While in Marine Corp ITR boot camp at Camp Pendleton, CA our platoon was on our full gear twenty-mile hike. We were drudging up a several hundred-yard dirt roadway puffing every step of the way when one of the platoon members, a "maggot" as we were referred to by our head drill instructor dropped out of the force march. He could not take one more step and simply fell to the side of the road.

When our drill instructor saw Pvt. Beach (a factious name for protection) he ran over the Pvt's body and began yelling a tirade to Pvt. Beach. Calling him a long list of numerous expletives' including that Pvt. Beach was lower than whale poop at the bottom of the ocean as the DI pushed the Pvt. downside from the hill we were climbing. He gave Pvt. Beach a last shout telling him to stay put as Beach rolled down the hill.

The platoon completed its march and did the normal things upon returning to camp, such as showering, having chow, and finally to our bunks. At this facility, we were housed in tents with 4 cots and one was empty! It was Pvt. Beach who we all had forgotten about including the DI.

One of us ran to the DI's office and told him we had forgotten Beach who undoubtedly remained where we last saw him rolling down a hill. Well, apparently the Drill Instructors went out in the middle of the night and retrieved him as the next morning Beach was in his bunk.