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 WAR STORIES FROM PARADISE
You have traveled back to 1973!
Entries are posted by the year the writer arrived, so be sure to check either side of the year
you're looking for to find your old buddies, shipmates, and sweethearts!

1973
NAME = Gary R. Crawshaw
E-MAIL = Later Good Buddy
NATIONALITY = american
SERVICE = Navy Seabees
UNIT = Charlie Co.  Block tender
RANK/RATE/JOB = E3 only served 3 yrs
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = My name is Gary.   One of my war stories. I was in NMCB 74 charlie Co. My boss was Charlie Donovan. We would work 6 days a week on the island. We finaly convinced Charlie to give us off saturday. Well yours truly made dam sure we never got another Saturday off Lolll.My buddy Ketchum woke me up about 9 in the morning. We proceded to drink 3 bottles of that fine aged wine of the highest grade Boones Farm. Well that just wasn't enough. So we proceded to go and get some more higer quality of fine wine 2 gals of Tunder Bird Lolll. Well thats all she wrote. Wine and me don,t mix and that is an understatement.I decided I was going down to the quadrangle and wip up on some officers. Charlie walked by me and held me down and told me to get back up to the hooch. There I proceded to punch out all the screens in the hooch and finaly my dumb ass passed out. Charlie woke me up very early Sunday morning with a staple gun and told me to get busy. Shook his head and laughed and said no more Saturdays for you. Well today I can proudly say I have been sober for 13 yrs. Thank the LORD and it feels dam good.  GOD BLESS everybody Gary R. Crawshaw
 

1973 I think. It's knid of a haze
NAME = Mike Rea
MY QUEST = Strollin
VT of a SWALLOW = As fast as it can go till it disintegrates
E-MAIL = mrea46@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = American
UNIT = Delta Co.
RANK/RATE/JOB = BU2 Worked on the Vortac site and the generator building at the end of the island.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
MY WARSTORY = I remember landing there and playing poker (A LOT) on the end of the pier we built over the water. Ran a block crew on the Vortac building. Beautiful island clear water. Can't figure out why the ppl there now complain, they have it made. Swimming pool, etc.
I remember the rats running in the rafters of the hootch at night. Bankock R&R was fun. Really not a bad deployment. Jungle rules vollyball. Painting "Fu** Russia" on the tops of the trailers in Russian for the flyovers. We had to paint over them when the CO found out.
 

Jan 1973 to Sept 1973
NAME = James Peddicord (Jim)
MY QUEST = Connect with friends from the Past on Diego Garcia
VT of a SWALLOW = Who knows
E-MAIL = jimpeddicord@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = U.S.
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = MCB 74 Charlie Company and maybe Delta Company
RANK/RATE/JOB = I was a Bu3 at the time. I got out of the navy in Guam on our next deployment Aug.1974. rejoined the Navy as a fleet sailor Aug. 2006 and retired as a chief Oct 1993. I retired in Guam worked for the U.S. post office and U.S. Immigration and homeland security. I ve been living in the philippines for the last 3 years. Im 55 and thankfully perfectly fit and healthy and having fun. I have been drug and alcolcol free for the past 25 years.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Please Select a Title For Your Story, or Select 'Other'
MY WARSTORY = I have so many memories I would know where to start. Read Ken Haedrichs stories who was a gud friend of mine and it brought back alot of memories. I worked on the hot roofing crew and was hauling up hot tar to Jimmy Don when he got burnt with the hot tar, and walked him to sickbay. I remember when we first got to Diego Garcia there were few vegetables or fruit it seems and getting constipated and going to my friend at sickbay and he gave me some pills and told me not to get to far from the head for a while. He was right. I remember floating in the Lagoon from Point Marianne to an area near the main camp on a 2 man raft that I had brought over and going through a school of Dolphins and swimming with them. I spent hours in the water collecting shells. One shell in particular was a cowrie or onyx found on the inside of the lagoon past the causeway down towards the t Site that is not found anywhere else in the world. The site I think has since been destroyed by dredging. I remember riding in the cattle car to work at the T site and I site. I remember a guy stealing a euclid earth mover and raming it through some sea huts. Diego garcia was my first experience with atolls and how beautiful they are and the sea and amimal life in abundance. I m sure much of it has been destroyed by this time.
 

Several times in the first part of 1973
NAME = AW2 Kevin Young
MY QUEST = Reliving old times
VT of a SWALLOW = 9.8 m/s every second until this occurs. He will then maintain the same speed all the way down until he hits the ground. Then his velocity is zero m/s.
E-MAIL = fasteddy@serker.com
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = VP-40
RANK/RATE/JOB = Anti submarine operator Petty Officer 2nd Class
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = Walking in the lagoon about knee deep and I stepped on an octopus. Scared the hell out of both of us. The water boiled around my foot an the octopus left in a cloud of ink. Or may be I could tell you about our 2nd flight engeneer deciding to sunbathe nude on the beach. Light skinned German decent. Fell asleep on his back. Woke up about three hours later. It was three weeks before he could put on a flight suit to go Back to Iwakuni Japan.
 

1973-1974
From:  Mike Bell <MAB2049@aol.com>
just wanted to let you know I was on diego garcia in 73-74, was the navcomsta postal clerk sent to the cb's.
It was a hell hole back then. no barracks just tents and huts.  but was a good time.  see if anybody remembers the russian sub pulling into th harbor.  the barrackis were finished in 74 and I was able to move into th airconditioned rooms.  they were great compared to the huts.  please contact me if you have any questions.
                                                                    thanks
                                                                 mike bell pcsn
 

USNMCB 10 Det Chagos 1973 / Mcb 10 Main Body 1974
NAME =  BU  T.A. Grant
MY QUEST =  My Best
VT of a SWALLOW =  0 mph
E-MAIL = superiormasonryb@sbcglobal.net
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = USNMCB 10
UNIT = Pipe Line - Block Crew
RANK/RATE/JOB = My rate was a BU however at the request of SC Asher I did a mess hall tour  with the UTs on the water pipeline.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit 'How I Put One Over On My Senior Chief' Story
MY WARSTORY = I thought I spent alot of time on Diego. I see these civs posting decades on the isle.5-73 TO 12-73  , then 7-74 to 3-75 , I have my share of stories.This one is about a guy ,(I assume), he became known as the Phantom Shitter. Every time there would be a concrete pour scheduled,we'd go out in the morning and someone would have taken a big old dump in the forms. It did'nt matter if it was the roof on the gym , the deck in the barracks , or a colum or lintel on the block walls. There would be this smelly gift left for us the night before.Nobody was ever caught , or copped ,however there was plenty of speculation. If you finally cop to this , I promise it will be our little secret , RUBEN M.
 

