| Tango01 | 07 May 2020 10:08 p.m. PST |
… their death at boot camp "While many argue that their basic training or boot camp was "treacherous" and harder than those of military personnel to follow, a general consensus is that these perceptions are often personal exaggerations that are as old as soldiery itself. However, one cannot deny the harshness of training when it costs a significant number of human lives in a single moment- a moment that -64 years ago to this very day- would forever change the course of history for the US Marine Corps. In the chilly darkness of April 8, 1956, US Marine Staff Sergeant Matthew McKeon growled at members of Platoon 71, a class of recruits training at South Carolina's Parris Island…"
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| Ashokmarine | 08 May 2020 5:14 a.m. PST |
Yep even heard about it in 1987 when I was there. |
Tom Molon  | 08 May 2020 5:55 a.m. PST |
Drill Instructors at PI are still living with the results of McKeon's actions. Hard for them to get out from under the "guilty until proven innocent" atmosphere that it generated. BTDT. Semper Fi, Tom |
| Tango01 | 08 May 2020 12:38 p.m. PST |
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| gamershs | 08 May 2020 6:02 p.m. PST |
He was the NCO in command and if he didn't prep then he was responsible for their deaths. He should have known where he was going, known the conditions (that with change of tide there is a major current in a river) and planned accordingly. A night march is hard enough without a NCO that has been drinking and if he was not up to command then he should have been a no go. |
Old Glory  | 08 May 2020 6:52 p.m. PST |
Having served in the USMC 1967 -1973 I also heard this story --in Boot camp I was struck on several occasions and also kicked --None of it harmed me and I have no complaints.
As for getting killed --I always assumed that if it was the Corps desire to get me killed it would at least be by the enemy? SEMPER FI !! Russ Dunaway |
| Wolfhag | 09 May 2020 12:09 a.m. PST |
My experience at Parris Island in 1972 was if you kept your mouth shut and did as you were told you would not stand out and get noticed. In my platoon, about 50% were Cat 4's and always screwing up or doing what they did best, being stupid. I got thumped once went I went to drink out of the scuttlebut. I was a Squad Leader the whole time and high shooter in the platoon so they didn't mess with me as long as I kept my squad in line. Blanket parties when the lights went out handled that. Wolfhag |
| Dn Jackson | 09 May 2020 1:45 a.m. PST |
I heard about it at Parris Island in 1988. My father remembers it happening. I too got thumped more than a few times, no complaints. It's like the constant PT and mind games; it hardens you mentally and physically so you accept whatever bad that happens to you later as just a part of the job. |
| Tango01 | 09 May 2020 12:05 p.m. PST |
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 Wolfshanza | 10 May 2020 10:39 p.m. PST |
Hollywood marine. Went in to boot in '66. Got my share of thumpings for stupid <lol> Had good DIs. Understood that one of the functions of boot was pre stressing for combat, too. |
| Old Glory | 11 May 2020 2:24 p.m. PST |
I was also a Hollywood Marine!! No one in Nam put the fear of God into me as did my Drill instructor's at Marine recruit depot, San Diego!! It was a fine art for them. Russ Dunaway |
| Old Glory | 11 May 2020 2:34 p.m. PST |
My most traumatic episode was the first night -- I was the only recruit from Iowa and for some reason they zeroed in on that -- for almost 30 minutes they surrounded me nose to nose asking about Iowa, my relationships with the livestock, etc. -- here I was " Mr.Tough guy" 17 years young, began to get tears and they just poured it on !!
After that none of the thumpings bothered me in light of my first night. Graduated a squad leader= E2. I think it is all funny now -- did not then !!
Gunnery Sgt Polk -- my main tormentor that first night I believe took a liking to me after that. Russ Dunaway |
