A hot kiss on Parris Island!

Ten of us joined. I did not know any of the guys I joined with. I do know two of these boys are gone on to meet their rewards now.

Graduation day is important from any place, but especially from Parris Island. I was graduating from Boot Camp before my school calss at home finished the eleventh grade.

I was a member of a squad that joined from The Gastonia area. By the time these photos were taken for the newspaper back home we were the only ones left. Five had been discharged or set back for several reasons. This was when they paid in CAsh.

Wash day, we used scrub brushes and wrung the clothes out on the cross pipes.

Todays shocking entry......

Well after the little accident with the Car, I lost my driver’s license. Again I am walking to school, and walking over to see my girl. Soooo I have this bright Idea, Join the Marines.

Being 16 that took some finesse. Getting a birth certificate, registering for the draft, changing the birth certificate etc. Sherry had her own type writer at home so she let me modify the birth certificate using it. The background was a green cross stitch pattern to show the erasures. Being a pretty good artist I took a green pencil and matched the pattern to hide the change. Crumpled the certificate, ironed it and had a photstat made. I was on my way. Tests, shots, physical, and a ticket to Raleigh NC to get sworn in. I got caught in Raleigh. SBI threatened me with jail for forgery etc. but if I would come back at 17 all would be forgiven.

So back home with my tail between my legs, back to school where Mr. Courtner advised me that my detention time was reinstated with more added for unexcused absences. Now I had set a school record, nice guy like me. That did not make any difference, I had to quit again in a few months to join the USMC for real.

I did. The first night and most nights after that I mentally kicked my rear for joining. This was no fun on Parris Island. But my love would not let me down. Some friends brought Sherry down to see me. WRONG! Ain’t supposed to have visitors, don’t need ‘em my DI is my mama, daddy,wife,girlfriend and anybody else. GET rid of them!
“Yes Sir”
I sat in the car with them for a few minutes and then said I have to go. Quick/short visit.
DI, “Pvt. Darnell was there a girl in that car?”
“Yes Sir!”
“Did you kiss her?” DI.
“Welllll yes, sir!”
“Well boy we all want to enjoy that visit, some of us don’t get to kiss girls while on Parris Island, Get up on that ironing table.”
“Yes sir,” in the center of the barracks there is a table about 4’x8’, covered with canvas for ironing uniforms. I jumped up on it.”
“Gather round troops, now Darnell hand me the light bulb!”
I unscrewed the bare bulb which was hot, but I was a Marine and it could not hurt. I handed him the bulb. “Now give that socket a good wet kiss to remind these guys how it is done, they have probably forgotten.”
Now believe me, Sherry’s kisses are electric and they give me a thrill, but this was very shocking. Her next visit was much better!
Thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Back in mid 1950, you could hear these dire predictions in Belmont, NC:<
'It's too bad things are so tough nowadays.. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.'It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone To watch their kids so they can both work.

'I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.

'Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.