Serial numbers?

[herb1013]

We also were told in boot camp that the notch was inserted between the upper teeth and lower teeth then head and lower jaw were wacked together to permanently fasten the tag between the teeth. It hurts just thinking about it 58 years later. I still cant sleep on my back because of the time I had to sleep with 35 M-1 rifles from my ankle to my neck from 9pm till 5am. All because I called my rifle a gun.

[tracs1833]

I enlisted in Jan 1969 and my service number was 2419xxx. I never could figure out how they came up with the numbers issued. I knew guys that were in a year or so before me that had higher numbers than mine.

[johnry]

from what i understand recruiting districs were given blocks of service numbers

[pecks1937]

I have been out of the Corp for a few years now but I heard something that I never heard of and it is hard to believe. Someone told me that the Marine Corp went from using serial numbers to using SS#s, Is this true, if it is, who is the moron responsible for that.

Some moron bureaucrat do doubt.But this happened way back in 1958 I think

[Brianhipwell]

Yep. I joined the Vermont National Guard in 2000 when I was 54. I marked all my stuff with the first letter of my surname and my last four. This was a very stupid move by the DoD. I hope it's done away with and serial numbers become the standard again.

[pnwhite]

Well Brian and pecks - I think pecks is having trouble with his keyboard. At first I thought he (pecks) had hit 58 when he meant 85. but then I looked at his "Public profile" and noticed that he entered the Corps in 1954(?) and is still in? ? ? ? ? ? ?
But, in regard to the use of serial numbers vs Social Security numbers, just start at entry #1 and read through to message #214 and you'll be able to figure out when they switched. As for why they switched - I don't know.

[Zulu 36]

The switch happened about 1972-73 era. I went in in 1971 and got a service number.

As I recall, the reason was that since every service person had to have a SSN, which was unique (and rarely stolen then), so why issue service numbers too? As long as I was in the Corps (until late 1978), every form that wanted my SSN also wanted my service number too since I had one. Go figure.

[pnwhite]

Foxman - Funny you mentioned Gen. Krulak. I was in just a few years before you, and I'm only 5' - 6". When I was in Purdue University, I was in R.O.T.C. and on the Purdue Drill Team, so I knew how to dress, how to do the manual of arms and to march, but one of the things I remember was my encounter with Gen. Krulak. As you know, he's not very tall, but he is taller than me. Anyway, he was inspecting us one day on the grinder at San Diego. This was just after we had to change from brown leather to black leather (or visa versa). So we had to get our shoes and the bill of our hats dyed and then re-polished. Having all that spit and polish on the drill team, I had my shoes and the bill of my hat in tip top shape immediately, and that was good because just a few days after the order came down to change, we had that inspection. Well as he was walking through the ranks, when he stopped in front of me, I'm standing there waiting for him to yank my rifle, but he never did. he sure did give me the once over though, and just as he turned to go to the next Marine, he said to my Company Commander "Good looking Marine". After the parade was over and we were back at our barraks, I got to bragging about my compliment and my company commander said that the reason he said what he said was that I was the only Marine out there that he could see the bill on my hat.

[pnwhite]

Sheila - I was stationed at MCRD San Diego for a little over a year. I was in boot camp from February 2 until sometime in late May or early June. I had 30 days leave and then I returned to MCRD for 46 or 47 weeks of radar training. They had just moved the training from Treasure Island to MCRD. Anyway when I graduated I reported to MCAS Beaufort S.C. on Memorial Day weekend 1962. So that drumming out took place probably in the summer or fall of 1961. I guess that when I was told that everyone on base was in formation that day, that might not have been true.

[pnwhite]

Yes I do remember my Ser#2145xxx and I do remember my first rifle number 11856 don't know why I remember that first rifle could be becuase the Gunny casme in one day and tosed them all in a pile they said that we better get out rifle not or else. Well the or else was doing squats till the cow came home I did not know one could do that many squats and not die.

Harrison - By squats, do you mean deep knee bends or squat-thrusts?

[shortimer]

115xxxx 1950 San Diego

[Sheila Hays]

I remember Gen. Krurak, he was really short. He was inspecting the WM's, we had Junk of the Bunk also. It was a CG insp., the officer just ran thru our barracks. My serial #'s were W711***, the W was for Woman.

[jamielang1951]

That's one number I'll never forget. That's why I add 6 uppercase/lowercase letters and symbols to it and use it sometimes as a password (not here TL). Then I change those 6 each month and scramble my serial. Easy to remember, near impossible to break, unless your the CIA or FBI with a supercomputer.

Semper Fi

[Apache]

I learned mine quickly
I had a large gorilla beating it into my brain housing group

[cubawatcher]

Not only can I recite mine from memory 50 years later but that of both the 2 friends I enlisted with. I still have all the orders I received during my 4 years in the Corps.Since many were mineographed some are fading quite a bit.Trip down memory lane to look at them.And of coarse on every set are the ss of everyone else that was going tdy or assigned a new duty station at the same time I was.