Where did you receive Basic Training

[JITB]

Although many Marines living today became Marines at either San Diego or Parris Island, the Corps has had basic training at many other locations in the past century.

[Cpl Miller]

where Marines were trained other than SD, and PI. For me it was San Diego, Ca 1964

[JITB]

How come there is no selection for that yet in the poll choices?

[JITB]

Most people know that Black Marines initially got their Basic Training at Montford Point. But, in the 50's, Reserve Marines got basic training at Montford Point until the Corps changed to a six month Active Status for Reserve Marines in the late 50's. In those six months, the Reserve Marine was to go through the regular recruit depot boot camp at PI or SD, ITR and MOS training.

[Cpl Miller]

or can't count 8 from the TOP Marine. ha

[JITB]

Perhaps some WM's that received boot training at Hunter College or Camp Lejeune? Some Reserve Marines that got boot training at Montford Point in the early 50's?

[JITB]

Glad to see that PI Marines know how to use a computer.

[EliteDogg]

I didn't realize they had that many locations!!

[JITB]

We may have even missed a couple! A WM in our MCL detachment says that she thinks some WM's received their initial training in Norfolk after she went through training at Hunter College. I know one Marine that told me he got his boot training aboard an LST crossing the Pacific.

[Bob Tate]

Never had the "pleasure" or either SD or PI...

spent a total of 9 months in Quantico..... that was enough!!!

S/F

[JITB]

I think Quantico is an interesting base to visit. I stayed at the Crossroads Inn back in 2001.

[JITB]

I wonder if it's true that San Diego Marines are issued sunglasses in boot camp?

[Cpl Miller]

transistion lenses.....YOU PI Marines kill me with the sunglasses comments. If'en they gave them out, I MISSED getting mine. ha ha

[Ken Rohlff]

That is interesting. I didn't know they had that many Boot Camp locations.
One of our Marine League members, Hector Cafferatta, Was in the local Reserves, And was sent to Korea, wthout going to Boot Camp. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for His actions in the Chosin Res. Hector now lives in Fla.
Ken Rohlff 1626455

[govern4]

PI ,the home of the sand flea
you could never see them,but they were all teeth:)

[JITB]

Around 1957, the Corps changed the Reserve policy and would put Reserve Marines on active duty for six months to do boot camp and infantry training. Prior to that, reservists got their "Boot" training in short spurts at Montfort Point and in their summer activations.

Over the years, I've met a number of Marines that never saw training at PI or San Diego. In WWII, many Marines got their initial training aboard troop ships heading out to the Pacific and in New Zealand. Woman Marines got boot training at various colleges and in Norfolk or Lejeune before the Corps started sending them to Parris Island.

[GunnySan]

JITB - That's correct. We had quite a few 6 Month Reservists at SD 58-60. The Everly Brothers went through around that time. maybe 1960 or 61. I believe they completed their 6 months at MCRD. Unlike Elvis Presley, I guess they figured their career wouldn't survive a two year break. They were probably right.

[Cpl Miller]

WHAT the hell was the Corps thinking when it made the decission about Reserve units going home before they made the 6 months active duty change.

I know when I was in, those that did reserves had to do 6 months before they could go home to mommy for the balance of their time in the Corps.....SHIT, send me home to do my time, what a crock.

[GunnySan]

What are you referring to? All the 6 mo. reservists I knew finished their time active. I don't know any that went home after their 3 months boot camp. I don't believe they even got boot leave.

[Cpl Miller]

two year reserves did boot camp then did 6 months active before heading home to finish their remaining years on active reserve duty......It's been a lot of years, so I could be mistaken.

[GunnySan]

You could be right. I didn't have any experience with them other than recruit training. Don't really remember what their full contract requirements were. I never had any in my Fleet units. When I enlisted we had two year enlistments, but they served the full two active then were through as I recall. It's possible they may have had reserve obligation after. I know for sure that 3-year hitches were final, no release to Reserve status. I enlisted for three then extended.

