1975

What a place!!!

I was there July 75 to June 76 royal navy a stoker working on the fuel farm refuelling the birds etc then the builders shop. Met some great CBs got pissed remember one night in the Brit club a couple of fellow stokers had to give a urine sample for lead from the JP5(FUEL) and there was some yank going home the next day so we had a toast for him and drank out of his old combat boots, yea the piss got mixed in and jock and coz had to refill the sample bottles, and they were big bottle. One more thing I was the one who wrote to the news paper News of the world for the pen pals head line the loneliest sailors in the world, got into the shit for that as well but it was fun. It has been good reading some of the accounts, and double diamond was 10 cents a can compared to 25 cents a no brainer even if 2out of 24 were shit.

February 1975 through October 1975

Mike Roesler = mjroesler@rap.midco.net

Citizenship = USA; Service = USN; Outfit = NMCB-3

My_Quest = Heaven

VT_of_a_Swallow = Only kings know for sure.

My_Warstory = Because of some stupid and prideful decisions I had made in homeport, I was one of the barbers for the 8-month MCB-3 deployment. "What did you do in the war daddy? Ohhh... I cut hair." Basically I perfected the haircut that would pass inspection, but left as much hair as possible for when the hardhat was off. Seemed really important to a lot of guys. Or if they weren't hung up on their hair, it was their beards. I remember working one haircut after the other while my partner "the butcher" sat in his barber chair reading magazines. Wound up doing over 3400 haircuts total. It was good duty for me though with a/c, and being next door to the ship's store, I had first look at the new 8-tracks when they would come in. Lots of good rock for the 8-track player in the barber shop. Plus for the last half of the deployment, I worked one-on and one off. I remember Merz from the store, and also Ace Svoboda who was particular about having his hair as long as possible. Fiotakis was in the same hooch as I was, and I remember him sawing his papasan chair in half so it would fit in the trunk to send back home. How'd that work out for you bud -- ever figure out how to put it back together? Warm Double-Diamond pilsner beer (from England!) was an acquired taste, and once we decided the formaldehyde rumor probably wasn't true, we drank a lot of it - mostly on dares and for bragging rights. I was the sickest I have ever been in my life on DG. We had gone to the movie "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" and took some warm Taylor Port wine and some other kind of sparkling whatever and I drank both bottles. First I went blind (really) then I puked convulsively for hours. Another time I had the whirlies so bad that I got out of bed and crawled to the showers where I passed out. I woke up and a filipino PO was kicking me in the side yelling "wasting water, wasting water" because we were on water restrictions while the desalt barge was broke down.

We got to go the plantation side one weekend and went fishing in Turtle Creek -- a tidal flow area narrowed down between the big lagoon and a smaller one. If you put a crab leg segment on a hook, you would catch whatever went by. Parrot fish, rays, whatever. Never seen anything like it since.

Made a nice tree house camp with some of my Alpha company buddies a few yards into the jungle off the ocean-side beach. We enjoyed about 2 months worth of weekends there building it up with stolen lumber and barbequing meat liberated from the chow hall by whoever was mess-cooking at the time. Then one Sunday we got raided by the Navy narcs who were absolutely sure it was some kind of drug ring haven -- they'd been staking us out for a few weeks and this was going to be their big bust. We weren't into that, and they were pretty embarrassed when they found nothing. However, as I remember it they did bust up the "illegal tree-house" for us during the next week out of spite I guess.

A U-2 camped out on the island for about 6 weeks while it was taking pictures of Russian nuke sights in the area of the Black Sea. All mail and other supply flights were stopped while it was there, including the much advertised and anticipated Bob Hope show. Most of us hated the Navy for that -- insult to injury for sending us to The Rock in the first place.

Did a lot of skinny-snorkeling in the lagoon, and still have some black coral and puka shells around somewhere. Puka shell necklaces were big in the 70's even though my wife never wore the one I made for her.

Lots more memories now that I got started remembering... Looking for Eric Bodin from MN, and also Kelvin Peterson from WI if anyone out there knows how I can get in touch with either one of them.

Blessings to all who have served on Diego Garcia!

1975-1976

Steve Anderson (Andy) = stevela729@msn.com

Citizenship = USA; Service = USN; Outfit = NMCB 133 Charlie Co.

My_Quest = "To get out of my clothes every chance I got"

VT_of_a_Swallow = Asian or European ?

My_Warstory = Well I remember shortly after getting on the Is. that I was looking for cowries in the shallow water. I went to turn over a big flat rock when i noticed my hand was inches from the mouth of a sea snake. Scared the shit out of me! Next I was the first to catch a nice sized fish, a Jack fish. I was the shit for about a week until Rodema caught a bigger one. Out of four bags of weed that was sold to us on our supply ship, I was lucky enough to get one of them. Upon taking my buddies out on the job site to the acey ducey club I managed to lose the bag of weed on the way back to the hut. Real bummer! After a night of heavy drinking Brady got me high on his weed and we went to the chow hall and after getting my food I promptly passed out in the middle of the chow hall. I went face fist into brady's tray of food...DAMN IT! Another memory I have is when Rich was drunk on his ass and he was trying to save all of us from the sharks attacking us on the beach that weren't really there. Then there was the time we were all out swimming on the sea ward side of the Is. we had swam out about a quarter of a mile when a large shadow came out of the depths below us. Scared the shit out of me, turn out it was a sea turtle with his little friend a grouper.I remember the group of us tried to catch him so we could hitch a ride with him. All and all it was too long of a deployment and couldn't wait to get back to the states. I miss you guys and hope connect with those who endured that deployment.

1975 - 1976

David Clausen = opinionautus@gmail.com

Citizenship = USA; Service = USN; Outfit = MCB-5

My_Quest = to follow that star ... No matter how hopeless, no matter how far ...

VT_of_a_Swallow = About 25 MPH for the European swallow

My_Warstory = It seemed like a good idea at the time, at least the beer thought so. We didn’t mean any harm and, truth be told, there wasn’t any harm done. Well, there was the matter of the screen door and the missing ashtrays and coffee cups.

One night, while drinking beer in the quad, I chanced to see someone approach one of the administrative huts, reach up under the fire extinguisher cover to retrieve a key, and proceed to unlock the door. Well hell, this was too good to pass up... for a couple of drunks. My drinking companion thought it was an okay idea, too.

After this person – who had revealed the hiding place for the key to the hut – locked up, returned the key to its hiding place, and left, we nonchalantly strolled across the quad, retrieved the key, and entered the hut. The idea was to gather up all the ash trays and coffee cups and stash them in the sand under the hut and giving them a hint on where to find them by leaving little piles of sand where these items had been.

Anyway, that was the plan... until this person of the key came back and walked in on my co-conspirator at the opposite end of the hut from me, by the front door. As soon as I heard footsteps on the front steps and the door being opened, I promptly left by way of the back door. The problem being that it was locked at the time.

So, you see, in was not breaking and entering; we had a key. It was breaking and exiting. That’s what it should have said on the report... along with destruction of government property (the back door), and theft, as I had some cups and ashtrays stuffed in my pockets, which went with me when I left.

Just some good, clean Seabee fun. Too bad our superior NCOs didn’t think so. For such a good joke there was really very little laughter.

1975

Robin Harville = hrobin34@yahoo.com

Please add me to your site. Having been there in 75 with NMCB 3 I remember even today what a great place it was.

Robin Harville

Hrobin34@yahoo.com

1974 or 1975 can't remember for sure

Allen Schnack = treeman630@gmail.com

Citizenship = USA; Service = USN; Outfit = MCB-3 Bravo Company

My_Quest = old memories

My_Warstory = My prior duty station was Adak Alaska, so I went from one God forsaken rock to another. Some luck eh?  I was squad leader of the battalion communication squad, we maintained the telephone system and ran the telephone exchange.  It was a manual exchange-remember you rang for the operator, asked for who you wanted, and the operator connected you.  My platoon commander was CE1 Charlie Walton, the oldest CE1 I'd ever encountered.  He swore he'd stay in the Navy till they threw him out and then he'd sue the Navy for nonsupport.  In dress uniform he had ribbons we'd never seen before, from Korea, or WWII or the Civil War, I don't know.

     We had our own weapons carrier [weps] to get around for wire maintenance till CE3 Houlihan decided to use it for a private party on the beach on the other side of the island.  After that we had to walk and carry our tools and equipment.  I think we maybe got a bicycle eventually after that.

     I was one of the CE's who climbed poles which was no big deal except those 60 footers for the lights around the ball field.  There was only two guys who were willing to change those light bulbs-CE2 Tom Snow, my best friend on that deployment - he was from Michigan but haven't seen or heard of him since, and a short little CECN who's name is long lost.

     Do you remember hunting coconut crabs and catching langouste out in the surf in the dark with flashlights?  Then feasting on fresh crabmeat and lobster washed down with Double Diamond beer.  Then talking about women.  I remember a USO Show came and there were women in the show. Women, real live women, and some other acts too, maybe Bob Hope or some others, but the best part was just seeing those women.  There was that R&R to Bankok of course but that's another story.

     Before we deployed to "the rock" Tom Snow and I and CE3 Harry Thompson and maybe one other CE were sent to some school in San Diego to learn to repair all the copying machines on the Island.  Harry Thompson seemed to have the most talent for that so we let him do it all.  He liked it most cause all those copiers were always in air conditioned spaces, so he milked those jobs for he could. 

Haven't thought about this stuff for 30+ years.

Hope to hear from you.

1975 to 1976

Robert Kirschenmann = silverhog@cox.net

Citizenship = USA; Service = USN; Other_Service = NMCB-3; Outfit = Electrician on the Desaltation Barge, Diego Garcia

My_Quest = Wake up just one more day, after day, after day

VT_of_a_Swallow = Zero when it stops.

My_Warstory = I personally thought The Rock was a beautiful place. Have to admit, it was great to get back to “The World” after my tour.

We would work like hell for two weeks to repair the de-saltation barge just to get it to run for 3 – 7 days of making water. We would pump the liquid gold up into a huge water tower. There was a revolving, circulating arm inside the water tank to stir up the chlorine we would add. On some of those hot, hot days, I tied a rope to this arm. With the water tank almost full, I would jump into the water as the rope passed below me. Id would just hang on and cool off for awhile. The arm pulled me around until I cooled off, I promise I never pissed in the water when I would do this, hell; I had to drink the stuff myself.

There was a lot of drinking after we were done for the day. I remember a guy we called “Mush mouth.” He had very little teeth in his mouth and the ones he had were rotten. He would talk with a mush mouth. One day he was fitted with a new set of teeth. They were a bit to large so they reminded me of a set of Chiclets gum teeth. He would smile at everyone he could to show them off. He reminded me of a jackass trying to eat a cactus.. It was funny. I was taking a piss in the Head and in staggers mush mouth. He could barely stand up to pee. He started to get sick and barfed both the upper and lower parts of his false teeth onto the floor net to the pisser trough. When he finished peeing, he reached down into his barf, grabbed his new teeth, kind of shook them to clear the puck and put them right back into his mouth. He staggered out the door. Don’t really know if he knew I was there he was so trashed.

I can back up the story about the UDT guys trying to blow up the beached barge. We had two barges tied side by side. We would rob one de-saltation barge to try to make the other one work. We could see and hear the explosions from the guys trying to blow up the beached barge. A piece of metal come flying down in between the two barges, hit the bulk head with a loud thunk, and strike one of our guys in the chest. He was cut a little and bruised up pretty good.

Dates_Aboard = Oct 1975-June 1976 and May 1983

Name = Terry Snyder = Sensorone@Verizon.net

Citizenship = USA; Service = USN; Outfit = NMCB-5 in the 70's then VP-6 in the 80's

My_Quest = To discover the meaning of life

VT_of_a_Swallow = Ascending or Descending?