Jan 73 to Sept 73
NAME = Bob Grunow Jr
MY QUEST = Deputy Island Commander's Yeoman
E-MAIL = www.bglakecity@charter.net
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN Seabee MCB-74
UNIT = Deputy Island Commander Yeoman, Captain's Yeoman
RANK/RATE/JOB = Yeoman
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I worked for the Deputy Island Commander Leon and helped him administer the island drug test.  Man, was everyone on drugs?  I was offered more money to  take guys names off the list.  But that was all up to Leon.  After a while I got moved in the Captains yeomans office.  What a great job there.  But I sure remember alot of guys dieing over there.  Anyway, after I got out of the Navy I got married and our first home we had a flood and I lost all my  pictures of Diego Garcia.  If anyone has any extra photo's they could send me.  Please E mail me. I remember playing volleyball and softball almost everyday over there.

1973
NAME = Mike F.
MY QUEST = To find what was the drinking water  use from the desalt barge was it lead pipes
E-MAIL = mjfster@gmail.com
NATIONALITY = white
SERVICE = Navy
RANK/RATE/JOB = E-3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
MY WARSTORY = I was station there in 1973 with the see bees, I Have stomuch and Liver cancer. just want to know what kind of water did we drink? I know it was from a desalt barge , but were the pipes that carried it us leaded or not, Thank you.

1972-1974
NAME = RONALD D. MCKINNEY
MY QUEST = UNSURE
E-MAIL = RHNMCK@FUSE.NET
SERVICE = NAVY SEABEE COMPANY 312 STEELWORKER
UNIT = STEELWORKER
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = This is Ronald D. Mckinney's first daughter and I am trying to find out just little bits of information on him.  He passed away seven years ago and some things just don't add up with what he told us and what we have found out on our own.  My father was a bery intellagent man.  Loved to write and loved music.  I'm sure he was a drinker and a smoker.  If anyone out there knows anything about him or remembers him can you please help me out.  I would be glad to hear from you.  Rhonda

 December January 1973
NAME = Daniel Dubac
MY QUEST = Picture of me with Dallas Cowgirls on Navy Ship Stars & Stripes
E-MAIL = andbal@relymail.com
 

'73-'74, i think
NAME = George Martin
MY QUEST = trying to remember when the hell i was there.....
VT of a SWALLOW = wtf?
E-MAIL = surfaces5542@sbcglobal.net
NATIONALITY = Californian
SERVICE = Seabees
UNIT = MCB 4 C company
RANK/RATE/JOB = BU3 worked the batch plant and drove the t/m's
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other
MY WARSTORY = ok, some of it is coming back... got better ones ( re: Bangkok and the Golden Dragon  Hotel), but this one I can remember better. Couple of buddies (Randy "Snake" Booher & Kenny Ha) decided that we needed to see more of this island paradise and took of on bikes. We got to an area that looked like it had prairie dogs.  As we started going past the holes, these red crabs started coming out of the holes snapping their claws and chasing us down the path. Some of them were kinda big and their claws could reach past the pedals. Since Snake was from Lookout Mtn Tenn, he had never seen anything like this and slowed down. Of course Kenny & I had to make a difficult choice.  Turn around and get Snake or pedal faster and survive to tell the story.  Well, I'm telling the story. Anyway, Snake had to keep kicking them away so he could pedal. I think this was the time his handlebars became lose.  Well, he made it out, but when we got back to the hooch, we told everybody about the crabs, so after drinking a little beer we decided that crab had to taste better than the "beef" hamburger we had usually been treated to. We went back in a couple of duece n halves.  Armed with sticks and potato sacks we must have caught a couple of bags full.  But not before we started tossing crabs at each other just to see if they could fly, I guess. Anyway, we did a lot of good work there.  Anybody remember the Chinese contractors on the other side?  They were dredging the area for the "advance Trident submarine base" we were suppose to be building.We found out what we were building by reading time magazine and seeing the pics the mig kept taking every week. What was the Austrailian's name who mooned the admiral's plane?
 
 
 

jan, 73 to mar, 73
NAME = COTTON   aka  K. L. Wells
MY QUEST = Survivor
VT of a SWALLOW = Who cares
E-MAIL = cotton88z@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = american
SERVICE = mcb 62  delta co
UNIT = paint crew with fat albert and tommy tull
RANK/RATE/JOB = civilian working as a civil servant on the army base here at home  Ft. Riley  Kansas. I was a builder for 4 yrs 2 mo. and 29 days for uncle sam and loved it.diego garcia, ncs guam, edzell scotland, yokosuka japan and homeward bound to dorothy and toto land,  aka  Kansas
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I was in a haze for a few years, courtsey of Uncle Sam, But am thankful for the time and many great friends. Our reunion, our third is in october 2006 , and I am still looking for john somma, wally ellis, steve mitchell, turk, hobo, jim bolding, dave crafts, tinker,and others. my address is cotton88z@hotmail.com  Also gone but not forgotten,   Leo Chabot RIP
 
 

November 1973 through June 1974
NAME = Bill Weatherly
MY QUEST = To find budies that may have suffered the same loss as I have; Hepatitis C
VT of a SWALLOW = Ask Monty Python, He's a Brit!
E-MAIL = Not Now
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = US Navy, MCB-4
UNIT = Delta Company, BOQ, and Medical Facility, Block Crew!(Shit Can Crew)
RANK/RATE/JOB = BUCN while in Diego, BU-3 during Guam Deployment and several NJP's.  Now, who cares, not military.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out in My Room
MY WARSTORY = I remember so many!  How about the time BU-2 Nelson had to ask the shit can crew to return the beer.  Freighter pulls into lagoon and freight offloaded via whirly crane onto mic-boats and beach landed.    R-T forklifts used to offload palletized freight onto lowboy trailers (including beer).  One person stationed at a critical slowwwwwww turn in the jungle who jumped aboard trailer and started flinging cases of beer into jungle.  Yeah, we gave it back, almost all of it.

