Do any Marines long for when they had duty while living in a Quonset Hut? Does anyone remember ‘painting rocks’?

2020-12-25T21:38:01-05:00

No sweat GI, Camp Pendleton still has some Quonset Huts remaining at Camp Talega in the NW Corner.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Dec 25 at 2020 10:04 PM

2020-12-25T22:04:54-05:00

Tempting, but I’ll pass, CSM Charles Hayden! Merry Christmas!

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2020 10:05 PM

2020-12-25T22:05:19-05:00

CSM Charles Hayden I will never forget the Quonset Huts at MCRD San Diego, June - August 1968. I saw rocks painted but never had to paint any. I remember we would rake the sand outside the MCRD Quonset Huts thinking that would be the last time that was done. At MCB 29 Palms, the Brown Baggers would have to rake the sand and pick up the cigarette butts and trash outside the barracks, while the rest of us did the weekly field day of the barracks. Not really fair to the married folks, but no one asked me.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Dec 25 at 2020 10:17 PM

2020-12-25T22:17:15-05:00

So many times we wished we had a Quonset. A Strongback with some canvas was the flop house du jour. And then one day, high class upgrade to a plywood floor to get us out of the dirt. I was always surprised to see all the repurposed Quonsets out there. Large ones abound as skating rinks.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Dec 25 at 2020 10:33 PM

2020-12-25T22:33:22-05:00

CSM Charles Hayden Living in One? I'll Pass but We Had One as a R/R Location to get away from the Barracks and or Work while on Adak.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 26 at 2020 2:01 AM

2020-12-26T02:01:10-05:00

In boot camp 1979 MCRD San Diego during our 3rd phase we Lived in Quonset Huts. Very hot in the California heat. I don’t miss them!

Response by Cpl James R. " Jim" Gossett Jr made Dec 26 at 2020 2:34 AM

2020-12-26T02:34:55-05:00

Didn't have time to paint rocks!

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Dec 26 at 2020 5:06 AM

2020-12-26T05:06:38-05:00

Thank you my friend CSM Charles Hayden fro mentioning me.
Image: 1975-03 FT Leonard Wood, MO - view of D-1-3 barracks where I did Basic Training.
Although I went to BCT in metal barracks that were not Quonset huts in 1974, we did paint some rocks blue. If it didn't move paint it, comes to mind.

FYI Cpl Vic Burk Cpl James R. " Jim" Gossett Jr MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi SMSgt David A Asbury SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. COL Mikel J. Burroughs SPC Nancy Greene SPC Michael Terrell PVT Mark Zehner TSgt David L.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 26 at 2020 8:42 AM

2020-12-26T08:42:33-05:00

We lived in them in Japan. The duty hut was in the same compound of around a dozen. One was for Sgts. Some were split with Cpls in one end and snuffies in the other. We walled them down to cubes with wall lockers. It was not bad at all. Since they were so old it made it easier to pass weekly inspection. The screen door slamming at either end made a good alarm. If it was very early in AM, it was usually someone burning the midnight oil in the Ville. Maybe Club 19 across the street (for E1-E9). There were a bunch at SOI, Camp San Onofre as well.

Response by Cpl Benjamin Long made Dec 26 at 2020 9:08 AM

2020-12-26T09:08:20-05:00

No, those things are only functional in hot weather environments, and it is not expedient to tow your aircraft hangar out to field when it conduction qualities make it visible to every arial thermal sensor in the world... and we painted curbs in Pendleton... Because California has color coding of curbs.... Everyone used to threaten painting rocks but never carried out said threats... probably because paint is too expensive to make such an action functional

Response by PO3 David Fries made Dec 26 at 2020 9:40 AM

2020-12-26T09:40:33-05:00

We used Quonset huts at Camp McP in Pohang. They also were still using them at PTA, though those were going away last I knew. Of course this was in 97 and 99 respectively.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 26 at 2020 11:17 AM

2020-12-26T11:17:46-05:00

The only quonset hut I ever berthed in was at Pickle Meadows; bka, MWTC Bridgeport, CA. We had some initial issue q-huts at MCRD and on Edson Range, but I'm not 'old school".

Response by SMSgt David A Asbury made Dec 26 at 2020 11:23 AM

2020-12-26T11:23:28-05:00

LOL, know I know where the Air Force got that painting rocks at DMAFB in AZ.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2020 2:25 AM

2020-12-27T02:25:58-05:00

Lived in quonset huts during CAX 9-10 1999, and CAX 3-4 2000. It was pretty rough. Dirt floors no heating or AC.

Response by Sgt Frank Vanacore made Jan 3 at 2021 6:35 PM

2021-01-03T18:35:30-05:00

MCRD 1958, lived in quonset huts, raked the grass (sand), picked seashells from sand. Never painted rocks though. Also lived in them at ITR. I don't remember having to do sand at ITR. Tent camp at Camp Elliot range. Do I long for them? NO. Barracks were much better. But would take them over the tents. Our huts were close enough to see the flights leaving San Diego airport, and wishing we were on one.

Response by Maj John Bell made Jan 29 at 2021 12:57 AM

2021-01-29T00:57:06-05:00

One of the ugliest mornings of my life.
Tok Sok Ri, Korea

_Quonset hut, outside temperature high 90's, humidity about 97%. Inside temperature about 110
_All of the lieutenants in the battalion and about 20 ROK lieutenants hungover from a soju party
_The stench of Kimchi farts and soju vomit fill the air. The SNCO's cut the power to our fans.
_Mama-san passing around a plate of her hangover cure, hongeo (fermenting, raw skate, a cartilage-rich fish that smells so bad of ammonia it burns your eyes and throat)

I was afraid I was going to die and even more afraid that it wouldn't be soon.