Parris Island: Making Marines for 100 years

The crying started the moment they dropped their heads in prayer.

These understandable emotions leaked out in a private morning ceremony after the recruits completed a grueling, 54-hour test to transform into Marines.

That test is called the Crucible. | CONTINUE

0315

Rise and shine.

It's time to make Marines.

For civilians sleeping like rocks, it's 3:15 a.m.

But Sgt. Kingsley Nwosu Jr. of Port Royal is not a civilian.

In fact, it's his job to transform civilians into Marines. | CONTINUE

Near the center of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, there's a sign over Boulevard de France that plainly says what happens here: "We Make Marines."

For a century, Parris Island has fulfilled that mission, churning out men and woman hoping to proudly wear the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. Today, new recruits call Parris Island home for 13 weeks, undergoing arduous training and field tests that push recruits to their mental and physical limits.

Here's a look at how their time is spent. | CONTINUE

Ask any Marine trained at Parris Island about their time aboard the depot, and they will tell you about standing at attention -- thumbs along their trouser seams -- as swarms of sand gnats assault their eyes and ears.

They'll tell you about all manner of sordid insults and hardships, with a smile on their face.

Marines trained at Parris Island are proud of their shared history. Here are some of those stories, decade by decade. | CONTINUE

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Learn about Parris Island's past and present with our colorful slideshow | GO THERE

Marines love traditions.

They get their first taste of them at Parris Island.

Here are some of the biggest. | CONTINUE

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If you just listened to all the chatter inside the barber shop at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, it would be hard to tell that Stewart Johnson -- always joking and energetic -- began buzzing heads at the depot some 36 years before most of his Marine customers where even born. | CONTINUE

From the 19th century shako helmet to the modern dress blues, see how US Marine Corps dress has changed. | EXPLORE

From film to television to celebrity, here's a look at some of Parris Island's most famous forays into American pop culture. | READ