Then there was larry Fish BU-3, from Klamath Falls Oregon who started a race riot on the ball field that no one could stop.  I Remember Fish being busted to E-1 before recoevomg a bad conduct discharge.

Then there was the desalination barge!  Yeah running out of water after scrubbing up and having to walk to the lagoon to rinse the soap off.

Most importantly!  I would like to hear from any other Diego vet that has contracted Hepatitis C.  I am in the process of trying to show a connection to the VA.  Please call me at (907)563-9621.  Thanks,  Bill Weatherly
 

1973,1974 M.C.B. 10 Echo Company
NAME = James McDANIEL, known as Chicken Man Mc Daniel
E-MAIL = burnumupbarnes@yahoo.com
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Please Select The Category That Best Discribes Your Interest in Diego Garcia
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = Hello I AM ChickenMan McDaniel, this is my story. The first time I was on Diego Garcia was in 1973 with Echo com. ,I was a steel worker . Believe it or not I realy did not now where I was going, volenteered for the asighnment . As it turned out there I was out in the middle of now where, stuck on an island, with a bunch Sea Bees, Englishman and no women!!! So when it came time to go on R.R. It was time to go to Bangcock, Thailand. While I was there the Thai Gov. was ovar thrown have lots of pictures still to the day. Then it was time to back to home base,tour was over after six months of deployment. Rretun time 1974 to 1975 of January. M my dutyies were building add on to officers mess hall, then laying out duct work to hospital,on to barecks five ,then on laying out rebar for swim pool,and fianlly back to camp maintenence where I stayed the rest of tour .Now there was a time a bunch
of fellow steel workers went on a shelling exspadishion. When all the sudden the guys out front started to run with out saying a thing, all the sudden I new why I yelled out bees very big bees I was hit twice and was on very fast run . Still to the day I have two scars one on each leg. Most memerable moment was when Miss U.S.A. show , came to town. I thought of all the ladys Miss Minesota was best looking sexy. Still I do have my California drivers licence that Miss Ill. sighned my base ball glove was stolen out mail whn I sent it home, which all the Miss U.S.A. Sighned. I use to do a chicken call when I was playing in the out field and it seemed every one would hit the ball to me.
 

Sep 1973 - Feb 1974
NAME = Ron Henderson
MY QUEST =
VT of a SWALLOW =
E-MAIL = rph4@cox.net
NATIONALITY = US
SERVICE = USN Retired
UNIT = OIC Satellite Comm. from Harold E. Holt
RANK/RATE/JOB = Then CWO2 now retired RMCM
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = Enjoyed my stay in Diego Garcia working on the installation of the site and doing a lot of snorkeling for shells.  Accumulated a great collection.  Went back to H.E. Holt as Comm Officer then on to Commander Carrier Group 2 in the Med.  Retired and am now an administrator and associate pastor of a large local church in Baton Rouge, LA. Would like to hear from someone I served with.
 
 

1973 to 1974
NAME = Craigster
MY QUEST = To hold the EM-club "Grail"
VT of a SWALLOW = Only me and the troll knows
E-MAIL = craigstersparky35@msn.com
NATIONALITY = Poor white boy
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = NMCB-4
RANK/RATE/JOB = E-3 at the time. retired
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I am a Born Liar, and Want To Tell About All The Sex I Had on Dodge
MY WARSTORY = I have posted a War Story before, but I recently transferred some of my old 35M slides to digital.  I want to post them now.
     Has anybody watched the movie CASTAWAY with Tom Hanks and said "Oh $%^&*("  That was almost real.  A coconut on the tin roof hootch at 3:00am.  The screaming squirts after eating green coconuts.  The wierd fish that we caught with ribeye steak chunks that we snagged from the chow hall at night.  I gave the steaks out freely because my chief hated me and put me on mess cook duty at night.  How about gaurding the dead people in the reefers at night.  I also saw the Mig flyover.  How about the dead rat that was in the ice cream mix and clogged the pour spout on the machine for the outside movies.  The Brit Govenor would not allow the showing of the movie "Deep Throat".
Anyway everybody have fun and have a good life.
Later Days, The Craigster AKA Mickey Bitsko.
Webmaster, How do I attach photos?   Craigster - Unfortunately the ones you sent were too tiny.  If you can rescan them in a larger format, then  send them to me direct again.

Early mists of 1979
NAME = Michael C. Linson
MY QUEST = Grail of Irreverence
VT of a SWALLOW = African, European, or N. American?
E-MAIL = mcl181"at"netscape.net
NATIONALITY = National
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = VP-47 TAD/TDY
RANK/RATE/JOB = AX-sumthun -Got out as a Frocked AX-2
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Green Eco-Freak Who Hates How the Brits Have Taken Such Good Care of The Island
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing on Diego Garcia
MY WARSTORY = Actually, I never got drunk in the Navy, nor anywhere else - never was too popular...
At anyrate, it's been fun to brag that I've spent time on an island with no women on it, and I'm out to make up for lost time.  The nervous look on women's faces is almost as spectacular as the tropical scenery on the island...
 
 

Sept 1973 to March 1974
NAME = John Lakedon   ETN 3
MY QUEST = gain immortality by posting this on the web
VT of a SWALLOW = damn fast
E-MAIL = ajlakedon1@netzero.com
NATIONALITY = US
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = Navcon Sta satelite com det Tad from HE holt in Australia
RANK/RATE/JOB = Did 8 years and got out
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Please Select a Title For Your Story, or Select 'Other'
MY WARSTORY = Was sent to that hell hole when the middle east heated up in fall of 73. Played on the com centers softball team and kicked as on all the seabees, took 1st place. drank a lot of beer and shelled the reef at the transmitter site, and ocean side from the downtown area to the reciever site were I worked as tech on An -TSC-54 sat com system.
     Got a real nice tan that lasted almost a year from the time I left the island. Other than that, was exposed to my first expoilts of the stupidity of the USN and the military all together. Saw waste like one would not believe and its ahrd to believe its still going on today.
     Made some good friends and somwe bad friends, but mostly good. Most people dont believe I was ever there but who cares. We had a good time but it was better when we left.
 
