1956 — Apr 8, Marine recruits drown, night swamp march, Ribbon Creek, Parris Isl., SC–6

–6 AP. “Court Findings in Marine Case Due This Week.” Florence Morning News, SC. 4-18-1956, 5.
–6 Lauderdale. “The Parris Island recruit’s march into Ribbon Creek…almost killed…Marine Corps.” 9-25-2020.
–6 Logansport Pharos-Tribune, IN. “Marine Corps League Defends Boot Training.” 9-1-1956, 11.
–6 United Press. “Six Marines Die at Parris Island.” Lowell Sun, MA. 4-10-1956, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Lauderdale: “Parris Island drill instructor Matthew McKeon meant to instill discipline in his platoon when he led it into the chilly waters of Ribbon Creek. But six recruits drowned, and the incident ended up instilling discipline in the U.S. Marine Corps. In the century that young “boots” have been training for war on Parris Island, the moonless night of April 8, 1956, still stands as the dividing line between the old and the new Corps.

“Staff Sgt. McKeon knew precious little about the Lowcountry creek behind the rifle range — its rushing tide, slippery shores, boot-sucking bottom, and deep drop-off. But he knew that Marine Corps discipline was lacking in his Platoon 71. The recruits had embarrassed him earlier in the day when another drill instructor called them slackers. A “field day” of routine punishment — cleaning the barracks from top to bottom — didn’t seem to work. A recruit went back for seconds in the chow hall that evening and McKeon felt he gave him some lip about it.

“At 8:15 p.m., McKeon lined up 75 young men in their sixth week of training and marched them to the creek. This, he thought, would help restore order. As the columns moved from the soft marsh into the creek, McKeon went in first. Boots filled with water, the ebb tide pulled swiftly out, water rose from waists to armpits, the bottom dropped off abruptly, some of them could not swim and panic erupted. Recruits grabbed onto one another. McKeon got one flailing recruit ashore, but not all. After hours of uncertainty, it was clear that six recruits did not make it out of Ribbon Creek alive, and the U.S. Marine Corps was in deep trouble.

“Newspaper and magazine writers swarmed into Beaufort. Their stories zeroed in on training methods used at the boot camp. They focused on reports that McKeon had a few shots of vodka earlier in the day, and he was portrayed as a drunken beast.

“The commandant of the Marine Corps flew in on Monday, saying the sergeant would be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

“Also that day, Beaufort County Sheriff J. Ed McTeer furnished dragging equipment and assisted in getting Rutledge Elliott’s shrimp boat to drag the creek. Five bodies were recovered. On Tuesday, a drill instructor with diving experience recovered the sixth body in a hole of water about 15 feet deep.

“On Thursday, memorial rites for the six young recruits, ages 17 to 20, were held on Parris Island. One mother attended. Plans for full military funerals were canceled in response to the wishes of close relatives that the bodies be returned home as quickly as possible.

“A court of inquiry was quickly assembled. McKeon would face four charges, the most serious being culpable negligence resulting in death, and oppression…. It was quickly apparent that McKeon wasn’t the only one on trial. The Corps itself and the techniques of its drill instructors also hung in the balance. ‘It was a tragedy,’ said John C. Stevens III of Beaufort, whose book on the incident was published in 1999. ‘It took the loss of six lives to save the Marine Corps from itself.’

“Emile Zola Berman, an erudite and media-savvy attorney from New York City, came to defend McKeon at no charge. He was able to portray McKeon as a respected Marine and war veteran. Berman announced he would expose a history of abuse in recruit training by calling a large number of former DIs. He would show that hazing and beatings called ‘thumping’ — even ‘river walks’ — were common tools for some drill instructors who were largely unsupervised. He was going to humanize McKeon and not allow him to be a scapegoat. Berman got surprising testimony from the Marine Corps commandant, Port Royal native Gen. Randolph Pate. He did an about face, recommending minimal punishment for McKeon.

“Perhaps the biggest stunner was similar testimony on McKeon’s behalf from a Marine’s Marine, retired Lt. Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller. It fit with Pate’s request to Congress to stay any investigation as the Corps got its own act together.

“McKeon was convicted only of simple negligence and drinking in the barracks. He was sentenced to three months’ hard labor, assigned to a chaplain’s office. He was busted to private, but allowed to stay in the Corps. He retired in 1959 as a corporal.

“The Corps immediately tried to raise the status of its drill instructors, with the most visible sign being the trademark Smokey Bear ‘campaign covers.’ Other changes were slower and met with resistance. Changes included greater supervision of drill instructors, more formal training standards, less humiliation of recruits and closer watch on the tradition of ‘thumping’ that had 10 recruits in sick bay with broken noses at the time of the Ribbon Creek incident.