My_Warstory = Served with NMCB-5 Hotel Company in Dodge 1975-1976 as an MS. Went back to Dodge May 1983 as a Naval Aircrewman with VP-6 Blue Sharks for a 30 Day det. Amazed at how much had changed. Liked it sooo much better in the 70's.

1975-1976

Richard Townsend = rtownsend55@gmail.com

Citizenship = USA; Service = USN; Outfit = NMCB 133 C Co.

My_Quest = To pay homage to the President

VT_of_a_Swallow = E=MC2

My_Warstory = Your Website has led me to many an old shipmate. And memories of the many ZANY things that stir crazy young men can do to entertain themselves. Without this site. Where would we all go to meet? And learn about the story of the PBY! I always wanted to know it's story too! 35 years ago today, I clicked the picture of the rat in the speaker. Never knowing I could share it with all the ALUMNI many years later. And if not for your taking the lead, where would we go? A story isn't a story unless you can understand it. And who would understand our stories? Except another citizen.So I would like to thank you Mr. President. And all the brave souls that have put their own story out there to share. Remember, you had to be there to BIOT... Thanks again, Rich. 

Dates_Aboard = September 1975 to August 26th 1976

Name = Rob Dickerson

submit_by = roddickerson@yahoo.com

Citizenship = USA

Service = USN

Outfit = Navcommsta

My_Quest = To get that formaldehyde beer taste out of my mouth...

VT_of_a_Swallow = The same speed as Dan Sweet's wit.

My_Warstory = Yes, I was in a little mishap on the rock. It happened on August 26th 1975. I finally got out of the Balboa Hospital on July 13th 1977. I almost died because there was limited treatment on the island and they couldn't get a medevac plane in until I was almost gone. But I am fine now. I appreciate Dan Sweet asking about me. Back then The Rock was beautiful place. I remember working port and starboard for 41 days straight. I remember the 4th of July 1976...what a party. I remember lots of cheap formaldehyde beer, donkeys, coconut crabs, great fishing and good friends. I will never forget the good times we had. The good friends made the place bearable and even enjoyable. In particular I remember Al Peralta (poor basketball player), Lance Nolley (poor beard), Mike Lockridge (poor dancer), Gerald Buffalo(poor swimmer), Dan Sweet (poor taste in music) and Jim Davidson (poor order follower). Oh, and by the way, just how did Davidson get a surfboard on Diego Garcia? I guess somebody just wasn't paying attention. Anyway, all is fine and thanks for all the memories.

1975-1976

Name = Ace Svoboda

submit_by = 4aceman@sbcglobal.net

Citizenship = USA

Service = USN

Outfit = NMCB=3

My_Quest = Live life to the fullest

My_Warstory = I'm reading about this Ace Harris guy and his agent orange crap. There was only 1 ACE on the rock in 75-76. Me. Never heard of this guy or his goofy story of agent orange. Maybe I'm just venting but this guy is way out there. I know the smoke there was the best but holy crap.

     I was a Seabee. NMCB 3 Charlie Co. Ran the MARS station and worked at AFRTS.  Ya know back then the P3 pilots and crew would listen to the station while up chasing subs. Don't know how they did it but I remember getting a call from one of them guys up there wanted to hear a particular song.

     I was a Builder in the Seabees but didn't do much of that. My specialty was skating out of work. Hence the Mars station and AFRTS. I did do some time in the AZORES. What a beautiful country. Spent 6 months there building a power plant for electricity. There's was always going off line so in come the SEABEES to spend 2 years building something the Red Horse could do in 6 months. Ya right. Thanks for sharing the Joel McDonald lead. I e-mailed him. See if I jogged his memory.  Thanks for e-mailing back.

ACEMAN

1975 -1976

RICK YRIGOLLEN = dcc.jackal@gmail.com

Citizenship = USA; Service = NAVY SEABEE NMCB-5; Outfit = NMCB-5 CHARLIE COMPANY

My_Quest = TREATING THE BUILDING WITH " TEX-COATING"

VT_of_a_Swallow = A 12 PACK OF BUDWEISER AND MUNCHIES

My_Warstory = I really still remember Diego like it was yesterday. Hot, fly infested and no women. The thing that kept me and my buddies going was visiting the Chinese Camp. The Camp was acually called the RSEA. That stood for Reserve Servicemen Engineering Agency. In other words they were retired servivemen from Japan, China,Thailand and Taiwan. The crew of 100 men were there to blast out the lagoon so bigger ships could come into the island. Mr. Pi or Peter as he called himself, was in charge of food supply for their camp.  He and I soon became good friends and was invited to eat there instead of our lousy Chow Hall. My buddy John Hamilton, a native born from Holland would come along.

     Now going to the Chinese Camp meant coming home shit-face since Peter made sure we were well treated. Beer and Johnny Walker was always at our reach. Now the first time we at there, I was so grossed out. The cook produced somekind of creatures the they found from blasting the lagoon. Oh my god, I couldn't identify the meal except for some fish that looked like somekind of freakish, ugly look thing with the eye balls still on it. The only thing I ate that day was the rice. Hell no I wasn't about to touch that other crap they served.

     I later explained to Peter that we were beef eaters and NEVER ate fish. Being that, I would grab some meat from cold storage along with some lobster tail for them to eat. Now that was good eating! The cook would make dumpling with the beef in it but wouldn't eat the beef. Some kind of religous thing.

     I remember one evening Peter had the men set up a projector and showed some third rate porn flicks. After watching a couple of skin flick it was piss break time. We would all go outside to pee and caught some of poor oriental choking the chicken, spanking the monkey, slapping the balonie, you know, jacking off. Man these guys were hard up. Watching their skin flicks only made John and me laugh. Luckily the Battalion was allow R & R in Bankok, Thailand and thats exacting what we did. Bang our, well you know. After leaving Diego and getting out of the Navy in 1977 I got a Christmas card from Peter saying he had retired and was doing fine. Needless to say, so was I. Of course I had one more deployment to go and that was Rota, Spain where I married my first wife, but that's another story.

Sincerely,

BUCN RICK YRIGOLLEN, CHOWCHILLA,CA.

1975-1976

Jim Douglas = james.douglas@genesis-software.com

Citizenship = USA; Service = USN; Outfit = NavCommSta

My_Quest = Live another day

VT_of_a_Swallow = Fast

My_Warstory = Saw a few others that brought back many memories, Omar eating glass while totally wasted! Lot's of drinking stories! Actually the best time of my life and would go back in a second now!

1975-1976

BUCN  Rick Yrigollen yrigollen_2000@yahoo.com

Citizenship = USA

Service = USN SEABEE BUCN

Outfit = NMCB FIVE C COMPANY

My_Quest = RUNNING OVER RED CRABS.

VT_of_a_Swallow = FIVE GULPS OF A BUDWEISER BEER.

My_Warstory = TOTAL HORROR. NIGHTMARES!

SEPT 1975 - MAY 1976

RON METCALF; rpmetcalf@bellsouth.net

Citizenship = USA

Service = USN

Outfit = NMCB5, ALPHA COMPANY, 1ST PLATOON, CRANE CREW

My_Quest = SAY HI TO OLD SHIPMATES

VT_of_a_Swallow = 1 GULP A SECOND

My_Warstory = Had alot of fun; met alot of interesting folks; leaned alot.   Most rememberable experience was when I dug all the trenches to the SATCOM radomes at the receiver site and turned the excavator (gradeall) over on its side.  Had a cool boss, EO1 Pacula who explained it to the senior chief CMCS Harris and the A company commander CWO4 Goudy.  Both were with me in GITMO the deployment before.  The CO was also a good guy....CDR. DiVique but the XO was a prick.  Captains mast on the rock was no big deal......thanks again to the DK the "fixed" my page 13 $400. fine.  I dug all the fresh water shallow wells in the quadrangle inside H company office spaces and did alot of rewarding crane work all over the island.   Was fun going to the plantation on the other side of the island for some local R&R....never knew pot grew soo tall...lol.   Got stung by one of those asian bees in the old PBY catalina on the beach there.  Doc Feese also helped me out bigtime at sick bay.  He too was with me in GITMO.  I read Lewellins story and remember the day he got his leg caught in the side conveyor on the trencher....amazing how things come back to you after 35 years.  What some people will do to get out of work....lol.

Dates_Aboard = Oct - Feb 1975

Name = Steve Pagano = pags1975dg@yahoo.com

Citizenship = USA

Service = USN

Outfit = MCB- 3 Delta Co

My_Quest = Get a glimps of the past just once more

My_Warstory = I would guess everything on Diego was a war story. Our hooch #13 worked nights on the runway. I can say we had nights where we were scared as hell because of the headless woman rumor going around.

     Jenny the donkey use to come up to us on the runway and we would give her beer and she would drink it from our hard hats. Over the hump day party our crew did not get the night off like the day crew got their day off. We were a little upset. We refused to go out to the run way and work. ENS Dallas came into the hooch and I was the only one in there and ripped my up one side and down the other.  I would certainly apologize to ENS Dallas now that its been 34 years now and I’m all grown up.

     Hope all is well with the guys from hooch 13 aka Stalag 13.

Editor:  "What was the headless woman rumor?"

Steve:  Apparently, the 1st Battalion on Diego robbed a grave site at Pt Marianne. Somewhere along the line one of the guys from our runway crew thought they saw a headless woman at the end of the runway. My god just the thought of a women on Diego was a treat but headless?

     Anyway, we were scared for a while. 1st class Benson asked me to go to the tool shed, which by the way was well off the runway and get some tools. It was dark.  I drove the deuce &1/2 over and was so scared did not even get out. I went back to the runway and got Ray Nance & Pat Howell and we went back. Ray was at the wheel of the deuce, Pat had a shovel ready and I swung the door open on the rackety old shed and, well there was no headless woman. One Morning about 5 am we were traveling back to the hooch after working all night and we thought we saw a woman laying on the side of the road. When we got back to the hooch, one of the guys said did any see what I thought I saw, and about 4 of us said; yea it looked like someone with a dress on was lying on the side of the road.  All 4 of us jumped into a jeep and went back and found out that it was a coconut branch laying on the ground and the wind just happen to lift it enough to make it look like someone was lying on their side!

Dates_Aboard= 4-1975/5-1976

Name= Rob Merz r.merz@sbcglobal.net

Citizenship= USA

Service= USN

Outfit= Ships Store

My_Quest= to win the Lottery

VT_of_a_Swallow= 120mph

My_Warstory=       Where do you start when it comes to "The Rock" stories, I have more great memeories there, then at any of my other duty stations in 7 1/2 years. There was a special commeradery there that I have not experienced anywhere else inlive. Everyone was in the same boat

(stuck in the middle of nowhere) so we pretty much all got along. I don't remember to many fights happening there. I worked at the store and I remember making a Santa suit for Christmas to spread the cheer. I use to get invited to the oceanering crews bar alot, I think it was called the "Edimonga Pub", once those guys were moved out of the hooches to their own camp, does anyone remember Jack,Pinky,and the rest of the divers. I think I remember Yoel, I got to look at my pictures. I got to go to the Korean/Chinese contractors camp a couple of times to have the most fantastic meals, with alot of the food prepared from stuff the got from the lagoon.

     I also remember that the "Brit Club" was a Honor to get invited too, instead of just being the open bar it is now. I still find myself singing Zuma Zuma Warrior now and then. Does anyone remember when one a of the Brits wrote to a London paper about the lonely sailors on Diego and got like Ten Thousand letters in responce, I know I was writting to ten different English Beauties the rest of my stay on the island

     Some of the names I see listed look familar but none, as does, Ace Svoboda, he was the best D.J. at the AFRTS station, he always opened his show with "Snowflakes Are Dancing" a trippy synthesizer song. He let me come and watch his show one time and I thought it was so cool, I always thought he should be a D.J. in civilian life, I wonder if he did.