 

1973
"Watson, Dan" <Dan.Watson@netapp.com>
A friend forwarded me a link to your Diego Garcia web site.  I really enjoyed browsing the pictures, especially the old ones.
I was with NMCB 62 when they deployed to DG, and I finished my active duty tour (I was a weekend warrior) in March '73, hopping on the C-130 to Bangkok, happy to be leaving.
No promises, but I have a bunch of slide pictures from my time there.  I will have to dig them out and learn how to use the scanner I bought a couple of years ago!  One of these days ...
Have fun,
Dan Watson
 

June 1973, also June 1972 until November 1972
NAME = Dan Welander
MY QUEST = See more pictures on the island.  I was with MCB 10, and one of the 1st Americans on the island.
E-MAIL = dwelander@andersencorp.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = USN MCB 10
RANK/RATE/JOB = PN2
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out on The Beach
MY WARSTORY = One of the 1st Americans to arrive on the island.  We went by boat from Bangkok.  I lived in a tent for 3 months, they in a plywood quonset hut.  I spent 7 or 8 months on the island.  I have been to Diego Garcia twice.  I came back in June 1973, with the battalion.  The second time I was there was for only a few weeks.  I would like to find pictures of the battalion from back in 1972 and 1973.  I remember a lot of R&R in Bangkok and Sydney.
 

1972,1973,1974
NAME = jerry cripe
MY QUEST = retirement
VT of a SWALLOW = english or african?
E-MAIL = jerry.cripe@navy.mil
NATIONALITY = wasp
SERVICE = US NAVY
UNIT = NMCB-10
RANK/RATE/JOB =
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Drink A Lot, Cheap
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Please Select a Title For Your Story, or Select 'Other'
MY WARSTORY = NO STORY. NAVY MADE ME STAY ON THE ISLAND AND BUILD STUFF.

1973 to 1974
     NAME = Craig Hemenway Nickname Mickey Bitsko
     MY QUEST = Just memories
     VT of a SWALLOW = European or African?
     E-MAIL = craigstersparky35@msn.com
     NATIONALITY = Viking/Scottish
     SERVICE = USN MCB 4 Charlie company
     UNIT = Steel worker. Night time runway repair, Night time mess cook, Helped out biulders, Not much high steel on DG except towers.
     RANK/RATE/JOB = While on DG I was a SW, I am now on a disability retirement,I was electrocuted on a inspection job at 6.9KV about 500A. I was a large equipment Agricultural Automations expert with various University Credentials.  PG&E lit me up by accident, at least I think it was an accident.
     MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Drink A Lot, Cheap
     SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
     MY WARSTORY = One morning we fishermen met at the dreaded quarter deck "Glorified Sea Hut" it had a bad boy cage out back under coconut trees. We jumped on what was called a large aluminum "about 45'" Lark boat and we drove out into the lagoon. While out in the lagoon towards the outer Islands the engine quit and then the radio quit, We were rescued by a mike boat.  One guy fell out and was rescued. I used steak from the chow hall for bate. I hooked a large at least 16 foot great white shark, nobody wanted to bring it onboard, it was seen by all on board and it finally broke my 120LB line and steel leader. I think the Quarterdeck was D15? The Lark boat had tractor wheels. We had a garbage can full of beer. We brought in at least 2, 6 foot sharks and barbecued them on Sunday afternoon our only day off. Dean Robinson and Horney Bob were on board that day.Fred Bohnsack did not want to go.   We had a large barbecue on the outer edge of the Sea Huts overlooking the Indian Ocean. We would put the fish and "sharks and tuna" in the shower to keep them wet then invited all for party time. Does anybody remember Blue Nun wine.
     Does anybody remember stomping rats in the chow line or throwing forks and knives at rats running along the beams in the chow hall.
     I was the one who would take FNG's out from the EM club and take them hunting for the real Coconut crabs "NOT LAND CRABS" in the jungle very late at night.
     After DG we all went to Guam.
     Later days Dudes.

Early 1973, with MCB-74
     NAME = Ken Haedrich
     MY QUEST = To not go broke before I die
     E-MAIL = kenhaedrich@hotmail.com
     NATIONALITY = American
     SERVICE = USN
     UNIT = MCB 74
     RANK/RATE/JOB = BU striker at the time/today I'm a freelance writer
     MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
     SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Snorkeling Story
     MY WARSTORY = I arrived on Diego early in 1973, catching up with MCB 74, just a dumb 18 year old kid fresh out of BU A-school. This was quite a cultural switch for someone who grew up in New Jersey and thought NY state was exotic.
     A fellow named Charlie Van Pelt, another BU who had gone to boot camp and A-school with me, and myself were out swimming in the lagoon a few days, I think, after we arrived. We're just screwin' around and Charlie yells to me:  There's a guy down there! I didn't think much of it, but he was really freaked out - so I dive down and there's this kid, sitting on the bottom of the lagoon, and I knew right away the guy was dead, drowned. We pulled him up, shouted for some medics, and I'm telling you it was one freaky experience to see this bloated dead guy just laying there on the beach - not a pretty sight at all. I don't remember the guy's name, but I do remember I stayed away from the lagoon for quite some time after that.
     That was just the start of a real string of bad luck for our batallion. An EO was killed taking apart a crane, a diver died in an accident, and in the hooch right next to mine a BU1 had a heart attack and died one day when he went back to his hut for a nap, I think. I don't remember his name, but he was a good buddy of my platoon leader, a great mason from NY city somewhere, maybe Brooklyn. I think his name was Donovan. Maybe someone knows him. Let me know. Also, a BU by the name of Jimmy Don splattered hot tar all over himself, working on a roof. He was in bad shape for a while.
     Looking back, it was the best of times and worst of times - really lonely at times, because I was fresh away from home, but probably one of the most vivid experiences I've ever had. The work was hell. I humped block and mixed mud for 8 months straight for the BEQ's. I've never been in such good shape since. They used to make us take a shitload of salt tablet everyday, so we didn't dehydrate.
     I remember this happened, and I never have been able to figure it out: one day me and some guys were walking away from the job sight and a figgin' bird swooped down and attacked me, knocking my helmet right off. He came in for a few more tries. Still don't know what kind of bird that was. Anybody know?
     Yes, I'd go back in a minute for a visit. A buddy in the merchant marines has been there several times and says it looks like a country club today. Not then: it was a paradise, but a rustic one, plywood and screen hooches and more than a few rats.
     Anybody remember any of this?
     Ken Haedrich

