Ronald Lee Ermey, or R. Lee Ermey, was an American actor and military drill instructor. He was best known for the role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket.
For Disney, he provided the voice of Sarge in the Disney/Pixar Toy Story franchise, Colonel Thrift in Fillmore!, and General Sims in Kim Possible. He also played Bill Bowerman in the 1997 Hollywood Pictures film Prefontaine and Jockey master in the 2002 Touchstone Pictures film Frank McKlusky, C.I..
Early life[]
Ermey was born in Emporia, Kansas, on March 24, 1944 to John Edward and Betty Ermey. He grew up with five brothers on a farm outside Kansas City, Kansas. In 1958, when Ermey was 14, he and his family moved to Zillah, Washington. As a teenager, Ermey often got into trouble with the authorities, and he was arrested twice for criminal mischief by the age of 17. After his second arrest, a judge gave him a choice between the military and jail; Ermey chose the military.
Military career[]
Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1961 at the age of 17, going through his training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in San Diego, California. After serving for a few years in the aviation support field, he became a drill instructor to India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego from 1965 to 1967. Following that, he then served in Marine Wing Support Group 17 at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma on Okinawa, Japan, where he was then deployed in 1968 to fight in the Vietnam War against the Chinese and Soviet-backed North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces for 14 months before returning to Okinawa to complete his service, advancing to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was medically discharged in 1972 due to several injuries. 30 years later, on May 17, 2002, the current Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James L. Jones, granted Ermey an honorary promotion to Gunnery Sergeant. Ermey continued to visit Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in Beaufort, South Carolina to visit and speak with recruits.
Ermey passed away on April 15, 2018 from complications with pneumonia while in the hospital in Santa Monica, California, three weeks after he turned 74. He was given a full U.S. military funeral as his ashes were interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, seen off by a full honor guard of United States Marines as a thank you for his military service to the United States during the Vietnam War and continued support for the United States Armed Forces. The USMC honor guard performed a three-volley salute and "Taps" as Ermey's wife was presented with the U.S. flag as a token of thanks for her husband's service to his country and the Marine Corps. A lone bagpiper performed the "Marines' Hymn" and "Amazing Grace" as well to honor the late Gunny.
Role[]
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