Memory!

    It was the first night and morning in our Quonset Hut barrack in Boot Camp. Upon arrival at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego we were housed in dormitory barracks until there were enough Marines to form a four platoon company. Then we were installed in Quonset Huts for the remainder of Boot Camp. These humble huts would be our home for twelve weeks.

  "On April 8, 1956, six U.S. Marine Corps recruits drowned during a disciplinary night march led by Drill Instructor Staff Sergeant Matthew McKeon into Ribbon Creek at Parris Island, South Carolina. The incident, caused by unexpected deep water and panic, led to McKeon’s conviction for negligent homicide and significant reforms to Marine training methods."  Internet

   The new rules mandated that from 10pm until 6am, Marine recruits could not be bothered by drill instructors. Taps were played at 10:00 and lights out, Reveille played at 6:00, lights on and everybody up. The first morning most of us were up and dressed in the dark before 6:00. One recruit, on a top bunk, was slow getting up. At 6:00 the hut door burst open admitting a drill instructor. When he spotted the recruit still in his top bunk he grabbed the mattress and threw it and the recruit on the floor. After that no one was tempted to hit an imaginary snooze button.

   This memory was occasioned by the Beetle Baily cartoon below.

Takk for alt,

Al