Assignments and Experiences

Just out of boot camp, with an MOS of 100, I was assigned to AIT (Advanced Infantry Training) at Camp Pendleton. This training was specifically to prepare us for Vietnam. We learned hand-to-hand combat. We learned to fight with bayonets, which in our case was "Pugle Sticks" These were large poles with heavy padding at each end.

During one of our outings, we all circled around a large sand pit. There we were each assigned to fight someone. I was assigned to fight a tall, skinny black boy, who was a friend. I was determined to prove I wasn't afraid of him and could win, even though he was twice my size. So, when we were told to start, I rushed out into the sand right at him. But, on the way I tripped and landed on my knees. He came up to me and hit me with the padding right under the jaw, knocking be backward. The Captain congratulated me, saying "You've just been killed." While at Pendleton we also learned how to search simulated Vietnamese huts for booby traps. I remember I was killed 11 times in one day.

While I leave I talked to my army buddy. I told him I had done as instructed but they gave me an MOS which was by contract. He told me to tell the legal department I was going to sue them. I did so on my return back to Pendleton. The legal officer said I couldn't. I told them to look at my contract and he'd see that the Marines had broken the agreement. He did so and said he would get it fixed. A week later I was pulled from training and assigned to work in my 0100 MOS at battalion headquarters. I was still there when the rest of my company and buddies were shipped off to Vietnam.

About a month later I was returned to MCRD in San Diego where I was put into Aviation Electronics School, which was part of the Communications and Electronics Battalion. As I was processed, the Sergeant Major (the highest enlisted person) reviewed my file and told me I could work in my original MOS anytime I wanted.

I really didn't like electronics, but decided I'd give it my best shot. I'm not very good at mechanical things or theories. I have to see the practical application. They tried to teach me trigonometry, but I couldn't catch on. When the school was over about 6 months later, I graduated but was at the very bottom of the class.

I requested the Captain of the school transfer me back to my original MOS. He said no. I told him the Sergeant Major had told me I could go back, and he still said no. He was very hard to get along with and dictatorial. So, I went over his head to the Sergeant Major. He said he'd fix it and he did, over the Captain's objections. He put me to work at battalion headquarters.

About a month later I was told I was going to be trained as an admin chief. I was sent to Admin Chief's school at Paris Island South Carolina. I was there for 3 months. I went to church there, met a cute southern girl and some great people. I hated to leave. I was there during the summer. Sometimes it was so hot I would sit in my barracks, under a ceiling fan, in a desk-chair and drip sweat into puddles underneath my chair. At times like these the base would fly a black flag and no one was allowed outside.

I finished school at the top of my class and returned to San Diego where I went back to work at my normal job. About a month later I was assigned to be the Chaplain's Assistant to a Catholic Chaplain and a Baptist Chaplain. I was officed right between the two of them. I was also assigned by my church to be the group leader. So, on Sundays I would attend recruit services with my cousin, get Catholic Mass ready for the Priest (Chaplain), attend my regular church away from the base, attend my group meetings on base, have dinner with my cousin's family and go back to the base where I attended Baptist services. My job was to help the Chaplains with all of their duties. And, because I was a Mormon and there was no Mormon Chaplain on base, I was called to do the duties of a Mormon Chaplain. I served in this position until the fall of 1969.

A few months after getting this assignment, the Captain with whom I had problems, who was my Captain at Electronics School, became my Commanding Officer. I knew I was in trouble. Even though the Chaplains gave me high marks, my C.O. gave me low marks in fitness, which kept me from being promoted for a long time. I was promoted to Corporal but couldn't get above that rank, even though my time was in and in all other aspects I had earned it.

In the fall of 1969 I received orders to go to Hawaii. I was excited. I bought new luggage and made all the arrangements. Then, the orders were rescinded and I was really disappointed. So, I returned the luggage. Then, two weeks later I received orders for Japan. I didn't want to go, but had no choice. Looking back on this assignment, I'm sure it was a coincidence.

