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I Finally Got My Way with the D I.

I Finally Got My Way with the D I.

I enlisted in Aug. 1956, right out of high school as soon as I was 18. While in school I sported a mustache because I was always in too much of a hurry to get finished. So when I got to Chicago for indoctrination and swearing in and had my picture taken for my ID card it was with my mustache. After arriving at MCRD and around 3 or 4 weeks into boot training our DI’s took offense with some of the ‘screws’ starting to grow mustaches and one morning announce at roll call that when we hit the head to shave if you don’t have a mustache on your ID card you will exit the head clean shaven. Well that went as planned except I didn’t shave mine off, after all it was on my ID card. During muster for our march to the chow hall our senior DI called me out and reamed me for not following orders and who the hell do you think you are and more importantly WHERE do you think you are. I will admit I was intimidated but stood my ground and reminded him that his order was “If you don’t have a mustache on your ID card, SHAVE!”, he demanded I present my card and that is when I felt I had trumped him on that one. He didn’t like it but he was a Man about it. I was appointed to be ‘Right Guide’ afterward and performed my duties proudly and competently after that.
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Comments

Top Pro USMC ’64-’84 - April 14, 2020

In reply to Ray Phipps.
It’s still a great “STORY” whether it is true or not.

Larry Whittington - April 14, 2020

While on PI during the summer of ’65, I never saw a recruit “stand his ground and remind his Drill Instructor” of anything! He would have died a quick and painful death! Also, we didn’t get our ID card photo’s made until deep into the training cycle.

Ray Phipps - April 14, 2020

In reply to Top Pro USMC ‘64-’84.
I think it is a bullshit story . I was in 1959-1963 and you had to be a staff N C O to wear a mustaches and I only saw one and he was in comm. (pouge). In boot camp you shaved every morning whether you needed to or not.

Howard Hada - April 14, 2020

ummmmm….I find this very hard to believe…I didn’t get my ID card UNTIL AFTER bootcamp was completed…and it had my bootcamp picture on it…complete with the “high and tight”……

David Earl Tyre, Sgt. - April 14, 2020

In reply to Ed Emanuel.
I was thinking the same thing! I can’t remember when we got our I.D. cards. Got to P.I. Oct. 1954.

Paul E. Gill - April 14, 2020

This never happened at PI. Looks like we have another “Wanabee.”

Ed Emanuel - April 14, 2020

I went to Boot Camp right out of High School in1956 (Parris Island) and believe me we didn’t get an ID card until we finished Boot Camp. No one in our platoon had a mustache and I never saw one on any recruit in my 3 months in boot camp. The recruit must of been from the reserves or he is confusing Boot Camp with ITR or beyond.

J. R. Holden - April 14, 2020

Ha, when I was assigned to 1/1 in 1962 after ITR I wanted to grow a mustache, but my Gunny told me that you had to be an NCO before you could grow facial hair. I was meritoriously promoted to Corporal by that same Gunnery Sergeant after we rotated to Okinawa as 2/9 and have had that mustache since 1963.

Top Pro USMC ’64-’84 - April 14, 2020

Great story, you accomplished what all of us would have liked to have done. Semper Fi!

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