Charles Oropallo in Bishop Gibbons High School before United States Marine Corps at age 17 and being promoted from boot camp in Parris Island, South Carolina.

Charles Oropallo joins the USMC

PFC (Private First Class) Charles Oropallo on the parade deck just after his graduation from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina — PFC (Private First Class) Charles Oropallo on the parade deck just after his USMC boot camp graduation from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina.
Photo by Arlene deSousa.

Charles left high school to join the United States Marine Corps. He did that shortly after he turned seventeen in 1969.

PFC (Private First Class) Charles Oropallo is shown above on the Parris Island parade deck. It was on a beautiful June day in 1969 that he graduated from boot camp in Parris Island. Charles Oropallo was plenty relieved to complete that training. Charles was also very proud to have received his promotion to Private First Class right from boot camp. That honor was bestowed upon only five Maine Corps recruits to have graduated in platoon 157 in June 1969.

Charles Oropallo earned his High School General Equivalency Diploma about eight months after he joined the Marine Corps. Charles then applied for – and received – a High School Diploma from Bishop Gibbons High School in 1972. Charles Oropallo accomplished that based on his Marine Corp GED (General Equivalency Diploma) testing scores.

Charles Oropallo was Honorably Discharged from the United States Marine Corps after serving the three years of active duty he originally volunteered for.