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I didnt recognize it at the time but in hindsight those were probably the best years of my life. 3rd Marines 1987-91

9:23 he is a sergeant that is E5 it seems to take much longer to move up. In 72 by early 75 had it in 2.5 yrs. I was 21 and still did not shave was not 6'5 and no one woukd have made me a drill Seargeant I would not have a voice today. Navy, just with the Marines who had to have so so much more forced discipline inspeections, etc

I wish they would build the courts like this barracks- No one wants to go there to c ourt and there are cisting more than a hospital because it is Govt Waste in action. Think it is The Oval Office everytime they put one up.

37 Years ago and theyd all be almost 60 now. But they did not know a Gulf War was ahead and other not so random FUBAR. By stats there are those that dd not make it over a year and others later and like rverything Raandom is all we can expect. Each day is not a repeat it os often a choice.

Sandiego jan 1980, camp pendleton for ITS. Fleet marine force, rapid deployment force, mechanized task force as an 0311 29 palms 1/4 . That was it.

So awesome bro! Semper Fi Bro!....1980-1991

The guys in this video are pretty much the last Cold War generation. The last guys who joined expecting the nukes to drop. They grew up in the shadow of Vietnam and assumed WW3 was just around the corner. Within 2 years the war they prepared for got cancelled. I always wondered how they reacted to it. Relief sadness confusion?They grew up only knowing the Cold War. They had no memory of anything else. But unlike the older gen they still had a long life ahead of them to which they had to adapt mentally.

Boot Camp 1957, when the Corps was The Corps!

MCRD 3060 1983 KILO 3/9 1ST MARDIV SIMPER FI

Any jarheads from Aug to November 1980 MCRD 2nd BN?

SDI Staff Sergeant Janiszewski. DI Staff Sergeant Canepa. DI Sergeant Foshee. Third Battalion India Company Platoon 3004 October 1989-January 1990 Parris Island South Carolina Semper Fidelis Marines!

Third Battalion India Company Platoon 3004 October 1989-January 1990 Parris Island, South Carolina Semper Fidelis Brothers!

I had a similar experience in 1985 on the opposite side of the country, Parris Island. Thanks for sharing common memories of bootcamp, Jarhead. Semper Fi!

2065 Fox Co MCRDSD 1976

Interesting how all these faces are familiar - but I was 2020-2024

Hollywood

June 2nd 1987 1064 Charlie and 2061 fox after hospital stay.. ooh rah!! Semper Fidelis..

The guy with the mullet looks like Mr Noodle from Sesame Street

1987 San Diego Hotel Platoon 2011 Jan-April SDI SSG Vreeland

Thanks for sharing. I’m glad to see the Marine Corps hasn’t changed since you were in.

I was there nov17-feb5 platoon 2117

Pick ‘em up and drive those heals recruits lol gotta love the go fasters , Semper Fi brothers. Parris Island, 3rd Bn, I Company, Plt 3078, October 1988. Got out in 94. Best 6 years of my life

I was a recruit platoon 3081 August to November 6th 1987,semper fi brother

Danny McBride in the thumbnail

stepped on the yellow footprints 14Aug63 Plt. 263

AWESOME VIDEO! I actually miss my Marine brothers and sisters.

If the exact same footage was put out with '2024' as the title you'd see 1000 boomers on here complaining about soft bootcamp is.

It's crazy how low the lake was 2 years ago

Thanks for posting! I too served and at the same time (81-84)… began at MCRD-SD (OCT 8th thru DEC 30th)… then some twists and turns… and finally stationed at Camp Pendleton with 1st CEB, 1st MarDiv! Although I have heard many a jarhead utter those three initials (FTS)… I still say Semper Fi & Oorah!

Plt. 3001 Lima Co. Jan '85-Mar '85.

Mike Co. Plt 3085 3rd BN MCRD SD. 1985. So many memories. Thank you for the upload.

Mike Co. Plt 3085 3rd BN MCRD SD 1985-91. I'd do it all over again in a heart beat.

Not much has changed

Did you know a marine, Lcpl David Finley? He was stationed there and unfortunately shot while on guard duty. This was in 1980-1981.

