SHAKE-UP IN THE MARINES

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27963, 9 May 1956, Page 13

SHAKE-UP IN THE MARINES

Effect Of Carolina “Death March” (Rec. 10 p.m.) PARRIS ISLAND (South Carolina), May 7. This Marine Corps recruit depot has undergone a drastic shake-up in the last 72 hours. For all practical purposes, the commanding officer of the 7000-acre base, normally a major-gen-eral, has been reduced to command of a handful of service troops. The recruit training programme has been taken over by Brigadier-General Wallace Greene, who is reporting directly to General Randolph Pate, the Marine Corps commandant. The shake-up is the aftermath of the tragedy last month in which a marine drill instructor is alleged to have marched a platoon of recruits into a tidal marshland off the rifle range area. Six were drowned.

The drill instructor, Staff Sergeant Matthew McKeon, is awaiting a courtmartial. probably about the end of May, on charges of manslaughter. Since January 1, 1955, nine other drill instructors have been courtmartialled for maltreatment of recruits and three others are under arrest for “thumping,” or striking recruits.

An American Associated Press report says there is deep resentment among drill instructors and junior officers over the transfer of MajorGeneral J. C. Burger, which General Pate ordered last week.

General Greene has told the present drill instructors that under no conditions are they to lay a hand on a recruit except to demonstrate posture or a military movement.