January 14, 1973, Sunday

We passed our test. Not a single turd was found in a single commode. We scored the highest overall among all the company’s. Each week the top company gets a flag commemorating the accomplishment. The Texas Company has won all the flags. It feels great to go from zero to number one. You can feel it through the whole company. Between the stashed drugs and our new found claim to number one. I believe we might make it out of here alive.

We had a spring in our formation as we marched to morning chow. The CC had us do half and quarter turns. We learned to salute in unison without breaking our steps. It was a good morning, the kind of morning that I never saw happening, five weeks ago.

The bomb dropped when we came back to the barracks. We were supposed to have a mini ceremony awarding us the flag. Nobody was there to present anything. CC told us to fall out and study. He’ll get the scuttle butt. Rumor has it that the flag went to the Texas Company. When the CC came back he confirmed the rumor. There was a mistake in the scoring, it turns out that the Texas Company did score better than us. Sorry, they did acknowledge that 447 and 448 improved greatly. However they made a mistake when they were grading the written test. We came in second and 448 came in third. The Texas Company won. None of us believed it. The CC ordered us to continue studying. The CC would be back for chow. Later.

We decided to take a “fuck it” attitude. We won, we know we won, they know we won. We made huge strides. We were getting it all along we were just behind a few thirty or forty years. After chow the CC marched us to Worm Island. Over the bridge and through the gate. We didn’t have our duffel bags so I didn’t fear we were getting sent back.

We practiced marching around Dumpsters. When we missed a command order there was no fucking around this time. This time we stopped, we started over, we spaced ourselves at arm’s length. We got our bearings. The CC explained to us how we fucked up and how we can fix it. After an hour or two Doug had us marching around anything he could find. He split us in two and marched us around buildings. The junior RCO marched with one column, Doug took the other. We meet on the other side, it was fun.

CC said he wants to take us to do his favorite thing. He marches us to the fence that splits us from the marines, jarheads. We are swabbbys.

There they are digging holes, burying holes, moving holes. They were too busy getting screamed at to notice us. The CC had us break ranks to find one rock each. When everybody had a rock we formed back up. CC yelled loudly. “Company throw the rocks over the fence, Hut!” We threw the rocks, without even thinking. We got caught up in the moment. A hail of rocks raining down on unaware marines. The CC yells, “Company, forward march!” With our mouths still wide open we marched on cue.

The marines were grabbing anything they could and rushing the fence. “Company double time! Company triple time!” Shovels, rocks, dirt clogs, pieces of metal and objects unknown were flying in our direction. “Company run!” We ran like hell. We broke formation. It was every man for himself. When we were out of danger. We quickly marched off of Worm Island.

The CC wasn’t finished. We were marching to our barracks when we passed Texas Company. They were marching the opposite way. After they passed; the CC asked Doug. “Did you see the way they looked at us lad?” Actually they didn’t look at us and we barely looked at them. When you’re marching its eyes forward or feel the wrath. One turned head sticks out. Doug never the one to stop mischief answers. “Sir, I feel violated, sir.” CC gives us orders that turn us around. We march double time to catch up to Texas Company. Eighty men running, eighty stomping feet hitting the pavement at the same time is loud. And we were doing extra stomping. When we caught up to the Texas guys the CC marched us to a normal pace. He parked us 30 feet behind Texas Company. They definitely knew we were there. They were disciplined enough not to turn around.

They marched left. We marched left. They marched right. We marched right. They did quarter turns and half turns, we did the same. They stopped we stopped. We matched them step for step. Marching is a walking swaying movement, it’s a dance. As the company steps down on the right foot the whole company leans right 80 men. When they step left the company sways left. Keep the motion going and its 80 men in sink. Swaying left to right in a forward motion.

The Texas CC halts his company, he orders them to parade rest. We halt and stand at attention. The Texas CC walks back to our CC. “Salt why in God’s name are you following us?”

“I’m not following you, you’re in our way.” Answers the CC. The Texas CC says. “Go around.” CC commands us, “Company, forward march!” We separated the columns. We maneuvered around them. We met up in front of them. “Company halt! Company parade rest!” CC parked us in front of the Texas Company. The Texas CC not to be out done orders his company forward, to go around us. As the Texas Company begins to separate. Our CC orders us to start marching, preventing them from going around us. They took a sharp right. We marched straight on.

I think the CC made his point. Our eyes were forward, our smiles were wide, and we were working as a unit. To add to that, after chow when we passed them going in the other direction, the CC ordered us to give them the one finger salute. I’m betting CC didn’t go to church to day. After dinner he turns the company over to Doug and Armando. Later.