Three regiments, the First, the Fifth, and Seventh, made up the First Marine Division in Korea. They were supported by thousands of rear echelon communications, supply, transportation, repair, technical, and administrative personnel who were needed to keep a fighting division in action. Then, there were support weapons groups, such as 155mm heavy artillery and 4.5 inch rocket units. 

    Even within the regiments, most of the members were not front-line infantry. All the support functions found at division and higher command levels were represented within the regiments asa, at regiments headquarters and battalion headquarters. Although those support people would, for the most part, never hear a shot fired in anger, nor see a man killed, they made it possible for the front line troops to do their jobs. 

    But there were no guarantees that they would never see action. There is a tradition in the Marine Corps that every man in an infantryman first, and a specialist second, so those support troops could be called upon at any time to support the front line troops with rifle fire as well as with ammunition and C rations. 

    The 7th Draft was not destined to fill support functions. Its members, for the most part, would join the front line infantry companies. To this end, representatives of the 1st, 5th, and 7th, Marine Regiments boarded the ships to take charge of their 7th Draft replacements. Most of D company, 7th Draft, was assigned to the 7th Marines, and the 7th Draft ceased to exist as a formal organization. 

    Henceforth, “7th Draft” would designate an arrival date in Korea — a level of ‘saltiness’ — and not a military unit. (A Marine’s saltiness is a measure of his experience in a given situation. It harks back to the days when Marines spent most of their time aboard ships, and those who had been aboard the longest had absorbed more ocean salt. Thus, an “old salt” is one whose experiences have earned him that honored title.) By far the saltiest were the “originals” who made up the First Marine Division when it first arrived in Korea. Most of them first set foot on Korean soil at Inchon, and later survived the bitter cold and Chinese attacks at Chosen. There were many old salts among the originals, many not yet twenty years old. 

    Most originals were still in Korea, since the Marine assignment there was about one year, and the war was not yet a year old. The 1st though 6th replacement drafts filled the ranks vacated by those men who had been killed or wounded. 

    In early April, 1951, the first four replacement drafts were pretty salty too, but the 5th and 6th drafts were still a little green. But the green was wearing off, with a month of two of combat behind them, and especially with the arrival of the 7th Draft. Regardless of how much or how little experience you have, when someone with less experience arrives on the scene, your love of saltiness goes up. Even with all of its training at the hands of World War II combat veterans, the 7th Draft was as green as they get. There were some combat veterans in their ranks, but most would experience combat for the first time in the coming days. 

    Master Sergeant Wayne Gordon, a greying twenty-five year veteran from 7th Marine Headquarters, gathered his replacements in one of the holds on the ship. “Men,” he said, “you are not members of the 7th Marines, one of the finest Marine regiments in the world. The 7th Marines made the Inchon landing and fought at the Chosen Reservoir, and right now we are driving the Chinese back where they came from. Before Korea, we took part in some of the toughest battles in the Pacific during the last war. Through it all, the Seventh Marines have lived up to the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps. You are doing a proud unit with a fighting tradition, and I’m sure you will uphold that tradition.”

    The welcoming pep talk over, he got to the meat of the subject. “Now listen up, and you will get your assignments. Keep the talking down until all of the assignments have been made.”

    MSgt. Gordon began calling the names. With his name coming early in the alphabetical sequence, Deacon quickly learned that he had been assigned to the First Battalion. He and Hollywood waited in silence for Hollywood’s assignment. Finally, MSgt. Gordon called “Ivers, Harry N., Second Battalion.”

    “Damn,” Deacon whispered.

    “Shit!” Hollywood said.

    “Maybe we can get it changed,” Deacon said quickly. 

    “Knock it off back there,” MSgt. Gordon bellowed. “I said no talking until all the assignments are made.” Deacon looked at Hollywood, knowing fully well that there was little or no chance that they would be together in Korea. 

    Finally, the assignments were completed. Cookie, Morris, and about twenty others that Deacon did not know too well, would go with him to the First Battalion. Ski and Buttermilk and about twenty more were assigned to the Second Battalion with Hollywood. 

    Deacon and Hollywood found MSgt. Gordon and asked about a change in assignment for one of them. 

    “So you want to stay together,” Gordon said. 

    “Yes, sir,” Deacon responded. 

    “Don’t sir me,” Gordon said. “I’m your Master Sergeant, and proud of it! I am not a damn officer. Now, you’re real good friends, is that it?”

    “We went to high school together,” Hollywood said. “We were on the ROTC rifle team together, were in the same graduating class, went through boot camp together. We’d like to stay together here.”

    “Even more reason not to be in the same unit,” Gordon said. “You could be more worried about each other than about the enemy. You have your assignments. Now get your gear and get ready to fall out!”

    Soon, those assigned to the First Battalion were told to form a line and move out. Deacon shot a look at Hollywood quickly knowing that this was it… Who knows when they would have a chance to see each other again. It was a whole new world now. 

    Without a word, Deacon shook Hollywood’s hand, their eyes met as if to say “good luck,” and with that, Deacon donned his pack, shouldered his M-1 rifle, and followed the line out the hatch up the ladders to the quarter deck, and down the gangway to the dock. A guide led them to waiting trucks which would take them the two hundred or so miles to the First Battalion’s position somewhere north of the 38th Parallel in Central Korea.