37 years ago today

[hrscowboy]

37 years ago today I stood on the yellow steps of MCRD San Diego and wondered to myself What in the world have I went and done to myself. It was 11:30 PM when our drill instructors picked us up and off to the hootches we went. I can still remember those days and I can honestly say that it was the greatest thing I had ever done and still believe that today.. Recently I was invited back to MCRD and I met up with Gunnery Sgt Walker. Gunny walker took me back to those Yellow steps and at the same time watch almost 300 new guys being processed in 6 hours time. I can tell you that I was dang proud to be standing there and seeing these young men doing the same thing I did 37 years ago and knowing that these young men and women are now protecting me and my loved ones as i did theres along time ago.

I would like to say to all my brothers and sisters that have served before me and all the Marines that have served after me a very heart felt thank you from the bottom of my heart..

Semper Fi oorahhhhhhhhhh

Cpl William (Tom) Rogers II
One of the few, The Proud, Marine

[yellowwing]

http://www.geocities.com/igorslounge/usmc-grunts.jpg
Semper Fidelis

[jinelson]

Its been almost forty years for me brother but when Im aboard the Depot and a Drill Instructor speaks to me I still lock up in his presence and feel fear and the utmost of respect. When he addresses me as SIR it just does not seem correct to me. Like you I have the greatest admiration for Gunnery Sergeant Walker and his fellow Drill Instructors that still to this day can take a sows ear and mold it into a lean green fighting machine that protects our freedoms. Im also extremely proud of the young men and women that are so selflessly willing to follow our paths and fill our boots on the line, they are all the true patriots of our time. God Bless them each and everyone of them and give them the strength of the generations of Marines that preceeded them.

Semper Fi Marines, OORAH!!!

[GySgtRet]

I know how you all feel. It will be 33 years for me this Oct. I cannot thank the new Marines enough for what they do for all of us. And I definately respect the Marine Drill Instructors.

[thedrifter]

Congratulations!

OOOORAHHH

Ellie

[Shaffer]

Damn...your old :D

The pride of the Corps is an amazing feeling. Something that is very hard to put exactly into words.

Semper Fi back at ya!

Jerry

[MillRatUSMC]

http://www.geocities.com/millrat_99/ricardox.jpg
AWESOME,
Is what I feel at times, I was there a bit before you and I know the feeling we have towards this "New Breed" but its still the Marine Corps.
Than I think back to Marines, I served with or under their command,
God! what great men and women those were or are.
Than the feeling I feel for those now gone, I feel proud to have stood in the ranks with those Marines, but I also feel a big void.
Congratulations on 37 year!!!

[lovdog]

39 years for me Cowboy. Maybe one of these days I'll make it back to the Island - we didn't exactly part on good terms in those days!! But when you consider what it takes to reprogram a civilian to a Marine - its not an easy chore! My Drill Instructors were pretty good though ( even though there were a few times that I'd have liked to put a knife in every one of them), but at least they were fair - 1/2 the time! But, if you didn't learn to "hate" then they weren't doing their job either!! Took me a long time to realize that. Put it this way, I'm not about to call any of them up to go have a beer & pretzels & talk about the "good times" we shared together!! SF

[Camper51]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes, how well I remember 11 Nov 1968 and those wonderful yellow footprints in San Diego and the wonderful bellowing of GySgt Hogwood our platoon gunny...:evilgrin:

[cohoskip]

There were no yellow footprints 61 years ago when I entered MCRD San Diego...

[outlaw3179]

:evilgrin:

[JDuckie]

COHO did they even have boots that far back, One of the guys I work with keeps telling me he was from the old corp. I need you to come and have a talk with him. It will be 30 yr for me in June and he only hax 10 yr on me.

[cohoskip]

JDuckie, No combat boots, just "Boondockers" with leggings...

[Arlene Horton]

Congratulations to all of you! It'll be 54 years for me in July, and I really don't remember yellow footprints...only a screaming Drill Instructor telling us to get our lazy a----off the train and on to the bus. It was pretty intimidating to this naive 18 year old female but it was almost like home, when my mother started! Joining the Marine Corps was the smartest thing I ever did in my life. Semper Fi

[marinetom]

42 years for me since I was on the yellow footprints at San Diego, and I am proud to have shared the same experience with you all. Civilians don't have a clue as to what being a Marine means to us.

[Les Elkins]

33 years come october. Been a long time since I helped feed the sand fleas on PI.

