The Making of a U.S. Marine

 There are two Marine Corps Boot Camps used by the United States for the basic training of Marines prior to their attending specialty schools.  One is located at Parris Island, South Carolina and the other is in San Diego, California. 

I attended Parris Island in the summer of 1941 and this essay reflects pre-war conditions as I remember them.

The routine for new Marine recruits, called Boots by the Corp, is simple enough.  A platoon under the command of an assistant Drill Instructor (DI) is formed to collect incoming Boots until the platoon reaches its quota.  During this early period the current members of the platoon are housed in a tent city with other forming platoons and do nothing until the platoon quota is reached, usually in 7-10 days.  The assistant DI sees to the forming platoon receiving medical care, food and other necessities. 

          My first meal at Parris Island was breakfast the morning following my arrival.  The assistant DI marched us in our civilian clothes to the mess hall where we were instructed to stand behind long benches at equally long tables covered with trays and bowls of food.  At the command Seats by the mess sergeant, all sat and had breakfast.  The food was plentiful and varied.  One large bowl was filled with what looked like a coarse Farina and, in all innocence, I asked the Boot seated next to me if he knew what the bowl contained.  He looked at me as if I had two heads and explained thems grits, boy, thems good!  I tried some with maple syrup, yech!  It looked like wall-paper paste and probably tasted as bad.  I had a good breakfast – but no more grits!  I found out some time later that the Marine Corps back then was predominately southerners who ate grits as a normal part of their daily diet.

The time came when the platoon was filled and our training would start.  Our DI, who would do the training, was scheduled to arrive the following morning. 

He arrived: A big, grim, steely eyed southerner, right out of a Hollywood film script. He came aboard, ordered the platoon onto four ranks and addressed the unit.

“I’m your f**king boss, and don’t you ever forget that,” was his opening statement.  He then further ordered us to place on the ground before him “. . . all knives, guns, rubbers, brass knuckles and similar items. If I find any such contraband on your person in the future, your ass is mine.” 

My only thought at the time was “OMG! What have I gotten myself into?”

Training as defined by the Marine Corps is vigorous and designed to work all deficiencies out of the unit at Boot Camp and not in combat.   

Training continued for the designated weeks until it was time to go to the rifle range where we all found out what makes a Marine unique.

We arrived at the range and immediately had the firing pins removed from our rifles.  No firing pins, no accidents.  We all had the Springfield in those days, a rifle which loaded with 5-round disposable clips. 

 Training included learning the different firing positions and the use of the rifle sling.  For the layman, the rifle sling is used to bring the seated or kneeling Boot into one tight solid mass with his rifle, such that wavering is eliminated or reduced to a minimum.  It permits the Boot to get on target faster and, once there, to hold the rifle steady permitting more accurate and more frequent firing.  The Springfield rifle used in those days was a very accurate single-shot weapon vastly different from today's rifles which fire automatic and semi-automatic rounds.

All rifles were zeroed in by bore sighting and by adjusting the leaf sight to correspond to the weather conditions at the chosen target.  No optical sights here.  A properly bore sighted weapon provided the Marine with a rifle mechanically correct, leaving it to the Marine to develop the skills required to recognize and compensate for heat, wind and humidity.  The purpose of the rifle range training is to develop those skills needed to achieve expert rifleman or sharpshooter skills or, as a minimum, to qualify in marksmanship.    

Failure to qualify in marksmanship will cause the Boot to be dropped back one platoon to repeat the training, something no Boot wants to experience.  Repeated failure could be reason for being discharged from the Corps.  It is a rare instance when that happens.  The training methods are so advanced and intense that, on a regular basis, more Boots reach the expert and sharpshooter levels than just qualify.  There is good reason for this.  In the Corps a Marine is a rifleman first and always, regardless of assigned specialty task.  The Corps stresses high marks- manship to the point where experts and sharp- shooters receive additional monthly pay for a year with the opportunity to compete for a continuation of the extra pay for following years.

Competition for the expert and sharpshooter badges is fierce among Boot and Marine alike!

It is at the rifle range where a metamorphosis sets in.  The always caustic and sometimes bully DI

changes to a sympathetic instructor whose only interest is to get you through the rifle range with 

the highest possible qualifying score on record day.  He works with you on a one-on-one basis ever correcting faults you may have that could affect your score.  The two DIs are assisted in this task by a staff of instructors who are specialists in the proper use of the rifle.    

