Marine Corps Recruiter Lied

After boot camp, the Marine Corps' promise to keep Kenny and me together vanished. The recruiter's 'Sales Pitch' turned out to be a lie. Kenny was sent to an Infantry division, and I was ordered to USMC Camp Pendleton, assigned to a Reconnaissance Battalion.

No Way To Communicate With Kenny

In 1961, when you walked away, you were gone. No cell phones, no email, no way to bridge the gap. Forty of us arrived at Pendleton knowing nothing about the 'Elite' mission of Recon. These were the ghosts of the Corps—small teams trained for intelligence-gathering, amphibious raids, and operating behind enemy lines in the most hostile environments on Earth.

Camp DelMar of Camp Pendleton, home of the Recon Battalion.

A Man With A Typewriter

We were lined up on the sidewalk, waiting for our fate, when a First Sergeant marched toward us. He called us to attention, then barked a question I never expected to hear in the mud of Pendleton: 'Does anyone here know how to type?'.

My hand went up. Because I had learned the 'language of the ladies' in high school, I was pulled from the line. While I still ran the drills, humped the packs, and kept my marksman skills sharp, I became the battalion's record-keeper. My brothers razzed me, calling me an 'office pinky,' but I knew the truth. In a world of hand-written chaos, I was the man with the typewriter. That elective class didn't just help me meet the Homecoming Queen—it saved my life. Oorah!

1st Recon Battalion

• The 1st Recon Battalion is a unit of the United States Marine Corps specializing in reconnaissance and surveillance.

• It was established in 1957 and is known for its elite training and operational capabilities.

• The battalion conducts amphibious reconnaissance, ground reconnaissance, and special operations.

• Members are trained in various skills, including land navigation, parachuting, and combat diving.

• The unit often operates in small teams to gather intelligence and conduct direct action missions.

• It has participated in numerous conflicts, including the Gulf War, Iraq War, and Afghanistan.

Lenny Gielerowski - Marine Buddy

During an administration course at Camp Pendleton, I met a Marine who would become one of my closest allies: Lenny Gielarowski. Lenny was taller, funnier, and better-looking than me, so I'm still not entirely sure what we had in common—other than being two Chicago 'Rebels' far from home. Lenny was stationed 20 miles north at the Air Base in Santa Ana.

Because we both worked in the 'Intel' hubs of our units, we had something most Marines didn't: access to office phones. We used that technology to run our own private reconnaissance. 

Weekend Warriers

In the Spring of 1963, Lenny called with a mission. His buddy Jim DaBias had a cousin in Culver City with a house full of girlfriends.

That Friday, I fired up the car and headed north. In those days, the I-5 was a wide-open highway, not the parking lot it is today. By 5:00 PM, we were meeting Jim's cousin, Josephine, who had the 'Target' acquired: a dance in the gym at Baldwin Park High.

We marched into that gym in our Dress Uniforms and instantly became the talk of the night. It was a 'Shock' to the system for those high school kids to see three Marines in the building. Lenny hooked up with Alice, and I found myself with Judy. Go figure! 

Every weekend we could get leave, we headed north, we were Weekend Warriers. Oorah!