Basic training deaths in 1978 at fort Jackson?

Answer 1

Yes.

They made us run around the barracks as soon as we got off the bus from the induction center, carrying ALL our gear. Now if you've been at the OLD barracks in Ft J. They were on stilts and on a hill. The Drill Sgts made us run around that hill for about an hour with ALL the gear we brought with us from the induction center. Then after that made us all do push ups with our duffle bags ON OUR BACKS. 2 recruits died of heart attacks that day. The next day, we had all new Drill Sgts.

This was also the first "Co-Ed" basic training group @ Ft. J, maybe in the whole Army. The 2 that died were men though. I remember one of the Drill Sgts. kicking one of the dead recruits because he wasn't doing his pushups.

This was in November of 1978 at Ft. Jackson. I was in that group of recruits.

I was also at Ft Jackson in 1978. My group was in fact the first group that integrated men and women. I am a women who was extremely mistreated and have been trying to resolve and issue for the past 33 years. However my records have "mysteriously" disappeared. I have managed to keep my DD-214 so I do have proof of at least the basic training portion. I need to know if anyone might have a yearbook from the fall of 1978 during basic training. I would really be interested in that and this could potentially develop into a nationally viewed headlining story.

Answer 2

I was in this company: but it was June 1978. That was one of the first mixed female and male companies. I remember that day. It was horrible. Training stopped. Reporter were all around. We were not allowed to call home (no cell phones). We had to attend the memorial for the two soldiers. It was traumatic. The women in my barracks were very traumatized.

Answer 3

what unit was death of these two guys were at

Answer 4

A-3-1 Ft Jackson July 1978, I was there