THE LAST MAN COMMITTEE 

John Ferguson, Chairman

Short & Sweet

Carl Boles D/G 2^nd Raider BN 

I joined the Corp. December ‘42 age 16.  I volunteered for Raiders out of boot camp after a John Wayne type pitch, by whom I don’t remember, but he mentioned we were to be trained like commandos.  Now that sounded neat to me because then I could handle anything and also gloat to my high school pals, who were surprised that I passed the physical to get in the Corp. in the first place, which is another story.  I almost didn’t pass the height requirement, you know, the height bar over the scale.  When I stepped on the scale the Corpsman asked me if I could feel that and I said “Feel what?”  I hardly got the words out of my mouth when he hit me with his fist and the bar hit my head.  He said, “You made it.”  So at 124 lbs. I thought I was a man, but not too bright, as I soon found out.  They kicked my ass, however it has paid off all my life. 

If I remember correctly there were 1,800 men on the grinder that day, 73 volunteered, 21 or 22 were accepted…   I have never met a finer bunch of men in my life than those Raiders I fell in with.  Everyone a true champ. 

I was an Ammo Carrier in a 30 Cal. Light Machine Gun Squad.  I will never forget those 22 pounds of wooden boxes of ammo, which we carried – (4) boxes, (250) rounds each, one in each.  One in front and one in back in a paper boy type canvas bag over the shoulders plus all the other gear – half a pack, poncho roll, cart ridge belt, 2 grenades, knife, first aid kit, canteen, 2 Bandeliers of rifle ammo and rifle, the total weighed more than I did or close to it.  Thank God for the other guys up front in the squad who shared my hand-held load.  Operations Bougainville, Emiru, Guam and then home. 

I have a fantastic wife Marcia, 2 sons, 2 grandsons; all good guys. 

I went to work in the Motion Picture Biz early 1946 and got in the union September 1946.  I still work now and then because I get antsy and love the work because it is like a giant play school.  Long hours, but tons of fun and laughs.  I am known as a Lighting Gaffer, who is responsible for the lighting on the pictures I do.  If you wait until the picture is over my name rolls on the credits. 

I started out in TV “Hopalong Cassidy” and moved on to pictures like “Pretty Woman” and many Stallone, Bruce Willis and Segal action pictures.  I’ve been real lucky, somewhat successful; own a lot of my own equipment.  When not on location, I’m home in Burbank CA, or Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where we have had a super condo for 23 years. 

I must say the Corp. really gave me all the real values of life. 

God Bless Lowell Bugler

“Semper fi and Gung Ho”