73-74
     NAME = Dave Tilki
     E-MAIL = Tilki@msn.com
     SERVICE = USN
     UNIT = Air Ops / Air Cargo,  NAVCOMSTA
     RANK/RATE/JOB = EOCN/EO3, Retired from reserves in 2000 as a EQCM
     MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
     SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
     MY WARSTORY = I see all the stories about San Migel being the official beer.  I worked at air ops, taxied the plane in , then ran the forklift unloading cargo.   1 141 a week at the beginning, then 2 a week Wed and Sat.  I got to know many of the Air Force loadmasters and began "importing" cases of San Migel from PI.  We had to be careful the Brit Rep didn't catch us, it was sure better drinking than that preserved Bud.  The one time we ran out of beer (everyone knew a Bee cannot function without beer) a local British ship resupplied us by helo , 200 cases at a time,  with 1000 cases of Double Diamond. With its high alcohol content and most of us having been "dry" for a while, it was one drunk night.  Was also a member of the official "Donkey Roundup Team" We chased them all up to about Pt Marianne and they closed the fence at the donkey guard. The next day they were right back at the airport.
     Remember the first C-5? Spring of 74, it was on its way to Israel, could not even go down the taxiway, it was too big, had to park on the runway overnight.  What ever happened to the new chow hall, its only use was to show movies on the outside wall?

April, 1973 through November, 1973
NAME = Arthur E. Coords     (Operations Yeoman, NMCB 74)
MY QUEST = Retired educator: I often prepare aquatic articles for family magazines.
VT of a SWALLOW = ...probably depends on the grub...
E-MAIL = ESPIGADERA@cs.com
NATIONALITY = U. S. A. CITIZEN; SERVICE = U. S. NAVY; UNIT = The one and only  Operations Yeoman in our Battalion, NMCB 74
RANK/RATE/JOB = Several months later, in February, 1974 I returned as a senior to finish school at Florida Southern College, graduating in 1975 and going on for two more years to University of Florida in Tampa, Florida.  Later, taught high school and mostly elementary school. I wrote the children's book THE SPACE APPLE STORY, The Children's Tribute to the Seven Challenger Astronauts, published in 1992.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Naturalist/Ecologist
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing on Diego Garcia
MY WARSTORY =    In my very rare spare time on Diego Garcia, because we lost several servicemen to drowning, I was also paid to teach about four servicemen to become lifeguards.  (I was also a International American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Southeast Asia.) I did enjoy an occasional sail in the lagoon on the few sailfish boats that we had there.  Our battalion helped build the blueish buildings (before they were painted) made from blue coral reefs which were the aggregate used in our concrete.  I was the operations yeoman and helped prepared the MONTHLY,  OPERATIONS REPORTS which Navy Construction Battalions received around the world. We returned to Gulfport, Mississippi during the month of November, 1973.  Since I had been a fleet sailor ported in Nea Makri, Greece for two years, going to Diego Garcia and enduring the humid, no air conditioning...once-in-a-while we used fans to cool our sweat, an a sudden rain shower cooled us off, was eight months (seemed like eight years!) of an unusual experience.  Those sailors and especially those of battalion 33 who were there just before us endured very hot conditions.  Now, I understand that there is airconditioning.  I bet those  coconut crabs still try to prevent jeeps from traveling on the dirt roads we drove on....especially at two o'clock in the morning, deliverying a red cross message or picking up a sudden red cross message for a sleeping serviceman who would be informed that he was on the next flight out to attend a parent's sudden funeral.
     There were absolutely no women on the island when we were there except for an occasional USO show.  It was considered ISOLATED DUTY and some servicemen, working eighteen hours a day, found it difficult, especially because of the heat and because two weeks could pass by without a mail plane
due to a typhoon in the Indian Ocean somewhere. Many of us (due to the Vietnam War about a thousand miles away) could not believe that we would actually get off that  " ROCK ", but we did and the U.S. NAVY  actually flew us off on a large commercial jet...that Diego Garcia runway was just barely long enough as we saw the ocean hardly feet below our wheels!!  We lost five servicemen while I was stationed there.  When a reefer unit (cold food storage) was cleaned-out and we got extra lobster, etc. we knew that a body was being stored in there until a flight out was possible. We slept in hot seahootches with the music of the lagoon waves all night. I do not remember every having mosquitoes, but greyish sandsharks patroled shallow, lagoon waters.  There was talk from that old fishing barge that someone caught a large, struggling fish...and while reeling it in, a huge dark shadow approached that struggling fish... there was suddenly nothing! The stars are huge at night on Diego Garcia. The shells at zero tide are plentiful and beautiful. The coconuts were plentiful and we wore helmets to protect our heads from falling nuts!
     There were passive, but deadly sea snakes and stonefish. Cone shells were supposed to have a poisonous spike. I saw a white moray eel on the oceanside. We wore cut-offs, but neat, shorts and many of us grew beards until we returned stateside. Because of that Vietnam War and the uncertainty
of surviving all that, we probably couldn't enjoy that Island of Diego Garcia as people do now...and only us ugly guys lived there...no women were stationed there at that time. All of us were very, very delighted to land in Anchorage, Alaska, go through customs and make that short flight down to Gulfport, Missippi. Because of my working eighteen hours, especially on Sundays sometimes, I gained a lot of weight as a yeoman...it surprised me when I actually took time to look in a mirror stateside. But, months later, many of us were free....veterans looking for our freedom as I finished school, several years using the timely veterans bill and my experiences helped me to teach school, appreciating what I have and remembering those servicemen who came home early, in a bodybag. Diego Garcia was extremely hot, but the Vietnam War nearby at that time often interferred with a youngman's dreams and hopes. I lost several highschool friends in Vietnam...mostly, I realized that other elementary school teachers, mostly female, have no idea about what Veteran's Day or real veterans actually went through....too many Americans take our freedoms for granted....I realize now that the Island of Diego Garcia, as a communication's station and other purposes is a very important strategic location for our involvement in the middle east area.  We Americans need
to know what is constantly happening in the entire world so that we are prepared to defend freedom...just being there warns other nations!!  Looking back, I am glad I was a part of that Diego Garcia project and I am very proud to find such online....KEEP UP THE WONDERFUL JOB!
 

73?  Also in ' 77   MCB  62
NAME = Wm. ( Joe) Schick
MY QUEST = You Know who you are. I have'nt forgot the loan.
VT of a SWALLOW = Very tasty BBQ
E-MAIL = joeschc@aol.com
UNIT = MCB 74.
RANK/RATE/JOB = Steel worker; fab. re-bar,tanks on cosway,steel in fresh water tanks and more
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I will save this for anuther time,great sight. Been here lets see......7 hours and will be back for more.  I do have a story or two.  Be Safe    "Joe"

1973 and 74
NAME = Ray Headley
E-MAIL = diplomat012001@yahoo.com
SERVICE = US Army - US Army Hospital Bangkok; UNIT = Maintenance & Inspection of medical equipment
RANK/RATE/JOB = SSG E 6 (now retired, touring the USA in a motorhome, today I'm in Florida)
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want a Job as Far Away from My Wife as Possible
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = You folks had no medical equipment technician on the island, so a liason arrangement was made that somebody would come out to DG on a quarterly basis or on emergency response as needed.  On one routine call, the medical x-ray was down.  I arrived in time for supper and the evening ceremonies, planning to get the x-ray back up first thing next morning.  We flew out in C 130's in those days.  Unfortunately as the bird left next morning, it raked the rear door over some survey stakes in new runway construction, and tore out some of the hydralics.  Plane was loaded with guys and circling in the area to dump fuel.  Got the old x-ray fixed, glad to say, plane landed with no problems - just another day's wait to get off DG. Sure was a nice change to get out of Bangkok and enjoy the shelling and wild scenery in "paradise".

1973-74
NAME = nick palmer; E-MAIL = npalmer1@nycap.rr.com
NATIONALITY = mute; SERVICE = usn; UNIT = fuel farm; RANK/RATE/JOB = seaman
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out in My Room
MY WARSTORY = but not a room a hut.  looks like a resort now

August 1973 until May 1974
NAME = Al Jarrell
MY QUEST = Hook up with other friends that was on DG
E-MAIL = ajarrel@msn.com
NATIONALITY = American; SERVICE = MCB-4; UNIT = Bravo Company installing underground power at Charlie and Comm site; RANK/RATE/JOB = CE-2
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Drink A Lot, Cheap
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = We helped out on the desalt barges and was always playing poker with the boys from the Ozarks.  One night decided to do some fishing off one of the barges and hooked a 5' shark got it up on deck and started giving birth to a bunch of baby sharks.  We were in sharks up to our butts and did not know what to do with all them little man eaters.  Threw the mother back and kept a couple little ones to put in the fish pond.  Put them in the pond and they ate all the other damn fish.  Live and learn.
     Also if anyone remembers the time when they flew the Air Force captain in for a court martial and she hit the beach early in the morning after the night shift was off then you have been to DG with the Fabulous Four (MCB4).
     [editor's question  :Since I didn't start flying in there until 79 and wasn't PCS until 87-88, I wasn't there for the desalt barges.  How did they work?  Where were they?]
     Ted, the desalt barges were how we got our fresh water.  There were 4 barrages tied together that basically brought in sea water processed it through a distillation process and pumped out fresh water to base.  They would have 2 on line and 2 would be down for maintenance and cycle them like that the whole time we were down there.  They were real close to the water towers.  In fact they were just across the road from the softball field and right next to the club.  We were suppose to take the Navy shower to conserve fresh water but never saw anyone there do it.
     Also the desalt crew was part of Bravo company and whoever chose this crew must of had a flash of brilliance.  Everyone of these guys were from the south around the Ozarks and they new more about distillation then any 10 engineers in the battalion.  That was a good thing and a bad thing.  Good because they were the hardest working bunch of fools I have ever seen, bad because it gave them access to top quality supplies and they extended their knowledge of distillation into the development of a couple of stills on the island.  Damn near got caught when some of the Brits got in a card game with us and got a nose full of good ole 'white lightning'.  I swear to God those Brits were climbing the palm
trees and barking at the moon that night.  Funniest damn thing I have seen in my life.
     I think they knew we had a still because the Brit Rep came in front of the battalion and in a back handed way explained to us what the queen expected from us as guests on the island.  Wrong thing to do to a bunch of rank Seabees that had not seen the world for 7 months.  From that day forward international relations between the "Limey's" and "Yanks" were not much better than in 1776.  It was rather humorous in a way to see the British Navy and the "Bastard Children" (Seabees) of the U.S Navy.  The Brit's were so prim and proper and of course the Seabees were some of the rankest individuals on the face of the earth at that time.  I was always amazed at the fact that the Seabees were always held in a mystic belief somewhere between a troll and orger but when it came to hunker down time who were the first ones they turned to for help.  Anyway to come to a conclusion we decided that the Brit Rep did not want his boys "drinking our buffalo piss and barking at the moon".  That would have be very disappointing to her Majesty.

