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 WAR STORIES FROM PARADISE
You have traveled back to 1975!
Entries are posted by the year the writer arrived, so be sure to check either side of the year
you're looking for to find your old buddies, shipmates, and sweethearts!

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.