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Thanks for sharing. When I attended my son’s graduation at MCRD San Diego, the people sitting right behind us were the parents of one of the DI’s for the graduating group. The mother was just as excited and proud, giddy, taking a million pictures as were those of us with fresh, new Marines.
Semper Fi... thanks for the memories.
I wanna be an Airborne Ranger, I wanna live a life of danger.
Good ol’ MCRD Dago.. home of the ‘Hollywood’ Marines.. since 1923 ? wow. Class of ‘72 here.
All my DIs were Vietnam vets, tunnel rats and snipers mostly , really bad dudes but nice guys too (rarely).. they only acted like they wanted to wring our necks.. tho it was hard to tell occasionally.
Yup, it takes a special Marine to wanna make pukes and momma’s boys and 4-eyed geeks into the fighting machine that is in action today in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Semper Fi, Marines!
As NEMDF posted, “Semper Fi... thanks for the memories.”
We had two Senior DIs; the second was a short, black Gunny (Gunny Truell) who sang the best cadence on the grinder. He was a cross between Yoda and maybe Brook Benton or Otis Redding. Our first Senior DI had been “canned” when the Series Sgt Major caught us hanging by our toes from the top rung of our racks, “playing bats” (we had screwed up over something?)
Years later I was at OCS (Officer Candidate School) at Quantico, running across the compound on the first day. The Company Gunny stopped me and asked, “You were one of my hogs, right?” “Yes, Gunny, I was!” was my proud reply.
It was GySgt Leist, my first Senior DI, of the hanging from our toes incident. That remains one of my best honors; my senior DI remembered me after nearly four years. Another surprise happened later that day. The Company XO stopped me and asked, “Don’t I know you?”
It turned out to be Capt Lohr, who as a 2nd Lt was the platoon commander on my last patrol in Vietnam. Small Corps, lots of memories, faithful friends.
Semper Fi!
USMC Corporal 1968-69
USMC Captain 1972-78
We have something in common: for the first 16 weeks I was in the Navy, at the Naval School of Pre-Flight in Pensacola, the United States Marine Corps was in charge of my life. It was a hellofaneducation!
I have always respected the Marine Corps — those crusty Sergeants had their work cut out for them, and they came through in magnificent style, if I do say so myself!
Armed with the special set of survival skills those very special men taught me, I was able to proudly serve my country for 28 1/2 years.
Furthermore, because I never left my locker unlocked, I never landed with my wheels up!
Semper Fi!