Mess Duty

Comments

Jim Schmidt - March 27, 2020

As a drill instructor ’71-’72 I did not see this happening,but I knew there were drill instructors who were capable of such things.We had rules to go by and stealing from our own was frowned on.I was with “A” co.Quonset huts were our barracks until we moved to moved to new barracks during my second or third plt.

Otto Lauer ’55-’59 - March 27, 2020

I to went through San Diego and had to work in the officers mess during boot camp (May1955) and got caught eating a helping of fresh strawberries & shortcakes after mess was over during clean up. My punishment was to keep eating strawberries until I got sick. After several helpings I acted as though I was about to barf and that was that. Really enjoyed the extra helpings and had a good laugh to myself how I finally pulled one over on my DI.

David E. Tyre………….Sgt……’54-’57 Platoon 437, !st Bn. PISC - March 27, 2020

Parris Island, 1954: Never experienced that, but after we qualified with the M-1 Garand, platoons were required to pull one week of mess duty at the chow hall at the rifle range. Late one night, the senior mess Sgt., a sadistic bastard, lined us up on the loading deck behind the kitchen and started harassing us and talking to us like we were a bunch of idiots. D.I. Conklin was checking our quonset huts at that time and asked section leader Tescar, “where are the rest of my turds?” Tescar said the mess Sgt. had them on the loading deck at the chow hall. When Conklin was coming up behind the mess Sgt., I thought this ought to be interesting! About the time our D.I. got within hearing range, the Mess Sgt. asked us if we had anybody who thought they could whip his ass and if so, step forward. Of course, nobody volunteered! S/Sgt. Conklin then said, “Sgt., what are you doing to my turds?” Step down here if you want your ass kicked!” You could have heard a pin drop! The mess Sgt. nearly pissed his trousers and started shaking. We were told to secure and route step to our huts. Conklin told the Sgt. “don’t ever let this happen again or you’ll have to deal with me. We all had a lot of respect for S/Sgt. Conklin after that. Hell! I loved the man!

Patick McBride - March 27, 2020

In reply to Patrick Vogt.
It’s not stealing. They were taught the art of how to acquire things without being caught.

B. Gordon Cpl Korean Era - March 27, 2020

This is what we called MIDNITE REQUISTIONING!!! This wasn’t food, but items needed to keep operations moving. It came in use frequently in Korea because it seemed the army and air force guys had more than adequate supplies. It also came in use in civilian duty in my line of work for an airline. When parts were badly needed for a grounded airplane due to lack of parts, a visit was made to their stock rooms. All major airlines used this system as needed to keep the aircraft flying. We just accepted it.

Jeff Howards - March 27, 2020

MCRD-SD, Plt 2079, graduated 1 Nov ’73. We moved out of the barracks and into the Quonset huts while on Mess Duty. I was the Scullery Honcho and we would steal uneaten fruit off the trays thrown into the window and shove them into our mouths as fast as we could so we wouldn’t get caught. Occasionally the cooks would bring trays of pies with slices out of them back to us to legally eat as “treats”. Don’t know if the Drill Instructors knew that the cooks were feeding us. Thanks Cooks!

A J Cotterell, Capt. USMC (Ret) - March 27, 2020

“Midnight requisitioning” was what we called it. I was with Marine Composite Reconaissance Squadron One (VMCj-1) in 1964-65 and we deployed to Kadena Air Force Base, practicing on Okinawa and later in the Philippines (Cubi Point / Subic Bay). We were rehearsing for our later service in Danang, Vietnam, but we knew nothing of that of course until March 1965. We used the Air Force photo lab to process our aerial photo reconaissance film, and we discovered that the Air Force never locked up their film locker. Now, we Marines were short on the 5 inch wide film for our reconaissance cameras we used in the RF-8A Crusader photo recon jets, so the evening before our squadron flew back to Iwakuni, Japan, where we were based, we cleaned out the film locker, leaving only a few 500 foot rolls just inside the door. We also comandeered a good amount of film processing chemicals, We were still using the film and chemicals we had ‘midnight requisitioned’ some months later when we arrived in Danang to use the aerial reconnaissance skills we’d sharpened in Okinawa and the Philippines.

Jeff Johnson - March 27, 2020

Enlisted in Sept 1970 (Platoon 1129) spending quality time in those Quonset huts. We took our turn with KP. Remember baking the bacon in the oven and cleaning the serving line. Then off to class. Damn that was a while ago!

Ken Bollinger - March 27, 2020

I was at MCRD San Diego Co B 3rd Bn in Dec. 72. We were in those Quonset Huts and I still remember how cold they were, we didn’t to the barracks until third phase.

Jim Hunter - March 27, 2020

I was at MCRD San Diego in 66 and never saw or heard of that. We were too busy learning to survive Vietnam. I was with Fox 2/9 and did raid supply tents for extra food for next patrol at Cam Lo, Dong Ha,, Camp Carroll and other assorted garden spots. WIA and medi-vaced to SS Repose, Japan, and Great Lakes.