1960, Marine boot camp, MCRD San Diego

The 1st day in Receiving I scuffed a LCPL's shoe and was promptly grabbed by the throat. I always wished I would run into him later. While cleaning the floor in a separate building, another recruit and me snuck a coke and drank it in seconds, knowing we would get caught for sure. Didn't happen. After a good day on the "Grinder", we were marched to the base theatre and watched a movie, "Iwo Jima". We paid for it the next day by cleaning our quonset huts of everything and dumping 2 pails each of sand, followed by 2 pails of water on the floor, and given an unbelievable limit of time for a "white glove" inspection. I actually got a little "Claim to Fame" by being the platoon champion with the "Pugil Sticks". Nobody gave this 140 lb kid from Iowa a chance, and they paid. I was a finalist for getting the PFC patch as the best recruit, but didn't happen either. Tough, humbling - indeed. But once the blisters healed it was all worth it to be called a "Marine" at graduation. Would I do it again? In a heart-beat.
Semper Fi "Dud" and all my Brothers.

Cpl. Tom Smock
Iowa

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