Have any of you Marines seen anyone drummed out of the Corps??

I saw a drumming out at Headquarters Co, H&S Bn. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, June of 1961. I was in the MCB communications platoon, and we shared a barracks with the MP company at MCB. It was the old U-shaped brick barracks and almost directly across from the Central Area Service Club which was next to the WM barracks on its west.

The individual was a chronic thief and had repeatedly dishonored himself and his unit. He was called out to stand in front of the company formation by the C.O., stripped of his rank, his blouse and cover by then C.O. who gave the command “about face” to the company, effectively turning their backs on him, and the individual restrained by two mp’s, was loaded into one of the olive drab M.P. paddy-wagons and transported to the main gate.

I had only reported in to MCB a month earlier, and it was a weird thing to see happen. I can still recall recall his last name and the fact that he was a Native American.

As far as I know that was the last one executed at CLNC.

I witnessed several of these while aboard Camp Pendleton as a Division and Base MP.
A number of MPs and a small contingent of grunts assembled at the main gate, always in the early morning, and the subjects (always more than one, normally 4-8) were bussed to the gate a short time later. They were marched to the white (government property) line with their sea bags and faced inboard while the officer in charge read their discharges. The OIC then stripped each of them of every Marine or military related patch, emblem or device.
At that point, he threw their sea bags across the white line, called them to attention, and ordered them about face. Marched them across the white line and about face again. He then read and handed each an Order and Notice (if you return to any military installation you'll be arrested) and then turned his back to them and ordered us all about face.
We all marched away from them, leaving them standing on the civilian side of the line.... all with a look of, "what just happened?", on their faces.

Moving?, no. Sad, gut wrenching, avoidable and illustrative, yes.

After seeing one of those, you found yourself appreciating the Corps a lot more than you thought, and you sure as h didn't want to be one of them.

I'm forever proud of my time in the suck, ..... they never can be again.

I was Air Force, dad was Navy. In about 1953 or so, there was a Marine found guilty of “something” at the Norfolk Navy base (Court Martial) and “Drummed out of the Corps”. It was “featured” in a Life magazine article and I understand somebody caught hell for it. But the pictures were taken and published.
After the sentence was handed down, he was marched with his company to one of the never used chain-link gates in the base perimeter fence. Then, just like others have stated, his rank, badges, etc were striped off. He was marched to the beat of a drum the last 100’ or so to the gate. As he passed the troops, they were called to “About Face”. Reaching the gate, someone opened it, he was marched through, his sea-bag was thrown after him on the ground and the gate closed once again and locked. The troops were marched away back the way that they had come.
As a 12 year old it sure made an impression on me!

Not quite the same, but in the Antarctic the CO of the coast guard icebreaker held a public Captains Mast in the hanger bay. Dress Blues, set up like a courtroom, bells, whistles, the whole thing. All hands at that. All i’d seen up to that point in Navy was closed door masts, and only the accused was in dress uniform.

I witnessed this during early 1963, at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, NC when I was in Marine infantry. It was a sad occasion. I don't know what the Marine did. I can still hear the drums roll and the "Marine" walking off base dressed in civilian clothes. You never forget something like this.

I witnessed a drumming out of three Marines back in 1960 while stationed at the Marine Corp Supply Center, Albany Ga( as it was called at the time) Marines got BCD's . The Company was in formation. A brig chaser marched them up to the Co. The Co gave the Company the command about face. The Co then read off the charges. The Marine had their belonging with them. The chaser then told them to fall in on the road and marched them to the front gate with a drummer behind them. I was a young PFC and never forgot it.

In the early 1960's (62/63) there was someone at MB Norfolk who was literally thrown out. Whatever this guy did, he received a BCD; they marched him in front of the entire barracks; his crime and sentence were read by the SgtMaj; they then stripped him of his EGA's; then the entire barracks did and about face, and the miscreant was marched off the parade field. HQMC quickly informed the rest of the Marine Corps not to do that again. Don't know if they beat drums during the ceremony - but it would have been just the icing on the cake.

Additionally when I was in the 1st Recon Bn, every Friday when we were in garrison there was a battalion formation. At that time the Command Officer (LtCol Wheeler Baker) would read the results of any recent Office Hours (NJP) proceedings, and if a courts martial had occurred, the results of that. Then we would (everyone) would get down and give the Colonel 25 push up's. I look upon those days as be some of the best I ever had. Hooya!

I've seen a few public NJPs but never a public dishonrable discharge. Since all administrative and punitive discharges have to be reviewed, it would be jumping the gun to publically "drum them out" By the time they are reviewed the service members are long gone on appelate leave. The exception would be those doing long sentences, and they are away from their commands.

Nope, now it's few and far between for a Commanding Officer to even to do public NJPs. Personally I think closed door NJPs are a mistake as they don't serve as an example for the entire command.

This sort of stuff dose not happen anymore; given the times we live in I see no point in showing off someone's dishonorable discharge. just remember people; just because it seems the right thing to do while in uniform does not make it right. that person already knows they done wrong. all good things come to an end. for those of you still in uniform; just remember your day is coming when you will have to hang up that uniform and possibly go get a job. some of you would not last long on the outside. " what goes around; comes around"