     But one of my wildest memories was of the 1975 Miss Ammerica USO Tour, I was doing many mess cooking duty as the BOQ stewart and the CO chose me to give some gifts to the beauty queens from the Store and when I did I got a Bunch of KISSES and guys were asking to touch and smell my cheeks afterwards. The day they left and I was cleaning up their rooms, and even more guys were trying to get me to sell them the sheets and

pillow cases from their beds. Unfortunately my First Class Jim Wooden told me I better not or face the consequences, I could have made a fortune. Later PO1 Wooden became my SCPO on the USS Canopus 3 years later and told me not to regale the rest of the SH division with any of the wild tales of him on "The Rock", of which there were a few.

     I could go on and on as I sure most people who served there could, do they have Diego Garcia reunions anywhere, This I would like to attend and where would you find that info. It would be nice to go and see how much the island has changed, I know from what I have seen and read, the people there don't have any idea what the place was like back in the "Day", Do you remeber watching movies on white painted plywood in the rain before they built the cinder block roofed theater...

     This is a correction to my last post, I said my PO1's name was Wooden, but it was Woodall, sorry Jim. The memory for names is not what it use to be. I realized my mistake after viewing the names in the 1974 posting done by shipmate Harvey Foos, Who coincidently got my name somewhat wrong. Also does anyone know the where abouts of MS Roger Dunn of Calif. or Harold Dupree of Mich.

     Also another great memory comes to mind of SCPO Woodall when he was still a PO1. One full moon night we came back from Coconut Crab hunting and had not shot-up the crabs with formaldehyde, but just put the in the shower stall in a gunny stack, we were to drunk to do it, anyway

we got woke up about 1 in the morning from screaming in the shared bathroom and threats of going to kick our asses, because one of the crabs had escaped and some how got into the "John" and had pinched/grabed one of PO1 Woodalls testicles when he sat down drunk. But boy, did he sober up.

1975-1976

Ace Svoboda <4aceman@sbcglobal.net>

Looking for anybody during this time period. I was in NMCB Three C Company. BU-3. Worked and ran the Mars Station and worked in the radio station. AFRTS. Looking over your Web site is bringing back good memories and at the age of 55 I'm searching through my life for the most significant times in my life. Somehow Diego Garcia keeps coming up. Thanks for your help and posting.

1975-76

NAME = Don Reilman

MY QUEST = to set a story straight

VT of a SWALLOW =

E-MAIL = unclegone@gmail.com

NATIONALITY = us

SERVICE = navy

UNIT = c-site

RANK/RATE/JOB = ctm3

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Professional Spy

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: =

MY WARSTORY = the story told by CTM2 Ace Harris is total BS.

I was a CTM station at DG from march 75 to march 76 There were only about 8 CTMs on the Island and I know no ace harris

who says he was stationed there from 74-76   (2Years ? a tour was 365 days)

     I never heard of any orange being used, the only thing we were not allowed to do was slide while playing softball ( coral ground would cause infection)  also leave donkeys alone they were british subjects...

     It was one long year but I dont regret it.  I got to spend 12 wonderful days in Thialand.  The Siam hotel, Mr steve my cab driver, and that sweet Peak.

1975

NAME = Jim McGuinness

MY QUEST = I use colgate

VT of a SWALLOW = depends on how cold the brew is

E-MAIL = jimcormeg@earthlink.net

NATIONALITY = US

SERVICE = Navy

UNIT = NMCB5

RANK/RATE/JOB = CE3

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Geo-political Rabble Rousing

MY WARSTORY = We were an ornery lot with little to do with our precious time off except look for trouble to get into.10 cent mixed drinks in our club couldn't have possibly had anything to do with it... Carefully creeping up to the first class hooch and tying the door shut and then gathering up as many coconuts as posible to simulate "incoming" seemed like the right thing to do at the time.The sight of several of our illustrious leaders (who were well in the throus of alcohol induced sleep)crashing into the roped door and tearing it off the hinges,depositing them in a large heap at the foot of the stairs was worth the risk of leavenworth.( they wouldnt have had to do much to catch us since we were  laughing so hard we couldnt possibly have escaped).Needless to say,chief was not pleased. To Bill Lovlien,remember gassing the main CP when we were aggressors? Swampy,remember the myna bird you rescued? I remember one of the sharks you guys caught off the barge that got drug up on the beach,it had to be over ten foot .

Feb. 1975 to Oct. 1975

NAME = Mark Cook

MY QUEST = Beer

VT of a SWALLOW = African or European?

E-MAIL = onhome2@comcast.net

NATIONALITY = U.S.

SERVICE = Navy

UNIT = NMCB Three

RANK/RATE/JOB = PN3

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Interested World Citizen

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit 'How I Put One Over On My Senior Chief' Story

MY WARSTORY = When we had Admin duty, early in the morning we had to go from the camp to the message center to pick up the morning messages for the unit. There were roads, but we created a trail through the jungle, and would drive the weapons carrier (or sometimes, a jeep) through the trail for time, starting a stopwatch when we went offroad. We clipped a mirror or two, but the competition apparently took a bigger toll on our "weps," when PN3 Wachovec was driving a record time he careened back onto the road heading out to the message center, hit the gas, then saw a tire headed out in front of the truck. He turned the wheel slightly and it slammed onto the ground. He was great at playing innocent, so nobody got in trouble, it was just one of those things.

I used to enjoy lazy Sunday afternoons when people would be napping in their hooches. We would go into the chiefs' area and throw coconuts high into the air, to crash down on the tin roofs. We would run like crazy and hide on the beach.

The Filipino SKs had a secret "by invitation only" bar in their hooch, and it was pretty nice and really fun. Great food, too.

'75 to '76

NAME = Jim Rinehart

MY QUEST = A Fair Logic

VT of a SWALLOW = Change ain't lookin' for friends.  Change plays the tune we dance to.

E-MAIL = sandy.feet@plywoodfloor.hootch

NATIONALITY = U.S.

SERVICE = Seabees

UNIT = Fuel Farm Site and Crane Crew

RANK/RATE/JOB = E5, Equipment Operator - Navy Crane Inspector MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Please Select The Category That Best Discribes Your Interest in Diego Garcia SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Please Select a Title For Your Story, or Select 'Other'

MY WARSTORY = Lucky to have hooked up with the crew I did.  Ben Cariaga, a Native Hawaiian showed us how to live on an island.  On Sunday, our day off, we spent the day on the beach.  There was some surf and we'd body surf but, had to be carefull.  There were outgrowths of coral.  After a while, Ben would get his throw net and catch dinner.  He'd shoot for the Parrot Fish which we would fillet and cook while enjoying raw Parrot Fish with mustard or soy sauce.  This was way before Sushi was popular.  A Corpsman happened by one day and had a fit when he saw us eating raw Parrot Fish.  Heck, we survived body surfing on coral, stinging coral, coneshells, shark, and stone fish.  Hello to Ben, Jeff Rogers, Norris Rush, Brad Hilton, Willie Potter, Sturdge, Tweed, EOC John Ireland, and others.

1975-1976    1976-1977

NAME = Jim Christie

MY QUEST = Tell some war stories from the rock

VT of a SWALLOW = Can't remember, been a friend of Bill W for 11years 2 months 14 days

E-MAIL = onewayjmc@hotmail.com

NATIONALITY = American, does anything else matter

SERVICE = SeaBees----is there others?

UNIT = USNMCB THREE

RANK/RATE/JOB = STEEL WORKER 3RD CLASS---- passed not advanced to E5 but thats a DG story we won't tell

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story

MY WARSTORY = The time I spent on the Rock was before air conditioning. Before bowling alley, before the chapel, before the gym, before the barracks. Actually before some of you were born. MCB 3 had the pleasure of building some of facilities ya'll now take for granted. Sitting on the front porch of Hobart Hobbit Hooch drinking VO straight out of the bottle, my self Mickey and a few select friends whose names slip me at this time. Hearing the tell tale rattle of a 2 inch long beetles wings, I heard it hit the side of the hooch and dropped down beside me. I picked it up and said "Hey Mickey they flew in dinner!" I bit off the front half and handed the rest to Mickey, as soon as he swallowed I spit mine out, and washed that taste down with some more VO Mickey started choking and coughing and hacking. We almost had to do the hinny lick move to get him cleaned out, it seems he had the back end of the beetle an it opened it's wings on the way down.

  WE were there before the pier and were working out on the causeway in the middle of the harbor, welding pipe. I hear Mickey and Chuck laughing like hell, they are supposed to be rolling the pipe for me as I weld. I look up and they are stark naked, now for DG at that time it wasn't that weird to see some one naked, just not at work. So when I finally settled them down enough to find out what's going on, it seems that they had timed how long it took a jeep to come from the main road to where we were working, and then compared that time to how long it took to roll your shorts back to the uniform of the day from the rolled up rolled down lets get more sun position, to putting your clothes back on they figured out it was easier to just get dressed.

   Passed out one Sat night, "so whats new" Every nite all the guys would laugh at me it the shower, I would say come on it's not that funny looking. Finally on Weds we all got called to sick bay for drug testing and now the Corpsman is laughing at me. I said I thought you weren't supposed to be looking at that. He said I'm not, I'm looking at your stomach. When you're a Harley rider everyone knows, it seems that when I was passed out Sat someone had written MOTTOGUZZI on the bottom of my beer belly where I couldn't see it with magic marker in 4inch letters. I love telling that to Guzzi riders.

   Working all the way out on the causeway we were far from camp, but when ever they had hooch inspection I got to go back to the hooch in the middle if the day to open my second locker. It seems that the glug glug glug of my making process bothered the inspecting officer everytime. Ya know Raisin Jack is a fine wine in some circles.

  I'll send more later it's good to think of those worst and best times of my life.          <>< Jim ><>

1973-74, 1975

NAME = David Engel., EO3, D2C

MY QUEST = Immortality

VT of a SWALLOW = 139 mph

E-MAIL = dengel4@comcast.net

NATIONALITY = Texan

SERVICE = US Navy

UNIT = UCT-1, TAD MCB-4 in 73-74

RANK/RATE/JOB = EO4---discharged in '76

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Geo-political Rabble Rousing

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story

MY WARSTORY = Dg was actually attacked while I was there with UCT-1 in '75. At that time there was a beach on the lagoon side near the EM club and the de-sal barges. An old rusted barge was hard aground on the beach; it had been there since God-knows-when. The hold was full of sand. Our unit was there to drag a concrete-lined pipe out to a tanker anchorage but we had some down-time. Don't give Seabees down-time. They just start looking for shit to blow-up. And there it sat---a big, fat inviting target. We'll get this rusty tub off the beach for you. We'll blow it to pieces. Which is what happened. One large piece of steel hit the roof of the waterfront warehouse used by the DG navy (the Mike boats and pontoon-can tugboat). All occupants immediately surrendered. A subsequent shot landed a bigger chunk right in the front yard of the chapel (yes, DG had one of those---most of us heathens couldn't have told anyone where it was). Navy chaplains can get mad; I was laughing too hard to hear his exact words. The attack on DG ceased.

HERE'S ANOTHER:  Ron Kotz tells the stories better than I do (go figure---he was a wordsmith, I was lower than an E1). My best story would embarass the shit out of Roger St. Jacques(73-74). Shout out to Steve Skillington wherever you are. No one believes that Double Diamond would sell for 15 cents a can. Before my first trip there all the older guys in UCT-1 were warning me about the heat and humidity at DG. I got there and wore shorts and tee shirt every day. I slept in a hammock under cocnut palms (except in high winds). I thought "what the hell are they talking about ---heat and hunmidity." I've lived in Houston almost all my life except for 6 years in New Orleans. DG was a breeze compared to New Orleans in August. I got back to Davisville and asked those guys what the heck were they talking about. I still didn't know until I found out that they were from Minnesota, Michigan, and Maine. One man's hell is anothers heaven(almost).

1975?????

NAME = Joe "Mongo" Grigas

MY QUEST = What are You talking about??

