at the bottom of the ocean “. Some things never change.
Was the same before, and in Sept. 66, and has been always.
Oct. 5, 1958, Arrived PI at 0100. Got the usual reception –on off the bus, cussing, no yellow footsteps, had to empty our pockets for center-band, knives or whatever.
Got very little sleep. Was up at 0530 or so and walked { we did not know how to march }
we were told in no uncertain terms– to the mess hall.
We met our three DI,s and were made to stand outside for 30 minutes until we could head for our next stop.
At that time SGT. Truex, Senior DI said we would now learn how to use the word “F—”
present tense, future tense and past tense–he talked for 10 minutes on the subject.
I turned to the recruit next to me and said I don’t talk like that. It only took three days to start.
Put. 347 3Rd. Batl. Cpl. David LeVine
All I could say to myself, GOD what did I get myself into. When the DI said there is ONLY 2 ways off this Island, graduate or pine box, I was not going in a pine box. 1972 1974
What a scare for a young man! THE HORROR the horror! thees guys screaming at us, every one running around like made men! We got there late at night, after getting our gear they said get in the shower and shave! Not being skilled in shaving i cut my Addams apple and blood was running down my neck. I ran out with the rest of the guys and the drill instructor yelled at me…” what the fuck you doing? trying to kill your self ?! get back in there and get some toilet paper on that! when i came out of the head they were all gone and i was home alone…lol until the DI came in yelling move it, move it, move it!
Shock and Aw. platoon 1083 MCRD SD 1973