Nov 1973 - May 1974
NAME = Ron Annis
E-MAIL = rannis@pmt.org
SERVICE = navy mcb4 b company;  RANK/RATE/JOB = I was a ce3 doing underground cable work, phone and power
MY WARSTORY = No bad war stories.  Still trying to remember some of that place it's  been along time ago.  About the best damn fishing and shelling a guy could ask for.  I was damn glad to get away and go to Bangkok for a week.  That was a good place to party every night.  Hated to leave that place.  I don't think the land crabs are any bigger in the world than what d.g. has.  I always had the damn things in my cable trenches with me.  I actually made the diesel engine on the old deuce and a half run backwards one day going out to the job.  Scared hell out of me.
     Guess I'm proud to say I helped build the place somewhat and I hope America still contiues to whip Osama's ass and the rest of those crazy idiots.

Jan 1973 - June 1973
NAME = Terry Mross
MY QUEST = Memories and Pride
VT of a SWALLOW = The same as a Seabee heading for the club
E-MAIL = terrymross@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = American; SERVICE = Navy; UNIT = Electrician with NMCB 133; RANK/RATE/JOB = CECN
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
MY WARSTORY = Not only did I help set concrete power poles and underground cable, at night I worked on the radio station as "Norton" with Mike "MO" Malone and J.D. "Roadrunner" Norton.
     After what has happend in New York I can say I'm very proud that I was one of the early ones who helped build this strategic base even though at the time it sucked!  Go get 'em, America!

Here's a pic of the "Rat Pack".  We were a bunch of skuzzies, huh.  I can't remember half these guys' names.  I think they were considered the "pot smoking hippy freaks".

1973
NAME = Alex Mc Grath
MY QUEST = Contact my old mates
E-MAIL = alex_mcgrath@eu.irco.com
NATIONALITY = Irish; SERVICE = Royal Navy; UNIT = Communications; RANK/RATE/JOB = REM. Plank Owner
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out on The Beach
MY WARSTORY = Just like to contact members of RN Party 1002. It all is a little hard to remember due to the amount of beer knocked down. Good times ...bad times..... overall I am glad I was there.
 

jan 1973 to sept 1973
NAME = Garlin Willigham
MY QUEST = Find some buddies
E-MAIL = wrench@pvtnetworks.net
NATIONALITY = anglo; SERVICE = US NAVY; UNIT = NMCB 74  Rock Crusher; RANK/RATE/JOB = EO3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Geo-political Rabble Rousing
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = The best part of that fubar rock was LEAVING FOR 6 days of R&R in Bangkok and LEAVING period.
     I learned a hell of lot on that little coral atoll, Refrigerated air is the only way to go when you can get it, there are some really beautiful but deadly fish in the ocean, the little things in life count, there are worse places than Gulport, MS, 70 degree weather can actually freeze your ass off during a typhoon, how to work my ass off 10hrs a day 6 days aweek just for the experience, ass holes come in many sizes and colors, friends come in many sizes and colors, actually being there was not all that bad after I left.  All in all I was a typical SeaBee...bitching and griping.  I do feel like a part of a elite group that served on Diego MF Garcia. (use your imagination on the MF) and I really wouldn't trade the experience(s) for anything. Actually, I wouldn't mind going back for short (3 hrs tops) visit.  Maybe even just a flyby might work.
     My brother SeaBees my hat is off to all who served from the beach landing to present day.  Little did we mushrooms know what a pearl of the free world that Diego Garcia would become.  Most people have no conception of what a major military installation that small coral atoll has become.

1973 - 1974
MANNY MOLINA <manny363636@aol.com
I cant believe this sight is here. To cool. I spent a year on Diego Garcia, I arrived in my dress blues on Jan 20 1973 and departed Jan 20 1974. When I arrived I was an E-2 and when I departed the rock I was an E-3. A UTCN and plank owner of the NAVCOMSTA. I have nothing but great memories of the place, I've blocked out all the bad stuff I guess. I would love to find some of my old buddies from back then, and would be honored to serve the gov.  Manny Molina former UTCN 1973 and out of the Navy a OTA1 in 1991

1973
NAME = STARK,W.F.
MY QUEST = TURN TWO
VT of a SWALLOW = U DONT KNOW DO U
E-MAIL = WFSTARK@HOTMAIL.COM
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = NMCB US NAVY
UNIT = 133/CREW LEADER OF ROOF FORMING ,BEQ1,2 /RAWIN BUILDING
RANK/RATE/JOB = BU2 DISCHARGED IN 75/BACK TO E-1 MARRIED
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other
MY WARSTORY = TITLE; "DIEGO I GARCIA" SLOWLY TURN STEP BY STEP INCH BY ....
MY STORY IS DRIVING A 2 1/2 TON TRUCK OVER LAND CRABS ON THE ROAD TO FEED THE BIRDS ON THE WAY TO THE JOBSITE,THEN DRIVING THE SAME 2 1/2 TON TRUCK OVER THE BIRDS ON THE ROAD TO FEED THE CRABS ON THE WAY BACK FROM THE JOBSITE.
 
 

Oct. 1973 - july 1974
GERY BASTIANI <gbastian@bellsouth.net>
NATIONALITY = redneck; SERVICE = seabees; UNIT = mcb-4 a co.
RANK/RATE/JOB = was a cm3 then. got in 75 but returned in 81 as a ut. retired in 97 as a ut1
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out on The Beach
MY WARSTORY = spent a many of nights at the em club, and passed out on the beach. Just barely making it to morning muster eveytime.
 

