OT - Parris Island

[Ysabel Kid]

Got back from a little "mini vacation" with the family yesterday. Each year I attend a conference down in Myrtle Beach, SC. I bring the wife and kids so they can play by the pool while I work. Great way to start the summer. This year we decided to take a "mini-vacation" while in the area, and drove down to Charleston, SC Saturday. We started at Fort Sumter - very cool (on a VERY hot day), and then walked around the historic part of town. I love Charleston - it is simply beautiful.

Drove down to Beaufort, SC Sunday. Decided to go out to Parris Island and visit the museum first thing. We really enjoyed it - having the whole place to ourselves almost! I'm not a Marine and have never been one - my family line is all Army, so I am sure some of my ancestors are rolling in their graves - but you can't help but be proud as all get-out when visiting such a place. We saw many young men (and a few women) around the base, and the museum just speaks to centuries of honor, pride and tradition. Semper Fi all you leathernecks out there - you have a lot to be proud of!!!

Monday morning we visited the National Cementary in Beaufort - another amazing place. 13,000+ service men and women and some spouses laid to rest there, most from the unCivil War. I have some pictures which I will post when I get them downloaded from the camera. We came back home that same day - with a 3 hour delay due to a blow tire on the way (sucker was so low I couldn't safely use the piddly-little jack from the car and I had to call AAA. Nothing like waiting outside the car [for safety], on the side of I-95 in 100 degree heat!!!) Wife lost an earring, and I lost my watch on the trip as well - but it was still a ton of fun just being with the family and seeing the great history in this country. My blood pressure even came down quite a bit while on the trip (which has me thinking that work has more to do with this than I thought). Shame gas is so darn high - so many other trips to make and history to see!

Emptied the suitcase last night, re-packed it, and off on a business trip again today. Such is life.

Again, to all those who did some training time on Parris Island - and elsewhere in the service of our country - Thank You!!!

[JReed]

Sound like y'all had a great time. The Recruit Depots are neet places and really show case the Marine Corps. I have spent the last 5 1/2 weeks down here at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. I must say I really enjoy graduation day seeing all those new Marines and their happy families makes me happy and pround to be a Marine. Next time you get a chance to go to PI try to get their on a friday and watch a graduation.

[Hobie]

Whenever I see a USMC ad on TV I want to be 18 again so I can enlist. They have every right to be proud of what they do. FWIW, I've never known a bad Marine.

That is beautiful country down there, just too hot for my taste and I miss mountains when I'm away from them too long.

[rjohns94]

YK, I lived in Chasn for three years while in the service. My uncle was a gunny at PI. I use to summer there as a teen with him when he was stationed there. I saw him graduate from PI when I was in 2nd grade. Made such an impression on my that I vowed to serve in the military right then and there. He alos served at the 8th and I in DC. I spent summer weekends in his appt just to watch the show on saturday nights. Chose to go to USNA to get my commission. Very Very fond memories of both Chasn, and PI. I remember shrimping at the drainage duct in the ponds there, catching shrimp in my cast net that took two hands to hold. We use to go up the creeks and catch sea trout as long as your arm, doormat flounders on the oyster bars, and once, I hooked into the largest fish I have ever caught, pulled his wellcraft walkthru for miles in the riff water outside the harbor along the break waters. Black drum of record proportions, took a whole mullet for bait. Got it up to the boat but could not get it in the boat it was so big. we took pics and released it. He is gone now. I wear three ear rings on my left ear for three people who have gone early far too young in their life and who made a major impact on my life. My Uncle Frank, and two other friends. The bayonet he used in 'nam is as sharp as ever and is just an arms length away as I write this. Thanks for conjuring up memories . Blessings on your trip.

[RKrodle]

Sounds like you and the family had a good time. There is some real pretty country around there. I've only had the privilege of seeing PI once, on a trip to buy uniforms. I was a Hollywood marine
Semper Fi

[Ysabel Kid]

JR - I'll have to remember that because it would be a honor to see a graduation, and I know my son would really enjoy it. Turns out - without a flat tire - PI would only be about 3.5-4 hours from my house.

Hobie - it was hot all weekend - same up and down the east coast. 100 degrees. I figure that it must be miserable for the recruits, but you couldn't tell from the few we saw. Of course it was a Sunday, so there weren't many out and about. No mountains anywhere to be seen, that's for sure. But we did go over to Hunting Island's beach for a few hours, and there were lots of Marines - and everyone else - enjoying the water and trying to stay cool!

Thanks again guys - for your service in any of the branches. Our freedom rests on those who served, and those serving today!

[Noah Zark]

Kid:

Did you smell anything while at PI?

