Opening my Facebook Page yesterday morning, my feed was full of shared news that Ronald Lee Ermey, most known for his role as the drill instructor in Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket”, has passed away due to complications related to pneumonia. He was age 74.

“Full Metal Jacket”, which is based on Gustav Hasford’s semi autobiographical novel, “The Short Timers”, earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His role in the movie, which is also deemed to be one of the greatest movies of all time, has typecast him as the voice of authority.

Ermey was a real Marine Drill Instructor. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17 initially serving in the aviation support field until becoming a drill instructor. He spent 14 months in Vietnam with the Marine Wing Support Group 17 and spent the rest of his service base in Okinawa where he became an E-6 or staff sergeant and was medically discharged in 1972.

His first gig in a film was when he played as an Air Cavalry pilot and technical advisor to “Apocalypse Now” director Francis Ford Coppola when he was studying at the University of Manila in the Philippines. But it was not in “Full Metal Jacket” where he played the role of Drill Instructor for the first time, it was with Sidney Furie's “The Boys In Company C” in 1978.

But his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in “Full Metal Jacket” in 1987 that endeared him to many.  Many airsofters can say his lines from the movie especially during his interactions with Privates Joker and Gomer Pyle. He was initially brought in as a technical consultant but made film his own audition that impressed Kubrick that he got him to play as Gunny Hartman.

He appeared in about 60 films and also being the voice in some animated blockbusters such as Toy Story. He also appeared on TV as well as in video games as a character or as the voice of a character.

He mainly also a spokesperson and endorser of companies such as Glock, Tru-Spec, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Coor’s Light. He is an ardent Second Amendment supporter, being a director of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and had his own show called “GunnyTime” on the Outdoor Channel.

He finally got to be an official “Gunny” when he received his honorary post-service promotion to gunnery sergeant (E-7) from Commandant of the Marine Corps General James L. Jones in 2002 for his support to those in military service.

He is survived by his wife, Mila, who he married in 1975. They have four children.

Top Photo: R. Lee Ermey (Source: R. Lee Ermey Official YouTube Channel)