Many arrive at Boot Camp with poor habits in using a rifle which makes the DI's job more difficult and requires an additional level of instruction.  On record day, his chances of  achieving a high score are as good as any other Boot, thanks to the DI recognizing any problems and making suitable corrections.

 In the photo at left, the woman Boot is using the rifle sling on what appears to be a modified form of the seated position probably on the 200 meter range.  The rifle in this photo is today's modern weapon and not the Springfield.

Marines have always had a reputation for accurate rifle fire dating back to the Revolution where they climbed the ship's rigging and picked off the British officers and gunners

This marksmanship was demonstrated to the German Kaiser’s army in World War-I when they were stopped by the Marines (the thin red line) at the Battle of the Marne during the German Army's

attempt to advance on Paris.  It was the German Army who tagged the Marines with the title of Devil Dogs.

Before a Boot is permitted to handle live ammunition and fire his rifle, he is required to successfully complete a series of lectures by the DI on the use and care of his weapon.  He is also introduced to the snap-in range where he receives additional instruction on the handling of his rifle and encouraged to practice simulated firing on his own time.  Almost all Boots accept the challenge, a decision which is usually reflected in the score on record day.  Just as a ballet dancer dances her part without having to think of what she has to do during the performance, the Boot is encouraged to repeatedly follow the steps of firing without having to think about his actions.  The goal of the DI is to make the Boot 

so confident in the handling of his weapon that it

becomes second nature.

He then is moved to a section of the rifle range, called the 1,000 inch range reserved for firing a .22 caliber rifle on an abbreviated course.  Any- one who has fired a rifle at a circus or carnival will immediately recognized the similarity of the 1,000 inch rifle.  In a brief training session, the Boot is introduced to recoil and the handling of live ammunition.      

The day finally comes when the platoon is moved up to the live firing range for indoctrination.  The Boot platoon is moved to the 200 meter range where the DI may give some last minute instructions based on his personal knowledge of the Boot's ability.  The DI will break-down a 5-round clip of .30 caliber ammunition and hand one round to the Boot with instructions to await further instructions. 

The senior rifle range DI will advise Stand by, wait until all Boots have received their round, then command:  Load and lock!  The Boot will insert the single round into the rifle's chamber under the watchful eye of the DI and lock his piece.  After an appropriate wait, the senior DI will order Ready on the left, ready on the right.  All ready on the firing line.  When he has satisfied himself that the line is ready, he will order Commence firing!  The firing line of Boots would fire their one round and open the bolt of their rifle as a safety measure.  The Boots manning the butts would notify the firing line, through the use of wands, where the round struck the target and the DI would review the shot with the Boot.  This routine would be repeated four additional times for indoctrination and review of results. 

Each Boot is issued an illustrated book in which he will record each and every round fired, the score achieved and the weather conditions at the time of firing.  During his stay at the rifle range, he and the DI will review this information in an effort to correct errors and improve scores.  Poor achievers   will receive additional instruction and guidance; all will receive a measure of encouragement. With indoctrination behind him, the Boot will enter the full rifle training program the following day, once again at the 200 meter range where he will fire both slow fire and rapid fire.  In the case of rapid fire, the Boot is expected to fire ten aimed rounds (2 clips) in a short period of time from each the standing and kneeling firing positions. At the 300 meter range the firing positions are

prone and sitting with both slow fire and rapid fire as had been done at the 200 meter range.

The last range is 500 meters, or approximately 1/3 mile, where all firing is prone slow fire.

The firing course is repeated a number of times at each range.  I don't recall the exact number.  The firing range training is followed by a day called pre-record day where the Boot fires with an intensity equal to record day, but it is practice and his score doesn't count for graduation.  The following day he hopes and prays for good weather

and fires for record which becomes his official firing record.

Then the Crucible:  54 hours of incredibly difficult tasks which a Boot must pass successfully to be- come a Marine.  Once again, if he fails, he will drop back one platoon and be required to repeat the full Crucible program.  The incentive to pass is so great that very few Boots repeat.

The Crucible is followed by a 9-mile hike to the main training station and preparation for graduation where  parents and visitors will be permitted.

Final inspections, a march before an audience of senior officers and civilians and the issuance of the Marine Eagle, Globe and Anchor to each Marine concludes the ceremony.

 

December 2014
LFC