That’s awesome, and thank you. Semper Fi - 1981 to 89

I skipped the footprints, believe it or not @ PISC. I came in on N. Year's Eve at around this time. I got off the bus at the front gate immediately encountering life in the military--there was a dilemma as to whether vehicles coming through the front gate should operate with their lights on or off--I probably don't have to expand on such a useless topic but it was heavily discussed amongst front gate staff--they'd just changed the "base rules concerning POV's and their lights." I know that's not exciting but it's something soon experienced in the military--the opposite of excitement and adventure will soon be your life; there are all sorts of regulations. You'll have to remember whether or not it's "lights on or off" and if you ask your buddies, they won't know, either. I was witness to the confusion on whether people should approach the gate at night with their lights on or off--to this day, I have no idea what they decided on--who ran the show, was unclear. I believe it was also raining--the entire base was probably abuzz over the lights issue--someone was probably on a PRC-77 somewhere waiting for an answer from the DOD. A van came and got me--I was hanging-out at the front gate like I had nothing else to do, I didn't say shit and no one said anything to me, they were busy with the lights issue--the van took me to receiving--who the driver was I have no idea but I don't think he was a jarhead--I would have remembered if he was. I'm fairly certain it was Lamont Sanford--he was a chill dude, maybe it was P.I. maintenance or some top-secret CIA motherfucker also there, but secretly, because he wasn't sure about lights at the front gate, either--as I got out of the van, though, I made a wisecrack to the driver about all the fun I was about to have--I didn't tip him (I also don't remember if his lights were on or off when he came and got me at the front gate). I walked into receiving; it was all bright and shit but no one around--someone soon yelled "STOP!!!" from somewhere above. He should have rappelled from the top deck but it was some POG D.I.--they don't do that shit. If that was Sgt. Word--who I would soon meet, run from and have nightmares about--Word would have rappelled off the top deck like Jet Li in "Lethal Weapon 4." POG D.I. took all my paperwork and started running his mouth--maybe he was upset about the change in lights on POV's--it probably irked him that they couldn't make-up their fucking minds. I didn't ask, though, but I could tell he was irritated about something--he had a nasty disposition--I nearly asked him if he had a problem, I wasn't aware of what was expected of me yet--the mores of the Marine Corps--I don't think I was even standing at attention--such thinking on my end at such a moment with someone like that was what I'd also be like in the FMF (where I occasionally said "No" altogether--despite clearly being in the wrong and at the bottom of the pile). It couldn't have been me he was pissed at, I just got there and didn't change base regulations concerning POV's. I had no pull and didn't know anyone despite all the time I'd hung-out at the Parris Island front gate on N. Year's Eve (I'll bet someone sold their car for cash after having enough of the "word on the lights" or drove it to some LZ and left it there to rot for target practice). Then a real jarhead arrived to take me upstairs--he looked like he'd been around, but it was really some civilian fat-body with canteens, moonbeam with fresh batteries and web belt probably on fire watch for the first time in his life--he probably got there five minutes before I had--but to me he looked like a battle-hardened killer--with fresh batteries so was ready for anything. In reality, Pvt. Chins was probably headed to PCP platoon--even after keeping our country safe on N. Year's Eve.

Hi Jim Sheaffer, I see your video allows for remix, but I still wanted to ask you if you mind if I take some pictures off your video, and maybe use it as a background on one of my videos.

This brings back so many memories. Platoon was at the end near sick bay 1982

was it worth joining for a such a short time ? I think minimum tern in UK is about 4 years.

1985-86….

MCRDSD Plt. 2081 Hotel Co. under the care of SSGT. Tibbits / SGT. Starling / SGT. Matthews and SGT. Bock. Graduation Day Nov. 2nd 1984 SEMPR FIDELIS To all my Bros.

This is so sick. Never seen the PV coast from this perspective.

I was a Marine from 1980-1984 and couldn't get out fast enough. Got so tired of the shit-talking and incompetence; they couldn't even get my reenlistment right, so I finished and got out, and went straight to the Army recruiter and did 8 more years of active duty. Now I don't even admit my Marine years...I'm much more proud of my Army time, where they actually did things instead of just talking shit.

Undisciplined recruit at 0:28 with the shifting eyes and grin. Lol….

Wow, you did a great job of capturing the places you went, awesome Brother thanks for sharing , 2531, radio operator, 1981-1985, Semper Fi

Yup…through the door in 84’ and out the gate in 88’ . Great memories…

Great photographs and music, well done. Do you have any that show the location of the steam horn or of the horn itself? I have the actual steam horn from the Saipan from when it was removed around 2000 and replaced with an electric air horn. I would love to see a photo of it mounted to the ship. Thanks, Jeff in Ohio.

I’m a former ‘Nam (Vietnam). What is see most clearly now at this age (75) is that like most very many of the Marines I served with this guy took up smoking and drinking guaranteeing himself a shortened life filled with painful health issues. All of these guys bitterly regretted their decision in later life. All of these guys deliberately took up these addictions to impress others with what MEN they were. However none of them ever impressed me one bit.

Was commissioned in 1981, after four years' enlisted service.

It was so amazing you did 3 years. Care to explain?