Da Kind Marines

By TSgt Jack Harmon, USMC - Originally Published January 1954

If there's A Marine on duty with you who sings the melancholy "Aloha Oe" in pensive sack time moments, or packs a ukulele as part of his 782 gear, and his name sounds like Kaanapu, Maunalei or Kaninau, he is probably of a new strain of Marines: "Da Kind."

The "Da Kind" Marines come from the Territory of Hawaii. In the past year, most of them came into the Corps either through the first "All-Hawaii Platoon" of recruits in 1952 or the first "All-Hawaii Company" of boots in 1953.

Enlistment-wise in the Corps, it appears the island men are as eager to match or surpass the best "All-Some-thing-or-Other" platoons that are the boast of any of the 48 states. Their "platoon" in 1952 numbered 1.12 men and most of them were high school graduates. Their "company" in 1953-185 strong-was comprised wholly of high school graduates.

"Da Kind," in the Territory of surf, palm trees and grass skirts, means "the best there is; the tops."

One day a young islander headed into the Honolulu Armed Forces recruiting building and was met by Corporal Joseph J. Loo. Loo, from Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, is a native Honoluluan on temporary additional duty with the recruiters.

"Hey! You!" called Loo. "Where you go?"

"I go join up," replied the startled lad.

"Why you no join Marines?" asked Loo in pidgin English. "Come in. It's da kind!" And as easily as that, the Marines had another recruit.

Loo was only kidding good-naturedly with the young eligible. Evidently, though, the lad had not definitely decided which service he would join. "Da Kind" sold him on the Marines.

Loo can and does speak good English when conversing with haoles (how-lees), or Caucasians. He turns his pidgin on or off whenever he needs it. His brothers, Herbert and Walter, sound like English professors. When Loo is talking to young islanders still in civvies, his pidgin is more easily understood. Flawless English probably would send island prospects scurrying. But don't let their pidgin English fool you. Scholastically, islanders have been known to make top grades in mainland colleges and often stand head and shoulders over haole classmates in application to studies.

Influx of "Da Kind" Marines into the Corps has been phenomenal. The incoming traffic has smashed all recruiting gauges since the office opened in June, 1951.

Successful recruitment of two large units for the regular Marine Corps, a year apart, was amazing, even to those who did the spade work. In 1952, trying for a platoon of 85 men, recruiters were forced to stop at a top of 112 men; otherwise, quotas for recruiting offices in the 12th district area to which Honolulu looks for quotas would have been seriously affected. This year they set their goal at a company oi 150 men.

What did they come up with?

A total of 185.

For Captain L. V. Corbett and his hardworking recruiting office crew, overflowing "All-Hawaii" units two years running was quite an accomplishment. Honolulu recruiters operate with a total staff of seven men, about twothirds less than the average mainland station complements. Four of the seven recruiters are in the Honolulu office. One each of the remaining three are on the neighboring islands of Maui, Hawaii and Kauai.

An interesting facet of the islanders' enthusiasm for "All-Hawaii" recruit units is that they get generous numbers of recruits in the interim. The units themselves and the interim enlistments are two factors which achieve for Honolulu 152 per cent of their annual quota of men for the Marine Corps.

Average Hawaiians lead colorful lives; they sing; they dance; they mix well and particularly enjoy community or group projects. Their cooperative spirit probably accounts for enthusiastic response to the "buddy system" recruiting employed by Marines-going through boot camp with a friend. This year the company was composed of three platoons, one each from the islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Oahu.

Naming platoons for the island is important. The islanders are as proud of their home islands as mainlanders are of their counties or their hometowns. Islanders' pride for their Territory rivals that of any Texan for his home state.

To add to recruitment color and ensure strong esprit de corps of the "All Hawaii Company" this year each platoon was given a flag bearing colors and symbols of the islands represented, and the company was presented with Territorial colors.

The "All Hawaii Company" was in fair shape for a recruit outfit when it was finally and overtly sworn in. The ceremony took place in the open under bright Hawaiian skies before the main entrance steps to Iolani Palace. The oath of enlistment was given by Colonel Custis Burton, Jr., commander of Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor. The tyros knew their left from their right before they even hit boot camp. They had been schooled on the history of the Marine Corps and instilled with the distinction that would accompany their entrance into the San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot. Many dignitaries had impressed upon them at the mass swearing-in that the Territory expected them to come out of boot with honors.

Last year's platoon barely missed taking graduation honors. This year they had friendly competition between platoons. Captain Corbett looked upon this as a great advantage. He said confidently, "I wouldn't be surprised if they come out one, two, three."

Lieutenant Colonel Melvin D. Henderson, commander of the first battalion landing team of Marines to be trained on Windward Oahu at the Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station, commented, "Island boys make outstanding Marines. I'll take all you can give me for service anywhere."

And that's the "DA KIND" Marine. Always eager to do a little more than expected.