VT of a SWALLOW = Depends on if She was a skankaholic or a WestPAC Widow

E-MAIL = grigasster@gmail.com

SERVICE = USN Never Again

UNIT = MCB 3 Charlie Co.

RANK/RATE/JOB = BU3 "Radar O'Rielly" for "C" Co. after my unfortunate acquaintance with  the bottom of the racquetball court with my knee while defending the honor of Our nation against a would-be racquetball wannabe from the RN.

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

MY WARSTORY = I happened to have little better to do during the salad days of My jaded youth so I joined the Navy of John Paul Jones, William Sims, David Farragut,"Bull" Halsey and all the other storied seafarers throughout history and through the miracle of my male hormone-fueled one track mind found myself between enlistment and reporting for active duty taking on a non-citizen dependent wife for the lucrative BAQ then being offered to support the lifestyle of this aforementioned and raven haired wench. My recruiter had promised that with little more than some minimal application of my finely educated mind there was little doubt that in no time at all I would more than likely don the mantel of CNO, maybe even make Chief. Well, when found out that my then new wife was not a citizen the wheels began to turn and in no time at all  was informed that crypto, anything nuke, etc. was off limits due to her (that career crushing infiltrating left wing estrogen generator, nothing but trouble I tell You.... until the lights went out at night) foreign status. There was however an opening for a young hard-charger just like Myself with some construction background in what was called Group 8, construction forces. My Dear Uncle Sugar had found Me a new home defending the Republic from all enemies, foreign and domestic with rifle in one hand, the obligatory hammer in the other to forge the structures of freedom to be used by those very forces of freedom itself not unlike Cdr Donovan, suitably portrayed by non other than the Duke himself in "The Fighting Seabees" ..... Ahhhhh! I had found My new home and reported verily and forthwith to NAVSCON in the bucolic rural coastal town of Port Hueneme California. After making my mark indelibly in the minds and performance reports of the instructors I was upon gradation from "A" school assigned to 31st NCR, NMCB3, Yes, The Pride of the Pacific, a naval construction battalion destined for greatness and I was fortunate  enough to win the luck of the draw and become one of Her newest sons.  My luck hit it's zenith when in the summer of my final  deployment I struck the lottery and was able to count myself among the annointed, ... the few, the proud, the Seabees of MCB3 who then made their way west on the wings of sleek Air Force eagles to polish the latest floundering Navy turd into a glistening fortress-like icon and beacon of light for free world aspirations out among the swirling forces of evil ever trying to bring down the pureness of Mom, apple pie, and the girls we all left behind to defend home and hearth from the barbarous hordes of Mr. Lenin's Godless minions of death. I arrived upon the beachead of freedom in BIOT surrounded by my beloved shipmates and immediately we turned to in order to make our mark on world history by turning this unlikely paradise into the tip of Freedom's liberating spear. Be it known forever more that MCB3's Band of Brothers did their part day in and day out manning & building the ramparts. When on those occasions that our commanders deemed Our usual exemplary efforts above and beyond the call of duty and more than anyone with a conscience could expect and refused to accept our demands to volunteer to do even more extra work We would all venture forth to drop the chains of duty and while away the now carefree hours at the Club 54 of the Indian Ocean, the world reknowned Club Reindeer, that bastion of 25 cent mixed drinks during happy hour. Well, John Sweeney, the poacher extrordinaire  of Oregon, Steve Boe, the now famous hunter of poachers in the State of Minnesota for the DNR there, and Bob Hissam of Charleston WV, winner of the all island snoring contest, along with Myself sallied forth one eventful evening, crisp $10 bills in each of our hands and began to do battle with the COMSTA boys drink for drink, I know I said this was an actual story to tell but after all, ... I'm trying to become the appointee with the title of Minister of Bullshit, PPDRDG....  Needless to say, "The Pride of the Pacific, Kicked out of the Atlantic, Let's try it Once in the Indian Ocean" shone forth that night and $40+ later the luster on MCB3's star reflected the blinding light of a polish from Our deeds unhearlded before, or at least since the previous payday.

     Well, what can one say, I can't finish the story completely here in a single sitting as all the wonderful pharmaceuticals, courtesy of my local VA Medical Center, have begun to take hold yet again and the days travails are now fading into a soft hazy background. Check back again soon as I, with the permission & forebearance of  Presidente' for life & Jefe' Ted Morris, return soon to regale You with the further adventures of "The Pack", the MCB3 self named team logo (somewhere I still have the damned sweatshirt with that name on it, unless one of my many and numerous es-wives took that in my many and numerous divorces to put onto Ebay and make beaucoup bank for perceived lack of proper alimony, hehehehe, gold digging skanks... were was I????... Oh Yeah...) with the actual substance of the matter as they blaze their path to glory and make XXX history at the Royal Miami Hotel in downtown Bangkok during Our well earned R&R's. Later folks, the oxy is working,,,,,,, BU3 Grigas,

1975

NAME = Gary Carlson

MY QUEST = find old friends

E-MAIL = gcarlson@dcwis.com

SERVICE = Navy Seabees

UNIT = MCB-3 "C" Company

RANK/RATE/JOB = BU3

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

MY WARSTORY = Worked on the Chapel/Library.  Hope to find old friends...Mike T (who had a blue 57 Chev), Charlie R, Ron A, Johnny S, Ed, and others.

Oct 1975 - Jun 1976

NAME = Ralph W. "Bill" Farr (Swamp Rat)

MY QUEST = I Remember when ...

E-MAIL = billfarr@windstream.net

NATIONALITY = Natural born AMERICAN (South Georgia, Ware? Way a cross Ga.)

SERVICE = U S Navy

UNIT = N M C B 5  "E" Co.  Builder Support

RANK/RATE/JOB = BUCN then, Heavy equip mech now, in a marble mine no less! (who-ud a thunk it?? what?

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

MY WARSTORY =  Fishing on the barge

    One day a group (don't remember names due to alcoholic dissssassociation) of us went out on the mike boat to the barge to fish all day. We had most of the necessities available at the time, BEER, food, water and a PRC77 to contact shore in case of emergency.

    Little did we know that we were in for a "visit" from JAWS. YES, we had a treat.

    One of us (an un-named SW) had made a large trebble hook, rigged it to a length of aircraft cable, bated it with wild chickens (sent to him from home no doubt) and tied off to a cleat on the barge.

    Any way - several beers later, it was observed that a rather large shadowy shape was passing by on the camp side of the barge. This first sighting was initialy pased off. Gimme another beer Joe.

    Some few moments later another sighting occured on the plantation side, closer to us this time. Another sighting CLOSER again. We all were intently watching now (And most fishing lines had been hauled in). Finally the creature came right along side where the cable was tied, (it appeared to be 16-18 feet long), as it reached the point where the cable was hanging in the water, the cable began to angle in the direction of shadowy movement.

As the cable tightened the barge began to list. !!@#$%&*???? As the thought to call for help (seemingly in more than my own mind as it appeared that at least three persons were headed in the direction of the radio) the cable snaped and the barge settled back in its moorings.

    We all looked at each other and someone asked "What just the hell happened?" The cable was pulled up and the end was severed cleanly. Chickens,hook and about two feet of cable, GONE!

    Well me maties, that was one ride that was not short enough for me.

Dec. 75-Apr 76

NAME = Tom Sturgeon

E-MAIL = tom@tomsturgeon.net

SERVICE = MCB5 USN

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 = We were the 1st military unit to go there in 75. I was with a detail from CBMU-302 from the PI. Our job was to re-hab the old sleeping quarters and restore A/C and refrigeration for the Island.

February-October 1975

NAME = Steve Boe

MY QUEST = Anybody from NMCB-3 there in 1976

VT of a SWALLOW = It's been too long......

E-MAIL = sptboe@verizon.net

NATIONALITY = American

SERVICE = Navy

UNIT = Builder, formed/poured concrete, worked on medical facility

RANK/RATE/JOB = BU3

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

MY WARSTORY = Mooning seemed to be very popular there.  It was great snorkeling.  Did some running there for only time in my life.  Played hoops, tennis, went to all the movies, went crab-hunting from back of a weapons carrier.  Remember a U-2 spyplane on the airstrip for a time.  Hurt my back and spent some time in the hospital.  Mail call was very important to everyone.  Library had horrendous fluorescent lights, and periodicals that were 2-3 months late.  So much outrageous stuff - good buddies, Tex Ritter, Joe Grigas.  I remember Kevin Fiotakis, wasn't buddies with him but remember him.

Feb.1975 to Oct.1975

NAME = Ed Nyberg

MY QUEST = Find old friends

VT of a SWALLOW = TVS ?

E-MAIL = eberg53@sbcglobal.net

NATIONALITY = US American

SERVICE = US NAVY

UNIT = NMCB-3

RANK/RATE/JOB = BUCA

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

MY WARSTORY = Could'nt wait to leave the island when i was there.  Now would like to go back.  Is there any 3BEES out there? And whats with all the girls there now? All we got was a USO show now and then. Can't believe it's  been 32 years. Boy i'am getting old, better find my old friends soon before its to late.  Later Ed

Early 1975 - Early 1976

NAME = Joel McDonald

MY QUEST = exchange the grail for a nice cappuccino machiine

VT of a SWALLOW = with or against the wind

E-MAIL = joel@nwcreativeservices.com

NATIONALITY = yank

SERVICE = Navy (more or less)

UNIT = AFRTS (radio station)

RANK/RATE/JOB = Journalist (JO) - Radio Disc Jocky (aka Rockin' J. Robin)

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Geo-political Rabble Rousing

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing on Diego Garcia

MY WARSTORY = There was the time when a totally wasted SeaBee JO named Glen Amato (Chicago) would come into the radio shack during my evening easy listening show (officers' mello music) and would not leave until I interviewed him, live on the air, as Eleanor Roosevelt. It actually became a regular addition to the show. Go figure.

Or, was it the time that I and another JO type, Bob Lewis, (Indiana) re-recorded all the pre-recorded comedy "shorts" sound track snippets for a morning DJ named Walter Rekoski (a very tall polish guy with a speech impediment, hey it was radio!) we nick-named Fonebones Rekosky (after the Mad Magazine character). He had the early morning country western show. He had the country western show because no one else wanted it, AND because he had that speech impediment. Anyway, he unknowingly played what he thought would be a comedy line, but instead he got was much more "interesting". He was so freaked out by the fairly obscene re-recordings that he actually ripped the "cart" machine (looked like an eight track tape unit) from atop the radio desk and virtually through it across the studio! ah, the good ol' days! I got extra duty for that one.

Anyone remember the drinking competitions at the Brit Club?  I got lots more remembrances if anyone is interested.

yoelgal@013.net

Hi,

I am an Israeli, I was on the island sometime, in 1975 for 6 bountiful month'

I was a diver working for American company "Oceaneering International"

We did blasting and dragging, to deep the sea bed and open up a channel for ships to get in.

I have many great photos  from the island from that time, and few other staff I'll be glad  to send some to you, (if you make me a senior presidentJJ/

see you

yoel lavi

1975

NAME = Marty Boss

MY QUEST = Truth, Justice, and the Swabee Way

VT of a SWALLOW = Speed of Light

E-MAIL = martyb56@tx.rr.com

NATIONALITY = U.S. Citizen

SERVICE = Navy

UNIT = Naval Security Group

RANK/RATE/JOB = CTOSN....Now work for Verizon In Dallas

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

MY WARSTORY = First of all, Mark Hermann and I went to Diego Garcia right out of "C" school.  We arrived February of 1975.  We lived in the huts for a while but got to move into the nice barraks.  I was just a kid of 18 when I got there.  I was totally innocent until the Horner's corrupted me. Ha.....Actually, I

learned to drink a few Olympia Beers which primed me for my next duty station in London. I actaully enjoyed Digeo Garcia.  I learned to play poker there.  I remember sitting in the barraks one night playing poker with the guys.  One hand come to mind.  Everyone else had folded.  (Darryl Jerningan and Wayne

"Unfrigging Fortunately" Thomas)  However, the "A" branch Chief Pete LaFleur kept raising me. He had a full house with Aces over Queens. I drew to an INSIDE straight flush on the last card to win.  3,4,5,6,7 of spades. (Drew the 4 on the last card)  I thought he was going to kill me. I remember him saying, "You did not even know what you had, did you!"...I knew but was as surprised as anyone that I got the card !   I learned a lot of DG.  I loved to go down to

Diego Burger and get a burger and shake.  I was in tall cotton.  Rex Horner got me a job in Special Services so I ran a snack stand and then moved up to the big time and go to run the "Bowling Alley"!!  Those were the days....