“It did not happen overnight, but the Ribbon Creek incident forever changed the Corps and how recruits are treated. A greater emphasis was put on physical training, and today it is down to a science. Disciplinary measures became tightly controlled. Drill instructors were made more accountable for their actions by being court-martialed or removed from the field….” (David Lauderdale. “The Parris Island recruit’s march into Ribbon Creek that almost killed the Marine Corps.” The Island Packet, SC. 9-25-2020.)

Apr 10: “Parris Island, S.C., April 10 UP) – The commandant of the U.S. Marine drill instructor ‘positively did not have the authority’ to take his platoon on a night march that ended in death for six of the 70 recruits. The commandant, Gen. Randolph Pate, would not say whether Staff Sgt. Matthew McKeon of Worcester, Mass. routed his platoon out Sunday night for disciplinary reasons. But McKeon, in a prepared statement, admitted that the march was to teach the men discipline. ‘My purpose in taking the platoon to the river was to teach them discipline,’ McKeon said. ‘I led them to the water and went in first.’

“Six men were drowned when they stepped into deep water. Five bodies were recovered yesterday and searchers still were looking for the sixth today.

“Pate, who flew here from Washington to take personal charge, told a news conference the accident was ‘deplorable,’ but added ‘I ask that our history be remembered and that no premature opinions be formed on modification of our system of training until full evaluation of the facts by the court of inquiry.’….Pate returned to Washington following the news conference. Asked whether the march was a matter of discipline, Pate replied: ‘That is a matter for the court of inquiry and any statement by me would be prejudging the young sergeant.’ ‘However,’ Pate added, ‘marches of this type are not a normal thing. This was definitely an unscheduled night march.’ He said the sergeant ‘positively did not have authority to hold such unscheduled night marches. Under no conditions does he have such authority.’….

“A three officer court convened today to hear testimony from members of the platoon….” (Lowell Sun, MA. “Six Marines Die at Parris Island.” 4-10-1956, p. 1.)

Newspapers at the Time:

Apr 17, AP: “Parris Island, April 17 (AP) – Parris Island’s commander, Maj. Gen. Joseph C. Burger, is expected to receive the findings this week of a Marine court of inquiry investigation into the drowning of six recruits. The four-member court heard from more witnesses today as it worked to complete its probe of the April 8 night march into a swamp area near here. Nearly all of the 68 survivors of the march have appeared before the board.

“Attending the closed-door hearings are S. Sgt. Matthew C. McKeon, the 31-year-old training instructor who ordered the march, and his counsel. McKeon said in a prepared statement last week the purpose of the march was to teach the young Marines ‘discipline.’ Several survivors said McKean led efforts to save the victims when they plunged into water over their heads.

“Before results of the inquiry are made public, they will be reviewed by Burger, then sent to the Marine Corps commandant and the Navy’s judge advocate general in Washington.” (AP. “Court Findings in Marine Case Due This Week.” Florence Morning News, SC. 4-18-1956, p.5.)

Sep 1, UP: “Miami Beach (UP) – The Marine Corps League Friday called for ‘firm and unwavering support’ of tough leatherneck boot training and indicated it favors reduction of the sentence given Staff Sgt. Matthew C. McKeon, leader of the Parris Island ‘death march.’ ‘The league places every confidence in the fact that the Navy will reach an appropriate decision as to the final sentence to be received by McKeon, said a resolution adopted by the league and its auxiliary at their 33rd annual convention here.

“McKean is the boot camp drill instructor who led his platoon on a disciplinary night march into Parris Island swamps last April. Six Marine recruits drowned in the outing.” (Logansport Pharos-Tribune, IN. “Marine Corps League Defends Boot Training.” 9-1-1956, p. 11.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Court Findings in Marine Case Due This Week.” Florence Morning News, SC. 4-18-1956, p.5. Accessed 3-20-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/florence-morning-news-apr-18-1956-p-5/

Lauderdale: “

(Lauderdale, David. “The Parris Island recruit’s march into Ribbon Creek that almost killed the Marine Corps.” The Island Packet, SC. 9-25-2020. Accessed 3-20-2023 at: https://www.islandpacket.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/david-lauderdale/article39418635.html

Logansport Pharos-Tribune, IN. “Marine Corps League Defends Boot Training.” 9-1-1956, p. 11. Accessed at: https://newspaperarchive.com

United Press. “Six Marines Die at Parris Island.” Lowell Sun, MA. 4-10-1956, p. 1. Accessed 3-20-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun-apr-10-1956-p-29/