Rows of Corn: A True Account of a Parris Island Recruit

Herb Moore left the "Island" the day I arrived from the balmy Bronx. The nexy day Sgt. Egge picked up Platoon 375. We outposted on 5 December 63. There are some dates you will never forget!! Moore captures Sgt. Egge magnificently. He is a man who is burnt not in my mind but in my soul. Fear and pain must be over come. I did not grasp this until two + years later when I went to Viet Nam, Republic of. Never saw Egge again. Strange, it is close to 40 years and I still hear the cadence call.Herb you done good and got it like none before you.

Herb L. Moore, an enlisted Marine from South Carolina who served during the Vietnam era, gives an excellent account of his own USMC boot camp experiences at Parris Island. While this book does not have quite the commercial "spit shine" of other books that address boot camp, I actually appreciated it more than other related books due to the fact that the author recounts recruit training experiences with a bit more honest "true grit" than other accounts. His description is offered as seen through the eyes of a recruit versus the eyes of a detached author as with so many other military books written today. In addition to a very good account of daily boot camp life, Herb Moore also provides near the conclusion of his book a provoking discussion on why tough training is needed in order to have Marine's ready to handle combat experience. His words ring with an air of wisdom and truth that, again, you won't find as frankly discussed in many other books.Herb Moore is to be highly commended for authoring this book. If you are looking for a philosophical and detailed explanation of the Corps place in society, I would recommend Thomas Rick's "Making the Corps", and if you are looking for a book that chronicles the training regimen of USMC boot camp then I would recommend Daniel Da Cruz's "Boot", but if you are looking for an engaging and honest account of what boot camp life is like when viewed through the eyes of a recruit than I would strongly recommend grabbing "Rows of Corn" first!Semper Fi, John G. Kennedy (USMC 1996 - 1999)

I went through basic training at Parris Island the same year as the author. I found this book to be the only accurate description of what happened in Marine Corps boot camp. The descriptions of the DI's were right on target. The relentless stress is written between the words so accurately I felt like I was back in 1963. I wonder why no one has made a movie on this book. A great read of a real life experience!!

I went through Parris Island during the same year as the author. I have read many books about Parris Island and recruit training, but nothing came close to this one is describing the boot camp experience of the 60's. The DI's were exactly as Moore described them, I saw members of my platoon go through the same ordeals, and I had the same pride at graduation. Boy, this is some book. I wonder why no one has made a movie about this story. Well done.

I was also a Marine Drill Instructor and I find that this book tells it like it is this book is in detail and as I read the book I found myself thinking that I was back on the drill feild------ I felt a deep feeling of pride, damm I miss the Marine Corps. I recommend it to all Marines, I have tried to present all my recurits of Plt 145 with a copy,-, a "Well Done" Pvt. Moore