[Cpl Miller]

that is four years active, and two years inactive reserve ( no meetings).

We did have a couple of reserve guys in our platoon in boot camp. If I remember correctly, I remember one of them saying something about doing 6 months active, and the balance of their two year enlistment was done at home.
Here I am heading to Nam after basic, and this guys going home after 6 month ??

Gary

[GunnySan]

I wish someone from my initial era (Pre-Korea) who knows something about the Reserve program at the time would jump in here. Until we got our first replacements there, I didn't know anything about the Reserves.

[JITB]

Went through boot, then to ITR and then did some MOS training.

[Cpl Miller]

AFter that the reserve guys did 6 months at their first duty station. A bunch of us had the same first duty station after ITR with the 1st Mar. Div at Pendleton.

[GunnySan]

No ITR in my day. That started about 51/52 I believe. I went straight to my first duty station, MarBks, Portsmouth, NH.

[Cpl Miller]

you got what would be more in line with ON THE JOB training. ha

I'm glad we did ITR, other than the running part, firing all them weapons was a kick. Well most, I could hit the side of a barn door with the 3.5 bazooca if I was standing next to the darn thing. ha ha

[GunnySan]

That's right. We all had a Spec. Number (Specialty Number) of 521. That was Basic Marine. We didn't have MOS's then. When I made PFC after six months, I became a 745 (Rifleman). Since we were not in the Fleet, we had all our training in classroom. All our NCOs had WW2 combat, so we had excellent teachers. When I left there after 1 year, I went right into a rifle squad as a BAR man. When I left Portsmouth, I knew every weapon from .45 to heavy .30 machine gun, including riot gun and Reising sub-machine gun and the skinned fingers as mementos.

[Cpl Miller]

what memories that weapon brings. Had to qualify with it in boot camp, or should I say ITR.

[JITB]

Many of the Marines logging into this website are retired. The problem for me is many of those retirees were born the year I went through boot camp at PI in 1958 or later!

[devildog-64012]

Originally posted by JITB
Many of the Marines logging into this website are retired. The problem for me is many of those retirees were born the year I went through boot camp at PI in 1958 or later!
I'm a Retired Marine and I was 11 pushing 12 when you were in Boot Camp.

Richard
MSGT USMC(Ret)

[JITB]

Anybody remember falling outside for the morning run and having the DI make you stand there, at attention, for a while with a cloud of sand fleas around your head?

[JITB]

San Diego has it tough! It must be hard to sleep with that airport nearby. To do anything in the boonies, they have to take a bus to another base. They have all of that nice beach weather there.

Parris Island has sand fleas, ticks, alligators, swamps, water moccasins and incredible hot and humid heat.

[Cpl Miller]

YOU just wish you had it so good back in the day...hehehehehehe

[devildog-64012]

OOPs I posted this exactly ONE Month early........:confused:

At 0200 on this date I una$$ed my young but from the Receiving DI's Bus to stand on the Yellow Foot Prints at PI SC. :)

S/F Richard

[JITB]

this September will be 50 years since I stepped on those Yellow Foot Prints in front of Recruit Recieving at Parris Island. I still remember the sign they had over the door.....HERE WE TURN BOYS INTO MEN AND MEN INTO MARINES

[541arthur007]

We got into the train station in San Diego about 0300 and waited around for transportation. Got off of the six by and onto the Yellow Foot Prints.
First meal in the Corps; SOS on soggy toast, half fried potatos. "Take all you want, but eat all you take". Loved that chow.
At the time I enlisted, there was an 8 year oblligation, 3 year active and the remaining time in the reserve. I didn't know anyone from my platoon who was a reserve, although I'm sure there must have been.
Soon be fifty four years. Boy time flys while your having fun.

Semper Fi

[JITB]

For a regular enlistment, it was 3 or 4 years active. We also had the option to sign up under the draft for 2 years active. The Recruiter convinced me that my best choice was 4 years. each option had a 6 year total commitment (Active and Reserve).

