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December 9, 2016 Grunt.com Admin

Remembering MCRDSD

BY: Sgt Ted K Shimono

Just like our fellow recruit that attended MCRDSD, it was a privilege to have gone through boot camp to become a Marine. Having been the only Japanese American in the siries Battalions in 1959, it was sure strange. Many of the senior DI’s were WW11 and Korean War veterans. Yes, I was “thumped” a few times for doing the wrong things at the wrong time.. What recruits go through today is too simple and easy. The only rough part was a junior DI that lost his older brother on Iwo Jima, and boy did I get his hatred as a Japanese recruit in the Marine Corps. The funniest part of bootcamp was when I spilled a pitcher of water all over a DI from the 2nd Battalion. My DI’s laughed about it until graduation. Boot camp toughen me up for what was to come from 1959-1968, Lastly, my grandson fought in iraq and Afganistan and I currently have a greatgrandson deployed. Semper Fi to all Marines from the past, now and into the Corps future!!!!

Sgt Grit wants to hear from you! Leave your comments below or submit your own story!

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Comments

LCpl Richard Jenkins - June 11, 2020

I sure would like to read that one that Howard Hada had in SH*t BIRD

Donald [sonny] Key 68-72 - June 11, 2020

Semper Fi Brother

Ed Herzog - June 11, 2020

Plt 175 1960, what an experience. Semper Fi!!!

Sgt Ted K. Shimono - June 11, 2020

Plt 142 1st Battalion, Don’t remeber the company. Still looking for graduation book for 142 but no response. Sure is a small world. Ae you from the Los Angeles area?

Ted K. Shimono - June 11, 2020

After returning stateside in 1961, I was reassigned to 1stBattalion, 1st Marine Regiment at Camp Pendleton. The fuuniest thing that happened that December 1961 was the assignment week as company Duty NCO. The dates I was given was December 1-7, 1961. No one caught it until the company commander and gunnery sargeant checked the duty roster. Talk about all of the laughing and jokes that began around the battalion. One standing joke was that I was to call the Division CG at 0745 AM on December 7. I kind of took that as an insult. I received more phone calls from throughout the DIVISION that morning at 0745 AM. I mustered the company for roll call and for morning chow on Dec 7, 1961. Some idiot was about to yell “Banzai” to wit I said “you do it and you will be standing before the man (Company Commander”. I took more ribbing that day, but it was enjoyable. Semper Fi Marines.

LCpl Richard Jenkins - June 11, 2020

Ted Shimono I also went to MCRDSD July 1st 1959. I was in 1st Battalion, Company C started in Plt 143 ended up in 152 due to being in the hospital for three weeks with cellulitis. What Company/Platoon where you in?

Robert L. Hammershoy - June 11, 2020

John McCaffery: You mention your platoon as 243 in 1957. That must have been at PI? I was in platoon 243 in 1957 at MCRD in San Diego. Our SDI was S/Sgt Clingman. The two JDI’s were Sgt Francis and Cpl (later Sgt) LaCour. The platoon Honorman was PFC Ross L. Clenin. Out of 75 of us that started in platoon 243, only 50 of those original graduated. We did pick up others throughout the 13 weeks there. The others that joined us later had been set back for one reason or another from the fat man platoon, medical reasons, lack of physical ability in their first platoon etc.

waldo Searcy - June 11, 2020

Quonset Hut, home away from home, we all made our “Mother” proud, always nice, organized and clean. 20 boots to a hut (corrugated metal) and 4 huts to a platoon, plus one for the DI’s. Enclosed photo was in last row upper right. Cpl Searcy, .1958-1962, Plt 1008, MCRD, San Diego. Gung Ho to all Marines…

Dan - June 11, 2020

Carl, I guess the Marines that died & fought in Iraq & Afghanistan aren’t “REAL MARINES” then? What should we call them fake Marines? Everything you said you went through I experienced in 1981 believe it or not,,, Thumping’s ? Check, Cussed at? Check, Humiliated and no privacy in the showers and head? Check, Spittle to the face, quarter decked & DI’s in your face? Check,,, and we still had our share of turds just like you did in the 60’s so cut the crap. All those things are not the only way to make a REAL MARINE and in fact most are are illegal. The young Marines of today are just as good as any other generation. S/Fi

Jim Barber - June 11, 2020

Howard Hada, who left one of the comments above also appears in “SH*TBIRD! How I Learned to Love the Corps” with one of the funniest stories in the book. Howard told me it took years before he was able to tell the story to anyone – even his mother.

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