[BigPhil]

45 years come the 26th of June, Best thing I ever did. Did alot of growing up in the Corps.
Semper Fi.
Big Phil

[Patdaly]

It has been 41 years for me and yet it seems like it was yesterday. The sights and smells will last forever. This past January I had the pleasure of watching my Grandson Grauduate from Bootcamp at MCRD and loved every minute of it

[semperfiman]

30 Dec 1970 on the yellow footprints 31 Dec was my birthday damned if i remember that one semper fi

[USA&CSA]

It'll be 20 years in Dec for me
Doesn't seem that long ago.
Semper Fi

[drillinstructor]

Thanks HRS for the nice comments, It was my pleasure to have you here and I really enjoyed talking with you through the night. I am still laughing about recruits running into you, now you have to admit that was pretty funny.... I am not as old as the ones posting on this thread but hell I would love to be locked up in a VFW somewhere for a couple of days drinking a few beers and chit chatting with all of you about your time in the Marine Corps and today's Marine Corps.....

Thanks again Tom and Semper FI!!!

DI

[rb1651]

29 years in June for me. Seems like it was just yesterday. Man, time does fly! (Except when you're a recruit on the receiving end on the quarterdeck!! LOL)

[recon532002]

Yes Sir
I was night time when we got to San Diego
then the Bus and the Yelling Get off the bus get on the yellow footprints.
That has stayed with me :)

Recon

[OLE SARG]

It's been 44 years for me since bootcamp. I still swell with pride when I hear the Marine Corps Hymn or see a Marine in Dress Blues. My grandson just got back from Iraq and just got promoted to Corporal - He is proud and so is Grandpa!!!!!!!!!! I agree with MarineTom that civilians don't have a clue what it means to have earned the title of "Marine"!

SEMPER FI,

[Osotogary]

I'd say that, yes, it is true that for the most part civilians don't have a clue what means to have earned the title "Marine" but yet there are some civilians that have a pretty good idea of what the title "Marine" means..albeit not personal. Often times these civilians become active in the foundation and upkeep of Marine Corps support groups but you folks already knew that. Congratulations to all of you. Ya done good. :)

[JDuckie]

We were a state plt. we formed up in charleston,wv and they flew us down to beaufort,sc. They meet us at the plane with a cattle car and about 6 DI. The poor dumb asses that had the USMC shirts on, the DI's loved them. I made the mistake of bumping in to a DI as I got on the cattle car, I learned that was not a think I would do again.

[Old Marine]

It was a short 53 years ago that I arrived at MCRD, San Diego and I do not remember having yellow footprints then. I do remember it was late at night and they took us to the Mess Hall and the DI served the chow. I stuck out my tray and he started pileing on the Mac & Cheese that was cold and tasted like chalk. After my complete tray was cover and about 6" thick he reached across the chow line and grabbed my by the coller and asked when I had enough. I told him about 10 scoops back and he told me to sit down and eat every bit of it. To this day I do not eat Mac & Cheese.

[greensideout]

Time goes by---44 years ago yesterday I landed in the RVN. The yellow footprints were a fading memory, but not an event that I would ever forget. Stepping onto the yellow footprints was kind of like landing in hell. The Corps' way of preparing you before they send you there.

Semper Fi,
GSO

[greensideout]

Actually it will be next month. 15 April 1962. Guess that I am already reliving the event. Why?---I ain't got a clue.

Semper Fi,
GSO

[Marine84]

22 years for me - in 04 I had the opprotunity to take a trip back to PI with a trucker friend of mine and we rode around the base (as much as we could in an 18 wheeler) - saw a platoon of guys and you could tell that they were getting ready to graduate cause they weren't all goofy marching - they were leaned back and settled down - all you saw was one movement.

[JMartinez]

I guess I am the youngster of the group. I stood on those yellow footprints 18 years, four months and 9 days ago. Semper Fi to all Marines Old and young.

[rb1651]

Jesus, ain't none younger, none older, just MARINES!!

[Bill Thompson]

39 years in Aug. and I still remember the train ride from KC to Diego. Then the famous yellow foot prints. And the thought "What the *@$$ have I done." Now I just have the memories of that time and the names of the DI's etched in my brain.
:marine:

[lucien2]

28 years for me this October 3rd (my REAL birthday!)!

[rick taylor]

Almost 40 years ago I stepped on the yellow footprints.I am very proud of being part of this Brotherhood. Semper Fi