In August 1957 I began my tour with the Marine Corps that would last 14 years. My most enduring memories didn’t start until the shock wore off.
It stared in San Diego at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD). I remember standing in formation at 5 a.m. outside the mess hall, smelling the food cooking, the steam coming up out of the grates, the sounds of controlled chaos, drill instructors (D.I.s) yelling commands, verbal insults, 90-plus pairs of boots trying to be as one, and the clanking of metal food trays.
San Diego had the additional sounds of ships in the harbor, the smell of the sea, and the planes taking off and landing at Lindberg Field.
But the finest memory is that of the Junior D.I., Sergeant Salinas. He was 5’5” of pure Marine who would set me on the course that would be my life.
And 11 years later, I was the D.I. on the grounds of Parris Island, sharing my Vietnam experience, integrity, and the goal of survival and never quitting.