A Marine Corps Thing-- Part 1

Last week, friends Kevin and Kelly mentioned that they had been invited to Soldier Field in Chicago for a Marine Corps day involving a new class of recruits and change of command for the Chicago Recruiting Station.

This morning, we left way to early, at 6:14 via the Chicago Metra train from Fox Lake, Illinois, to Chicago's Union Station ($14 round trip) and then we did the CTA ($5 round trip with transfers) to Soldiers Field for the event.

The drill instructors had the new recruits doing PT, Marine Corps for Physical Training. Boy, did that bring back some memories as they exercised and did the shouts. I was a member for six weeks back in the summer of 1971, 40 years ago.

I was at Quantico, Virginia, in PLC, Platoon Leader Class. Six weeks between sophomore and junior year, six more the next summer and when I graduated I would be commissioned a second lieutenant and then go to basic training for six months and then, most likely to Vietnam.

Fortunately, the war ended right before I graduated, so I didn't have to go.

More to Come. --RoadDog


LIVING NEAR CHICAGO...The wrought iron on windows in Englewood, Lawndle and Austin are not ornamental.