I did boot at PI from Aug-Oct '72. I'd like to go back for a visit and see what's changed.

Noah

[k8bor]

JReed-

I graduated from the recruit depot there in San Diego in November, 1966. Now my own son is a Marine Lt. Col. now about to go to work for the Nato tactical group in Lisbon, Portugal.

In 1999 he was stationed with his family in San Diego. He is a pilot and was assigned to Miramar at the time. We went to visit them at the time and one of the things we did was to wander around the recruit depot. It was exactly like I remembered it. The most emotional moment in the last 40 years of my life was when I stood out in the middle of that grinder and pondered the profound influence the whole experience at that recruit depot had on my life. Must have looked stupid to see an almost 60 year old man cry, but there it was. Little did I know in Nov '66 what I would learn in the following four years.......................

[Pete44ru]

[Decided to go out to Parris Island ]

You musta gone to the wrong place - We called it Paradise Island, back in the day.

[41 Redhawk]

Next time you get a chance to go to PI try to get their on a friday and watch a graduation.

I actually liked the pinning ceremony more than the graduation. It occurs the day before the actual graduation and is very cool. We bought the offical DVD when our son graduated and it just so happens that they caught my wife jumping into his arms after the pinning ceremony. We did the museum after the pinning ceremony. They were still remodeling it so parts of it were closed down but it still was an impressive place.

YK, if you do go down, try to get to both ceremonies.

[kimwcook]

I'm a Diego Marine, never been to PI. I'd like to go back and take a look around. Didn't get much of a chance to enjoy my time there, just time enough to soak it in. It seems like it was yesterday and forever ago.

I have met a bad Marine. While I was with the narc team he tried soliciting my sgt. and I to do a hit on his girlfriends husband. My sgt. was ex-Navy and he's never let me forget it.

[505stevec]

Whenever I see a USMC ad on TV I want to be 18 again so I can enlist. They have every right to be proud of what they do. FWIW, I've never known a bad Marine.

That is beautiful country down there, just too hot for my taste and I miss mountains when I'm away from them too long.

Well I will kinda agree since I have known a bad Marine. But I will say I have never known a Marine that was a "bad" shot.

[C. Cash]

Sounds like a great time Ysabel. It would be great to see Sumter as well. Great history in these old places, and an awesome debt that we owe to those who went through them and never came back!

[JReed]

I am a Diego Marine also it has been cool to walk around here especialy since all the Drill Instructors that I out rank give me the greeting of the day instead of the other way around . I get to talk to some recruites tomorrow to motivate them and give them some info about what I do. These are kids that are on medical hold or in the physical conditioning platoon. Should be fun

[45Jack]

Do they still have the quonset huts at Diego?
I was in so long ago my 782 gear was 781 gear.
Semper Fi
Jack

[PaulB]

We Parris Island recruits used to call the San Diego MCRD people "Hollywood Marines".

I went through there in 1968. One of the happiest days of my life was getting out of "the Crotch" in 1972. If my son ever gets the itch I will do everything I can to talk him out of it. Fortunately it seems he has more sense than I did back then.

Don't get me wrong, the Marine Corps is (or was, anyway) a great outfit. It's just that Marines are used as tools of empire, by pissants who'd cr*p a brick if they ended up where they send those boys. War is a racket, that's all. Some profit, and others die.

I'm glad I never ended up in the position of killing someone who is trying to defend his country. That would bother me.

[Ysabel Kid]

Kid:

Did you smell anything while at PI?

I did boot at PI from Aug-Oct '72. I'd like to go back for a visit and see what's changed.

Noah

There actually was a general odor in the air, but it was also at Hunting Island and in the city of Beaufort. I chalked it up to being that close to all those marshes - and it being about 100 degrees with 100% humidity!!!

[JReed]

Do they still have the quonset huts at Diego?
I was in so long ago my 782 gear was 781 gear.
Semper Fi
Jack

They still have a few but they are used for storage these days.

[Saltcreek]

Kid:

Did you smell anything while at PI?

I did boot at PI from Aug-Oct '72. I'd like to go back for a visit and see what's changed.

Noah

There actually was a general odor in the air, but it was also at Hunting Island and in the city of Beaufort. I chalked it up to being that close to all those marshes - and it being about 100 degrees with 100% humidity!!!

Ahh Yes, the smell! I was wondering if those who knew would bring that up. Be glad when you visited you didn't have to roll in the smell. There used to be some paper mills also to add to the swamp. Makes me want to start pushups but I can't get my stomach off the ground. USMC 72-80

[Noah Zark]

Kid:

Did you smell anything while at PI?

I did boot at PI from Aug-Oct '72. I'd like to go back for a visit and see what's changed.

