I remember when in was in Marine Corps boot camp at MCRD San Diego I got dropped from my training platoon to a Medical Rehab Platoon. Well, strange things happened to me here, like things disappearing, unkown locks being placed on people's things, and more missing stuff. From what I have heard, recruits have commited suicide in those squad bays. I'm surprised there isn't anything on the internet about that.

Cool, could you tell us some of your stories?

Mike,

I was stationed right across the fence line from you at RTC/NTC San Diego back in 1980. We had the same suicide stories. Like with anything military, it would be kept private and only those of us that were stationed there would know about it. It isn't like the military is going to admit to it happening. However I do remember instances standing midnight to 4:00 am watch not to mention grounds watch, particularly the one's that included the track and fence line that separated MCRD from RTC/NTC. Midnight runners, recruits marching, not to mention phantom artillery fire from the firing range.

Thanks for posting this thread and the walk down memory lane, I had forgotten about my experiences during Boot Camp.


Blessed Be,
TruBeliever

Hi Mike, that's very odd, did it happen more than once, were they old, new - could the keys be located?

How did you rule out it wasn't a prank? Creepy story, thanks for posting.

Regency,

The locks weren't pranks because no one else had use of our locker keys but us for all the obvious reasons. Even our Company Commanders ( Navy ) and when I was temporarily assigned after boot camp to MCRD the Drill Sgt's didn't have keys to our lockers and trunks. They would use bolt cutters in case of contraband. Our keys were our own private property plus in most instances they were combination locks. I know that was the way it was in my boot camp days

Tru

I've always been interested in the military and paranormal experiences. I'd love to hear more stories if you have any.

SI***,

One sticks out in my mind above all else. I was stationed in Philadelphia near the end of my time in the Navy. My duty station was the BRIG. A little history about the brig. It was used for the military since World War II and at the time I was there, it housed inmates, that were sentenced to more than 6 months. Most of the people there were found guilty of desertion which was U.A. beyond 30 days ( Unauthorized Absence) for those in the Navy. AWOL for everyone else. LOL (When I was stationed there as a Corpsman).

However this was not the case during WWII, Korea & Vietnam. During that time they housed the usual Deserters, and also those that were convicted of Espionage, and in some instances Rapists and Murders. The facility still had the perimeter walls with the broken glass embedded in the top of the wall and if memory serves anywhere from 3 to 6 rows of razor wire. In the middle courtyard of the facility was where executions by firing squad would take place. Even tho the blood from these events would be scrubbed off, you could still see pits in the walls from where the shots would embed themselves.

Having said all that, It was on a night in which I had to pull a sleeper duty. Basically what that would involve is that if anyone got sick, or injured themselves during the night, I would open up sick bay and triage them to see if they needed to go to the base Hospital or if they could be treated "in-house". Well, in one instance, it was not feasible for me to just open sick bay and await my patient to arrive. (BTW he was a guard and NOT an inmate) The radio call came in at between the hours 1300 and 1400 about a guard being down. I remember the times because it was just about an hour after I started duty which began at midnight. When I arrived on the scene the guy was babbling out of his head, and the look on his face was not that of pain, but pure horror.

The area was covered with a thick veil of fog over the entire courtyard. and the foulest stench of what I could only describe as OLD blood and gunpowder was in the air. When I got to the patient, and I triaged the situation and noticed that he had some bruisings at his ribcage, his lips were swollen and bleeding as if he had been punched, repeatedly, in the mouth and , furthermore, he had the distinct imprint of someone's hands around his throat, the bruising was quite clear. But yet he was the only one in the courtyard. The other guard that found him, and called in the incident to me was, across the compound at his post. But the courtyard is in clear view of the guard shacks and television surveillance were all over the courtyard. So anyone that was not supposed to be there would have been seen. When I saw the condition of this guard I immediately sent the other guard, to call for ambulance, and got on my radio and requested a standing bed count ( that is where they would wake up the inmates and have the stand at the foot of their racks ) to see if anyone had managed to slip out of their perspective units. Minimum security had barrack style units. Every inmate was accounted for.

