A Letter From Boot Camp

Comments

Sgt T. Montana Cassidy - July 6, 2020

SEMPER FI BROTHERS
Was at PI , Aug 1972 . 1st Bn
Plt 154. Sr DI SSGT BISHOP
The other two , Sgt Kincaid &
Sgt Wise .

Doug - July 6, 2020

I wrote some mighty sorrowful letters from bootcamp and my Mom saved them all for my return. Re-reading them after it was over gave me that much more respect for my Drill Instructors, to have to deal with 100 kids like me feeling the way I did. I remember that first night at MCRD San Diego 6/78, besides being exhausted, thinking “What did I get myself into now?” LOL. Our platoon took some time getting formed because they were making an all reservist platoon, so we had plenty of down-time to feel sorry for ourselves and the real work hadn’t even started yet. At the end though, I was a fighting machine ready to eat nails, go anywhere and kill whomever the President directed me to. Semper Fi Brothers.

Bill Cody - July 6, 2020

Poor baby. My dad was a Sergeant in WWII; North Africa, Italy and France. He was Signal Corps, so was usually ahead of the U.S. lines laying wire. He came home one tough son-of-a-gun. I always thought he raised his boys like we were privates under his command. I mentioned this to my older brother (Cold War Marine) one day and he replied, “The hell he did! He treated us like we were recruits and he was the D.I.” After a few weeks at MCRD (1966), it occurred to me that these D.I.s who were tough as nails couldn’t hold a candle to my old man. Apart from some homesickness, boot camp wasn’t as bad as I had imagined, thanks to my upbringing.

Sgt James A Pettyjohn USMC (1966 – 1969) - July 6, 2020

You know this guy is thinking the DI’s are only picking on him and just why are they picking on him anyway? Could it be he is the only one out of step? Maybe it is because all the rest is out of step but him? 1961 wow I had not graduated HS yet, but then I did not get drafted until I was granted my divorce from my second wife at 26 years old. I was older than most of the boots at MCRD San Diego but I was always the one who was out of step so to speak. Once I got that figured out which took me longer than it should have according to Gunny Scroggins everything turned out much better for me. Maybe this guy will be smarter than I was and get it figured out and get in step with the rest of the platoon. Semper Fi Marine

Sgt James A Pettyjohn USMC (1966 – 1969) - July 6, 2020

You are a Proud Widow of a Proud Marine and I enjoyed reading your story thank you for taking the time to let us all know about your husband. Semper Fi

Sgt James A Pettyjohn USMC (1966 – 1969) - July 6, 2020

I am not defending this jerk but you ask any Marine about his basic and the others he did basic and you will hear similar stories, but as they figure it all out for themselves they begin to change. This guy should soon figure out that his mommy is not there anymore to wipe his ass for him. If he don’t get this figured out then the USMC will deal with that.

Sgt James A Pettyjohn USMC (1966 – 1969) - July 6, 2020

We only complain to ourselves cause no one else gives a damn about our whines…

Sgt James A Pettyjohn USMC (1966 – 1969) - July 6, 2020

I concur the 3 years I spent in the USMC was the best years. I remember them the most.

Sgt James A Pettyjohn USMC (1966 – 1969) - July 6, 2020

This was in my thinking as well. These thought went through many of our heads at one time or another.

Sgt James A Pettyjohn USMC (1966 – 1969) - July 6, 2020

The problem there is, those DI’s can’t do what they should do and be politically correct…damn politics don’t belong in the USMC or any other branch of the armed forces.