The Few and the Proud: Marine Corps Drill Instructors in Their Own Words

by Larry Smith

From the sands of Iwo Jima to the deserts of Iraq, the riveting, real-life stories of training young marines.

Beginning with interviews with the last surviving drill instructors of World War II, this powerful oral history offers the voices of veterans from every major war of the last sixty years, concluding with accounts of what it takes to train marines for Iraq today. The Few and the Proud contains revelatory details about the vicious training techniques used to prepare marines for the great battles against Japan in the Pacific; the Ribbon Creek training disaster of the 1950s; and legendary stories by the likes of Iwo Jima veteran "Iron" Mike Mervosh and R. Lee Ermey, the infamous drill instructor from Full Metal Jacket . With death-defying accounts relayed from the MCRD in San Diego and the legendary Parris Island, The Few and the Proud is both a personal history of the 230-year-old U.S. Marine Corps and a repository of heroism, leadership, and determination in the toughest division of the United States military. 30 photographs.

Genres: Nonfiction, Military Fiction, History, War

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Larry Smith grew up on a farm south of Charlevoix near the area that became the setting for Smith's 1972 novel, The Original. After graduation from the University of Michigan with a degree in English in 1962, Smith began his newspaper career with The Wyoming Eagle in Cheyenne. He subsequently worked as a reporter and editor with five newspapers, including The New York Daily News and The New York Times. Smith says he was fortunate to discover the newspaper business at an early age because he was totally unsuited for anything else. He joined Parade Magazine in 1981, serving as managing editor there for 19 years before retiring in January 2001, when the magazine's circulation exceeded 32 million. His July 4, 2000 Parade article featuring nine Medal of Honor recipients led to Beyond Glory - Medal of Honor Heroes in Their Own Words, published by W.W. Norton, in 2002. The book features first-person accounts by six Medal of Honor recipients from World War II, seven from Korea and 11 from Vietnam, including Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Admiral James Stockdale and former Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska. The book led to his collaboration with Stephen Lang, and the rest is history. It was followed by From the Sands of two Jima to the Deserts of Iraq: The Few and The Proud - Marine Corps Drill Instructors in Their Own Words, a best-seller published in May of 2006 by W.W. Norton. Smith followed that with two Jima - World War Two Veterans Remember the Greatest Battle of the Pacific, published in 2008, which was also well received. Smith has run the New York City Marathon four times and climbed Mt. McKinley in Alaska and Mont Blanc in France, among other summits. He is a member of the Explorer's Club, and a former president of the Overseas Press Club of America. He and his wife Dorothea live on Block Island off the coast of Rhode Island. They have two daughters, Stacey and Jennifer.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

In their own words, Marine drill instructors "tell all" about the highs and lows of recruit training over the years. This book brought back more than a few memories, since a couple of interviewees were DIs at Parris Island when I was there. Another served in the same company (C Company, First Battalion, Ninth Marine Regiment - "Charlie One-Niner") in Viet Nam with a dear friend of mine, now deceased.

Good writing, lots of inside information.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

My youngest son joined the Marines straight out of high school. My husband began watching all the Marine-based content out there, like The Pacific and Generation Kill which freaked me out because who wanted to see Marines die? I avoided reading about it, until he was halfway thru his tour. Now that he's nearly done (YAY!), I can learn more about what he went through.

This was a great look at Boot Camp and some of the history. I enjoyed the stories from the Drill Instructors, but thought they meandered quite a bit and were sometimes hard to follow. It was literally in their own words, but Smith could have rearranged a few things so that their tales were a bit easier to digest.

Also, it wasn't all Drill Instructors, so a bit misleading.

Worth the time, though, if you have an interest in military matters.

[Barker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have rule that I never give up on a book. No matter what. I start it I finish it. This book almost made me break the rules. I was expecting great tales of boot camp. All you get is a reporters notes copy and paste into a book. The main reason for the two stars is because every story from former DI's are BS. They all gave the politically correct answer to the reporter. Why do I know? As a Marine I went through Parris Island during the time some of these DI's were in and I personally know what happen. Com' on man!

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I joined the USMC in 1966 and retired in 1987. My best tour of duty was being a DI at San Diego from 1968-71. As a Corporal I was assigned to a platoon lead by one of my boot camp DIs. I didn't know whether to knock on the duty hut and request permission to enter and then permission to speak. The accounts of the Marines brought back some memories and some of the people I know or heard of. I will be attending this years West Coast Drill Instructor's Reunion scheduled 14-17 September at MCRD.

[James L. Goodloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit tedious

I did not finish this book. That is very unusual for me. I just got bogged down in all three details.

[Antipoet · Rating 1 out of 5]

interesting subject material, a little too uncritically hagiographical

[Maryann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book would be more about how to train Marines. It’s an oral history, so there’s less about vision casting than I expected. Helpful as a glimpse into the corp.

[Debra Ampe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Semper Fi. Great book.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first half of this book, but it really just wasn't what I was hoping it would be. It is literally Marine Corps Drill Instructors in "Their Own Words." Each chapter is a story of a drill instructor and he tells his story. It is categorized a bit by the era in which each was a drill instructor. I don't know exactly what I was expecting from this book. I really do admire each of the instructors and think someone with more intrest in the Drill Instructors would enjoy it more than I did. I respect deeply the sacrifices each DI made, but this book isn't for me.

[Adam Wilburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought it when it came out years ago. Finally got around to reading it. Of course I loved it since I am a Parris Island Marine. Even crazier that one of the last chapters features one of my own Drill Instructors from 1987 at the end of his career. I was completely surprised. Congratulations on your long career Drill Instructor Sgt Bush! (Now retired Sergeant Major).

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good Read for those interested in the making of U.S. Marines.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

very good for an insight on the Marine Corps

[Kendra]

another book i started but didn't finish. I liked the idea of it - but the language and some of the philosphies just didn't hold my attention.

[Birdie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The interviews with drill instructors were too disjointed for me. However, I enjoyed the parts that explained the stages of Recruit Training.