When I got the guard ready for transport, and in fact had him in the ambulance for transport, I began to question him as to the events leading up to him being attacked. I immediately asked if he had been attacked by a fellow guard. He was emphatic in his replies and never once did his story waiver. His fellow guard DID NOT attack him, and that his attacker came out of nowhere, and he could not get a clear view of his face. He did, however, notice that the assailant was dressed in blue bell bottom dungarees and had on black "boondockers" ( That is what we called our steel toed boots). The next thing he knew he was being punched, choked and forced to the ground. Then that the other guard came to his rescue. When the video evidence was reviewed it substantiated this report of the events. NO one was there on the courtyard but the attacked guard. It showed everything clearly, up until the point the fog rolled in. You could hear the guard scream and see where his head appeared move backwards motion and him look as if he was being forced to his knees and then it showed where he had collapsed. It was at this point the fellow guard arrived, to his rescue. It was just a few minutes later, that the videos showed where I had arrived on the scene, and the fog began to clear.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that during the time of the attack, that there were no other living being on that courtyard. But yet his wounds were very real. The stench of old blood and gunpowder was very real. It was from this point on that each night watch on that compound had double guards at each post around the compound. No one was never left alone again.

Blessed Be,

TruBeliever

Wow that sounds pretty interesting. I wonder why all those soldiers comminted suicide? Was it because of the hauntings?

The jury was still out on that while I was there. Some say it was because of unfair treatment they received as recruits, some claim being drawn to repeat past events. All I know is that as of last report the barracks remain empty to this day.

Great story Tru, i live right in south philly. Anyone else got any stories?

Kalash,

Then you know where the Brig is that I am speaking of ???!!!???

Tru

So Sad

This incident happened to us up in Camp Pendleton, CA. My squadron had left for a week of feild training. When we returned about 10 marines including me had our lockers tampered with. I coulndnt even open my combination lock. Investigations went on and nobody knows to this date after a year. Not to mention the marine who looses his cell phone after turning his back to just get a shirt. The sim card appears on the his bed the next day.

Enjoyed your story Tru!

You mentioned when you were called to the guards aid that the smell of "old blood and gunpowder" was in the air and there was thick fog.
Once the fog lifted did the smell also disapate? Did you sense any strange feelings while you were in the courtyard?

BitterBuck,

As the fog lifted the smell disapated as well. however; not at the same time. The fog lifted first, and the smell of the gunpowder and blood seemed to linger for just a few short moments longer, now I cannot be sure if the smell was present to all at this point or that is just seemed to linger heavy in my nostrils, but it was definately there. When I got there and saw the injured guard, my instincts and training kicked in full force.

If I was to try and put my finger on any particular sensations being felt, by myself at the time, it would have to have been those of anger, desperation and fear. Now the fear was most likely being sent out by the injured, but the anger and desperation was almost as if it was coming from around the courtyard and centering in. I have also felt like if the ambulance hadn't arrived when it did, more havoc would have ensued and I would have been attacked as well. It seemed like the ambulance was the catalyst in everything calming down.

It was one of those moments in which your skin begins to tingle, you feel and overwhelming gnawing in the pit of your stomach, and every hair on your arms and the back of your neck stands on end. Many would attribute this to being nervous about seeing a fallen comrade, but it is here I need to interject that this was not the first time that I had taken care of anyone that had been injured. It was definately "NOT my first time at the rodeo", so to speak. I had been in situations, in which I had taken care of many more severely injured. (i.e. Beirut). But this was different and very omninous to say the least.

Tru

Camp Pendleton is where I took my FMF training ( Fleet Marine Force ). There was this location they lovingly called "Cardiac Hill" that we had to run during mock casualty drills. During the daytime it was frightening enough to a raw Corpsman having to face it, but at night, it took on a whole other persona. Even tho, I never physically saw anything, the eerie sounds could be heard all over the place. It was like you could hear the calls of D.I.'s yelling out orders, but no one was there. Sometimes you could hear cadence being called out even tho you knew that no one was out doing marching or doing manuevers.

Tru

Great story Tru...Awhile back some UM members were posting about strange events taking place at Ft. Dix, and in their homes on the military base....Frightening experience that you had...

Goalie,

Yes, this experience had left me rather sick feeling, after everything had settled down. Once I got off-duty it was definately one of those Rum and Coke moments. LOL

I am a firm believer that your older bases and ships of a bygone age are a hotbed of paranormal activities. All the horrors that they must have seen during time of war would definately imprint themselves to their surroundings. In the case of the Philadelphia Brig, imagine being a young soldier or sailor, drafted into military service, and awaiting execution for desertion. The fear of that alone would be enough to leave an entity with a sense of unfinished business over a life cut short in their prime. I don't think it would be uncommon for the living to feel an overwhelming sense of anger and fear inside those walls.

Tru