If you served in the Corps, I know this story will remind you of one of your own Boot-Camp memories, and even if you didn't, you'll still find this funny!
COLLECTED ALL THE CONTRABAND................................
Here's a quick story about C Rats from October 1975 when I
was in boot camp at PI. When we spent our week or so in
the bush, I remember that we used to line up at the back
of a truck and they'd toss us our 3 meals for the day.
Naturally, your 3 would come from the same case so you'd
get 3 of the same meals. As a result, you might be eating
ham and eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Or spaghetti.
Our DIs introduced us to nicknames for the meals.
For example, beans and franks were called beans and baby
d--ks; the round candy was called a s--t disc (for reasons
which became quickly apparent). Anyway, some of the
recruits used to squirrel away the sugar packets and
then at some point have a sugar party in their tents
at night. Since we hadn't had much in the way of sweets
for weeks, a packet of sugar gave you quite a glucose
high. When we were packing up for main side, the DIs told
us not to take any C Rat leftovers with us and they
collected all the contraband. We were back at main side
for a few days when a recruit reported that some of his
money was missing. The DIs, of course, went bananas
since Marines can steal tanks from the Army and Navy but
not a penny from other Marines (even though we had yet
to earn the title). So, we hadda dump the entire contents
of our footlockers in front of us and the DIs went up
and down the squad bay rifling through our gear and kicking
it all over the place as we stood on line at attention.
They were going through the gear of one recruit - Private
Eng - who was directly across from me on the other side
of the squad bay when one DI said, "Ohhhhhhh, what do we
have here, Private Eng?" The DIs had found some leftover
C Rats. Specifically, it was packets of powdered coffee
and cream (or milk, I can't remember exactly) and sugar.
They tilted Private Eng's head back and proceeded to open
the packets and pour the contents down his throat. First
the coffee, then the cream and then the sugar. Then they
got a canteen of water and poured it down his throat.
Next, one DI stood near his right side and another on
his left. Then they picked him up and shook him as
another DI rubbed his belly and said, "Ummmmmm, good,
Private Eng." I was holding back laughter so much that
I almost passed out. Good thing that I didn't laugh cuz
I'd probably still be down there doing bends-and-muthers.
Matt Brzycki
Sergeant (1975-1979)