Feb-Oct 75

NAME = Mike Carter

MY QUEST = To swap lies with others who remember only the good times

VT of a SWALLOW = English Or African?

E-MAIL = utc_942000@yahoo.com

NATIONALITY = American

SERVICE = USN

UNIT = NMCB-3 Bravo Co, Camp Maint, Reefer Shop

RANK/RATE/JOB = UT2 on Diego, the one and only trip I made there.  Retired out UTC in 94

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other

MY WARSTORY = There have been several mentions on this page that bring back memories. One in particular is the Ice Cream Machine.  I remember that it had a water cooled condenser that sprung a leak and ruined the compressor.  Didn't think too much about it at the time but two days later after getting my butt chewed by the skipper cause I was a menace to the Islands morale by not having Ice Cream in the galley, I was able to do a bit of SEABEE magic and jury rig it so that we wouldn't have a mutiny on the Island.

     The drug thing was bad too.  Remember having to body sit when some one OD'd which did happen.  Ol' number 11 was the designated body box. They were still working on the new hospital and the morgue hadn't been built yet.  Had to turn it off and on to keep the right tempeture to keep the body from freezing or warming up too much.  Hated that duty.  Could be fun though.  One night Vic "Woody" Woods and I were watching the box when UT1 "Smitty" Smith and his adorable sidekick "Webos" came strolling down to the Galley to start the Boiler for the morning meal.  (Lovely lil Boiler...had to use a stick to start it but that's another story) Anyway, here comes Smitty and Webos strolling down between the Reefers, Woody crawls on top of # 11 and starts beating on the roof and hollers LET ME OUT...We had to go find Smitty in the jungle...took awhile to get him down there to light the boiler so we could get some breakfast.

     Don't even want to get into that damn Ice Batch Plant.  Took me awhile but we did end up to where we were harvesting twice a day rather than every two days.  And yes, Ice was important back then cause due to the water coming from the DESAL barge (I just rememberd lil Eddy the shark catcher) there wasn't a cold drink to be had on the Island.

     And whatever you do don't throw rocks at the Chickens.  Was cleaning the Bravo Co. shop on a Sunday (actually Woody and I were closing in the Reefer shop so we could have and air conditioned space to work in) when a Rooster was trying to come in the bay doors.  So, not wanting to have to clean up all the chicken shit that would have been the result of him getting in, I picked up a rock and threw it at the building, you know to make a noise and scare the Rooster.  Anyway, the next thing I know, I got this big dude, standing in his underwear, yelling something "British" at me about being brought up on "THE Full Extent of the Queens Law" for throwing a rock at the Chicken.  Lucky for me the dude was drunk and forgot to get my name..

     Have to admit that out of all the deployment and trips Diego Garcia was one of my best...Good Work, Good People

  Feb. 1975---Feb.1976

NAME = Marcus Christianson

MY QUEST = Locate as many old Diego Brothers as possible...(There was no sisters back then)

VT of a SWALLOW = Not as fast as a Navy C-2A Greyhound

E-MAIL = fishwalleyes7@yahoo.com

NATIONALITY = White Minnesota snowman

SERVICE = U.S. Navy

UNIT = Public Works,  C-site,  Builder Shop

RANK/RATE/JOB = BUCN...discharged 1978.  Re-upped..1982, cross rated AMS. Applied for Aircrew and flew Ships COD's, (Carrier Onboard Delivery)...Mail Planes to the Carriers.   Retired 1998.

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing on Diego Garcia

MY WARSTORY = First I'd like to Thank Andy Putnam for turning me onto this site...We've been in touch a lot of years. All the way back to 1974...We had the classiest sea-hutch on the Island. When MCB-3 left we ripped off a fridge from one of their huts and relocated it to our hut...Sorry MCB-5... The P-3 crews would fly in Good old San Miguel Beer from Cubi Point PI. Kept that fridge stocked!! Was way better than the formeldahyde crap Oly/ Bud and PBR. Oh and the 99 cents a case Brit Double Diamond...(Rot Gut). Anyone remember fishing turtle Bay over towards T-site?? Should have been called Sharks Cove...You could almost walk on them when the tide came in ...the sharks would follow to feed. We had the best soccer team on the Rock!!! At least that's how I remember it...Also enjoyed R & R in Bangkok....Siam Hotel...The girls ruled...after 9 months of not seeing one...I remember the midnight drag races between C site and T-site. All those bone yarded trucks that the CM's got running.  Would run at night and by sun-up be back in the bone yard...The Chiefs and Officers were always wondering where all the tire marks came from. Well it's been great reminiscing about "The Rock".  I have ton's of photo's also...will add some later...AMS1 Marcus Christianson (NAC)

75/76

NAME = Al Kissh

MY QUEST = staying alive

VT of a SWALLOW = Vso X 1.3 ( ask Monika Lewinski )

E-MAIL = skybum43@aol.com

NATIONALITY = USA

SERVICE = NAVY

UNIT = NMCB 133

RANK/RATE/JOB = EO3

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Decided to Join A Monastery, But Couldn't Find One Stateside

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit 'How I Put One Over On My Senior Chief' Story

MY WARSTORY = Like to say that DG back in 75 was "HELL"...but I'd give just about anything to go back and see the place now.NMCB 133 "a" com.  I was given the dubious task of meeting the 135 three times a week to get the reefer off the plane and unto the lowboy, then bring it back to the mess hall.....yea right.....our sqd had the best BBQ's on the whole island...until they found out (crap)!  had the best tan ever on that island.All the guys on the tide haul (great fisherman) and runway crews where great.....even the cm's that woke me up right as I was about to crash into the CM's shop on a vib roller (kina fell asleep on the roller while rolling the damm runway).  Went right across the whole thing in such a perfect stright line....even I was impressed (after I woke up,that is).  Just a note if any of the "OL" 133 crew has heard from Rick Retundo.He was in Gulfport during kitrina, and I haven't heard from him since.

Keep the oily side down !!!

God Bless

1975

NAME = Steve Williams

MY QUEST = contact "old" friends

VT of a SWALLOW =

E-MAIL = smokefx@netscape.net

NATIONALITY = Texan

SERVICE = NMCB62

UNIT = dumpster enclosers, logging operations, "cinder"block manufacturing, desalination barge distruction, sand pier construction

RANK/RATE/JOB = SW3, This was my last deployment. I'm now getting ready to retire from firefighting in Amarillo, Tx.

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

MY WARSTORY = The first And Only exciting thing I did there was run away from the plane we arrived on because the refueling hose was on fire. From then all it was an uphill battle to fight off boredom!

I remember:

Having our first encounter with a coconut crab that snipped the red reflector off someones flashlight.

Talking with a Russian accent  and calling each other commrad so "they" would understand what we talking easier.

Snorkleing with sharks.

Playing "Evel Mc Wheelbarrow" and jumping it over Snake River Canyon (actually the sewer trench for the bathroom pods).

The guy we called Marcell Ledbeter after he hit himself on the nose with a running chainsaw.

The weekend we spent on R&R on the other side of the island and exploring the old plantation village very carefully, so as not to disturb those big assed bees.

Hiding food from the officers mess in coolers under the sand under our hooches.

Building our own BBQ pit and trading steaks for longusta lobsters until we were sick of steak and lobster.

EO3 Woolsey getting an "all over" sunburn on the "nude" beach, OUCH!

Trying to fermint coconut juice, nobody wanted to be the first to try it.

And so many other things that I'm sure would bore most people to death, But thats how we burned up time between work and sleep to be one more day, week or month closer to  getting of the rock.

I also discovered I love sailing small lazers and reading. I also discovered the truly  important thing in life; family, friends, sunsets, doing things that matter,

taking time to admire the little things and moments in life and HOME.

From:  Richard Townsend <rtownsend55@yahoo.com>

Date:  01 Mar 2006, 09:33:43 AM

Subject:  Diego was Real, been there myself!

1975-76 NMCB-133 "C" Co. My story starts out with a company party at the plantation. Followed by Boones Farm couldn't handle the beer on the island too much. Movie that night was Midway. Great picture! Friends led me into Porta Shower to sober me up. Ship going down, so I jumped out into the sand. Made it to shore! That's what they told me next day, anyway! July 4th 1976 , singing My Country Tis of Thee to God Save the King, While the Brits raised the flag. What a way to celebrate the Bicentennial. To the older Bees of Davisville, the Naragansett Beer sign was still on the old EM Club (Butler Hut) at that time. Decorating the hooches for Christmas. A sauna in the gym, which I doubt has ever been used to this day. My hooch was next to Moody's Bar & Grill. Hope too hear from the old gang, and hope eveyone will live long ,and prosper! Leonard Nimoy.

February 1975 to October 1975

NAME = Kevin Cochise Fiotakis (Marshall)

MY QUEST = To re-unite with some old freinds.

VT of a SWALLOW = It depends on how good she is.

E-MAIL = kmarshal@edd.ca.gov

NATIONALITY = AMERICAN

SERVICE = US Navy

UNIT = NMCB-3 Headquarters Company

RANK/RATE/JOB = I was a Personnelman that worked for the Chaplain most of the time I was there.

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing on Diego Garcia

MY WARSTORY = Well what shall I talk about?  Shall I just mention all of the other things that bring back memories of the Rock?  I think not.  I think I will talk about what no one else seems to remember.  All of the LSD.  It is my contention that the government used us for experiments while we were there.  They established a baseline, (Cavity searched everyone to insure there were no drugs on the island), and then every so often a whole crapload of purple barrel or orange barrel  Acid would show up.  Now that I am somewhat more sober, I am able to see it for what it was.  There were times when there were several hundred men, totally zoned out, wandering around in the middle of the night.  You cannot tell me that the powers that be did not know what was going on.  I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else out there recalls those experiences or did I just hallucinate my entire sojourn there.

1975 & 1976

NAME = JERRY " TWEED " BRADY

MY QUEST = JUST WAKING UP EACH DAY

VT of a SWALLOW = ELEVENTY BILLION

E-MAIL = TWEED22@MSN.COM

NATIONALITY = AMERICAN

SERVICE = U.S. NAVY SEABEES

UNIT = NMCB 133  CHARLIE CO.

RANK/RATE/JOB = E4  ROCK AND ROLLER  WENT TO AVIATION CAREER IN 1978 AND

MARRIED FOR 26 YRS WITH 2 GROWN KIDS 1 BOY23 AND 1 GIRL 21

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Please Select a Title For Your Story, or Select 'Other'

MY WARSTORY = SEE 1975 IM ALL UP IN THERE. WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANY OF THE

BROTHERS I WAS THERE WITH

1975-1976

NAME = Ace Ray Harris ( CTM2)

MY QUEST = Other victims of herbicide exposure on Diego Garcia

VT of a SWALLOW = ???????????????

E-MAIL = rayharris46@yahoo.com

NATIONALITY = American Citizen

SERVICE = U.S. Navy

UNIT = USNSG DET Diego Garcia

RANK/RATE/JOB =

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Professional Spy

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other

MY WARSTORY = I was stationed on the Island from 1974-1976 and had pretty mush teh same adventures and boredoms as anyone else who served there.. Fast forward to the Feburary 2005 White city Oregon....

