Jim Nabors — star of the 1960s "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." TV show — will be "promoted" to the rank of honorary corporal by Lt. Gen. John F. Goodman, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, in a special sunset ceremony set for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at Kuroda Field on Fort DeRussy.

The promotion is in honor of Mr. Nabors' years of contribution to the Marine Corps' image worldwide through the TV show, and will be held on the 43rd anniversary of the show's premiere. The public is invited to the cermony.

On Sept. 25, 1964, Gomer Pyle marched into America's living rooms and put a human — and often humorous — face on the U.S. Marine Corps.

"Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." proved that the Corps possessed a sense of humor and could laugh at itself. The show aired five years in prime-time, and since then has run in syndication.

Gomer's honesty, loyalty, and devotion to duty, Corps and country remain as cornerstone qualities of the Corps today, according to a news release issued today by the Marine Forces Pacific public affairs office at Camp H.M. Smith. The uniforms, the people and some of the social situations have changed over the years, but the Gomer of yesterday is still relevant today, exhibiting hallmarks of honor, courage and commitment, the release said.

Nabors, a longtime Hawai'i resident, was made an honorary Marine on Aug. 9, 2001, and received an honorary promotion to lance corporal at that time.