Platoon 305 – Parris Island, 1976: USMC Boot Camp Roster & Training Photos
Front Cover, MCRD Marine Boot Camp Book - Parris Island - 1976 Platoon 305. | GGA Image ID # 136eb4e4ab
📘 Platoon 305 – Parris Island, 1976: Honoring 63 New Marines of the Cold War Era
🗓️ Training Dates: 19 January – 5 April 1976
📍 Organization: MCRD Parris Island, Third Battalion
💂 Recruits: 63 Graduated Under Leadership of MSGT W. R. Blankenship
🧭 Overview and Historical Context
This official 1976 USMC boot camp book for Parris Island Platoon 305 captures the transformation of 63 young men into United States Marines during the post-Vietnam, Cold War era. The training occurred at a time of restructuring and recalibration in the military, just months before the U.S. celebrated its Bicentennial. Under the command of Master Sergeant W. R. Blankenship, this platoon underwent intense physical and psychological discipline as part of the Marine Corps' elite conditioning process.
This document offers a unique window into the traditions, structure, and spirit of the Marine Corps in the mid-1970s—essential for researchers, historians, educators, and USMC families.
Platoon 1976-305 Organization and Schedule
- Organization: Third Battalion
- Commenced Training: 19 January 1976
- Completed Training: 5 April 1976
Platoon 1976-305 Leadership
- Battalion Commander: LCOL J. R. Curnutt
- Series Commander: LT S. E. Berger
- Series Gunnery Sergeant: GYSGT W. A. Lion
- Company Commander: CPT J. P. Kiley
- Platoon Chief Drill Instructor: MSGT W. R. Blankenship
- Platoon Senior Drill Instructor: SSGT E. G. Hatfield
- Platoon Assistant Drill Instructor: SSGT M. J. Binninger
- Platoon Assistant Drill Instructor: SGT L. T. Rymer
- Platoon Assistant Drill Instructor: CPL R. L. Moore
Platoon 1976-305 Recruit Roster
Platoon 1976-305 MCRD Parris Island Recruits, Page 1 (Allen-Holt)
- G. Allen
- R. Barnes
- M. Blackson
- M. Campese
- C. Carter
- V. Corroo
- R. Covel
- D. Crowe
- G. Davis
- W. Dewitt
- R. Dykeman
- R. Ellis
- H. Garcia
- M. Gearhart
- M. Gilliam
- R. Gilmet
- R. Gilmore
- K. Goss
- B. Green
- G. Henson
- J. Hill
- C. Hodges
- L. Holcomb
- R. Holmes
- W.Holt
Platoon 1976-305 MCRD Parris Island Recruits, Page 2 (Huff-Squire)
- F. Huff
- J. Hunter
- J. Jackson
- H. Jezeski
- R. Keller
- J. Kirsch
- T. Lawson
- C. Lemons
- G. Mackall
- G. Mallory
- J. McGuff
- K. Mochrie
- J. Oiler
- C. Orman
- T. Perkins
- D. Pettengill
- D. Ritchie
- L. Robins
- R. Rodler
- R. Schmidt
- A. Smith
- M. Smith
- E. Snowden
- B. Sonnet
- W. Squire
Platoon 1976-305 MCRD Parris Island Recruits, Page 3 (Stevenson-Wood)
- R. Stevenson
- G. Stewart
- J. Sweatman
- R. Thetford
- D. Tomford
- J. Tompson
- D. Tracy
- M. Wagner
- R. Walker
- W. Warren
- T. Williams
- R. Windham
- D. Wood
- E. Williams
MCRD Boot Camp Recruit Photos - Platoon 1976-305
Platoon 1976-305 MCRD Parris Island Leadership, Portraits Included LCOL J. R. Curnutt, MSGT W. R. Blankenship, SSGT E. G. Hatfield, SSGT M. J. Binninger, and SGT L. T. Rymer. | GGA Image ID # 136f05e9bb
Platoon 1976-305 MCRD Parris Island Recruits, Page 1 (Allen-Holt). | GGA Image ID # 136f381d6e
Platoon 1976-305 MCRD Parris Island Recruits, Page 2 (Huff-Squire). | GGA Image ID # 136f6v31bc5
Platoon 1976-305 MCRD Parris Island Recruits, Page 3 (Stevenson-Wood). Page Includes Two Uncaptioned Marching and Standing at Attention Photos. | GGA Image ID # 136fc0c80f
🖼️ Noteworthy Images
1. Front Cover
Features the bold Marine Corps insignia and identifies this volume as Platoon 305’s graduation book from MCRD Parris Island.
2. Leadership Portraits Page
Includes photos of key training staff:
- LCOL J. R. Curnutt – Battalion Commander
- MSGT W. R. Blankenship – Chief Drill Instructor
- SSGT E. G. Hatfield and SSGT M. J. Binninger – Senior NCO Trainers
- SGT L. T. Rymer – Assistant DI
- CPL R. L. Moore – Assistant DI
3. Recruit Group Pages (Pages 1–3)
Grouped by last name from Allen–Wood. Final page includes two uncaptioned photos of the platoon marching and standing at attention—rare candid shots that enhance the document’s research value.
🔍 Highlights & Insights
Diversity of Surnames indicates a broad geographic and cultural cross-section of America’s youth responding to service.
Photographic Evidence of recruits in training is a rare find, helping genealogists connect faces to names.
Structured Hierarchy demonstrates the layered leadership approach, with clear mentorship from multiple senior and junior NCOs.
Cold War Training Conditions — Even in peacetime, Marines trained with combat readiness in mind. This platoon trained during a tense global environment including the tail end of the Vietnam War and the rise of Cold War proxy tensions.
🏅 Notable Leadership
While limited online biographical information is available on individual recruits or DIs in this unit, MSGT W. R. Blankenship and SSGT M. J. Binninger appear in multiple MCRD records throughout the 1970s, suggesting distinguished careers in training and mentoring Marines. Further military records may yield additional service history.
🪖 Military Rank Key
Abbreviation: Rank
- CPL: Corporal
- SGT: Sergeant
- SSGT: Staff Sergeant
- GYSGT: Gunnery Sergeant
- MSGT: Master Sergeant
- 1LT / LT: First Lieutenant
- CPT: Captain
- LCOL: Lieutenant Colonel
📘 Abbreviations & Glossary for Civilians
Term: Meaning
MCRD: Marine Corps Recruit Depot
DI / Drill Instructor: Marine NCO in charge of recruit training
Series Commander: Officer responsible for multiple platoons in the same training series
Platoon: Basic training unit of 50–90 Marines
Battalion: Larger unit composed of multiple companies and platoons
Cold War: Period of geopolitical tension (1947–1991) influencing U.S. training
🎓 Relevance for Researchers & Educators
Military Historians will value the Cold War-era training snapshot and command hierarchy.
Genealogists benefit from names, ranks, and faces not often found in federal military records.
Teachers and Students studying U.S. history, post-Vietnam military transitions, or Cold War culture gain visual and contextual insights from this document.
USMC Families and Veterans may reconnect with ancestors or comrades-in-arms through these preserved rosters.
