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BOOT CAMP STORIES

The first time for interior guard around 2nd BN area at MCRDPI I was posted around the mess hall area with one portion of my route on Panama St. in front of those old wooden barracks (this was Nov. ’67). On one trip around I could hear pounding and shouting from two voices one definitely the DI’s and I guessed the other was a recruit. But, whatever was going on was coming from the squad bay area. Next trip around it was all quiet. Next time by the ambulance was pulling away. Heard through the grape vine that while the DI was pacing between the rows in the squad bay, the plt was doing the manual while in skivvies, one of the t*rds snapped and launched a horizontal butt stroke at the head of the DI as he passed by. But, those amphibious monsters have eyes in the back of their heads so the kid whiffed, didn’t even get any of the Smokey, and landed himself in the hospital and brig. Our plt never had a revolt of any kind other than one alpha hotel who hung a foxtrot uniform on the Senior and just disappeared after we got back to barn. The guide and house mouse just packed his gear and took it away. It was early enough in the cycle that I wasn’t going to risk moving my eyes away from directly to the front to see what happened to the smart a$$.

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Comments

Lloyd L Lewis - June 10, 2020

I do not enjoy your new format you have been using rthe past months,I enjoyed reading the old format and then able to read the rest on Sgt grits news letter on the old format under the news letter which I was able to get to get under read on, I am an old Korea veteran with 1st Division veteran, tank mechanic with the first division, I opt to no longer this news letter as you have gone to, I know dthings change but why such a drastic one.

Sgt Ted K. Shimono (1959-1968) - June 10, 2020

You need to contact Cpl Jim Barber, who just issued his book “SH*TBIRD” How I learned to love the Corps, about the funny things that happened in Bootcamp both in MCRDSD and Parris Island. Like I wrote to Jim, I did not know we had so much fun in Bootcamp “haha”. Semper Fi to all Marines past, present and future.

GySgt J. J. Hinojosa USMC (Ret) - June 10, 2020

July-Sept 1954 I went through boot with Plt 352, 2nd RTBn PISD. Later on my Marine career, I served as a JDI/Plt Comdr at MCRDSDiego 1965-1966 with Kilo 3rdBn. Kick-ass training was tops at both locations.

Sgt. Robert L Sisson - June 10, 2020

Yes I believe your story and I always wondered what happened to Beyers. He was always a good guy and my squad leader. We both came down from Pittsburgh together in a group of about 30 guys. You are right about the guys in civies taking him away. Later the DI’s told us what it was all about.

Bill Morenz - June 10, 2020

Your comment(s) about the bank robber brought back memories of a story I thought no one would believe. I joined in ’53, and was put on a train for SD. While enroute I made ‘friends’ with a big muscular black. He was a real friendly guy. Well after about two weeks I saw him being marched across the grinder with some guys in civvies. We got the word that the civvies were FBI and my buddy was an escapee from Joliet (Statesville). He even mouthed something to me, as he was cuffed. Really, I was sorry to see him go. He always had a smile and a sense of humor. I wonder to this day what happened to him….and if anyone would ever believe this.?Joining the Corps after escaping from Joliet…..come on! Once A Marine Always A Marine! Semper Fi

Marty Martin - June 10, 2020

…Ahhh, 1967 MCRD PI. What memories! I was in Plt 280. Got there in May ’67. We were in the old wooden buildings, too. At one point during training a PO’d DI wreaked havoc on all of us one night. Coming back from town with seemingly more than a few drinks under his belt, he went in front of each of us and tried to take out his frustrations and/or anger by inflicting whatever pain he could. A handful of recruits decided enough was enough. So, after the DI left the squadbay they tried swimming to the mainland. Some made it, some turned back. But, all were picked up by the MPs. There was a big investigation. Each of us recruits were interrogated in hopes of getting to the bottom of that ordeal. Well, after all was said and done, the DI lost one stripe and was transferred to the fatbodies plt. as punishment for his ordeal. … On another occasion, when we were at the rifle range, one of our DIs kept a cooler filled with koolaid in his office. Well, the temptation turned out to be far to great for one of our recruits. He snuck into the DIs office one night and drunk his fill of the DIs koolaid. He paid a heavy price for that stunt. But, I do think I saw a sly grim on the DIs face when he confronted that recruit. I actually think he admired the guy for the courage it must have taken! Semper Fi!!!!!

Sgt. Robert L Sisson - June 10, 2020

I also remember a few people from PI that I will never forget. I was in PI from July 1968-Sept 1968 Platoon 293 2 BN. We had a guy named SORBIN who had the biggest balls of anyone I ever knew. We were bunkies and he would sneak in the HEAD every night for a smoke. One time we were outside on the cement wash racks washing our clothes and he crawled under the barracks to have a smoke. Well the smoke drifted out and the DI saw it and started yelling FIRE until he looked under and saw SORBIN. Well he beat the living hell out of him. Then had him up all night digging a grave for the cigerette. Burying it then digging it back up. Well he never found the cigerette and was digging all night. The first week of boot camp we were at out racks at night standing in front of them and SORBIN said the private had a Question for the DI. Well Sgt SIEGFRIED ran down and asked what the Question was. Sorbin said is he Marine Corp part of the Navy???? I forget what Siegfried said but SORBIN asked could he transfer to the NAVY. SIEGFRIED went nuts and beat the hell out of him. By the time he was done his glasses were hanging at an angle on his head. It it were nt for the band around his head the glasses would have been on the floor. The DI had him PUGIL fight or guide KOWAL until KOWAL got tired beating him. When we went to the rifle range Sorbin asked if I wanted to go in the head for a smoke at night. Well I went with him and who do you think caught us KOWAL. All he said was can I have a drag. Then he told us he hated beating us BUT if he didn’t the other DI’s would beat him. I really thought he was going to turn us in, but he never did. I never saw Sorbin in ITR but coming home I did see him on the plane to Pittsburgh. I never did see Kowal again and we were all From Pittsburgh Pa. We also had another guy Beyer from Pittsburgh who went through all of boot camp and the last week the FBI took him away for robbing a bank and trying to hide out in the Marine Corp. These guys I will never forget.

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