      I find my self residing at the Vadom filling a claim for among other things herbicide exposure on DG.  I have so Many Health Problems...

Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma,

Diabettes Melitus type 2

Peripheral Nueropathy

Breathing problems..

     Well one day I made my way up to The Roseburg, Oregon  VA Hospital only to meet a former CB that had served on Diego Garcia the same time as I 1975-1976! Well as we spoke he related to me that Agent Orange was actively in Use on Diego Garcia to clear Jungle foliage for the Runway extension... and he Knew this because he was the guy spraying it!!

       Thinking back.. I have to wonder where all the 55 gallon drums we used had come from?????? Geezzz we used them to burn classified material in.. we used them to barque fish and other things over.. hmmm not to mention swimming in waters that were polluted with Agent Orange ???

       If that weren't bad enough.. I understand that our drinking water came from De-salinization plants from guess where ( water from the lagoon maybe)? At any rate it is my understaning that de-sal plants actually make the Dioxin contained in the water more concentrated so that means that I was showering in this stuff, drinking this stuff  and on top of that screwing around in and working in jungle that had been sprayed....

       Just a quick note here ..

       Nobody in my family has any of the conditions that I have.. all the men have been in the Navy/military..overseas..with the only exception being guess where???  DIEGO GARCIA!!!

       If any one else has or knows of some one who has had cancer or diabettes that was on the island about the same time I was I would be very gratefull at being in touch with them..

God Bless all.,

Ace R. Harris

Readers Respond:

Reply-To:  telawson@earthlink.net

From:  "Thomas Lawson" <telawson@earthlink.net>

Date:  16 Aug 2005, 03:09:33 PM

Subject:  Agent Orange

     Someone is asking if they used Agent Orange on DG.Some CB has cancer.  I never here any thing about spraying on DG.They wanted to keep the Island pristine.

From:  George Rice <georgerice04@sbcglobal.net>

Date:  16 Aug 2005, 03:09:17 PM

Subject:  Agent Orange

     I asked about agent orange when I first got to DG in 85, since I had to work in tree area some times and where there were no trees, I wanted to be safe, so I checked with the Navy and Our Operations [FEBROE].   Also take a look at when they moved all the people off the Island that used to live there and the date when the Navy came on board the Island.  I do not think after VN that the Navy would use it.

1975-1976

NAME = Bill Lovlien

MY QUEST = To search the ether for my missing brain cells.

VT of a SWALLOW = Zero.

E-MAIL = lovlien@earthlink.com

NATIONALITY = Red State American

SERVICE = U S Navy Seabees

UNIT = MCB 5

RANK/RATE/JOB = EO3

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit 'How I Put One Over On My Senior Chief' Story

MY WARSTORY = Yeah Chuck Brenden was right about the baseball field. Surely one of my favorite times.  See, when we got there the ballfield was starting to show its wear, with several low spots and coral outcroppings.  We used it alot anyway and guys kept getting hurt.  Well us alpha company types aren't real bright but the attrition rate got tooBy the way high with everyone else that we kinda figgered we better fix the field.  So we went up the chain of command and they kinda blew us off but gave us permission to use a few yards of crushed coral fines to fill in the holes.  But our daddy, the best boss I ever had , Capt. David DeVicq, understood our problem and told us to fix it.  Well we got rained out of our games all week and by the weekend we had had it.  Fortunately the laydown crews were also idle for the weather but our blessed crusher people kept creating stockpiles of ever growing material.  Well, we decided to go that weekend and man, every mechanic that had a military drivers license; no, wait... we never checked, wanted to run us rock. So off we went, a bunch of ballplayin Seabees, to dress the field.  Man it was glorious!  All these CM's in dump trucks just haulin ass doin what they wanted, driving fast!  Me and Andy could barely keep up on the field side.  When it was done we had the fastest baseball field on planet earth.  Well like Hollyweird says, if you build it he will come.  And that Monday, when the boys at Lifer central showed up for work and,I'll be damned, the entire crusher stockpile yard was as flat as our ballfield!  There wasn't so much as a buger of a pebble left, we cleaned it all out, 300 yards at least.  And lifer central came all right, right down  on my head.  See, the senior was still angry with me for tossing report chits while I was on dead line.  But actually he was still massively pissed at me and Andy for getting past perimeter security at desert training and gassing the command tent, yes boys we had tear gas, and then tying the exit flap shut.  Hot damned, where IS they're sense of humor, Andy and I thought it was funny.    Funny thing is, Captain DeVicq stood by us and I have never forgot that.  Sometimes our leaders know a lot more than we give them credit for.  More than once I have regretted not coming back for 4 more,  De Vicq was that cool.  By the way I was the first guy in the  hospital we were building and I just want to thank Ray Keller, Doc Lou Suarez, Doc Feese, and BU 3 David Norman for helping me out with the ditcher accident.  My leg is fine.  Still looking for those damned brain cells though. By the way, while the flies were looking for more doo doo Captain Devicq flew us in a couple racks of Heinakin. Go Navy!

Feb. 75-Oct. 75

NAME = Tommy Arnold

MY QUEST = To see if any of the MCB-3 B-Company guys are still out there

VT of a SWALLOW = depends on how cold the beer is............

E-MAIL = birdness@excite.com

NATIONALITY = american

SERVICE = USNMCB-3

UNIT = B-COMPANY

RANK/RATE/JOB = CA

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing on Diego Garcia

MY WARSTORY = Well there we were on that little rock, I was 17 years old and knew it all, O.K. I knew most of it. I Was there in 75, our hut was on the lagoon side of the island, next to E-6 huts, we had a sign on the back door Drity Dozen. The sign was there when we moved in. I remember drinking alot of Oly beer some PBR and some kind of wine, rum and coke at the so called club. We ate coconut crubs I have picture's of them fresh off the Bar-B-Que, skip jack, and just about anything else that came out of the ocean, I still have my sea shells that we spent hours picking up at low tide. I remember taking people out snipe hunting HA-HA, We put a muti-wheeled roller in the ditch on one of those hunts oops, sailing with David Bird, snorkeling with Will Noffsinger and having the shit scared out of by the moray eels.  I worked on the bowling alley, the gym, radar domes, the new galley. Diego burgers were a treat if you got there before they ran out of burgers, Renee our squad leader was the cook for most of the time we were there. I would like to hear from any of those old B-Company asshole's Kirk H., Gary B. Joe, Tom S. Renee B. Will N. David B. And CE-2 brekenbill still owe's me a $100.00 I won the bet. I just don't rememer anymore name's off the top of my head. Life was good at 17. Hope to hear from any MCB-3 people....

1975-1976 1 month 1979

     NAME = Chuck "BIG KID"  Brenden

     MY QUEST = To live long and remember

     VT of a SWALLOW = 594 ft off my bat

     E-MAIL = cbrenden2000@aol.com

     NATIONALITY = American

     SERVICE = USN NMCB5

     UNIT = A COMPANY 3RD PLATOON 7/8 NUTS SOFTBALL TEAM

     RANK/RATE/JOB = CM3 WAS CM2 IN 1979

     MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

     SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing on Diego Garcia

     MY WARSTORY = WE HAD A UNUSUAL WEEKEND OFF. THE BASEBALL FIELD SUCKED AND WE HAD JUST CRUSHED TONS OF CORAL THAT TURN OUT TO BE TO FINE FOR THE CONCRETE. SO BILLY LOVELAND, ANDY CREEVY, KEN MARTINEK, SMUTTLY T CRASH MODICKER III, DL MOORE, RICK HOKE AND A FEW MOORE THAT HAVE DIED IN MY BRAIN CELLS SET OUT TO REBUILD THE FIELD. IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THIS COMES LARD ASS SENIOR CHIEF HARRIS TO TELL US TO STOP. WE MENTIONED TO HIM THAT WE HAD NO INTENTION OF STOPING AND GO F*** HIMSELF. LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT GOOD OLD COMAMDER DAVID DEVIC THOUGHT IT WAS A HELL OF AN IDEA. SO OLD LARD ASS WENT TO RAISE HELL AND GOT SCOLDED IN FRONT OF US. ALMOST 30 YEARS LATER RUNNING A BUSINESS THAT HAS OVER 30 EMPLOYEES THIS SEEMS SO SMALL, BUT TO A 19 YEAR OLD KIDS IT SHOWED THAT THOSE IN POWER WERE NOT ALWAYS IN CONTROL. ANYONE REMEMBER THIS? LOTS OF FUN ON THE ISLAND. I SAW SOMEONE REMEMBRED THE USO SHOW WITH MISS AMERICA, WE CAUGHT HELL FOR MOONING THE BUS ON DG1 WHEN THEY SHOWED UP. GOOD MEMORIES !!!!!!

1975-1976

     NAME = John D. Goslin  (aka Goose)

     MY QUEST = to figure out if the old "sea stories" are true or if they've become figments of my imagination!!!!!

     VT of a SWALLOW = One doesn't know till it splats!

     E-MAIL = gooseandgert@peoplepc.com

     NATIONALITY = American

     SERVICE = Seabees/Navy

     UNIT = NMCB 133-Delta Co.  Assigned to Water Well Crew.

     RANK/RATE/JOB = SWCN (at least twice) now-maint. manager for small city parks and rec. dept.

     MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!

     MY WARSTORY = Does any body remember when somebody stole the Island plug.  How about when someone stole the Brit Reps car?????  Does any one remember the "green weenie" that some one carved for our commanding officer, Dick Lowery????????? We also played music on the island.  Does any one remember the song," the navy's a drag"???????  What about the tree house we had built.  Man it was great, then they made us tear it down.

     I think that Diego was the place that I lost most of my brain cells.  I'm glad that I can remember any thing.

     Any body know where Dave Conner or Stu Probst or JD "Turkey bones" Martin is????????

     In the immortal words of Mr. Bob Hope-----

     THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.

july 75 july 76

     NAME = George Soria

     VT of a SWALLOW = to much phone

     E-MAIL = phone 512 5760474

     NATIONALITY = mex american; SERVICE = navy; UNIT = crash crew; RANK/RATE/JOB = e-3  I.R.S.

     MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

     SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

     MY WARSTORY = sleeping in the crash truck, i remember the guys that took the july 4th cake the night before, they dropped it and left a trail to their room, remember getting drunuk on orange juice and gin. { last time i drank gin} then getting a emergency call at around midnight, 90 percent of the crash crew were crashed. yep remember r@r at bankoc. irecall when a kid from n. corolina came bck from r @ r and falling in love with a waitress, we told him she was a hooker, well about a week later his face was swollen, eyes covered over, medivac for him, guess he was eating something special. he he. yes i remember the first day getting off the plane and remember my short calender. lots of mail kept us going, it was fun but glad im here in austin tx.

1975

     NAME = charlie file

     MY QUEST = looking for someone that seen me grab ahold of  that shore power

     cable!

     VT of a SWALLOW = about 2 nano-secs.

    E-MAIL = tireddriver55@yahoo.com

     NATIONALITY = cau.

     SERVICE = usn

     UNIT = boilerroom

     RANK/RATE/JOB = cancer survivor from asbestos from boiler repair.

     MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Please Select The Category That Best Discribes Your  Interest in Diego Garcia

     SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other

     MY WARSTORY = I was dragging a shore power cable onto the boat with a bunch of other boots.  Guess who was the last monkey on the line was.  Well as the coupling got to me i grabbed it inside of the end and i just seen stars and learned to fly that day.  I am looking for someone who ight have seen me do this it has to do with a claim i want to file. thanks mucho.  Does anyone remember Charlie Moore?  now he was a class act if there ever was one. He could out drink the captain if given half a chance.  Yuk Yuk.

1975

NAME = Thomas (Tom) Vermilye

MY QUEST = Just trying to see what DG has become.

