Diego - summer of '72
Sgts Updike and Rajala were snipers(never heard how many kills they had), SSgt Route , the lead DI, was a tunnel rat. One DI was threatening to torch a recruit in a wall locker and got relieved of duty.
Funny thing, none of them seemed like the type that would relish killing to me, but no doubt, some if not all of them did their duty when they had to directed. and completed their miisons as d.
Somehow, our platoon managed to make these battle hardened Marines proud.
Lucky for us, they would have PT'ed us to death if we hadn't.
Just some reminiscing of my darkside connection; that part about fixing radios and bargirls in okinawa (and korea and the philippines) hit a chord too. ;-)
I need to go back and read the whole thing but the first few minutes reading hit home in more ways than one.
Thanks for the post, Marine, and Happy Birthday.