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March 30, 2016 Grunt.com Admin

3rd Battalion Barracks At PI

old 3rd bn barracks mcrd pi

I would like to send a photo and brief description of the old 3rd Bat. barracks at Parris Island that are being torn down. I was there two weeks ago, they are partially demolished, the bricks are being preserved and sold by the base museum to raise funds. The barracks were used from 1960/61 until three years ago. A new Bat. area is located a short distance away. I took some pictures of the shells of these buildings while standing on the old parade deck, many memories came to me there in the silence. Thought many old 3rd Bat. Marines would like to see what has happened to the barracks. I was there in 1961, they were brand new, and jokingly referred to as Disneyland by the 1st and 2nd Bats.

B.R. Whipple, Sgt

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Comments

Topher A. - July 13, 2020

I became a HardCharger in those barracks! Plt. 3096 – (1993). Sad to see them go. Met some of the toughest men I know there. Semper Fi 3rd Battalion barracks!!

Andrew Szymanski MSGT 61-81 - July 13, 2020

Hey Skinner we both were in the same platoon, 346. Just read Sgt. Grit and saw your post. Looked you up in my graduation book. Semper Fi brother!! We graduated in Oct 61. The date on our graduation picture was 16 Oct 61. SDI was SSgt. V. Montemarano.

Don Incheck CPL 0331 Feb1966 – Jun 1969 - July 13, 2020

SEMPER FI, UNTIL I DIE…I was in PLT 140, “C” Company, 1st RTBN (Feb 23 – Jun 20, 1966..Senior DI was GySgt Lore)….in the old wooden 2-story barracks leftover from long before my arrival at PI…Memories still remain of seeing the “new” brick barracks of 3rd Bn when we traveled to the rifle range…can still hear the word “Disneyland” echoing from my DI… Fast forward to November 9-13, 2015, when a fellow Marine who I first came into contact with was in Vietnam, 1968, as I was a CPL 0331, and he came into my squad as a PVT 0331 straight out of weapons school at Lejeune (Geiger)…we made the 700 mile trip to PI to celebrate the 240th Marine Corps Birthday and 100 Year Parris Island Celebration…sooo different passing through the main gate in daylight….so different to see that almost “all that once was”, was now gone…the small wooden receiving barracks with 5 or 6 wooden steps, and a single man-door with a red-painted sign above (“THIS IS YOUR FIRST STEP”) is now an empty grass covered empty lot…the “yellow footprints” relocated down the street a few hundred yards or so to a “world class” Receiving Barracks with monster size entrance with stainless steel double doors…My, how times have changed…but, the ES’PRIT DE CORPS lives on, as is evidenced by the spirited young recruits and the Drill Instructors that will “make them into Marines”…teary eyes peeking thru the chain-link construction fence that surrounds the nearly demolished remaining brick barracks of 3rd Bn, we realized that nothing but “Apple Pie, Semper Fi, and the Marine Corps” is forever…oh yeah…and “Chesty Puller”

Stephen Messineo - July 13, 2020

Like they say…”The change was for ever”..Platoon 368 – September/November 1960. Drill Instructors Staff. Sgt. Patterson, Flynn, & Jr. Drill instructor Willis. Graduated PFC…made Corproal E-4 under 2 years. Love the Corps…Proud to say I am still a Marine. Semper Fi.

John Powers - July 13, 2020

Sergeant John Powers Platoon 2025 August – 1967 I remember my days in the old white barracks of Second Battalion very well. The floors were almost solid white from our morning ritual of scrubbing the floors with Octagon Soap and then using our shower shoes to squeegee the water out the back door. Gunnery Sergeant Bruce was our Senior Drill Instructor. Semper Fi!

wayne rost - July 13, 2020

Wayne Rost…Snuffy…3rd Battalion…1960…..Staff Sgt.Poretta..Senior Di… Sgt.Chavose..Jr.Di…Sgt.Smith..Jr.Di…(Smitty)…..rumored to be only USMC.prisoner of war during Lebanon crisis…started in Necine Huts..went to Quanset huts..then to completed Brick Barracks..bad floors red stain..back to Quanset huts for graduation..any one remember? If you were in my platoon please contact me at crestlyn@comcast.net

CHUCK SCHULTZ 1284766 - July 13, 2020

I remember the old wooden barracks . We were the mayors Marines Feb. 1952. DI,s were Zimmerman and Murphy. Don,t remember t he squads or names. We went into the air wing,. The third wing at Opa Locka. I wanted if any of the old buddies are still around?

Gene Lang - July 13, 2020

Does not bring back memories to me. When l was in 3rd bat, it was quonset huts and tarmac Streets and white rocks all around. We were located on the road to the rifle range. 1st. and 2nd bat were still of wood and asbestos siding. I swam aboard on June 26, 1956 Ribbon Creek was still the talk on the Island. Plt. 189 Sr. D.I . Frank King from Tenn. No. Yellow footprints or Simper Fidelis back in the day. I am in my 60th year of being of the “Brotherhood”, currently on inactive status, Simper waiting.

Walter Tomaszewski - July 13, 2020

Is there anyone out there from Platoon 107 1958 ?

Pete Geraghty - July 13, 2020

I was in 3 Blt Plt 275, August 1956. Agh those Q huts, memories galore, Semper Fi

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