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Yellow Foot Prints -San Diego MCRD

By: Sgt Darrel B Whiting

I was in Boot Camp in August of 1953, and could not remember if there were yellow foot prints there at my arrival…others during the same area couldn’t remember if they were there either. I called MCRD and talked to a nice young lady in the Museum there. She confirmed that the first they could establish that the Yellow Foot Prints were there was in 1963, in fact JFK visited the base and stood in the foot prints. Also she told me that in 1953 the first recruit graduation books came out. Thought others would be interested …. guess we are now ready to report to the museum at 84 years old….

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Comments

Art Tarsa - March 30, 2020

The night of 12 November 1963 the footprints were definitely there. I pulled out my very old boot camp memory photo book and on page 8 or so there is a photo of the entrance to the Receiving Barracks and the footprints are shown in the photo.

Darrel B Whiting - March 29, 2020

I was here August 1953 and still can’t remember any foot prints..
but I guess you and I have CRS (can’t remember sh**)
guess thats just part of the program… have several good friends all Korean War Veterans, we meet for breakfast once per week and we all are in the same boat…I like to say we are ABOVE AVERAGE…. Semper Fi

Bob Rader - March 29, 2020

I’m with you. Not there the end of ’53 and beginning of ’54.

Jim Henthorn MSgt. Retired - March 29, 2020

I was there in August 1958 and the footprint was there

A. Mac. 1/5..1st. 1/9..3rd - March 29, 2020

June ‘53…no footprints that I remember. It was not yet dark. First order of business was to stand in formation. Then told: “ why aren’t you inside the squad bay”… Of course no one knew what that meant.. Well some guys who had reserve time did, so when they started for the door(which later was to be referred to as a hatch), everyone followed.. That’s when the real fun began!

Eric S. Cooper - March 29, 2020

I was at MCRD San Diego in June 1958, Platoon 150. There were no yellow footprints at that time.

ray phipps - March 29, 2020

Funny I was there in 1959 and there were no yellow foot prints When we got there about midnight we were hustled in to a large room and sat there until every one got there or the ones that were drunk sobered up. then about 4:00 o’clock we were given our bucket issue . After that it all gets blurry things were moving pretty fast after that . Semper Fi Brother.

Johnny Reyes Jr ‘58-‘64 - March 29, 2020

Arrived MCRD 06 June 1958 late at night. It was dark in front of Receiving Barracks. Don’t remember anyone hollering at me to step into yellow footprints and I don’t remember seeing them the following morning. Plt 243.

Dick Snyder - March 29, 2020

I was in pt. 155 at MCRD in July of 1955 and I do not remember any yellow footprints. We did arrive in the middle of the night. Semper Fi.

Cpl Bob Korea - March 29, 2020

I haven’t seen a newsletter in a long time, like month’s. Have you been on Liberty or something?

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