Our barracks were on the left in the foreground. I have just looked at google maps, and all of these buildings appear now to be gone. The road in front of the barracks appears to still be there, but there are now different buildings here. There are new buildings to the south and lower west edges of the parade grounds on the other side of the tracks. They probably have constructed new barracks there.
The problem with where these old barracks were located was that we had to march north down the road in front, and then cross over the railroad tracks, to reach the chow hall, the classrooms, the parade field, and the various obstacle and confidence courses, as well as the several trails through the woods where we hiked with full pack and rifle. Our running paths were also on the other side of those same tracks. We would always have to send out "track guards" to ensure that no trains were coming which might kill several candidates crossing the tracks.
Just beyond the barracks in the background were chain link fences on either side to keep anyone from crossing the tracks as a shortcut.
At the end of our bay was a fire extinguisher hanging on the wall. I was given the duty of polishing that metal extinguisher as one of my personal chores. We were also required to maintain a CQ (charge of quarters) in the office and a fire watch patrolling the entire two floors and both sides of the barracks, as well as provide a guard at the armory, and two guards at the candidate parking lot. These were provided at night. So even though we could sleep from 10:30 PM or so until 4:30 AM or so, that did not take into account those who had one of those shifts at various times during the night, which took away from our few precious hours of sleep.
In addition to our metal bunks, we each had a wooden footlocker. Our thin mattresses had also to be taken out and aired on the grass between the two barracks entrances above, once a month, I believe.
Candidates Fitzpatrick from Boston and Fitzgerald from New Orleans became friends, as much because we were given bunks in alphabetical order. Their wives, when they eventually met, could not understand one another because of their and their husband's regional accents.
My buddies at OCS were John Ormbreck, John Robertson, and Dennis Zito. John Ormbreck was allowed to leave at the six-week point, along with Palms. They realized almost immediately that they were not cut out to be Marine officers. In 1973, I met up with Palms who was in a class behind mine at Air Force Officer's Training School at Lackland AFB, TX. Ormbreck had a friend who was appearing on Broadway in NO NO NANETTE.
I also felt out of place. But when I went up before a review board at the six-week point, as had the others, I was not allowed to leave. I think they believed that, with a bit more training and experience, I might come around and enjoy the life of a Marine officer.
After I was allowed to leave at the eight week point, taking another week to out process, I visited a good friend of mine from high school, Bill Vogt, who was living in Maine. I flew up on a Northeast 727-200 Yellowbird to Boston and an Air New England twin Beechcraft from Boston to Waterville, ME. I got so sick from the bumpy Air New England flight that after Bill picked me up, I was put to bed and slept for at least twelve hours.
When the others were ready to graduate in two weeks, I flew back down to DC, again on Northeast, though from Portland, ME, on a DC-9. One of the guys picked me up at the airport. I stayed overnight at a motel nearby and then visited the barracks while the others were getting ready to graduate. Lt. Nickle (whom the others had nicknamed Nicklenuts in my absence) saw me and asked, "Do you regret your decision to leave?" "No," I responded, adding however, "Though I hope I don't reach a stage in my life when I do regret leaving."
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