We did have a few Reservists in my PI platoon. The Corps had recently gone to a six month active duty commitment for Reserves to do recruit traning, ITR and possibly a MOS school.

An amusing thing happened to me a little over a year after I was in. We were at the rifle range at Damneck and I got a letter that was forwarded to me by my parents. It was from the Draft Board. It said, that because I had failed to register for the Draft when I turned 18, I had been drafted. I took the letter to my Platoon Sergeant and told him I needed to go back to the barracks to pack my gear. I pointed out that I had over 2 1/2 years to go in the Corps but me being drafted meant that I only had 2 years to serve in the Army. He told me to get out of his face or I would be shining trash cans in the mess hall for the rest of the time we had at the range.

[John Perez]

When I joined the Marine Corps, I signed up for 3 years, but when I got to Afees, I was told I could not go in for 3 years so they put down for 2 years. Got to MCRD SD and never left Calif.
FEB., was 34 years since I stood on the yellow foot prints

[541arthur007]

Speaking of Rifle Range, we qualified at Camp Matthews just north of San Diego. The New Va Medical Center is located on the grounds that was Camp Matthews. When I drove to work in San Diego, 1974, I passed by the VA every morning and I could see the remnants of the butts area of one of the ranges just south of the facility.
I notice now that the barracks I was billeted in during recruit training no longer exists today and the swimming pool is now covered. No more WWll ventage buildings. Nothing but the finest for the worlds finest.

[Zebra29er]

PI ,the home of the sand flea
you could never see them,but they were all teeth:)

and you better know the sex of one if you slapped it LOL coz after you buried it the DI asked what sex it was .

[JITB]

Tell me about it! While waiting to go into the messhall, one of the recruits in line slapped a sand flea. The DI was on him in seconds. He pulled the recruit out of line and told him to run back to his Quonset hut to get his entrenching tool. When he got back, the DI told him to dig a proper 6'x6' grave for the sand flea. He was still digging it when we got out of chow.

After he finished it, the DI went to inspect the grave. He asked the recruit what sex the sand flea was. When the recruit replied he didn't know, the DI went crazy. He said "That sand flea might have been female! If she was, she might have been pregnant!" He ordered the recruit to go back, dig up the sand flea and bring it to him. The recruit dug up the grave, slapped another sand flea and brought it to the DI. When he got back to the DI's Quonset hut, the DI told him he was safe because the sand flea was a male. He then told him to take it back to its grave and fill the hole.

[pisc69]

lordy it was funny
got chased off the bus about 0200 - spent most of the night standing by tables with laundry numbers stencilled on them - emptied our pockets before remembering the fake ID I used to buy beer - DI held it up in front of my nose and asked IS THIS YOURS?
then gave me that invisible forehead brand TOTAL DUMBASS they used

didn't see the yellowprints until dawn - after a nice breakfast of fried dog poop with dishwashing soap sauce

ITR was a good idea - I was 145lbs when I got to PI, 120lbs at graduation, and got out of ITR as 180lbs of muscle and suntan
I barely qualified at PI - Camp Geiger was where I really learned to shoot
- the most excellent and worthy M14
which we never used again after that

[J. R. Weems]

Speaking of Rifle Range, we qualified at Camp Matthews just north of San Diego. The New Va Medical Center is located on the grounds that was Camp Matthews. When I drove to work in San Diego, 1974, I passed by the VA every morning and I could see the remnants of the butts area of one of the ranges just south of the facility.
I notice now that the barracks I was billeted in during recruit training no longer exists today and the swimming pool is now covered. No more WWll ventage buildings. Nothing but the finest for the worlds finest.

BARRACKS?? What a life! All we had were tents, in 1962. :GI1: Oh yeah, we were picked to test some sort of 'paper' sleeping bag as well. That was in ITR- :eek: