WAR STORIES FROM PARADISE
You have traveled back to 1976!
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!
I'll update this page as I receive your warstory!
No
anoymous reports -
only if you're willing to put yourself up
to the ridicule of the world will you be entered into this Guestbook!
Send in YOUR Story NOW using the convenient fill-in-the-blanks form!
Please note that the email addresses are those at the time the entry was received.....sorry if they've moved on
Go-Kart Races, 1976. Thanks to Charlie
Kuhn for the picture!
1976
NAME = Simon Palmer
E-MAIL = simonpalmer419@yahoo.co.uk
NATIONALITY = British
SERVICE = Royal Navy
UNIT = British Representative's
Cox'n
RANK/RATE/JOB = Then
I was a Leading Seaman(Radar). Retired in 1992 as a Chief Petty Officer
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 = Went out
there in December 1975 and came home in Nov 76. Did a lot of sailing, fishing,
drinking beer. There were then about 22 Brits there plus a Seabee battalion
and about 200 US fleet sailors. i was vice commodore of the yacht club
and spent weekends teaching sailing. The names I remember from my fellow
sailing instructors are John Duning (USN), Art Woolf and John Sickler (Seabees)
(apologies to the others - it was along time ago!).
Being the US bi-centennial it seemed there was a holiday about every two
weeks! These all involved a BBQ and lots of beer!
I am curious as to what the place looks like now; unrecognisable no doubt.
Then it was still being built.
If anyone who was there then would like to get in touch we could do some
serious lamp swinging.
1976-1977; 1977-1978
The Rick <therick74dg@yahoo.com>
" DAMN! THAT PLACE!!!
"
I did two tours there
back to back, 9mo. each! First with a detachment NMCB 74, then with
the main body. 1976 - 1977 then AGAIN! 1977 - 1978
Yeah, im sure a lot of
people liked it there post circa 1980. After most accomodations were
already built. WITH AIR CONDITIONING!!! Not to mention A POOL! as
in so-called paradise. But for those pre-post years, we lived in
swelltering HEAT! HOT HEAT! and HUMIDITY! in Seahuts. Nothing but
sheet metal banging away on 2X4's and plywood all night. And that
was when there was a breeze. When there was no breeze or wind, it
was worse!
The buzzing of mosquitoes and, bites, we woke up scratching all day LONG!
Those DAMN mosquitoes had landing lights. And you call that paradise?
Ask those who had to stand watch, ESPECIALLY THE ARMORY! You had
to wear long sleeve shirts buttoned all thew way to the neck just to make
the bites less, even at NIGHT! WITH HUMID HEAT!
For us/them, I don't think it was such a nice place, even to just visit!!!!
I want to be DIEGO BURGER, KING! WITH ARCH PALM TREES... if it still
exist? If not REBUILD! and open all night! with donkey walk thru.
I was also THE RASIN JACK KING! made it by the 10 gal. loads. Had
people saving their empty BOONES FARM bottles to pour it in. Because
when the supply ship came in, half the alcohol was gone already! And YES!
I gave it away for free!
Diego, is that place still under the same management?
HELL YEAH! I GOT A LOT
OF WAR STORIES!
" DAMN! THAT PLACE!!!
"
Late 1976/1977
NAME = Rob Hermanns
MY QUEST = I seek the
Grail (old friends)
VT of a SWALLOW = Which
kind?
E-MAIL = Hermanns@fuse.net
NATIONALITY = Amurican
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = CBMU-302 Subic
Bay (Detail Paradise)
RANK/RATE/JOB = Did my
obligatory four years, and got out in 1979 as a CE-2
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = Our unit
was in charge of the reefer bank for the island, and we had a new guy coming
to the island every saturday, and one departing. the arriving guy would
always bring a bunch of san miguel with him from subic bay. we would go
out on saturday night when the tide was out, and with a flashlight in hand,
would catch these huge spiny lobsters. on sunday we'd rip off a mess of
steaks from the freezer and have a big ol' cookout. our unit lived in open
air hootches right by the lagoon. it was a really great time.
On the Rock 1976
NAME = Michael Reush
MY QUEST = Re-live the
bullshit, hook-up with some of the Heads and Freaks only
VT of a SWALLOW = I Forget,
Damn thing dont work so well anymore!!!!!!!!!
E-MAIL = michaelreush@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN SeaBees
UNIT = MCB 133 C co.
Handball ct, EM Club , Hot mop ,
RANK/RATE/JOB = BUCN,CA,CN...Left
service from Diego to Treasure Island S.F.
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 = Hmmmmmmmm,hmmmmmmmm,
is this thing on? I was one of the unlucky few who got busted for
an amount of pot when we first arrived that was as the official record
stated "consumed in testing" I thought welcome to Diego Garcia you pricks.
They knew who we were and who to search. What a joke. Ive told
that story a million times. I was there when the 4x4 Green Weenie
was fasioned, The Micky Mouse theme was trumpeted by Gross, Caught
a guy fucking a watermellon on the ocean side..I cant remember if I actually
saw that, but Ive been telling that story for years!Drunk as a skunk at
the old em club some asshole non-com we were screwing with says "Theres
places for people like you" I said" I thought we were already there.
We were hot mopping the new EM club roof and this kid pulled his geogia
buggy full of hot tar over the side with him,never saw him again.
Poor guy. He was a brown nose anyway.So many flies, I remember on
my birthday, in November a girlfriend (turned into wife number 1 of 3)sent
me some Hamburger Helper, anyway. Stole some hamburger meat from
the galley, had some Mateus wine, sat there and made myself not swat thoes
flies which ofcoarse all over. One of the greatest aclomplishments
of my life sitting there for an hour letting thoes pieces of shit crawl
over me without driving me crazy. I drank for the next20 years like
a fish. Tell people in AA that we fought the war overseas...........AND
LOST!!!!!!!!!
1976-1977
NAME = Steve Culbertson
MY QUEST = I want to
be immortalized in this site---or is it immoralized?
VT of a SWALLOW = Before
or after it enters the C141 engine?
E-MAIL = culbert316@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = Navy Seabees
UNIT = MCB5 Detachment
on airfield runway and parking apron expansion,
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= There I Was, Passed Out on The Beach
MY WARSTORY = Too many
stories to tell but I was there pre-airconditioning until they opened the
"nice cool" chowhall 2 weeks before we headed back to the world. I made
a lot friends and worked my ass off at the batch plant trying to get that
frickin concrete juuussstt riiiight so the builders could just watch the
slipform do the hard work. We worked more than we played so we played pretty
hard when had time. And hey Mark Austad!!! Leave your frickin email addy
if you want to catch up with old buds, ya duf!
Feb 1976 till April 1977
NAME = Joe Datko
MY QUEST = Finding old
Rock Critters
VT of a SWALLOW = Depends
on how slimey the Milvan beer got
E-MAIL = pro@happyhookbill.com
NATIONALITY = U. S.
SERVICE = NAVY
UNIT = R Site
RANK/RATE/JOB = arrived
RMSA left RM3. Left NAVY 1993 as CTT1
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 = The ROCK
was my first Duty Station, My A school instructor laughed his butt off
when most of our class at RM school pulled orders for the
Rock. Should have seen
the Chief's face when the plane load of us stepped of the C-141, and not
a Pedtty officer amongst us. So much for the replacements! I got there
and found out my luggage got lost enroute! Spent my first week there in
DRESS BLUE... Thanks to Jim Davidson for loaning me some clothes!
Fished, Fished, and Fished. I remember Dave Minnehan RM1 My fishing mentor
going instantly sober one afternoon when I fed a #14 tuna hook covered
with a grouper head to that HUGE Hammerhead out in the bay. Ole Dave knew
I had a big one on and leaned out over the rail of the Mic boat to get
a picture and when sober when that shark rolled and opened it's mouth.
The critter was 16 foot if it was an inch! Needless to say we cut the line
after we got a goot look at it and everyone on the boat decided for me
that it was not coming back with us for BBQ.
I remember watching the BIG rays cruise the lagoon. And the fishing off
that old rusty barge was world class!
While I was there rec services got in these row boats with little 6 horse
outboard motors. Mike Niver and I were two of the first to check one out
and
hit the lagoon with fishing
tackle..what A trip! Mike had never been in a boat that small and we were
out half way to Pt Marianne when I noticed this fin
following us. I cut it
over and ran full throttle straight for the beach, that fin followed. I
hit the shallows then ran the boat up onto the sand. The fin dropped off
and Mike and I tried to see what it was and where it was going. We waited
a while and after seeing no fin, decided we would head back to rec services.
As we were pushing the boat back into the water I notice the anchor line
was tied to the bow and in the water... Turns out Mike had tied it
off and not bothered to put it in the boat and the fin chasing us was our
own anchor trailing behind us!!!
The real laugh was in Spring of 77 when the A school instructor that laughed
at us over our orders arrived to be our new LPO.
july 1976 to august 1977
NAME = mark w austad
MY QUEST = find guys
that were there
VT of a SWALLOW = unkown
at this time
E-MAIL = not this time
bucko
NATIONALITY = amercian
SERVICE = usn
UNIT = usn nmcb5 diego
garcia slip form paving detail RANK/RATE/JOB = eocn at the time made eo3
in rosey roads discharged on early out program in 1978 MY INTEREST IN DG
IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a
Real Story To Tell MY WARSTORY = Actually i have no big story to tell i
don't have a very good memory of my time spent on the rock 13 months is
a long time we worked from sun up to sun down 6 days a week thats a lot
of time in a vietman era multi fueler going round and round hauling concrete
for the runway expansion drank a lot of beer and made some good friends
maybe i'll meet some thru this site
From: William Kellerman
<WILLIAM.KELLERMAN@asu.edu>
Date: 03 Mar 2006,
03:55:47 PM
Subject: ON D.G,
6/76 to 8/77
I served on the NMCB-5 Slip Form Paving Detail from July 1976 to August
1977. On my 3rd tour to Diego Garcia, I was part of the runway extension
detail out of Port Huenemi California. Our detail was headed by Lt. Kaniciki.
I remember working solid 7 day weeks, over 12 hour shifts for up to four
months without a day off trying to meet some deadline. The steady pouring
of concrete meant that lunch was eaten on the run with a bull-float in
one hand and a sandwich in the other. If it rained during one of our pours
the E.O.’s would have to bulldoze tons of concrete into the ocean. I would
like to hear from any one on this detail especially Robert Taylor from
Louisville Kentucky or Ron (Gramps) Weatherlow, of Calif. We all shared
the comradeship of a driven hardworking group of men with varied diverse
backgrounds, while our main battalion enjoyed the pleasures of Europe in
Rota Spain. Mostly, we built many good memories.
Nov '76-Nov'77 again
in 79/80
NAME = Jerry Fillion
MY QUEST = Hook up w/
ole buddies
VT of a SWALLOW = No
clue
E-MAIL = hrdude46@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = ex drunken
Seabee
SERVICE = Navy Seabee
UNIT = 30th NCR first
tour - Rock Crusher Crew in79/80
RANK/RATE/JOB = Got out
in 81 as EO2.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Please Select a Title For Your Story, or Select 'Other'
MY WARSTORY = Good site!
Went to the rock in'76 right out of EO - A school as an EOCA. Assigned
to the 30th NCR as Captains driver (Commodore) but he didn't use a driver!
Typical Navy planning. Anyway one of the command Master Chiefs got me a
job w/ det 62(or was it 74?) on the rock crusher so I could get some clutch
time. I remeber names & faces - Tom Doyle, David Crow, Kim Long, Gilbert.
When 62 returned in '77 as main battalion I got a job w/ 2nd platoon Alpha
as dozer operator on push cat to scrapers @ Point Marriane.
Came back in 79/80 w/ MCB 40 as 2nd class running the rock crusher. Names
of guys I would like to talk to again (no particular order) = Kenny Nunn,
Danny Hosher, Terry Blake, Scott Schofield, Roger Palarday, Rick Baptista,
Jim (the kid) Kays, Kurt Webber, John Webber, Pete(Mugsy) McGuiness, Brad
Jensen, Jay Oldenburg - many others. Don't want to hear from Clay Williams,
Scott Hurlbutt, or Master Chief Ahrens (probably dead?).
If you were on the Rock you know that the only thing to do besides work
& drink was to fight each other. I only fought two times my first tour,
a guy from 133 & a guy from Pubic works. Fought countless times 2nd
tour. I remember dropping a hit of acid (allegedly - I think it was mostly
speed)one saturday & going to the EM club. Hooked up w/ Terry, Roger
& Scott. I was really peaking when some PW (big guy too)WannaBee stepped
on my foot in the head. I was wondering what to do after I asked him to
get off my foot & he said "this one?" Grinding my foot into the concrete.
I heard this little voice behind me & in my right ear saying "fuck
em up!, I got your back". I recognized the voice as Terry Blake & immediately
felt "comfort" and knew just what to do. As I was fucking the guy up he
kept yelling "somebody get em off me!!" I got 86ed from the club; tried
to sneak back in by changing shirts w/ Roger (mine had the guys blood all
over it)- Got caught - I think Roger got kicked out too!
Oh well... lots of fun
times believe it or not.
1976-1977; Public Works
1978, 1979 CBMU 302
NAME = Mark Gappinger
MY QUEST = No real quest
just looking for old friends
VT of a SWALLOW =
E-MAIL = mbgappinger@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY =
SERVICE = Seabee CE
UNIT = Public Works Telephone
exchange, AC shop
RANK/RATE/JOB = Got out
Aug 79 CE2,
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 = The best
thing that happened to me on the rock is that in 1978 I met Jesus Christ.
He changed my whole life and still is very real.
april -dec 1976
NAME = jim newcombe
sk3. nmcb3
MY QUEST = diego wear
VT of a SWALLOW = 55
mph
E-MAIL = buffetjim@juno.com
NATIONALITY = american
SERVICE = navy
UNIT = MLO OFFICE
RANK/RATE/JOB =
SK3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= There I Was, Passed Out on The Beach
MY WARSTORY = HAD
MANY GOOD TIMES ON THE ROCK IN 76. WHAT A PLACE TO CELEBRATE THE
BICENTENNIAL. THANKS AGAIN TO THE FRENCH SAILORS WHO HELPED US GET
EXTREMLY WASTED THAT DAY. SPENT MANY A NITE WITH FELLOW SEABEES DRINKING
ANNIE GREEN SPRINGS WINE ON THE BEACH. SOME OF MY WORST HANGOVERS
EVER. DID RECIEVE LETTER OF APPRECIATION FOR STRAIGTENING OUT THE
INVENTORY CARD SYSTEM IN THE MLO OFFICE. WISH I COULD GET A TEE/GOLF
SHIRT WITH THE DIEGO LOGO ON IT.
Subject:
the rock..
Date:
Thu, 28 Apr 2005 11:00:12 -0700
From:
fubsy <fubsy@digitalusa.net>
Hello,
My
name is Michael Field....formerly CTO3 Field......I have pictures somewhere
that Ill be looking for......I knew one of your posters...slightly...Mike
Mcmaster....we both worked in different areas within Charlie Site..............but
I have a question that perhaps this site could help with..........Im
looking for any photograps of John Walker that traitorous SOB from his
time on Diego Garcia.....I worked in his field and we were supposed to
be there during some of the same time.....I cant recall from 76 or there
abouts....I dont recall him being there....and we worked the same field..........Id
like to see a photo of that bum from that time frame.....Ive got some stories
to write as I get time......tks ....good site btw........mike.
76-77
NAME = George Quigley
MY QUEST = 133 Engineering
dept. reunion
VT of a SWALLOW = who
gives a rats ass
E-MAIL = georgeq@wrcasteel.com
NATIONALITY = usa
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = NMCB133
RANK/RATE/JOB = E3 FOREVER
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Other
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = Got hold
of a jeep and went out during low tide to take some frustrations out on
some black tip sharks with a few others from engineering. needless to say
there was a bit of substance involved, both before and after.Anyhow didn't
pay much attention to the tide until we couldn't find the jeep. Had it
not been for the antenna we never would have found it. Chief was pissed.
Oh ya and i would like
to confirm the first war story listed under this time frame, I was one
of the few that would get close enough to that big red neck to try and
hold the drunken ass down. Hey Mark
1976-1977
NAME = Dan Sweet
E-MAIL = DSweet118@msn.com
NATIONALITY = US
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = Navcommsta
RANK/RATE/JOB = RMSN
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = A good
friend on the island, RM3 Dickerson was badly burned trying to use ditto
fluid to light a grill about March of 1977. We heard close to nothing
about him after he was medevac'd off the island and I was hoping someone
might know how he faired. This happened about two months before I
left DG and I haven't been in touch with anyone since. He and ETR3
Buffalo and RM's Nolley, Brown, Callahan, Valenzuela, Skager, Karchefsky
(Scarf), Matisco, Albert Peralta and many others in the mods made life
fun on the Rock. I worked in Tech Support with RM1 Innis for a couple
of months before I left and I remember shit hitting the fan over a missing
crypto card, but I don't think I remember anyone named Whitworth.
I do seem to remember someone carrying a briefcase on the bus trip from
the mods to the radio site. It would be helpful to see a photo of
this guy.
76-77
NAME = Mark R. Jourdan
MY QUEST = Find folks
for a possible reunion.
VT of a SWALLOW = Who
cares??????????
E-MAIL = markjourdan@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = NMCB 133
RANK/RATE/JOB = E-3,
E2, E-3 and finally E-4 (got busted twice for pot). Went back to
school, finished my BS, MS, and eventually got a doctorate in Civil Engineering
from Texas A&M.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= This is a No-Shit Snorkeling Story
MY WARSTORY = Got busetd
for 3 grams of stems and seeds the day I came on the island. What
an introduction. Got busted to E-2, 30 days restriction and 30 days
extra duty for that one. Of course when you are on restriction, you are
not supposed to drink. YEAH RIGHT!!! I carried a tube of toothpast
and took a swig before roll call. There was one corpsman that tried
to bust me, but the Doc has gone to St. Louis Univ. and we talked about
old times...I got away with it...
There was another time when I took on everyone in my seahut, all 13 men.
Thye would get me down, and I would tell them I was alright and then they
would let me go. I would come up swinging.
Did a lot of snorkeling, always on the ocean side, which was actually off
limits. Saw shark, manta rays, barracuda, and lots of fish.
JUNE 76 - JULY 77
NAME = Evert J. Scholten
MY QUEST = Find buz and
hed
VT of a SWALLOW = Haven't
had Budweiser since June 19 1977
E-MAIL = Scholten53@aol.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = Comms
RANK/RATE/JOB = Rm3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Other
MY WARSTORY = It was
real and it was nice, but it wasn't real nice..
october 76 to around october
of 77
NAME = Dennis D Yordi
MY QUEST = Trying to
contact any crazy s.o.b. that was there with me!
VT of a SWALLOW = Haven't
the slightest
E-MAIL = airplane@dybb.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = Crash Crew on
the airfield, loaded and unloaded C-141, fueled aircraft
RANK/RATE/JOB = e-3 then
e-2 then e-3 then e-2 and so on. Currently I own a excavating company in
Cedar Rapids, Ia.
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 joined
the navy on my 17th birthday and was sent to the rock right out of a-school.
As you know we were there during the 200th anniversary of our country and
there were a lot of celebration on the island. This day started like all
the others and we were plastered by dusk as usual. A buddy and I went down
by the chow hall to break into the food storage lockers and get some burgers
like we always did, but this time we found a triple decker cake that was
to be used for the celebration the folling day! Now this cake was HUGE!!!
It was on a 4 x 8 foot sheet of plywood and of course we had to have it.
We used all of our drunken spy tricks we knew and almost made it to our
mod before detection from someone on watch. We Tried to slant the cake
away from the watch who was quite a distance away so all he could see was
the plywood but the cake slid off the plywood onto the ground. It was panic
time and we took off running to our mod a crashed for the evening, tired
and still hungry. Maybe a hour later the master at arms woke me up explaining
that someone had stolen the celebration cake and he had tracked the thief
to my mod with frosting footprints. I explained I knew nothing of the heist
but would let them know if I heard anything. They knew I did it but couldn't
prove it at that point so all was well till the next day. As I said there
was a celebration the next day the captain gave a speech and ask the oldest
person on the island and the youngest person to come up and cut the cake!
Of course I was the youngest, the captain said something to me about cutting
the cake twice in 24 hours. They knew it was me but they must of felt I
was already being punished by 12 months on the rock so they never really
pushed it too much.....What a year!
October 76-October 77
NAME = Kelly McDowell
MY QUEST = Isn't this
the question on "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"? Shit, I don't know.
Find a woman who thinks with her brain.
VT of a SWALLOW = I'm
not sure. It is relative to whether or not the coconut is from DG or elsewhere.
If it's from DG then it might have rum in it and there fore heavier
than those with milk.
E-MAIL = kmac454@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = Celtic
American. I am starting to organize nationally so that Celts can claim
the world they rightfully own.
SERVICE = USN (ret.)
UNIT = AFDG 1340 on your
AM dial
RANK/RATE/JOB = JO3,
retired as a STG1(SW)
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Geo-political Rabble Rousing
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I was working
as a a disc jockey (hell my balls hadn't dropped yet and my voice was still
high) and we had a JO1 who felt that breakfast was a fifth of Chivas Regal
over wheaties. He spent most of his days in a stupor and we (the stations
ET's and I) decided to put a coconut crab in his mail box (which had a
front cover). When he went for his mail, the crab leapt out at him and
sent him into DT's that I thought were as funny as hell. I had the shit
kicked out of me by two of his friends later that day, but it was worth
it. So if your still alive Jerry, I'm sorry. I also found, after we had
a visit by a USO show, the JO2 in charge of programming, doing some blond
in the television studion. Didn't even give me a chance for sloppy seconds.
Asshole.
1976
JIM DRESCHER <ManofTheCrows@aol.com>
Ted,
GREAT page. TONS
of info that I had no idea existed till my son happened on it.
Question for ya tho. I was there in '76, with NMCB 62 and was part
of the block plant crew. We made an estimated 250,000 block in the
6 months that we were there. I can only guess that some of the 'new'
buildings were built from the blocks we made. Can you confirm any
of this? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Jim Drescher
1976 & 1978
Doug McClelland <DougatSFO@aol.com>
Ted,
I visited Diego first in 1976 or so as part of the USAF invasion, returning
for a stint in 1978. Delighted to find your site! (I was worried
about the tsunami, but found you).
We first stayed in a hootch that looked like it came out of McHales Navy.
It was even big enough for my whole KC-135Q crew. Tin roof and real
canvas "curtains" you could deploy to stop the rain from coming in through
the screened in windows.
The officers club consisted of half of a "double wide". Room for
a pool table and a bar. But it was 20 feet from the Indian Ocean,
so the ambiance more than made up for the rest of the Spartan existence!
The airstrip was 8,000 feet long with no parallel taxiway. We had
to let our boom operator out to marshal us through a 180 degree turn at
the end of the runway to taxi back to the tarmac. I believe our group
of Navigators created the first Standard Instrument Departure for Diego...
Great time.
In 1976 there were only two types of beer on the island, Schltz (that had
been warming nicely in a freighter for two months on the way to Diego)
and some Coors we brought in ourselves. With the place being unexpectedly
overrun by USAF aircrews supporting SR-71 flights over--somewhere.....
we ran out of Coors often and so bastardized Schiltz's promotional phrase
and came to note that on Diego Garcia "When you were out of Beer, you were
left with Schlitz".
We actually may have brought in the first woman ever. She was a crew
chief in the USAF and there was a bit of a bureaucratic error. They
posted two MPS with her and got her out of there as soon as possible....
Anyway-I am applying for the Office of USAF Liaison Officer. Something
that is needed now more than ever as the place threatens to sink under
the weight of all the paraphernalia the USAF is now stacking in there.
If that doesn't work I'd settle for USAF Historian, although Liaison is
so much more cool....
I think its OK to be a bit more public, I am pretty sure the Navy found
the vehicle we "borrowed" one night. I mean the key, was left in
the ignition, so at 2 AM or so we just figured it was a communal vehicle,
and it was at least a 200 yard walk back to our barracks. Plus we
never took it off the island so it wasn't really stealing....
Thanks for a great site!
Doug McClelland, erstwhile
USAF Captain, retired in 1978.
1976
NAME = Ken Brusegaard
MY QUEST = I also would
like to see the old place once more to see what it looks like now.
VT of a SWALLOW = 120mph
E-MAIL = kennybden@aol.com
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = Engineering Aide
(Office Boy) Make NMCB133 Plagues
RANK/RATE/JOB = EA3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
MY WARSTORY = Was on
the advance party over. Fondly remember to couple of USO shows that actually
brought women to the island. Still have the collection of sea shells which
required some night time escapades with flash lights into the surf at the
south end of the island. At a recent family reunion I found out that one
of my second cousin's husband, who is in the Air Force, had been to DG
recently. We tried to compare different landmarks from when I was there
to almost 30 years later. Didn't sound like much of what I remember would
be recognizable now.
I wonder if the old MARS radio tower that I helped design the foundation
for, is still there? Because I had no engineering experience I had the
base for it made so huge that I'm sure anyone trying to get rid of it probably
gave up.
Also designed the laundry hut for the enlisted among the old seahuts and
the newer modular units that were being brought in to replace the huts.
May 1976-June 1977
NAME = John D. Reed
E-MAIL = snopops@aol.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = Communication
Station DG
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I remember
Diego Garcia for the food. Yes, I thought the food was truly outstanding.
300 different ways to cook roast beef. I remember
picking bugs out of my
food. I was a radioman that actually did supply work for the Comcenter
because, the storekeeper didn't have clearance to enter to radioroom. Anyways,
the American dude in charge down there got the brilliant idea to try and
get Mcdonalds to put up golden arches down on Diego. I remember seeing
MacDee's response to the request: you got to be kidding. The beer was cold
and cheap and I drank lots of it. I played guitar down in that funky outdoor
assembly area where they use to show movies. I remember the rain for like
eight weeks with only occasional clearing, that sucked. I remember seeing
the Russian Bearcat fly overhead, shadowed the island. You could hear the
thing an hour before you saw it. And the Russian trollers on the horizon
checking us out. Man, Diego Garcia. I got really bored and wrote my folks
to send some running shoes and started running. So, I'm running one day
down the road going out to the Commcenter and the Captain driving his Nova
pulls up along side me and he asked " whats ya runnin' from?" I said "boredom"
next thing I know they are staging half marthons. I remember saving lots
of money down on Diego, I think I still have some left. Let's go fishin'
1976
"Jim Newcombe" <jnewcomb@pfgc.com>
Subject: THE ROCK
Ted, I was looking at Diego sites when I came across yours.
I served on the rock as part of a detachment from NMCB-3 April-Dec
1976. I was the MLO storekeeper. I recieved a letter
of appreciation from the commander 30th construction regiment for reorganizing
the stock cards to a better level of accountability for each project.
What are the chances of me getting a t-shirt or golf polo shirt from the
Navy Exchange? My house caught on fire in 2002 and I lost all
my Diego items I brought back. Thanks and take care.
[Ed's
note: Can anybody help Jim?]
JIM NEWCOMBE, CSR, FOODSERVICE PURCHASING ASSISTANT
804-484-6271 PHONE
804-784-0576 FAX
JNEWCOMB@PFGC.COM
1976
NAME = Bill Blaurock "Blue Rock"
E-MAIL = bill_blaurock@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = Boat Pool
RANK/RATE/JOB = En3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Fishing Story
MY WARSTORY = We ran the boats to the fishing barge when it was first placed
at the mouth of the lagoon in 1975, On july 4th 1976 we had the biggest
drunken party I have ever seen with all the free bear and food you could
eat.. The British Governer forbid any of the local bands from playing
the "Battle of New Orleans" stateing that the british had never ran from
any thing.. My year on the rock was both the best and the worst year
of my life.
1976
NAME = Jim Drescher
MY QUEST = What???
VT of a SWALLOW = Depends on how you're using the term 'swallow'.
<hehehehe>
E-MAIL = ManoftheCrows@AOL.com
NATIONALITY = Caucasian
SERVICE = US Navy SeaBee
UNIT = USNMCB 62
RANK/RATE/JOB = Married, two children, life has been good.
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = Trying to remember what months it was I was there.
I know it was in 76 tho! Diego was certainly one of the places
that you never expect to go. When they opened the door to the jet,
I thought who turned on the furnace?! So many sunburned faces, noses,
and ears when we first got there. Had to be careful. We went
snorkeling right after we got there. Man, it was beautiful.
Just like one of the Jaque Cousteau shows. Just floating around,
sun on your back, fish all around, was great fun. Never knew I could
sunburn so easily. And that night, I had midwatch and they wanted
me to carry a radio? Right. Not on my back tho. It was
my first watch, new to the island, I was near the Leather Shack and I heard
some weird sound coming from out there somewhere. Bout freaked.
Never heard a donkey before! Thought what the heck IS that?!
Have read most of the stories on here. We lived in 'hootches' right
on the water. Was here when they brought in the new 'porta
potties'. Such a relief to take a shower and not have to worry about
having weird things in there with you.
I was working at the block plant when we were there. We made over
200,000 blocks, they said. I know it was tough and mindless but sure
did build us up. Then we had a hand in making the new unloading dock.
Beer, crabs, chickens, donkeys, fish....was a tropical paradise.
One that I don't wish to repeat, not under those circumstances. I
worked for Special Services running the leather shop there also.
We got to know the Chinese guys that were blasting the lagoon too.
They called me "Mr. Jim".
Would like to know if Stu Larson, 'Boomba', Brian Gumpy, or any of the
other ones I was there with know about this site. If you are out
there, don't hesitate to email.
FEB 76 to FEB 77
NAME = STEPHEN NEWBY
E-MAIL = DRAGON40@WI.RR.COM
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = U.S. NAVY
UNIT = MAIN POWER PLANT
RANK/RATE/JOB = ENFN
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = From the memory of a 19 year old kid, now 46 years old. I
remember Howard Turner, we drank a few together, checkers w/shot glasses
as checkers, if ya lost the game ya finished every shot still on the board
one after the other. He was just a kid like the rest of us. I was on duty
at the main power plant that day, He was one of the crew putting up a pole
for an antenna at the fire house out by the Main Power Plant. The cable
with the telephone pole suspended snapped, all but Howard ran for the overhang
of the fire house roof, he never made it. I remember the guy's from his
shop taking up a collection in a coffee can to send to his family. I have
spoken of Diego Garcia and of Howard to many people over the years, it
was a lonely place for kid to die.
1976
NAME = EO3 DR STURGILL ''STURG''
MY QUEST = NO QUEST
E-MAIL = PEPPERSTUR@AOL
NATIONALITY = US
SERVICE = NAVY BEES
UNIT = RUN WAY CREWNOW
RANK/RATE/JOB = NOW HVAC MECH. FOR BALT. CO. GOVT
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = FIGHTING AMONG OURSELVES 1 AND 2 PLT. A CO OUTSIDE
OUR HOOCH I HIT MY BUDDY BIG MIKE JONES IN THE EYE TO STOP HIM FROM HITTING
CHIEF HOWARD THE ASS HOLE AND BEING PUT ON LEGAL HOLD. THEY SENT
HIM TO THE P.I. FOR TREATMENT WHEN HE GOT BACK I THOUGHT HE WOULD KILL
ME BUT HE WAS A HAPPY PUP FOR THE R AND R.
1976-1977
NAME = PAUL BRIAN THORNBURG
MY QUEST = TO LIVE HARD PLAY HARD AND DIE HARD
VT of a SWALLOW = WHO CARES I'LL SHOOT THE SON OF A "B" WITH MY 10 GAUGE
E-MAIL = PB THORNBURG @ COMPUSERVE .COM
NATIONALITY = IRISH AMERICAN
SERVICE = USNMCB ONE THE FIRST AND THE FINEST OF COURSE!
UNIT = DETACHMENT DIEGO I PLACED THE POWER POLES AND STRUNG WIRE
TO POWER THE ISLAND
RANK/RATE/JOB = CECN
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = BEFORE LEAVING OKINAWA THE U.S.O. SHOW CAME TO CAMP SHIELDS
REMEMBER THE GOOD LOOKING WOMEN THE RUNNER UPS FOR MISS AMERICA.
WELL, YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE 10 THOUSAND SWINGING "D" WHO WANT A PIECE.
i THOUGHT I, NOT A CHANCE. WELL I PULLED GATE WATCH THAT DAY, UPON
BEING PROPERLY RELIEVED I WENT TO THE CHOW HALL AFTER MOST THE GUYS SPLIT.
I PLACED MY TRAY OF DINNER ON THE TABLE WHERE FOUR OF THE WOMEN SAT AND
STARTED UP A CONVERSATION WITH A WOMAN FROM CALI. I GAVE HER MY GUARD WHISTLE
FOR THE HELL OF IT. WE SAID OUR GOOD BYES ETC.. TWO MONTHS
LATER I'M ON DIEGO FOR A SPELL AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT QUARTERS COMES UP
SAYING THE U.S.O. SHOW IS COMING TO TOWN. LOW AND BEHOLD THERE SHE
WAS WITH MY WHISTLE HANGING AROUND HER NECK. I APPROACHED HER AND
BOY WAS SHE SURPRISED TO SEE ME AGAIN. SHE SAID I REALLY GET AROUND
THE WORLD QUITE FAST AND OF COURSE I GOT FAST ON THE BEACH WITH HER THAT
EVENING. THAT WAS MY BEST DAY ON DIEGO. BACK THEN THERE WERE
NO WOMAN ON THE ISLAND, COCONUT CRABS, CHICKHENS AND THE ELUSIVE JACKASS...I
DON'T KNOW IF WOMAN ARE THERE NOW BUT I WOULD HAVE STAYED IF THERE WERE.
1976-77
NAME = Mike Akre
MY QUEST = To keep the
memory alive
E-MAIL = for_strong_winds@hotmail.com
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = NMCB 133
RANK/RATE/JOB = BUCN
then, managed to pull BU3 in Scicily, refused the BU2 exam in Puerto Rico
( I had had enough )
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Other
MY WARSTORY =
I think of the days I spent on the Island to this day. The bad times I
don't remember, (Although I remember walking on the beach, and wondering
if it was ever going to end). What I do remember is growing up fast in
the 9 1\2 months that i was there. For a 19yr old kid, I knew even then
that I was experiencing something that would live with me forever, And
It has. My first memory is of Stu Probst, Standing in the bed of a Duece
and a half Jump, Rolling down DG 1, Laughing at a busload of recruits leaving
the airport runway, And I came to know the runway well, as I spent the
majority of my time on Diego, making drainage culverts under the runway.
My first day on the jobsite I met Jeff Felker And J.J.Jenkins, Two guys
that were alot shorter than me, that I came to call my friend and respect
very much. Sally Sears and his bunch of steelworkers were were a real kick
to a new gut like me, The time that Goslin, an SWCN sent me for a rebar
stretcher was an enjoyable moment! (I was soo green). At about that time
I realized that I found a home there, And from then on I knew that everything
would work out. There were soo many days after that,,,,,I remember the
Mojo, The rain days that were called after quarters (and goin back to the
hootch and colapsing, because you were soo damn tired), The chickens that
would sleep in the showers at night, No dogs, Alot of cats, 50cent cartons
of Lucky Strikes, M&M's by the case (because I got soo tired of the
crappy food at the chow hall), shotgunning a sixpack of the rotgut Schlitz
Beer And goin to see the latest flick at the outdoor theatre (A movie that
was at least 5yrs old), And the people that I remember to this day,,,,,,,,,,Jim
Comee, Mike Wright, Jim VanGorder, Mark helbling, Chuck Scicluna, Tim Madigan(Who
I went thru boot camp with), Stu Probst, Greg Peacher, J.J.Jenkins, Jeff
Felker, Tim O'Connell, And soo many other faces that I can't put a name
with. I hope you are all still OK. This is for all the people who paid
there dues on Diego Garcia. If my name or any of this brings back a memory,
then let me know, We all lived it,,,,,,,,,,Mike akre
4 months in 1976
and 4 more months in 1979
NAME = jim sanker
MY QUEST = perhaps getting
in touch with ol buds.
VT of a SWALLOW = what
the freek......kind of question......is this? Depends on what your eat`n!
E-MAIL = starvinmarvy@charter.net
NATIONALITY = USA; SERVICE
= Navy; UNIT = NMCB-5; RANK/RATE/JOB = Was a BU.First time there,I reported
to the battalion right out of "A' school with 4 months left on the deployment.Second
rotation a BU2 and a SHORT timer.Only 4 months of that rotation.Then back
home.I should have stayed with the Seabees and retired at age 37!Anyone
else regret this?
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= This is a No-Shit Snorkeling Story
MY WARSTORY = Well
if I gots to chose a catagory....this one may as well start it...one day
my buddy Clay Carvalho decided to chance a snorkel session out off the
reef (out by the cannon)at low tide.It was just spectacular but only being
able to see whats directly in front of you with the mask on (no periphial
vision)I was uneasy.We saw the beautiful colored fish,the coral fish(who
chewed the shit and you could hear that under water),we got to about 5
feet of a moree eel,and you could see the teeth on this mother but it never
really seemed alarmed.But then I get this uneasy feeling and look behind
me and there probably,hell ..I`d guess about 30 feet,is a shark swimming
by along the ocean floor.It was then that we decided to get the hell out
of Dodge....but one of things I`ll never forget!!
Another
time was coming back to the hootch after breakfast and found a little coconut
crab passing through.Well I had a couple of apples from the chow hall for
later that day but got down in the little guys face.He was a little pissed
and I stuck one of those apples in his face and he effortlessly mashed
it in half.THATS ENOUGH for me I thought.All the rumors about the crab
were true as far as I was concered!!And he was a small one.
April '76 - September
'76
NAME = Mike McMurran
MY QUEST = peaceful revolution
VT of a SWALLOW = easy:
(x-y) + (xy/z)
E-MAIL = mikemcmurran@aol.com
NATIONALITY = Irish-American;
SERVICE = USN; UNIT = NMCB 133; RANK/RATE/JOB = EOCN; presently a lowly
junior high school writing teacher. Recently completed my Master's
in Educational Administration - looking for assistant principal job.
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 = Nothing
nearly as exotic as the others I have read. I simply remember playing
soccer with the Brits on July 4, 1976 - and remembering, barely (hence
the "interest")how it was a memory I would never forget - bicenteniall
and all. I do recall the large number of my friends getting busted
for
"seeds" arriving on the
island.
1976
NAME = Greg Peacher
MY QUEST = Does anyone
remember me being on this Island ??
E-MAIL = lhackney@dominionsc.com
SERVICE = US NAVY; UNIT
= NMCB 133 Delta Company; RANK/RATE/JOB = E-3 Builder
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
MY WARSTORY = I remember:
NO WOMEN ....for 9 1/2
Months, What a DRAG !!
Concrete, Concrete, Concrete
Didn't get to go to Australia
for R and R.
Ken York, My good Buddy
Aaron Dismuke from Ann Arbor MI, Ski, Dave Allgood, Bird Jerker (B.J),
Jeff Felker, Derrell Deskins from West Virginia, Jack Niccum, Radar, Wolfman
( who I met again during Desert Storm).
The "Pink Flight" that
left the Island.....
The sun the sand the
plantation, drunk Chief's in their chow hall and working in special services
at the "so called gym"
Someone please contact
me... I am beginning to wonder if I was really there!!!!
Greg Peacher !!!! Anyone,
Anyone.....
1976
NAME = John Engel
MY QUEST = To locate
a MCB133 cruisebook from 1976
VT of a SWALLOW = THAT,
my friend, depends on how fast I'm driving when it hits my windshield.
E-MAIL = nineballchamp@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = USA; SERVICE
= USN; UNIT = MCB 133 Charlie Company; RANK/RATE/JOB = Bu3.......short
timer then......firefighter now, working lifesquad for last 14 years as
a paramedic. Gonna RETIRE in a couple years!!
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
MY WARSTORY = No real
warstory here, just faded memories. Only did two or three months
there. Don't remember what hooch I stayed in, but it was on the ocean
side and the waves put me to sleep. Slept real good till one of those
coconuts hit the tin every now and then. As it was my fourth deployment,
I had a little bit of experience setting up. I hurried ahead, scouring
hooches for items that would make my stay more comfortable. I succeeded
in procuring the holiest of holy's. A FAN. Just a small fan,
I cleaned it up, oiled the shaft, and painted it bright yellow. I
drilled a gang of holes in the base, and nailed the damned thing to the
rafter above my rack with about three dozen nails. If it was going
to be stolen, the hooch would have to go with it.
We had good times. On Saturday nights, we'd check out the the bell
and boxing gloves from special services and have boxing matches on the
porch end of the hooch. Draw a big square in the sand, and make WAR.
We had a popcorn popper and would make a couple of dollars for our soda
mess. Lots of beer drinking at the bouts. The Saturday night drink-a-thon
and boxing matches. Got to be a popular event too, lots of folks from different
companies would come. Grudge matches were the best. I used to be
the ring announcer, used a hammer for a mike, held it head down, figured
I'd be able to turn it around real quick if someone tried to start pounding
the announcer. We dug up a big block of lead from the sand, HEAVY
thing, looked like a piece of lead they put in a box for a crane counterweight.
Between bouts, we'd have people try to lift it above thier heads....meebee
for a free beer. Only remember Brady and Hammons actually being able
to accomplish the feat. Had a grill made from a 55 gal drum, remember
a couple guy's fished, caught "jacks" and sand sharks. We'd grill
'em, damned tasty with beer.
Speaking of beer, the WORST beer in the world, Double Diamond. Cost
10 cents a can at the club. Still wouldn't sell, dropped it to a
nickel. Now I was always a VOLUME drinker, why pay 60 cents for a
10 ounce BUD, when I could get 14 ounce Old Milwaukee for 55 cents? Well,
I think the beer sat too long in the sun in a CONEX box and SPOILED.
I sure the damned swill ended up at the dump. Prolly something the
Brits traded us in a swindle!
Ahhh...and cannot forget the BIG GREEN WEENIE. They were ALWAYS trying
to slip us the big green weenie. I cannot remember who our CO was.
I do remember he wasn't well appreciated. I think he lost his MIND
before he left. I remember a flyer that came out, we had to pull
weeds, and pick up rocks one Saturday. The flyer had a drawing of
a rock and weeds. Also had a drawing of a golfball. Any rock
bigger than a golfball, had to be picked up. Reeeeeal chickenshit.
At the time I was working over in the sawshop in the C comany lumber yard.
I found a chunk of 4x4 and stuck it in a vise. Carved a real nice
pecker outta the thing. Head, veins, pisshole, the works. Cut
the shaft off at a 45 degree angle. Painted it OD green. It was the
CO's last night on the island, and in usual form, he spent it at the "O"
club. While the officers were at the club, Brady took the BIG GREEN
WEENIE over to the old man's hooch and firmly nailed it above his door.
BM3 Rotundo was the duty driver that morning, picked up the Cap'n and his
bags to take them to the airfield. He said he entered the hooch to
get the bags, and the BIG GREEN WEENIE laid on old man's bar, split in
two pieces. Don't know if it was too much alcohol, or the BIG GREEN
WEENIE, but Rotundo said the Cap'n was in a real foul mood.
Wish I could remember who got real drunk one night and stole a forklift.
Seems he didn't like the chow. Attacked thr reefers with the forks.
One HELL of alot of damage he did. Got caught too. I remember
my first meal in the chowhall. Shocking. You could tell the
guys who'd been in the island for awhile. The place was FULL of flies.
The "oldtimers" just sat there and ate, never minding the flies crawling
on thier grub. The flies would crawl on thier faces, and they'd just
ignore them. Guess if you tried to bat all those flies, you'd not
have time to eat much. Guess we just got used to them. Remember
going up in the line for SECONDS one morning. Liked the grits well
well. Gimme another scoop of 'em. Got back to the table, hell,
there were HUNDREDS of little segmented white worms in there. Took
'em back up to the line captain. He looked at them, and motioned
the guy to remove the tray of grits. I left the line feeling just
a bit queasy. I looked back just in time to see them put the tray
right back on the line.
Can't forget Ron Theriot's boil either. One evening, he came over
and asked me if I could give him a hand for a minute. Said sure,
whadda u need. He showed me his forearm. Had a boil that looked like
the Madderhorn, said it was ready to pop. Well, we went into the
shitter and stood there in front of the sink. He had me squueze his
arm with both hands. Nothing happened. He said squeeze HARDER.
He was about in tears from the pain. All of the sudden, the thing
let loose with an audible "pop". I could feel it pop too. Green
SHIT splattered the mirror and the light above it. He had me do a
little more squeezing, and when I was done, there were depressions matching
my fingers in the edema surrounding the infection. Next morning,
the thing looked EVIL, the guys talked him onto going to sickbay.
I never saw him again, don't remember if they just kept him there on IV
antibiotics, and I went stateside, or what happened to him. As I
say, the memories are dimming.
1976
JACK GOSS, JR. <aeosman@charter.net>
Great Site Ted.
Lots of good photos and info. The island looks alot more accommodating
now then when I was there in 76 with MCB 133. Diego was my last trip.
I spent 1 year at a Naval Communications Station in Asmara Ethiopia, Then
Okinawa for a few months, then Naval Air Station Bermuda. I was on
Diego Garcia for 6 months, left on Thanksgiving Day 1976. I stayed
drunk for 6 months while I was there. Again, Good Job ! Best
Regards, Jack Goss - Johnstown, Pa.
FEB 76-FEB 77
RANZA BATEMAN <Rabateman@yahoo.com>
MY QUEST = TO FIND ANYONE
I KNOW AVIATION FIRE FIGHTERS
VT of a SWALLOW = COME
AGAIN ?
NATIONALITY = AMERICAN;
SERVICE = U S N; UNIT = CRASH CREW-AVIATION FIREFIGHTER
RANK/RATE/JOB = GOT OUT
OF THE NAVY IN 1980. NOW LIVING IN MARYLAND
MY WARSTORY = I was in
a state of shock when I first got there. What a mind blower. Thank goodness
for the cheap booze and the care packages from home. I was always at the
outdoor theatre. I also remember getting my stereo and blowing out a window
with a Pink Floyd song. What a trip...
1976-1977
NAME = Charles E Kuhn
<cekuhn@earthlink.net>
NATIONALITY = american;
SERVICE = US Navy (Sea Bees); UNIT = Public works; RANK/RATE/JOB = UT CN
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
MY WARSTORY = Not really
a story so much as a inquiry. I went to A school and was stationed in Diego
Garcia with an Electrician named Howard Turner. We worked together in the
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration shop. We actually had a lot of close
calls while working together, An electrical explosion at t-site and a couple
of others I won't bore you with. Howard fially lost his life at the Public
Works site next to the fire house. I was told they were going to name an
enlisted mans club after him. I saw a reference to the Turner club. I miss
Howard a lot!
CE Kuhn
1976, 1979
NAME = pusser hill
MY QUEST = perhaps i'm
crazy but one more visit would be nice
VT of a SWALLOW = they
didn't fly very fast in the brit club
E-MAIL = pusser@ntlworld.com
/ ahill25540@aol.com
NATIONALITY = brit; SERVICE
= navy, royal of course; UNIT = brit rep's chef
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Want to Drink A Lot, Cheap
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Other
MY WARSTORY = I still
have the zipo i won at the '76 party! From the '79 i still have the
headache. I would just like to say thanks to all you yanks that treated
me to the headache!!
1976
NAME = Charles "Slick"
Richmond
E-MAIL = currdog@arn.net
NATIONALITY = American;
SERVICE = USNMCB Five; UNIT = Asst Supply Officer, Disbursing Officer,
Food Services Officer; RANK/RATE/JOB = I was a brand new ensign out of
Supply School, used to be an HM3. Did my 4 and went back to grad school
to get my masters so I could chase cows for a living.
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 = Does anyone
remember the Air Force Veterinarian they sent over to shoot the donkeys
with the tranqualizer gun? I was his escort as my college major was Animal
Science and I knew something about donkeys. We never did get one to go
down, even though we kept upping the dosage. We finally gave up.
76, 79 and 82
CLAUDE BLACKSHER <cab0557????>
MY QUEST = lots of brothers
VT of a SWALLOW = stops
at a blabe of an eo
NATIONALITY = american;
SERVICE = seabees; UNIT = nmcb4 det d.g., nmcb4 main body, pwd transportation
RANK/RATE/JOB = eocn,
eo3, eo2 then
MY WARSTORY = the attact
of the coral head only the few few bastards that where there will remember
this time. it was on my last tour there when the whole island thought
we were being attact from the commies (thanks to the fleet tweets).
thats when sugar knew that they screwed-up by taking the batts. off the
island. only the the few that where there that had come from batts.
had the chore of deffending the island. and as snafu as it was there
the fleet got a bleep of a coral head at low tide. a short time after
that sugar sent i a marine corp unit to take care of its fleet(airdales)
and ladies.
May 76 to May 77
MIKE McMASTERS <mcmastersm@earthlink.net>
MY QUEST = See if I can
find anybody who remembers Seahut 59 or Mod 45
VT of a SWALLOW = Depends
on how hard you gulp!
NATIONALITY = U.S.; SERVICE
= U.S, Navy; UNIT = Charlie Site; RANK/RATE/JOB = CTT2 - Didn't retire.
Found a better gig in 83!
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= There I Was, Passed Out on The Beach
MY WARSTORY = I choose
this title because when I was there "the Club" consisted of the front porch
of Sea Hut 59!
Anybody recall the great
checmical warfare exercise of April 76? This event took place at
"The Marina" such as it was, and was held on the occasion of the first
wave of Classic Wizard (Charlie Site) of as it was better known Fort Chagos,
rotating back to the world. Any way this grand evening was capped
by two events which I can recall.
1. Somebody decided
that the best way to keep the "mojo" supply going was to uncork liquor
bottles, and rather than take the time to pour the booze in, just chuck
the bottle in and it will take care of itself! It did!
2. Yours truly
engaged in a session of "Shark" wrestling. Actually, it was a palm
frond in the water, but hey it looked like a shark at the time.
This whole tale was documented
in the "Fort Chagos Tattler" and lives on in infamy.
1976
EARL SIMPSON <esim357@aol.com>
UNIT = NMCB133 B Co Maint;
RANK/RATE/JOB = UT2
I arrived with the advance party to relieve the battalion on station.
Ran into a guy I went to A school with (Dick Lang). Partied a bit
then got down to business. Camp Maint. was a trip nothing worked
very well including the galley boiler. It did not take us long
to find none of the safety interlocks were operable, we fired it and blew
half the tubes in it. Luckily they had an old Desalination barge
in the bay that had the same boiler on it so it was balls to the wall swappin
it out. I've heard from Steve Stillwell and he remembers the process.
Keep the spirit up. Sounds like a tropical paridise now when I was
there they were still dredging the harbor to make the island wide enough
for the air field, I do believe we got the first real crash truck while
I was there and it was stationed at B Co. Maint.
1976-1977
GENO HOSKINS <Genga
Ra@aol.com>
What is Your Quest?
To see if I can hear from some of my old shipmates
What is the Terminal
Velocity of a Swallow? It couldn't be over 1200 feet per second, my shotgun
doesn' t go much further than that.
SW3 Hoskins (Seabee)
yup. Since my tour of duty on Diego, I've been married twice. I have
one boy,seems he's caught on to some of the mannerisms I brought back with
me from Diego (Still with me after all those years). I often find myself
thinking about the rock from time to time. I would like to do some
more correspondence from you. By the way, is that big ol'e hammerhead
shark still hang'n around there?
1976-1977
STEVE CULBERTSON <sculb@1st.net
I was with a detachment
from NMCB-5 to build the airport parking apron and extend the runway 3,000
ft. I was an EO3 and ran the central mix concrete plant.
Your site has brought
back alot of memories of a place that will be in my thoughts forever. It
looks like they are trying to keep the place in some resemblance of the
beautiful paradise it was back 22 years ago. The military finally did something
right?
1976
BILLY MITCHELL <BMTCH@aol.com>
Were you ever on Diego
Garcia? June-Dec '76
USN MCB 133 '73-'76; Under One Club 2-time Island Softball Champs; Board
Member Dogface of the Week Club; I never brought home the first puka shell
from DG.
Comments: Great
Site! Look's like we missed the really big parties.
Greetings:
I'm Billy Mitchell, a former Seabee and Diego denizen. I was there June
to December 1976 as an enlisted laborer. I finished my 4 year hitch while
on Diego and rode "de plane" off to Clark. In those days, 141's visited
on Wednesday and Sunday. P3's and an occasional cargo ship were the
only other traffic.
I work as parts manager, computer guy, accountant and whatever at an FBO
in Jackson Mississippi at Jacobs Aircraft, Hawkins Field. I have several
friends from the 172nd 141 group at Thompson Field who have been to DG
also. I can appreciate your comments about the Royal Marines.
While on a deployment to Roosevelt Roads Puerto Rico, the HMS Minerva
made a visit. The Marines entertained themselves by playing rugby on the
asphalt parade ground. My friend, Dave Atchison (www.atch.com) and
I invited them to the Seabee's EM club and had a great time. They detested
American beer, but Boone's Farm wine was fine as long as we strained it
through a sock and drank it from one of their boots.
1976-1977
MARC JONATHAN HANEY <MJandfamHaney@webtv.net>
What is the Terminal
Velocity of a Swallow? I would like to refer that question to my friend
TIM [editor's note: Marc wins the Cleverest Monty Python response
award!]
Were you ever on Diego
Garcia? April 1976 to April1977
I was an E3 on DG. I worked in special services, lived in a plywood hut
on the beach and we had a one legged chicken that used to curl up and sleep
on any available butt it could find. I was in charge of a warehouse where
we kept merchandise for the hobby shops. The enlisted club was on the other
side of the building. On Sundays I was duty manager and ran the bowling
alley and had Mondays off. I have tons of slides and prints and what maybe
the only copy of a Bob Hope visit to the island [nice try, TIM, but he
came out again in 1987 too]........
1976-1977, and 1981
ALLEN PALMER <OLDSEABS@aol.com>
Ted - I know about the
Rock. I was there two time a total of 18 months, and my Dad before
me in 1972 with MCB 62. I was there in 1976-1977 with MCB 133 and
back again in 81 with MCB 62. What a place! A cross between
Gilligan's Island and Alcatraz. But like you, I loved it there and
would go back if I could. My SEAHUT was on the ocean side right by
the ocean, and right out the door of the 1st Class Club. What a time in
my life. The Brit Club was just an old building beside the road when
I was there. I would bet that Leisure Palms is gone also. It
was a miniature golf course and small place to buy beer and cokes.
It was next to the old ball field and the gym. Our shop was right
next to the parking apron by the run way. They used to park the KC-135s
almost in our shop. I met a Brit there with the same last name as
me and I spent a lot of time in the Brit Club, but then it was just a little
place on the side of the road about half way to the runway.
ALLEN PALMER CM-1