I have a relative who was in the marines during that time. He said the portrayal of boot camp was accurate.
My uncles were WWII Pacific Marines. I’m pretty sure they’d have said similar.
Me too.
My uncle was in the Marine Corp during Vietnam.
He said the bootcamp scenes were accurate. He personally got beat down by his drill instructor. Said it made him a better man.
Actually, it was worse.. or better... depending on your perspective. When I went through in July of 67 a boot didn’t speak to anyone who wasn’t a boot without being spoken to first. You were just a ‘maggot’ until you returned from the rifle range, then you finally got to blouse your boots and un-botton the top button of your utilities.... After I came back from Vietnam I had to go to MCRD on some business... I was a corporal with a reasonable number of ribbons etc... I was standing in the chow line and a couple of (obviously) new recruits who were in that line (only because they were seeing doctors) approached me and said, “He buddy, do you gotta smoke...” I was so stunned by the incongruity I couldn’t think of a reply... But, what had happened to ‘my Marine Corps” in just a little over two years ruined my lunch.
I went though BCT (Army) in ‘69 and my experience was pretty close,but not identical,to FMJ.Our junior Drill Sergeant had just completed his second combat tour of Vietnam when I had the pleasure of meeting him.We even had a "Private Pyle" but ours shouldn't have been in the Army (he clearly had a very low IQ) and he didn't kill anyone.
Quite realistic indeed.