I went to Japan just before Thanksgiving 1969. I was sent to Marine Barracks, Yokosuka, Japan and when I arrived it was night. All I could see was squatty houses and ditches which ran in front. But, it became a great experience. After a few months as a clerk, I was assigned to be the Marine Barracks Historical NCO and Public Relations NCO. I traveled with the Drum and Bugle Corps, organized VIP dinners and Parades and wrote news articles for the Stars and Stripes and the Naval Base newspaper.

While there I was promoted to Sergeant (E-5), received an award for Marine of The Year for the entire country of Japan and a month before I left they threw me a party and presented me a plaque, showing appreciation. It was great duty.

Joining and Boot Camp

After attending business college, I moved to Salt Lake City in the spring of 1967. I was working at Baker's Shoes on Main Street and at the LDS Hospital, living in an apartment on 1st South.

While living there I received my "Pre-Induction Physical" notice from the Selective Service. I was ordered to go to Boise, Idaho to receive my physical. After taking the physical I was told I was in 1-A shape and get ready to be drafted into the Army or join another service.

I didn't want to join the Navy. I checked with the Air Force and they had a 6 month waiting list. When I visited with the Marine Corps they said I could join with a 4 month deferment to get my affairs in order. Just what I needed, so I joined. Luckily, I made sure the contract was signed in the way I was counseled by my roommate, who was an E-6 in the reserves.

The Vietnam was was in full swing. In January of 1968 the Vietnamese executed what was known as the "Tet Offensive", where hundreds of soldiers were killed. This, of course, worried me - and my mother.

I went on active duty around March 15, 1968. I was assigned to go into Boot Camp at MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot) in San Diego, California. I arrived in a Marine bus and was yelled at by the Drill Instructors to stand on yellow footprints. We were herded into a big, warehouse where we were told to take off our civilian clothes, including our underwear, put them in a box to ship home, and were given military boxers and green fatigues.

The first night they didn't let us sleep. They kept all the new recruits cleaning the building. I was told by my army roommate to treat the experience as if I were a prisoner and find ways to work the system in my behalf. So, even though they wouldn't let me sleep, I found an office which I started to clean and when everyone had left, laid down under a desk and slept for a few minutes. Then, I would get up, start to clean another area and later go back to the office and sleep some more.

The only thing that I couldn't handle was the first day of exercise. The morning after the first night we were taken to the Mess Hall and fed food (to this day I don't know what it was), told to eat it all (gag) and then taken to a field and made to exercise - situps, pushups and jumping jacks. They worked us so hard that most of us (me included) threw up everything we had eaten. But from that day it got better.

Over the next 8 weeks we did physical exercise, attended classes where we learned about the Marine Corps, military information and we had to learn how to take care of our rifles. At that time we carried an M-14, which were wooden carbines that weighed about 8 pounds.

I was assigned to Platoon 4. This seemed to be the platoon with the most rebellious of Marines. At night time the boys would cover the windows with blankets and pitch pennies. It was against the rules to take food from the Mess Hall, but everyone of us would get something and take it back to our quanset hut (a large tin can, cut in half and turned upside down), where we eat the food. One time I almost got caught because the orange I had hidden in my arm pit started to slide into my pants.

In the middle of the training we went to Camp Pendleton for live fire training. We learned to crawl under barbed wire with real bullets being shot over the top of us. We learned how to shoot the rifles and here we earned our marksmanship badges. And, we threw granades and shot 50 caliber machine guns. I was a good enough shot (having hunted for years with my father) that the Drill Instructor bet another Drill Instructor that I could outshoot his best shooter. Unfortunately, I lost.

There are many other incidents. I was one of the top recruits. When I joined I signed the contract, as instructed by my friend, making sure I was promised an Aviation Guarantee. I wasn't given that. We had been tested throughout boot camp to find our best talents and was assigned to be a clerk, MOS 100. That assignment will keep me from going to war in Vietnam, which I will explain in another post.