MY NAME IS PARRIS ISLAND

MY NAME IS PARRIS ISLAND

If you have been here, you know my name, My name is Parris Island.
Better known as PI, you may know my younger brother San Diego better
known as SD. Between us we have seen recruits come and go by the
millions. I was officially started in 1915 if you were here when you
got here by ferry boat, then you are truly old Corps. All recruits see
my main gate only twice, once on the way in and once on the way out.
Mostly you come by bus in the middle of the night. Tall, short, fat,
skinny, Black, White, long hair, short hair. You come through my main
gate laughing some scared, mostly you act like teenagers, hell mostly
you are teenagers. You each come here for your own reasons, but most
come to test themselves, most need a direction in their lives.
As you pass through my main gate your lives will change from that point
on. I hope to see you leave as Marines, but you will not all leave
together as Marines. Some will leave by themselves ,not Marines. They
did not make the goal, my heart goes out to them, but not everyone can
be a Marine.
Today my heart is full of pride, for the next graduation of recruits,
now Marines, are leaving my front gate, teenagers no more, but young men
and women with a history to live up to. 13 weeks and just look at the
change. You know this is a happy day for me, but my best days are yet to
come. That's when these Marines come back to see me 20, 30, 40, years
from now. Oh yea, a lot of the old ones come back to see me, they have
not forgotten Old Parris Island and I have not forgotten them. Former Marines
and I have this bond, it's in our blood, it's Pride, it is where it all started for
both of us. My sad days are remembering the ones that can't come back to
see me those that were killed in WW1, WW11, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, Iraq,
Afghanistan and all the little actions around the world. Hey, i've got to go,
have a bus load coming in tonight and some new Marines leaving in the
morning. Semper Fi!! You all come back to see me, you hear!

Bruce Knipp
                          

MY NAME IS E.G.A.

                                       MY NAME IS E.G.A.
My name is Eagle Globe and Anchor, sometimes known as the E.G.A. I am
found in every state, city ,town or village in the country. I am found on some ring fingers and engraved on forearms in ink, I can be found on the front doors of homes and on the front yard flag poles just under the Stars and Stripes. I appear on cars and trucks, in back windows and bumpers,
trunk lids and tailgates, front grills and Lic.plates. I am found on book covers and posters, pictures and plaques hanging on walls. My likeness is found on necklaces and key chains tee shirts and jackets, hats, belt buckles and coats. You will find me in lesser known places that Marines know and others don't. Like the base of the flag pole at the Vietnam Memorial Wall, were I shine, because Marines from 8th and I polish me everyday, a new tradition is born. You will also find me on head stones spread across this land. But the place I shine brightest can not be seen, for it is in the hearts of everyman and woman who are known, as Marines.

Bruce Knipp