Photo By Lance Cpl. William Horsley | U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) William Thurber presents his son Pvt. Zachery...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISALND, S.C. – On Oct. 12, 2024, Pvt. Zachery Thurber, a Marine with India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, stood before the Iwo Jima monument on the Peatross Parade Deck, ready to receive his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor from his senior drill instructor. The last person Zachery expected to see was his father, Sgt. Maj. William Thurber (USMC, Ret.), and was shocked beyond belief when he stepped in front of him.
“I had thought of so many things I wanted to say when I saw him,” said William. “When I got in front of him, I couldn’t remember a single thing.”
Everyone who earns the title of Marine experiences a transformation like no other. Zachery’s was no different. Both Zachery and William needed a moment to recognize each other.
“They told me right where he was going to be,” said William. “But still, I seriously had to look at his name tapes, I was stunned.”
“I zoned out, then I blinked and my dad was in front of me,” said Zachery. “I was so zoned out I didn’t recognize who it was.”
William presented Zachery with the Marine Corps emblem he wore on active duty.
“Seeing my dad after 12 weeks, and getting his EGA, it was the most surreal feeling,” said Zachery.
William was so emotional in the moment he could only muster a single phrase.
“Because I am retired, this is the only day we will both be in these Cammie’s together at the same time,” said William.
Zachary said his father was a huge inspiration growing up and is the primary reason he followed in his dad’s yellow footsteps.
“My whole life I have looked up to my dad,” said Zachery. “Indirectly he was one of the biggest influences because he was a Marine.”
Zachery was able to adjust his join date so he could be in India Company, his dad’s boot camp company.
William served the Marine Corps for 32 years, all over the world, and his son traveled with him. Zachery witnessed the esprit de corps that Marines are known for.
“He lived it his whole life, he knew nothing else except the Marine Corps,” said William. “He grew up seeing Marines and knew I enjoyed it, and I think that’s why he joined.”
“All the Marines my dad knew, and the Marines I grew up around, seeing the way they carried themselves just made me want to join more,” said Zachery.
William said he is immensely proud of Zachery and everything he accomplished in recruit training.
“No help from parents, no last-minute phone calls,” said William. “Everything he did there for the last three months he did on his own.”
Zachery is incredibly eager and ready to continue the family legacy, but is also ready to forge his own path.
“I am really proud to grow up under this name and my dad’s legacy,” said Zachery. “But I want to build my own legacy, I want to be known as Zachery Thurber, and not Sgt. Maj. William Thurber’s son.”
On Oct. 25, 2024, William was made the parade reviewing official for his son's graduation ceremony. Just before the final dismissal, William reviewed the company as they marched he got to watch his son march across the same parade deck he did almost 36 years ago.
(U.S. Marine Corps story by Lance Cpl. William Horsley)
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| Date Taken: | 10.26.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.28.2024 08:43 |
| Story ID: | 484021 |
| Location: | PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,099 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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