That's a shame.  What a character he was.  He will be missed.

He was the sarge in Toy Story too.

That's too bad, sorry to hear.

So sad, an American icon of sorts.

Sorts is a good way of putting it.

Well I know a few that've gone through Marines Recruit Depot. To paraphrase another, they either though it was the greatest organization in the world, or they counted the days until they left.

All men. As for women, they may get equal footing in the next century.

I though he was a complete Jack Wagon.

GMorrison

Sorts is a good way of putting it.

 

I thought he was a little over the top but funny. Like MM I really enjoyed "Mail Call"

God speed R Lee.

  If I recall he was also the father in the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movie. Mail Call was fun, I remembered he also destroyed a TON of watermelons with guns.

  Sempri Fi Gunny.

I don't know what his training as an entertainer might have been, but I considered him to be a very accomplished and versatile actor. He was entirely convincing in many flicks, especially as the Mayor in Mississippi Burning, and then the D.I. in Full Metal Jacket.

As an impromptu character on TV he was witty and funny, I enjoyed watching him work, he did love weapons and the Corps.

 At ease, Gunny.

Gunny's return to Vietnam after 40 years that aired on History was especially moving.

Yeah, a sad day. I always enjoyed 'Mail Call' and his roles in the movies he was in. 

I bet the Grim Reaper got an earful when he came to collect Gunny!!! 

While he may have been a little over the top as the DI in FMJ, you have to remember that back in the day, that was the norm.  USAF DI's weren't that bad but still in the same line back in the early 70's, and I'm sure that the Marine and Army DI's were even more so in the mid-late 60's. Trying to instill something in their people that would get them home, knowing where most of them were headed.

RIP Gunny, enjoyed watching whatever you did on the screen.

He was the Sarge of the GAM in Toy Story

Though I disagree with his political views, he was a great actor and his drill instructor portrayal in Full Metal Jacket will always be remembered as one of the best military performances of all time. My time in military school was directly affected by the movie as the senior classmen worked hard to emulate his bad assery in our daily regement. Just imagine the countless recruits to to this day use his role in that movie as the motivation to elist in our military. He was an American Icon though under appreciated.

Hmmm;

 R.Lee Ermy--- R.I.P. Gunny . He and I Never crossed paths , but , he did remind me of my days as a D.I. at Camp LeJuene ! We had hoped and always strove to instill that in a boy , what a man needed to do to survive in the Hamburger Grinder that is battle .

 Yes , it was a different time . My men , all of them are alive today , as far as I know . Why ? Because I took my duties seriously . Sometimes it was indeed a lonely job . You make them dislike you just to the point of hatred . Then they will strive to show you who's the better Marine .

 Four of my guys live here where I do .They all made " Gunny " What more needs be said . R.Lee was funny , serious and over the top . But he loved the Corp and all it stood for . Politically correct , No way . But I was told that on 9-11 when I tried to re-up . 

 I wasn't politically correct enough . T.B.

Not so Hard core :

 Just an American wanting to defend the unarmed and helpless . That was a day that changed a lot of my thinking . Politically Correct My $%% ! ! 

 All that ever got us was heartache and defeat . No one was politically correct when they firebombed my Grandmother's hometown of Dresden .

 The Allies won though , didn't we ? No person who is innocent should fear the morning!

 Sorry , politics and religion are Taboo here . Nuff , said . Can you say "Tough Old Bird " .That's what my Landlady calls me . Out of the Hospital one day after cardiac surgery. 

 You see , I love this country and the life it's given me . I love yours too .Why ? The idea that some of my closest friends that really understand me are from the Land Down Under and New Zealand . Real Folks all !

I was saddened to hear of R. Lee Ermey's passing. I met him at a Bass Pro Shop in Gwinnett County, GA, a few years ago, and got his autograph on my USMC Battle flag. The reason he did such a great portrayal of a drill instructor in "Full Metal Jacket"? He WAS a drill instructor in real life, during the Vietnam War. He once stated in an interview that he, and other drill instructors, had to be the way they were at that time because they were having to train men who were drafted and didn't want to be there. They wanted those men to come home alive, if at all possible, even if those men didn't realize it at the time, so they made it hard on them. If they could take what was dished out during boot camp, they would probably do ok in the face of the enemy.

He was originally hired to be a technical advisor for "Full Metal Jacket", but he discovered that the actors hired for the roles couldn't be convincing enough, so he asked Stanley Kubrik to let him do it. Best decision old Stanley ever made. And I can honestly say that, if you've ever wondered what Marine boot camp was like, well, watch the movie (of course, they don't hit nowadays.....or cuss at you.... And I'm sure the enemy won't, either.....).

Gary Mason

I was sad when he was killed in the movie, for sure. That actually seemed very unrealistic. Has it ever happened in USMC boot?

As for Stan, he had the talent. Nicholson, Sellars.

GMorrison

I was sad when he was killed in the movie, for sure. That actually seemed very unrealistic. Has it ever happened in USMC boot?

As for Stan, he had the talent. Nicholson, Sellars.

GMorrison

I was sad when he was killed in the movie, for sure. That actually seemed very unrealistic. Has it ever happened in USMC boot?

As for Stan, he had the talent. Nicholson, Sellars.

 

I cant vouch for the USA, but when I went through basic in 1981, all the rifle bolts were stored in a "bolt box" which was locked in the Platoon SGTs office.  No way for a recruit to have access to an operational weapon after hours, even if he had some live ammo stashed away.

double post

I seem to remember ;

 Two went missing when I was a D.I. at Pendleton . Never did hear anything except they didn't desert . Seems they are still somewhere on the base !

Tanker - Builder

I seem to remember ;

 Two went missing when I was a D.I. at Pendleton . Never did hear anything except they didn't desert . Seems they are still somewhere on the base !

 

Under the rifle range somewhere, maybe??