Marine Corps Boot Camp 1975, we had just finished our lectures on Homosexuals and Racism. Neither were tolerated by the Corps back then. We were in the classroom, (front of the squad bay) getting another lecture on some mundane thing by our Drill Instructor. Private White (who was black) was talking and the DI told him to shut-up. White looks straight at the DI and said “NO”, the DI calm as can be asked what he meant by no? White said "my father taught me to never take orders from a honky." (remember the racism lecture we just had) Still calm the DI asked what about the Platoon Commander SSgt Pruitt (he was black). Pvt White loudly proclaimed that SSgt Pruitt was a "Oreo cookie, black on the outside and white on the inside." There was an audible gasp, SSgt Pruitt was nobody to mess with. The DI calmly asked White to please wait in the duty hut. The DI got on the phone and began calling every Black DI in the 1st Battalion. About this time SSgt Pruitt walks in, as if on cue the entire room started laughing, SSgt Pruitt looks around “it better be funny ladies.” He went in the duty hut and we heard him yell “you called me a what?” He stuck his head out the door smiled and said “it's funny ladies, now field day the barracks.” For over an hour black DI’s kept coming in and taking turns thrashing White. Pvt White walked out of that duty hut in shock, he spent the rest of the day shining his boots and shoes in a daze.
Backstory: After graduation we found out Pvt White had been given a choice by a judge in Oakland or San Fran, prison or the Marine Corps. Seems White was a pimp by trade. White thought if the Marine Corps kicked him out, he would be a free man. The Corps kept him for six months had him turning cement Quonset hut foundations back into sand. To White's surprise when the Marine Corps kicked him out, Sheriffs were waiting for him and took back to the see the judge. SSgt Pruitt said he went to prison where he belonged. You should hear the story about the three Privates who the very next day claimed to be gay. I was cleaning the duty hut at the time, it was hilarious, but I cannot related what was said on here.
Back in 1968 at PI our DIs had two of the smallest recruits, known as “house mice”, who cleaned the room the DI’s used in our squad bay. Pvt. Montalvo (Light skinned Hispanic) was the “Little White Mouse” and Pvt. Benjamin (Black recruit) was the “Little Brown Mouse”.
One day the DI on duty sent Pvt Benjamin up to Platoon 301 on the deck above us. After a while, two very big recruits came in the back hatch carrying a footlocker, set it down and ran out.
Our DI ordered “School Circle!”, we we all ran to the end of that squad bay.
“Ready, Seats!”.
“Guide, get over here!”
“Unlatch the footlocker”
The lid flew open, Pvt Benjamin (all 5’4” of him) popped to attention, covered head to toe with foot powder.
“Sir, the Little Brown Mouse is ordered to report that he is no longer a “Little Brown Mouse”, he is now a “Little White Mouse”.
There is very little (nothing) to laugh about at Parris Island, but that had us howling.
(you had to have been there - especially after weeks & weeks and years and centuries of DIs yelling at you!)