Drafted 4/70 basic ft knox,AIT ft polk tiger land July -Aug. Once a tiger always a tiger. Taught me resiliance,instilled a determination,a reputation of being Tiger Land trained that was to me better than most others at that time. I wonder how many never returned alive from this film. Never forget ft Polk, old memories, different times then. RIP to all my 11Bravo brothers 🇺🇸🙏 who didnt make it home.
I did basic training at Fort Polk, in the summer of 6 June 1966. We did the parallel bars every morning and at every meal. In the summer Fort Polk is about 100+ degrees. Remember doing a lot of push-ups, parallel bars and lots of double time running. also a lot of low-crawling and getting yelled at by the drill instructors. Left in very good shape physically.
...same at Ft Dix...monkey bars before chow, hot in the summer - the trails to the ranges were soft sand...you were tired by the time you got to the ranges (usually ca 0800 hrs) and more tired...and hot...when you marched back for evening chow
At Polk 1971, one of the last draftees. Some of the most memorable points was the heat, humidity and that awful sandy clay soil that caked up on your boots. I swear to this day when i wake up at dawn i still remember hearing the screen door opening and creaking, then that friggin’ Drill Sgt slamming a trash can lid to make sure everyone was awake.
GREAT VIDEO! Basic training in Delta 3/2 in 1968. Brings back so many memories - none of them very pleasant. I still remember you Sgt. Sims after more than 50 years. I hated the Army the first day, the last day, and every day in between. But it was a valuable experience and has helped me through rough times over the years. If you were able to survive Tigerland, nothing would ever bother you again. Thanks for this incredible video. Ft. Polk looks the same as in my memories - but I have changed considerably. Wow... it's been a hell of a ride.
Boy, good overview of T-Land. I wonder sometimes how we got through AIT at Polk. And then, got through the old Republic. Guess it just goes to show what can be accomplished when every man's a Tiger!
After being wounded oct 1968, it was Japan for a couple of months and then the hospital at Fort Polk. It was quonset huts connected by overhead walk ways, not like the brick buildings nowadays. The wounded men, as soon as you could walk, the lifers put you on shit details in your pajamas. Cleaning the latrine, buffing floors, washing windows, etc.. If you only had one arm you could still clean out the toilets. A guy in the bed across from me was a short timer draftee, only a few months till discharge. He refused to do shit details and they gave him an article 15, loss of pay I would figure. Lot different now than the volunteer army.
6/75-10/75 E22 BCT South Fort, C52 AIT North Fort, Turned Blue 17OCT1975, Toughest School of Infantry Known to Man, Closed Tiger Land by the time I got there, still had many of the signs still up
I did basic at Ft Polk Jan 63. During initial issue I found out one foot was a size smaller than the other. I was issued low quarters and combat boots in the smaller size, walking and running was a problem, I got a sore at the top of my foot at the ankle that bled constantly and would not heal until I got to Ft Knox and got new boots.
My Dad was ExO of the 824th OrdSupDep at CAMP Polk in 1942/43, after which he was sent to Camp Shelby Mississippi where my Guard unit was stationed. Same hole in the wall ... only a more modern hole lmao 😜
Basic 11/65. Company B 2 2. Assigned as Permanent Party to Company A Special Troops (AG) Worked in Bldg. 317 until discharged in 11/67. We were so young. Welcome Home!
