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Home Sweet Home for Thanksgiving
January 16, 2019 Grunt.com Admin

Home Sweet Home for Thanksgiving

During the late summer & fall of 1966 Parris Island was my “Home away from Home”. Platoon “3090” was nearing the end of our boot camp training! PRT, rifle range, Elliott Beach were in the rearview mirror. We still had some major inspections, the grinder….. It was getting close to Thanksgiving but no leave yet, we still had ITR at Lejuene. To say most of us were a little homesick, especially near Thanksgiving might have been an understatement! Then practicing on the grinder one day, our DI that day gave us a great and unexpected surprise. He halted us about half way through drill practice for some reason( I’m sure it was to praise us), then asked us if we wanted to call home for Thanksgiving. Aye Aye, Sir. We were like 8th & I the rest of drill. As we were finishing, I think the DI was Sgt. Stearns, said to us,” Are you ready to call home now”. AYE AYE, Sir. He proceeded to say to us,” Well face the direction of your home and call.Sgt. Stearns never changed always the “Ball Buster”
Filed in: Marine Corps Stories
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Comments

Sgt. C. Jones - April 23, 2020

One day our Senior Drill Instructor (then Sgt. Dan Brophy) told the Junior Drill Instructor (then Cpl. Hunter) “They’ve done well. Take them to the movies”. When Sgt Brophy left, Cpl Hunter said to us “Do you think you maggots are going to the movies?”.

Reinhold Woykowski - April 23, 2020

They sure knew how to play with our heads. Today I too smile at all that crazy stuff we did. Funny now but not funny then. Semper Fi USMC 1972-1974

Ron Black - April 23, 2020

MCRD SD Platoon 169, summer of 67. Platoon Commander SSGT Stafford said to us, “” you turds win the close order drill competition, I’ll let you call home tonight” Well, we won. After chow we fell out on the street and he said ” Most of you shitbirds are from the east. That way is East. About face. Call home.” I would have followed that man to hell and back.No shit.

Duke H - April 23, 2020

Platoon 1066 Parris Island graduated Nov ‘66. Enjoyed the story. Our Senior DI was SsGT Sweat. He really liked the buckets.

James Kanavy - April 23, 2020

Great story. Plt 321 13 January 1966 to about 12 March 1966. MST Robinson, Sgt Devane that I recall.

Roger C. Rose Sgt. 1957 to 1965. - April 23, 2020

Boot Camp 1957 Platoon 10 Paris Island. Our drill instructor Fell us outside one evening after chow. Dismissed us to get our buckets and whit towel and field jackets. We fell out and he told us we were going to the movies . He caleed us to attention and had us do a left face and marched us thru our Battalion on our way to the movies. He called cadance once and told us to March Straight and Tall and All he wanted to hear was Heels Heels Heels. Well thats all you could hear on the streets all the way to the outdoor movie. Occasionally he say Heels, Heels Heels.. We got to the movie went , but he made us move in front and ordered us to sit down on our buckets, in front of the benches. After a 10 minute wait he got us up fell us in and marched back to area. His next statement was you have been to the movies. “SEMPER FI”.

R J Blett, Jr - April 23, 2020

It must have been routine – I was in Platoon 2001, MCRD SD in 1961 and we had the same “offer”.

Bob Sorrell - April 23, 2020

That same event happened to me on Christmas Eve 1970 at MCRD San Diego (Platoon 3145), I still think about it every Christmas Eve and it still never fails to make me smile.

Wayne Stafford - April 23, 2020

Sgt. Hawkins did the same thing in 1966 on about the same day at Pendleton during rifle qual.

RICH SAMALONIS - April 23, 2020

THATS REAL,SEMPER FI S JERSEY SAM

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