VT of a SWALLOW = Unknown

E-MAIL = tvermilye@yahoo.comn

NATIONALITY = American

SERVICE = USN Seabees

UNIT = NMCB 62 Alpha co

RANK/RATE/JOB = When I was on Island I was an E3. I worked on the POL farm. MCB 62 had started and finished the construction of the sight. As we left the steel workers from PI came in and started to build the tanks.    After leaving DG. I went to Gulfport for Homeport then went to Guam.  Left Guam July 19,1978. I was dicharged at Treasure Island San Francisco Ca. After my discharge I started to long Haul trucking. I retired from trucking after 20 years.  Now I work for Home Depot.

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other

MY WARSTORY =  No particlur story.

    I just remember that we had alot of work to do. My time on Diego was probably the most educational time in my life. Why? Because I found out that I could do things by myself. That I loved my beautiful wife. That I really did not need to be in the service.

    Out of the things done on the Island. I most remember the night that I went Coconut Crab hunting. Then we had our days of BBQing. I remember when the corpman would have their BBQed steaks. Aco would go out and steal the steaks off the grill. Don't know if they actually knew who grabbed the steaks. But they were good.

    I would like some up to date pictures of the island. When I left not a whole lot was done. When 62 was on the island the club was like most of the buildings on the island a plywood hut. We had the theater, exchange, Sickbay. There were all modern buildings. NMCB 62 was tasked with the expansion of the runway, the pol farm and the swimming pool. We had a lot of 12 hour days. Not a lot of play time. But when we could play we sure did.

1975-1976

NAME = JERRY "TWEED" BRADY

MY QUEST = TO REMIND THOSE WHO THINK DIEGO WASN'T ALWAYS A CUSH PLACE; THAT MY FRIENDS AND I BUILT MOST OF WHAT IS CUSH; AND WHILE DOING SO WE LIVED LIKE REFUGEESFROM SOME WAR TORN COUNTRY.

VT of a SWALLOW = ABOUT .98 MACH

E-MAIL = JERRY.BRADY@LEARJET.COM

NATIONALITY = CAUC.

SERVICE = US NAVY NMCB133 CHARLIE CO.

UNIT = BUILT EM CLUB,HANDBALL COURTS,DIEGO BURGER,ETC.ETC.

RANK/RATE/JOB = E3 BUILDER THEN/NOW SELL AIRCRAFT PARTS FOR LEARJET

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Decided to Join A Monastery, But Couldn't Find One Stateside

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

MY WARSTORY = WELL, MY NAME IS "TWEED". I WAS THE ONE WHO HAD THE ROCK BAND ON DIEGO THAT PLAYED FOR THE MID DEPLOYMENT PICNIC.WE USED TO PRACTICE NIGHTLY IN THE SHELL OF THE DIEGO BURGER, BEFORE IT WAS UP AND RUNNING. I WAS ALSO PART OF THE FORKLIFT/REFER TRUCK INCIDENT. WE HAD A FULL COFFEE MAKER FULL OF MOJO WHEN WE WENT TO THE MOVIE, BUT WERE CARRYING AN EMPTY ONE BACK TO THE HOOCH.  ME AND JERRY GAMACH AND FRENCHY AND AUGGIE KOCH WERE DOING OUR RENDITION OF WATER BALLET ON TWO FORKLIFTS THAT WERE SITTING BY THE GALLEY REFER DECKS, AND GOING IN NICE CIRCLES WITH NOBODY BEHIND THE WHEELS. AND FRENCHY DECIDED THAT HIS FORKLIFT WOULD LOOK GOOD BURIED IN THE SIDE OF THE REFER TRUCK SITTING THERE ALL BROADSIDE TO US. SO HE SAT BEHIND THE WHEEL, AND STRAIGHTENED OUT THE WHEEL, AND THEN THERE WAS A CRASH. WELL ME AND GAMACHE RAN AS FAST AS TWO GUYS CARRYING A 2 FOOT TALL COFFEE THERMOS COULD RUN, STRAIGHT TO HIS NEW AIRSTREAM WANNABE TRAILER THAT THE COOKS ALL LIVED IN, AND CAUGHT OUR BREATH, THEN I WENT ON TO MY HOOCH AND PASSED OUT. WELL WE WERE SO DRUNK, THAT WE DIDNT NOTICE THAT ALSO LEAVING THE MOVIE AT THE SAME TIME WAS A SMALL GROUP OF CHIEFS AND SENIOR CHIEFS THAT WATCHED THE WHOLE THING FROM ABOUT 50FT AWAY.  WELL LONG STORY SHORT, WE HAD TO TESTIFY AT FRENCHY'S CAPTAINS MAST AND HE LOST A STRIPE AND SOME PAY, AND GAINED MORE ANTI NAVY ATTITUDE. IT SUCKED, BUT HEY, IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE. AND BEFORE CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY HEY TO BAD RONNIE AND ANDY AND ALL MY BROTHERS FROM 133 CHARLIE CO, AND IF YOU GET A CHANCE, DROP ME A LINE. I MISS THE GOOD OLE DAYS. AND YES, I STILL PLAY THAT LOUD HEAD BANGING ROCK AND ROLL. I HAVE PUT OUT 2 CDS WITH TWO DIFFERENT BANDS IN WICHITA KANSAS. ONE OF THEM IS WITH MY DAUGHTER PLAYING BASS FOR ME. THAT WAS COOL.

fall 75 fall 76

NAME = eocn john frye

MY QUEST = to try and remember

VT of a SWALLOW = i have no idea

E-MAIL = jfrye@linkfast.net

NATIONALITY = american cauc; SERVICE = usn nmcb74 det diego garcia; UNIT = mcb74 det main body was in guam i think, we has oic dickhead named black ; RANK/RATE/JOB = was eocn in seabees, changed rates to ad retired ad1(aw)

1994/12/31

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 remember being on the rock, at the time i thought it sucked like eveyone else....now i would give anything to go back, of the pics i can find none of them stir what i remember, the rock crusher crew, those giant f*cking crabs. getting busted on the runway drunk in a duece and a half that we stole. the flies so big they couldn't lift off the table like good old american flies they had to take a take off roll. i swear i could not sleep for a month after i got back cause there was no sand in my rack. we lived right on the lagoon in a sea hut which i haven't found much about either. we built a deck on the side of our hooch. the guys names i can remeber are jim niles and joe brown jim a eo1 joe an eo2. i remember working our ass off during the day and partying every night. i remember the out door theatre. we might have hade usdg1 paved while i was there but i can,t remember. you can bet it was nothing like the pictures i see of the place now. everything was made of plywood when i was there. we had out house that had diesle fuel to kill the waste . ( i know cause i was tad for my first 60 days trash crew and burning shitters) it was great off everyday by noon. any way hard for mr to remember most of that i was 17 at that time, (43 now), please feel free to email me if any of thi rings a bell

Febuary - October 1975

NAME = Dale C. Andersen  E-MAIL = Depdale@charter.net

SERVICE = USN; UNIT = MCB-3; RANK/RATE/JOB = SW3 ALFA COMPANY WELDING SHOP

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Sailing Story

MY WARSTORY = DRINK, WATCH MOVIES, PLAY BASEBALL, WORK AND DREAM OF HOME WAS THE ACTIIVITIES OF THE FOOTPRINT.  I REMEMBER GETTING INTO BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY, SAILING, AND PUTTING IN LONG HOURS AND DAYS OF WORK WHILE THERE.  INSTEAD OF GOING TO BANKOK FOR LIBERTY WE TALKED THE POWERS TO BE IN LETTING SEVERAL OF US GO ACROSS THE ISLAND TO THE PLANTATION AND STAY.  WE DID SOME MAINTENANCE TO JUSTIFY OUR ADVENTURE.  I WASN'T MUCH INTO WATER SPORTS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE JAWS MOVIE OR MAYBE IT WAS JUST AFTER THE DOC EXPLAINED ALL THE HAZZARDOUS CREATURES WE WOULD BE SHARING THE WATER WITH.  I REMEMBERED THE U-2'S COMING TO THE ISLAND.  WHENEVER THEY CAME IT SEEMED OUR MAIL DID NOT.  NEAT PLANES BUT GO AWAY!  I REMEMBER A C5A COMING ACROSS THE ISLAND SO LOW YOU COULD COUNT THE RIVETS.  INTERESTING PLACE TO VISIT BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE THERE, NOT AGAIN.

1975

MARK S. HERMAN  <markh@ci.grapevine.tx.us>

      Ah, funny pages. I was there in 75. When we landed and they opened the door, I thought I was in hell. Man was it hot. It really never changed much, I just got used to it. I didn't really know then how I would look back on my time there. I was a CTO then and there were "0", Nadda, None, No women there then. Just Sea Bees and crabs. We got one R & R to Bangkok, that was a real trip. I used to lay on the beach at night and look up at the stars wondering if my girl back home was doing the same thing. She wasn't. She was bedding my best friend, after all he said he would watch over here while I was there. What a good friend huh? I remember driving the bus out to the station running over all those damn crabs. Watching movies on the back of a building. Our highlight was the Ice Cream machine. I ran the Leather Shop while I was there. They began dynamiting the lagoon while I was there. We didn't have the comforts I suppose they have now. We lived in wooden shacks on the beach about 10 ft from the water. We found out after getting there that our whites didn't stay white (they turned yellow), so we got to wear the Sea Bee greens. I drank a lot of Oly, that's Olympia beer, can't stand the stuff now. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Nice to see that we have our own website. I haven't really thought about Diego that much over the years but it's nice to hear the name mentioned on the TV. Take care. Mark

75-76

NAME = Steve Shannon

MY QUEST = To Find old shipmates

E-MAIL = Steve@mcintyremann.com

SERVICE = USN; UNIT = Air Ops; RANK/RATE/JOB = ABH3

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

MY WARSTORY = The Memories- Softball, c-141's c-130's p-3a's THE C-5A that blew out  our runway lights. Mail call. Coconut crabs, MIKE MOUNT, Roast Beef and rice, Diego Burger, lonliness, being short, being a 2 digit midget a kid nick-named Pea Ridge. (from Arkansas) R&R in Bangkok, the stars at night,yellow school bus,shelling,the heat , the rain,going home. I would like to hear from anyone from the island when I was there.

From January, 1975, to October, 1975

TIM DERMODY <timdermody@hotmail.com>

MY QUEST = Serenity

VT of a SWALLOW = 575 mph

NATIONALITY = amurikan; SERVICE = USN; UNIT = Disbursing Clerk, MCB-3; RANK/RATE/JOB = DK3 then

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

MY WARSTORY = My friends and I drove to a beach on the ocean side of the island where the waves broke, 10 to 13 feet.

     If you paddle this huge log out to just the right spot, they told me, the current will whisk you quickly along, parallel to the shore, a kind of white-water ocean rafting.  Three nimrods, we paddled out ... and over a breaker or two ... until we looked back toward the shore to see the waves breaking over the top of the palm trees. I had just figured that we were out too far, when suddenly a huge wave threw the huge log shoreward like it was a toothpick. I was slammed to the coral, large gaping gashes in both knees. Somehow I stood up and the water re-rushing seaward flowed through my nose and mouth. Another wave slammed me down again.

     When I surface, I saw the other two guys far behind me. One guy was crying for his wife and kid. I was slammed to the coral again. I stood up, the returning water pushing me back to sea. Again and again it smashed me forward and drew me back until 20 minutes later we all three washed up on shore.

     I laid there for a while and we finally returned to our Quonsets. For days, I could hear the ocean in my mind.

     From his Forum entry:  No girls, R&R in Thailand, donkeys, warm beer, despondency.  I WAS WITH THE ENG DEPT, I USED TO DRIVE THE BIG BUS, THIS WAS BEFORE THE NEW BARRACKS WERE BUILT, WE STILL LIVED IN HOOTCHS.  WOULD ENJOY HEARING FROM ANYONE.

