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New Recruit Motivation 1966

New Recruit Motivation 1966

One of my fathers favorite stories to share was about being a DI at MCRD in 1966. The story goes that the new recruits were brought to an assembly area close to the fence facing the San Diego Airport. All the new recruits had their ill-fitting utilities on and shaved heads so everybody looked the same on day one. Mixed in with the recruits was another DI wearing utilities. One of the DI’s was telling the new recruits that going AWOL would get them shot for desertion during a time of War (Viet Nam was going hot and heavy at the time). Well the fake recruit gets up, says he can’t take it anymore and runs for the airport fence. One of the DI’s happens to have an M14 locked and loaded (with blanks) during the desertion speech. The fake recruit starts climbing the fence. The DI with the M14 yells a warning and then Bang Bang, that was the end of that recruit because he falls to the ground and a life changing impression was made on all of these future Marines. S/Sgt Roger D. Marsh (Ret) is now guarding the gates of Heaven. God Bless America and the US Marine Corps.
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Comments

Don McCollor - April 2, 2020

…my Uncle (1950s Marine) told a story of escorting (convicted Marine) prisoners…if the prisoner escaped…he would serve out the rest of the prisoner’s sentence…else he would be fined the cost of the ammunition expended…

Sgt.Timothy D. Hermsen - April 2, 2020

In reply to Don McCollor.
The 5th M.P. Bn never told me about the charge for ammunition when they assigned me as “Escape Risk Prisoner Chaser”. The other part they did mention. Fortunately, I never had to test that part of the system.

Cpl Herrle - April 2, 2020

Out friggin standing devil dogs!

Don McCollor - April 2, 2020

In reply to Sgt.Timothy D. Hermsen.
…Thank you Sgt. Hermsen for replying…I think it was to emphasize that would be the only consequence of expending it…

joe - April 2, 2020

In reply to SSgt Wesley A. Kent USMC ’65 – ’73.
I was at San Diego August 2015 for a reunion. Yes all but 4 of those huts are gone. We were fortunate to get a base tour and got to see those old huts. They are used for storage now. The base has taken on a huge change.The theater area and the other buildings are as you remembered them.

Don Harkness - April 2, 2020

In reply to Al Johnston.
I’d have to dig into some records, but L.M. Day comes to mind. I ran into him & served with him in the 1st MAW in Iwakuni, and while there we both deployed with another guy to Stage 1 of the 9th MEB (which later was the Marine unit that landed in Denang in early 1965. He was there in Iwakuni when I got there. Sgt Day was a piece of work. Squared away…but would do things outside the box, lived on the edge of annoying the system and officers, especially if he didn’t like them. We were in G2 1st MAW, and likewise with the 9th MEB. in the latter, floating around on ships. He got some aerial photos he wanted to string together and he found a long table in some space co-habited by Navy flyers. One in particular he didn’t like. snooty. So he quietly turned to me and said “follow my lead”. And from that point we used the foulest language we could dredge up..in earshot of said flyers. He could see it bothered the pilot, & that he felt it fit the profile of Marines. I think we subjected him to about an hour of it, til the guy left. Sgt Day enjoyed it immensely

John T. Durant - April 1, 2020

That picture makes the recruits look like they are wearing Doggy (USArmy) “fatigues”. Give me the old herringbone grey-green utilities to look like MARINES, Damnit.

Gary Chandler - April 1, 2020

In reply to James L Howitz.
I was one of those “Hollywood” Marines in Plt 2048 in 1968 and over the years have told other Marines that went to Paris Island that we were issued sunglasses! lmao. I really believed a few of them thought we were!

Gary Chandler - April 1, 2020

In reply to Cpl J. W. Hornsey Mike 3/1 CUPP RVN 1970.
Those jets had a big psychologicall effect on me in my early weeks of boot camp there. In the evening standing on the “road” , smoking lamp lit for that last cigarette of the day those planes would be taking off and I would be watching them leave wondering where those people were heading, wishing I was one of them. I was a volunteer and still wondered what the hell had I got myself into. LOL

Roger S. Marsh - April 1, 2020

In reply to Jim Barber.
I will work on getting the info to you as soon as possible.

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