1973-1974
DAVE JOHNSON <djohns82@gte.net
MY QUEST = to remember ......
VT of a SWALLOW = fuc.....fast
SERVICE = nmcb-62, UNIT = alpha Co heavy shop
My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!  This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = what about the c-130's.....what a ride.....and the shit'ers burning them.....and the party's....wow what a good time...the club...the drive in.....and bob hope and red fox to ...i still have the newsletter with the bob hope show pic's in itand my yearbook from 75 rota with nmcb-62....the golf course...oh i long to remember those days....now i work in florida with many types of navy radar systerms for ships and sub's too also the nexrad weather radar i work on many of the 1st systems...we also do radar tracking systems for fire control systems...never thought i would be working on this stuff. good luck and nice page dude can do ...anytime anywhere anyhow
 

1973/73    AND 1977
DONALD L. MORRISON <DMorr90276@aol.com>
 U.S. NAVY SEABEE'S
UNIT = DET. CHANGOS --DET. CHIEF    MCB 62 -- CA CO. CHIEF
RANK/RATE/JOB = 1972/73  EOCS   1977  EQCM   RETIRED JUNE 1977
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Professional Adventurer Looking For The Ultimate Get Away
 

1973
GREGOR MCADAM <UT3MAC@webtv.net>
     I was there in 73 I think..MCB4. All we had was seahuts to live in,lots & lots of donkeys,chickens,FLIES UP THE ASS and Double Diamond Beer. Once every couple of weeks a shipment of beer would come in but if you didn't get right over to the club (quanset hut) and snap up some cases, you're SOL and stuck with the DD or Pabts Blue Ribbon.
     We had a radio station that used to play "BACK IN THE U.S.S.R.' (BEATLES) for the Russian trawler that was always off shore. The DJ also played that song--I don't know the name of it-- about running off the British in 1814 or something like that.  Problem was he played it so fuckin' much he pissed 'em all off and our Capt. almost had to shut down the station!
    We used to build fires sometimes on the beach by our huts on the lagoon side. I remember on night we were low on firewood and we went to find some. I made it as far as the mini golf course,if that's what you want to call some ragged out wooden structures in the dirt with slabs of concrete for the ball to roll on. Anyway that windmill sure got the fire going again.
     My squad was laying in the fire mains at the far end of the island by the new--at the time-- power plant or pump station, I can't remember for sure what it was. It was a good ways out there and all the roads were coral and lousy with donkeys. There were tankers up and down the roads spraying them down with water all the time, the big ones like earth movers, one day this clown pulled up to that building out where we were in on of them only he didn't stop in time (or he didn't WANT to), but he didn't hit the building,he hit the jeep parked in front of the building and crushed it like a beer can.  Our Senior Chief wasn't to jazzed about that . He wound up having to drive a weps for the rest of our deployment and I think the kid wound op bustin' tires for the rest of the time.
     Anyway... I've got a buddy in the Merchant Marines and he was there a few years ago and told me the place is nothing like I've described it to him. I'm glad! It is a very beautiful place. The two things I liked best about it was R&R in Bangkok, and leaving.
 

1973
BARNEY MEYER <OHMIES@TOGETHER.NET>
What is Your Quest?  TO GET BY
Were you ever on Diego Garcia?   DAMM RIGHT.  I was on Diego Garcia in 1973 with NMCB74.  What a trip that was.  I wish I was back there now.  Retired from fed gov after 25 years.
 

1973-1974
STEVE QUINCEY <Steve@Quinceysj.freeserve.co.uk>
What is Your Quest?  To contact other fellow Brits out there
      I was the first British contingent out there for RN Party 1002 and we commissioned the island and I have the plank certificate to prove it.  It was lovely to see the link and my ugly face is the one on the pier on the  right at the top, the one underneath is my best mate, later my best man at my wedding Ben (Grahame) Boner (actually, this photo is on Dave's web page at http://members.aol.com/DIEGOGRCIA/index.html).
 

1973-1974
JIM HECKER <jjimrh@earthlink.net>
Were you ever on Diego Garcia?  March 73-February 74 "Plank Owner"
     First 8 months lived in hooch H6. Don't miss the "once a month" fresh fruit from Mauritius but do miss the island.   I have my "plank owner" certificate on my wall at home constantly reminding me of that island far away.
     I was an ET3 and worked at the com center.  I remember grabbing free hamburgers and a milkshake and then walking to the movie theatre.  I don't remember the projectionist's name but it was fun to see him riled up and cut someone down over the PA with his razor wit.   Liked to toss gravel on the movie projector booth's metal roof since the projectionist was a master of put downs. He'd get on the PA and cut anyone to shreds with just a few words.
    Several of us had gone shelling one night and we were returning to downtown on Diego Garcia bikes.  We happened upon a herd of donkeys and started to chase after them on our bikes.  We were able to run with them for a short while but they took a turn and we lost them.  I also remember the coconut crabs raising their big claws while we pedaled by.  On a moonlit coral dust road, these big crabs looked alien, as if they could grab my tire, lift me and my bike and toss me a few yards!
      A rat would get in our hooch (H6) some nights.  We could hear him scratching on the metal roof.  We rigged a trap for him one day.  We got a standard mouse trap with cheese, tied it to the long wooden roof brace (2X4) that ran the length of the hooch, and set it on top of this 2X4. We all went to work that morning, wondering if we'd catch him.  That evening, we came "home" to our hooch and found that the trap had worked.  Hanging from the rafters on a rope was this trap with a rat in it.  What a sight to come home to.
      I worked at the ATCU vans a couple times, mainly check out of some equipment because by then the vans weren't being used.  But they were maintained just to insure they would still function if everything else came crashing down (land lines to the transmitter were cut about once a month it seemed) and I remember thinking where the vans were located it was like a small paradise because they actually had green grass growing there and some egg laying chickens!  But the guys had to wear hard hats when mowing the lawn so they wouldn't get bopped with falling coconuts.
      I worked at the golf hooch some nights, handing out clubs and balls and selling beer and pop and snacks for the movie crowd. One night I was sitting there and a rat came falling out of a tree, flew right past my head and landed on the floor just behind me.  He scampered out before I could do anything.  I figure it was a miscalculated grab for a bag of chips!
     Comments:  Jim collects stamps and would like to buy or trade stamps from Diego Garcia and Mauritius.
 

1973-1974 and 1972-1973 (a two time winner!)
DONALD F. KUNZ CMCS USN (Ret) <seabees@pioneerplanet.infi.net>
Sept. 72-April 73 July 73- April 74
Navy Seabee was on Diego Garica with MNCB-10 and NMCB-62 building the runway, also paved the road from A-CO yard to Nav Fac. We atarted building the bowling alley, lived in wooden huts up on the hill in the compound, by the muse generator. [editor's note: The Senior Chief is looking for Seabees who are interested in the Navy Seabee Veterans of America, check out their web site, http://www.nsva.org]