Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-22
Marine Corps
Brutality Data
Sent Congress

A Congressional probe was
asked today by the American
Civil Liberties Union of sworn
charges by l24 ex-Marines that
brutal training tactics were a
daily sight at the recruit base
at Paris Island. S. C.
The statements by the 124
former Leathernecks were made
in reply to a QUESTIONABLE cir
culated by Mrs. Alma Cough
lin, of 2708 Elmwood drive,
Burgundy Village. Fairfax
County, Va. She is the mother
Of Pvt. Jerry L. Thomas. one of
the six Marine boots" who
were drowned April 8, 1856 on
a night march with Sergt
Matthew McKeon.
The ACLU released a special
report based on the statements
Of the ex-Marines. who were
stationed at the base from jan
uary l to May / last year. All
the men were discharged under
honorable conditions.
Asks Open Airing
The request for a congress
Sional Investigation was in a
letter accompanying the report
to the House and Senate Armed
Services Committees and other
members of Congress. The
letter was from Ernest Angel,
ACLU board chairman: Judge
j. WatieS Waring, chairman of
the Due Process Equality Com
mittee and Patrick Murphy
Malin. ACLU executive director.
Improvement" Stressed
Chairman VinSon of the
House Armed Services Com
mittee, however, said the situa-
ltion has been corrected and no
investigation is planned. Mr..
Vinson. Democrat of Georgia,
said he had written the ACLU
that all the evidence had
seemed. to relate to "the period
before the changes and i'm
provementS were made" at
Paris Island.
II feel there has been a real
Improvement in the situation, {"
Mr.. Vinson declared, land 1
see nothing new in their in
formation to investigate"
The ACLU said it concluded
that on the basis of the state
ments, wholly undemocratic
and unnecessarily brutal and
cruel training tactics were
practiced" at Paris Island by
the drill instructors. There is
need for a full and open airing
Of these conditions" the ACLU
said, despite the previous testi-
mony before Congress by
Marine Commandant Randolph
Nice. Pate that training abuses
have been corrected.
1--WE believe that in probing
the conditions set forth in the
report" the letter said. those
committees will wish to hear
the testimony of former Marine
recruits who are now civilians,
investigate present conditions
at the base and ascertain the
effectiveness of General Pate'S
announced reforms.
Statistical Summary
Here is a statistical break
down of the charges sworn to
by the former Marines:
Shaping Of recruits by DIS:
"a per cent said they saw this
during the four-month period;
SO per cent said it was a daily
sight; so per cent said they saw
it many times a day; 6 per cent
said they never saw DI slap
a recruit.
Hitting recruits with fists by
DIS: "a per cent said they saw
it; Sc per cent said it was a
daily sight; 80 per cent said
they saw it many times a day:
16 per cent said they never saw
it.
Kicking recruits: IS per cent
said they saw it done; 81 per
cent said it was a daily sight:
81 per cent said they saw it
many times a day; is per cent
said they never saw it.
Told Not to Talk
Seventy per cent swore they
saw some form Of brutality
many times a day and IS per
cent said it was a daily sight.