1975

NAME = Doug (Cap)Caporale

MY QUEST = To look up some old buddies

E-MAIL = djc5@dcx.com

SERVICE = NMCB62; UNIT = Battery Shop; RANK/RATE/JOB = CE

MY WARSTORY = No stories to tell. Just want to contact anybody that was doing time there when I was. I worked in the battery shop and gave out a lot of batteries and jump starts to CMs and EOs. I remember my friend Mark tried to swim home but we stopped him because he wasn't in very good shape that night.

February to October 1975

NAME = Wesley Whitmeyer < wesley.whitmeyer@farmcreditbank.com  >

NATIONALITY = USA; SERVICE = USN; UNIT = Delta Company NMCB-3; RANK/RATE/JOB = CN (thats an E3, not something on cable TV)

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Interested World Citizen

MY WARSTORY = I guess the closest thing I have to a real war story is that Saigon fell while I was on the island and our mail/supplies/R&R got all screwed up because the air force had more important things to do. We ate lots of wienies, black eggs and some kind of fake milk that came in big cardboard boxes. Of course all the rumors were that the battalion would be loaded up and sent in to drive back the commies.

     About halfway through the deployment we got the movie "Jaws" and the beach pretty well cleared off for a month or so.

     Had the pleasure of enduring a full body cavity search on return from R&R (they ordered us not to tell anybody about it ). Also remember the crabs, donkeys, formaldehyde beer (at least its cheap), yellow circles in the sand around palm trees in the hooch area, watching movies in the rain on the side of the partially completed medical building, the delicate feathered white birds in green palm trees against the blue sky and the eternal roll of the surf on the reef. I could not wait to leave there but I would love to go back and see it again.

Nov 1975 - Nov 1976

NAME = Bill Petrie <wpetrie1@mediaone.net>

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

MY WARSTORY = Or How I ended up testifying at my room mate's trial.  I was a RM1 in tech control with Whitworth. As a matter of fact, I was in mod 16 with him. My damn memory was so good that the NIS and the justice department decided I would have the best vantage point on the damage he did while on NKW. So i spent an hour on so on the stand in 1986 in San Fran staring at him from the witness chair and testifying about the tech control layout and how he could have photoed or copied the keylist from his desk in the back corner without anyone seeing him.

     I dunno if anyone remembers Leon Oerline, another tech controller there.  But the Justice Dept asked that he and I both go to Hawaii five months before the trial and they decided to use my testimony, probably because I was also his roommate...lucky me. I'm still in touch with Oerline (Omar to some) so email me if you want to discuss old time. Maybe we could have a reunion in Leavenworth. HAHAHAH

October 1975 to October 1976

NAME = Jim Davidson

MY QUEST = Find old friends from the Rock

E-MAIL = jimdavidson11@hotmail.com

NATIONALITY = American; SERVICE = USN; UNIT = R-Site

RANK/RATE/JOB = Arrived in DG as an E-1 just a few weeks out of bootcamp. Left the Navy four years later, but remain in the USCGR, now E-8 in the Dominican Republic. Also am a Foreign Service officer with State.

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Professional Adventurer Looking For The Ultimate Get Away

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing on Diego Garcia

MY WARSTORY = What a wild time. On the way over from Clark an old chief told me that Jennie was the only female on the island. Found out that she was a donkey. British customs took my speargun at the airport, but a friend mailed another one in piece-by-piece. Ate great fish and lobster from the lagoon. Had only surfboard on the island and there were great waves. Remember rescuing a buddy who got pulled out with the rip. On roving patrol one night, though I caught Russians digging a hole on the beach. Turned out to be a turtle laying eggs. Guys at the duty office had a good laugh when I radioed in. Remember Jerry W. well. He was the only person that I knew who actually extended on the rock. Went to Guam next, then left active service in Taiwan. Took an around-the-world trip, ending up back in Puerto Rico. Went to college, joined the Coast Guard reserve, and eventually landed back overseas with the State Department. Last two decades: D.C., Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic, and leave PCS for Oman in a week.

1st Time December 1975 (3 months), Second Time May 1978 (4 months), Third Time January 1979 (3 months), Forth time March 1982 (18 months) August 1983 - December 1985

NAME = Jack Kaltenhauser

E-MAIL = arizseabee@email.msn.com

SEE HIS 1983 ENTRY ALSO...

    In November 1975 someone got the bright idea to pull 12 Seabees from CBMU 302 in Subic Bay on to "THE ROCK" to support the Construction Battalions by taking over Camp Maintenance. We also assume responsibility for all the Chow Hall, Chief's, EM, and O club refers and the item which made us a force to deal with was the ICE PLANT. At the time we controlled all manufacture and distribution of ice on the island. To someone sitting in his living in the US this seems petty. But on DG ice was more valuable then any other items, it chilled your beer and cool the water. Everyone need ICE. This was my first tour on the Rock several more followed when I finally left DG in 1985 I had spent over 4 1/2 years on the island in a ten year period.  Believe I saw the island change.

     I made 3 DG deployments from Subic Bay.  Each had its own memories. I worked with some great folks and some real asses. The great folks included UT2 (Big Al) Alfords, CM1 (Andy) Anderson, EO1 Paul (Uncle Tom) Perkins, and others who names have faded in the past.

     Some to the bad ones include Gil Stadem (who gave Paul the Uncle Tom handle and almost choked for it) CM1 Murowski, CEC Spence neither who could pour piss out of a boot with the instruction on the heel.

     We controlled the Freezers, the Ice, the Refers, the washer and dryers. In the 3 tours I spent in these years I never ate at the Chow Hall, we had a cookout every night.

1975-1976

NAME = JOHN BERGER <CSX@BIGFOOT.COM>

NATIONALITY = US

SERVICE = USN

UNIT = NAVAL WEATHER SERVICE DETACHMENT

RANK/RATE/JOB = AGAN - RETIRED USN THIS YEAR AFTER 26 YR

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Professional Adventurer Looking For The Ultimate Get Away

MY WARSTORY = I worked at Air Ops .. launched weather balloons .. I remember the time I wrapped one around the tail of the twice weekly C141 .. the USAF guys were pissed ...

1975 to 1976

NAME = Ken Conklin

MY QUEST = Maybe find others that served bravely during the days before Disco!

VT of a SWALLOW = speed of gulp

E-MAIL = kconk46044@aol.com

NATIONALITY = USA; SERVICE = USN; UNIT = NAVCOMMSTA; RANK/RATE/JOB = RMSN left Nav in 78.

      I suppose at the time, that I was considered a "NUT" for loving duty  on that "coral reef"  It's been 25 years,  I do have some of those yellowed Polaroids.  I was at "R" Site from feb 75 to 76.  I repaired Teletype equipment.

     Memory Lane From first week:

From the beach - Oh shit!  that guy is bare assed naked....

From the Mods - Take a look at this man...the toilet flushes backward!

First trip on Diego Trailways / 365 and a wake up!!!

Watching "The Excorcist" on the side of a building....

Watching coconut crabs and wild donkeys along the turnpike....

Buying a $2.00 carton of smokes and dirt cheap PBR.

Later:

Strolling Diego's nude beach (bare assed naked).

Diego Burger, Mess duty, calling home once through MARS.

Waiting for low tide to go shelling....

The 1975 Miss USA USO tour...what debacle that was!

Purchasing my first real sound system from the exchange in Japan.

Driving the ET's van for late night service calls to xmitter site.

Having my wisdom teeth pulled at the dentist....

Ok, so it wasn't home and it seemed like forever to see a woman!

But hey, the place was flat out beautiful,  If I knew I was going to the carrier FDR, I would of stayed another tour.  It was a good experience for a then 19 year old and I met alot of good people.

     Thanks for the WEB site. I hope to see others that served with me leave a note or two.

1975 - 1976

RICK MILLER <rickmill@gte.net>

SERVICE = USN; UNIT = R-Site  Test Equipment Repair; RANK/RATE/JOB = ETN3;

MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane

SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell

MY WARSTORY = Oh yes, I remember it well (or was it that inexpensive rum stupor I was in at the time)!  I remember that slime spy Jerry Whitworth quite well.  He was a radioman in tech control, and as I remember, was a loner and an unfriendly jerk.  We used to ride a bus from downtown DG to the R-site.  Our uniform of the day at that time was khaki shorts, white T-shirt, baseball cap, and jungle boots.  I used to hassle Whitworth on the bus because he looked so rediculous in the above mentioned uniform and carrying a briefcase.  I could not for the life of me understand why he needed a briefcase.  He would give me this evil look when I would hassle him about that briefcase.  Little did I know at the time that this was probably his method of transporting classified material out of R-site.  I assume he would leave the info on the beach somewhere and it would be picked up by agents from the Soviet trawlers that were constantly present at that time.  I hope the dude rots in his cell, and I hope some "hardened" criminal is pokin his backside and showing him why they call it the "pokey"!

I've seen some recent photos of the rock, and man has it changed.  It was definetly not a pleasure tour when we were there... very little if any recreation.  But the booze was cheap, and we made the best of it!

1975-1976

FRANK WABLES <Wablesd@aol.com>

      I was on the island from April 75 to April 76.Started out at the receiver site and was put in charge of the transmitter site after about a month.  Also was alternate CMS custodian that issued Whitworth the cards and stuff he passed on to others.  I always wondered why that Russian trawler was at the same end of the island at the same day on the first two nights of the month.  Thought maybe they were recording our signals.  About the only thing really exciting was the donkey roundup.  A donkey bit a second class BM on the finger and the poor donkey died.  Retired from the Navy in late 77 and retired from a civilian firm last December.  Thanks for the good reading.  Frank Wables RMC USN RET.

Feb 1975 - Feb 1976

ANDY <PutnamLisa@email.msn.com>

     My surfing found me tying up my phone line for over an hour now. I was on "public works" for over a year.  As soon ask we get the scanner out of the box, I'll send you lots of photo's. I still keep in touch with one of my island mates. I know he's got a "ton" of photo's. Thanks for an enjoyable sight. I spent time enjoying the photo's. I loved exploring! I'm a pioneer and "theatre" builder. My worst sunburn ever! I recognized the landscape. Great fishing, R & R in Bangkok.  Shelling. man-o-war, coconut crabs, sharks, barracuda. Snorking at it's best from an intercity kid. Thanks for bringing me back down memory lane.

June 75 - June 76

STEVEN PADAVANANAME <padavana@columbus.rr.com>

NATIONALITY = American; SERVICE = U.S. Navy; UNIT = Naval Security Group Detatchment; RANK/RATE/JOB = CTT3 at the time

MY WARSTORY = Does anyone remember getting the donkey drunk? God that animal loved its beer more than the Brits. Speaking of the Brits their club was just a hole in the wall but it was the best "pub" on the rock.Taught me how to throw darts and throw up without missing a beat. The U-2 was there for a few weeks - should have been photographing Jerry Whitworth; hope he is still in the slammer.

June 1975 - June 1976

JOHN D. TERRY <jterry@cinci.rr.com>

What is Your Quest?  To buy that fishcamp in Florida

What is the Terminal Velocity of a Swallow?  Splat

Stationed on Diego Garcia in get this, June 75 to June 76. I was a CTR . I made E-4 on the island. Had alot of MOJO that day.  Looking for all my buddies that took care of me. I still remember when we built our addition on our seahut. A bar.

1975-1976

TERRY <Tgonde01@aol.com>

Were you ever on Diego Garcia?  Roger that mate! 75-76 (& 76 was a leap year!)

     Nevada Star was my 1st duty out of RM"A" school and before I went to Adak and then Guam. Six years total service. My LPO at "R" site was the nefarious scum RM1 Jerry Whitworth who is now in federal prison forever for working in the famous Walker spy ring. Now I work for a large multi-national computer services company and just returned to Texas from 2 years in Australia (Adelaide & Canberra).

    Life on the rock has surely changed! Life in the mods and watching the freedom birds probably hasn't. I'd appreciate hearing from other Critters from "R" site 75-76.