Noah

There actually was a general odor in the air, but it was also at Hunting Island and in the city of Beaufort. I chalked it up to being that close to all those marshes - and it being about 100 degrees with 100% humidity!!!

Ahh Yes, the smell! I was wondering if those who knew would bring that up. Be glad when you visited you didn't have to roll in the smell. There used to be some paper mills also to add to the swamp. Makes me want to start pushups but I can't get my stomach off the ground. USMC 72-80

Actually, after several weeks I got accustomed to the odor and those days when the wind was right and the air was fresh I wondered what was wrong . . .

When I was a senior in college I met a biology major that had gone through PI about eight months after me. We once got to talking about the odor and he said that as a biology major it meant that the marsh was teeming with happy, active bacteria and thus it smelled "productive."

To this day I always recall what he said whenever I enter a freshly-used restroom: <sniff> "That certainly must have been productive."

Noah

[RSY]

At San Diego, we had our own "smell," too: The jet fuel/exhaust from Lindbergh Field (aka the San Diego Int'l Airport) right across the fence. I was actually physically sick for the first week, or so, from that stuff.

Nothin' like lying in the rack at night all homesick and watching plane after plane take off.

Scott

[eric65]

At San Diego, we had our own "smell," too: The jet fuel/exhaust from Lindbergh Field (aka the San Diego Int'l Airport) right across the fence. I was actually physically sick for the first week, or so, from that stuff.

Nothin' like lying in the rack at night all homesick and watching plane after plane take off.

Scott

+1

[Ysabel Kid]

When I was a senior in college I met a biology major that had gone through PI about eight months after me. We once got to talking about the odor and he said that as a biology major it meant that the marsh was teeming with happy, active bacteria and thus it smelled "productive."

To this day I always recall what he said whenever I enter a freshly-used restroom: <sniff> "That certainly must have been productive."

Noah

Gee thanks NZ! I've had a "mental image" before that I didn't want. I think you just created the first "mental smell" in the same "I don't want" category!!!

[FWiedner]

When I was a senior in college I met a biology major that had gone through PI about eight months after me. We once got to talking about the odor and he said that as a biology major it meant that the marsh was teeming with happy, active bacteria and thus it smelled "productive."

To this day I always recall what he said whenever I enter a freshly-used restroom: <sniff> "That certainly must have been productive."

Noah

Gee thanks NZ! I've had a "mental image" before that I didn't want. I think you just created the first "mental smell" in the same "I don't want" category!!!

I don't know, I've walked into places before and thought "WHOA...Good One!", just before making the conscious choice to make the best use of what was currently in my lungs, so that I did not have to inhale again...

It's really hard not to take a breath after a dry heave.

[Ysabel Kid]

I don't know, I've walked into places before and thought "WHOA...Good One!", just before making the conscious choice to make the best use of what was currently in my lungs, so that I did not have to inhale again...

It's really hard not to take a breath after a dry heave.

Wait a minute... I'm contributing to the hi-jacking of my own post?!? This one has gone down a dark - and smelly - path!!!

[footlong]

YK, I have an uncle buried at the Nat Cemetery there. My dad went to UPI in 37. I remember him talking about taking
the train to "Beautiful Beaufort by the sea. 26 miles from Yemessee". Worked a short time at BMCAS in 72. MY favorite
place is the "HOLY CITY". I was born and raised there. Charleston. Where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers meet to form
the Atlantic Ocean.

[Ysabel Kid]

YK, I have an uncle buried at the Nat Cemetery there. My dad went to UPI in 37. I remember him talking about taking
the train to "Beautiful Beaufort by the sea. 26 miles from Yemessee". Worked a short time at BMCAS in 72. MY favorite
place is the "HOLY CITY". I was born and raised there. Charleston. Where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers meet to form
the Atlantic Ocean.

The day before our visit to Beaufort and Parris Island we were in Charleston. One of my favorite places of all. I just love the historic part of town. I am a Den Leader for my son's Cub Scout pack and this upcoming season we are going to take the boys down to Mt. Pleasant to camp out on the USS Yorktown. It is going to be wonderful!!!

[Ray Newman]

Went through Parris Island late June - early September 1964.

Except when @ the rifle range, Platoon 155 (Sgt AJ Sierra --Senior Drill Instructor, Sgt HL Rogers & Cpl. FD Ellis -- Jr. Drill Instructors) was housed in the old WW II "temporary" barracks.

We had just returned from the rifle range when Tonkin Gulf incident occurred & Lt. Alvarez, was shot down.

Just doesn't seem like that it was 44 years ago & 40 years since I was retired on disability....