Milinet: A Sea Story...

[GyG1345]

21 January

MILINET: A Sea Story

By: Capt. Bob Capeci, USMC (Ret)

==============================

In 1961, I reported to the San Diego Recruit Depot for training at the Drill
Instructor (DI) School.

During that training period and afterward, Inoticed a wiry, elderly man constantly
sweeping the sidewalks, cleaning in and around the depot headquarters. He
was a long time fixture, and the common impression was that he was a member
of the janitor staff.

Each day about mid afternoon on the north end of the grinder, thisindividual would
go throughan exhaustive shadow boxing routine. It was obvious that he
was in excellent physical condition and was no stranger to boxing.

About 1962, General Victor Krulak (the father of the recent CMC) took
command as the depot CG and noticed the energetic janitor.

"Who is that," asked the General. When his adjutant responded with a
blank look, he was directed to find out.

The investigation discovered that the janitor was a retired Marine enlisted
(Sergeant, as I remember), and a former Atlantic Fleet boxing champ from
the 1930's. But there's more.

The subject was not on the Depot's payroll, held no position janitorial or
otherwise, and was apparently carrying out his daily duties without reimbursement.

"Why work without payment?" asked the investigator. "To earn my keep," he answered.

It seems that that theretired Sergeant had liberated a small room (more like a large
broom closet) just off the grinder, and outfitted it with a Marine bunk (tightly made),
and a wall and foot locker, all in regulation condition.

The adjutant gave the General his report and added that the Sergeant would
be promptly tossed off the depot.

"Hold it," said the General. After a moment he added; "Leave him be and put him
on the payroll."

I completed my DI tour and left the depot in 1963. How long afterwards the
Sergeant remained at the Depot, I do not know.

[GyG1345]

Good story! I like this one (above).
Seems to me I have heard similar stories of things like this occurring elsewhere in the Corps too.

The only one I can think of right now is one that appeared in an old early 1960s issue of Esquire (I think) magazine. It was about a 2dLt at Lejeune whose Dad, a former Marine CWO, was living in the BOQ, to be near his son, had no place else to go, and he was also dying w/cancer to boot. Somebody in the story--it seems to me now--was of the Marriott family-maybe the one who authored the story, not sure.

Then, there was the story of the old MSgt at MB 8th and Eye, who had done most of his 30+ years right there at the barracks--the claim was that he was the only one who knew the secrets (non-documented) of the electrical/plumbing, etc. details of the barracks--every time they transferred him, they ended up having to bring him back to solve some problem or other related to his sole knowledge of the area.

I've heard a lot more of these, but at present they are tightly locked away in my mind-housing-group.

"Sea Story: The traditional means by which Marine wisdom is passed down from one generation of Marines to the next."

-Author Unknown

[GyG1345]

Speaking of Sea Stories--anybody here remember a Marine by name of Corky? I think he was a S/Sgt in the early '50s back at Camp Fuji, Japan, Korea, etc.

Somebody posted a story about him on my Sayonara Marines Forum a few years ago, and it turned out that there were several responses to that story from Marines who had remembered him--in fact, I think it may have been a guy I had a couple run-ins with in Gotemba--another story...

Anyway, not sure of all the original story entailed, but I do remember it was interesting, and Corky apparently was a well-known and interesting character also.

Anyway, I am no longer in possesion of the story--I believe it was posted to an old network54 Forum of mine which I deleted after a mutiny there of the "duty-drunks" (regulars) on that board--still another story...

But if anyone out there in cyber-land remembers Corky, and can provide info i will be happy to post it to my Sayonara Marines, as I have had a couple, at least, e-mail inquiries regarding him.

Here, below, is one post relating to Corky, though it alludes to previous posts about him, it provides little by way of info.

Thax!
DickG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
about CORKY
by Dennis Shoup . Dennis Shoup . (Login dlshoup)

Was at middle camp in comm sec hdqts 9th, in 1957,after my time down in Yokosuka with Charlie Amtracs. The CORKY story was well known to all of us.So too many similar ones about other former POWs who had come back to Japan as victors.God bless them and the common sense Officers who looked out for them. I,as a PFC twice type,could have used the help of an Officer like that once or twice:15 days in the Mcgill brig for being 15 minutes late. On getting out I was just twice as onery.And afterward gave em real solid reasons to send me back in again. One of the respodents to the CORKEY story remarked that it was Marines such as Corkey upon which the Corps can proudly reflect.That goes for that Officer that Corkey served under too.By the way,I had joined at 16 with a bit of help from a city hall clerk,in chicago, who made-over my birth cert. for me. Once I got to Japan,so young,I did not have the sense to realize I had turned-up in heaven. It would take a few years to know I had drawn the best duty in the whole world. Please Lord,give us the secret to that TIME MACHINE!!

Posted on Dec 14, 2000, 8:15 PM
from IP address 170.213.132.254

[GyG1345]

22 January

MILINET: Resps "A Sea Story"

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Anthony, a big magazine, like Life or Look, published a story about this Sergeant in the middle to late sixties. There were photos of him and even a photo of his rack and wall-locker. I recall he also looked like a pugilist, nose, etc., and was in good shape. It was great reading Bob's story.

Semper Fi. Bob Farmer

-------------------------------------------ANOTHER RESPONSE----------

I remember him well. He was there when I was on the Drill Field as a series officer and recruit company commander in 1956 –8. I knew his name at one time, but cannot now remember. His room was a picture of squared away. I can still picture the one time I had a glimpse of it. General Wornham had the Depot then, and I am sure Ol’ Tom knew about him. Jock

---------------------------------END RESPONSES----------

[jryanjack]

Let’s see if I can remember this correctly:

When my father was stationed with HMM 262, Marble Mountain Da Nang ('69-'71, I think) he went through an IG. The General was General Wilson, a future CMC. Anyway, while inspecting supply he picked up a part for a CH-46 engine, of course, the part was immaculate, however, there was one problem, it was stamped "Property of US Army." Upon viewing other parts the General noticed that the majority of the parts were similarly stamped.

The General then questioned the young Sergeant (my Dad) about this, the Sergeant promptly informed the General that it was quicker and easier to steal parts from the nearby Army junk yard then it was to order new parts, and for the Army it was easier to order a new helo then to order a simple engine part. The Sergeant also explained that he had arranged for the Marine guard towers to shine their lights in the eyes of the Army sentries at certain times of the night thus allowing easy entry into his supply source. The General promptly congratulated the Sergeant on his ingenuity!

As a side note, this same Sergeant is known to have sold MWR surf boards, refrigerators, and A/C Units to the Army units which replaced HMM-262 upon its return to the states. All MWR property was recovered by appropriate supply officials, of course!