WAR STORIES FROM PARADISE
You have traveled back to 1979!
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
79-80
NAME = Greg Riley
MY QUEST = where the hell did Mcguiness go?
VT of a SWALLOW = good question
E-MAIL = rileyadks@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = irish american
SERVICE = nmcb-40
UNIT = EO
RANK/RATE/JOB = E-4 discharged 1981
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze,
Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out in My Room
MY WARSTORY = holy shit, been a long time, my hut was right behind
the 40 club, quite the partying in there,I remember partying all night,
cooking chickens at like 3 am or maybe joe hartwig bringing in some fresh
sting ray or eal we wood cook up and yeah when we couldn't find anybody
else to fight with we would fight each other, I remember the hosher-blake
hut fights, we'd be sitting somewhere partying and all the sudden hear
crashing, hollering, we'd all look at eachother and just say ah its just
Dsn and Terry going at it again, it was like their third time together
in DG so anything set them off. Anyone know where pete mcguinness ended
up? Tried to track him down on here but no luck. Some of the people I remember
hanging out with were jay oldenburg, pete mcguinness, crazy mike excellor,
tom sawyer, I saw rick baptistas write up here and jerry fillion, definately
some wild times and crazy mfs, I remember the night we stole the jar heads
flags, partying in the club and knocking down the fleettweets beer can
pyrmids, all good times.
1979-1980
Stephen McWilliams <smcwill516@yahoo.com>
I was there on the rock in 1979 to 1980. I worked at the Main Power
Plant as day maintenance supervisor. I worked for a Brit Master Chief.
The Brits are great people to work for and with. Thought that I would send
some pictures of some of the people and places at the most beautiful place
on earth(not while I was there,but now since I'm home in the States HA!
Ha!). ENCS (Retired) Stephen McWilliams
nov 79 jul80
NAME = bu2 r. dewitt (bobby d)
MY QUEST = say hello to all my brother rats
VT of a SWALLOW = is it a african swallow or are there coconuts
crabs attached to it
E-MAIL = redrat bobby d
NATIONALITY = american
SERVICE = usn
UNIT = nmcb133,nmcb14
RANK/RATE/JOB = bu2
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = man dg seems like a lifetime away
what a life but somebody had to do it
remember running just so we could sleep,how about the fishing thoose last couple of weeks how about the brawl at the smokers when the dixie came to town how about turning the cannons on the point at the c company party and dont forget christmas morn
to all the boys miss you guys hope your doing great and that the
time we shred was some of the best. muster at the memorial in dc in 08
at thunder rolls some of us well be there
From: Alan Saltonstall <saltyfbc@hotmail.com>
Date: 7 Sep 2007
I was facinated to visit the site and find and old shipmate of mine
Tony Pallace reciting the adventure of our days fishing. I can confirm
and authentictate Tonys tale as I am the one in the red shorts on the boat.
The other lads were Jim Laden, Ray Bateman, Pusser Hill, Vince and me,
Salty Saltonstall. I am sorry if I missed anyone out. The times
in 79 - 80 were fantastic and we had a rather eccentric Brit xo called
Bernie "the beast" Bruen. He was an excellent boxer and never lost
a golden gloves contest during his time. I did enter the golden gloves
and my first three fights were TKOs then I won one. We had a great
time working at the power plant with our US comrades and some of their
stories I relate to. There were some great times at the Ship Inn.
Hello Ginge Howard, Screwy Driver, Fletch, Jed Stone, Bamber Gascoigne
and all. I did return as the Senior Customs and Immigration Officer
in 1998-99 and thoroughly enjoyed my tour but this time it was too commercialised
and the BIOT and Britrep (big chip on little shoulders) went out
of their way to disrupt the pleasure of making full use of Diego Garcia
as a fun place to be. This tour was different but I met some great people
Nick Wakem who remains a great friend and Big Murph - came from New York
to my wedding in 2001 - a great guy. We were the ones who built and constructed
the new Brit club to completion and I hope you all enjoy the beers on the
beach.
Any person who relates to this story are more than happy to contact
me. Thanks and bye.
1979-1980
NAME
= john (simmo) simmons
MY
QUEST = mates some one owes me 5 bucks
VT
of a SWALLOW = dead or alive ?
E-MAIL
= cazjon@fsmail.com
NATIONALITY
= brit
SERVICE
= RN
UNIT
= POWER SITE
RANK/RATE/JOB
= stoker long time left the service
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 = help me save the donkey
Spring
of 1979
NAME
= John Sattler
MY
QUEST = Validate my Parking Ticket
VT
of a SWALLOW = When the XO hollars ... .0001 nanosecond; When Drinking
... 5 mph
E-MAIL
= john.sattler.1@juno.com
NATIONALITY
= USA
SERVICE
= USN
UNIT
= Warship Waddell DDG-24
RANK/RATE/JOB
= Gunnery O
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 = Waddell pulled into the lagoon. We went ashore.
"Ships Party" turned into a brawl. So, I grabbed a six-pack and went
to the beach alone. Three beers later, I was layin' out with my head
on a log ... stars were out and incredible ... thinking about my girlfriend
and what a paradise the place was ... drank the rest of the beer and damn
near fell asleep! The rustling noise coming from the brush behind
my head startled me into getting up and taking a leak. Somehow, I
ended up back at the ship. The next day, I walked the main drag and
noticed all the nice crabs lined up outside the huts. So, I asked
a guy ... and got an answer that made me realize that my urge to leak probably
saved my life (or at least the contents of my cranium)! (:-D
march
1979 nov1979
NAME
= Roland Pavey
MY
QUEST = Thinking about what was a great life adventure,if only I could
remember.
VT
of a SWALLOW = depends on the no drip lower lip
E-MAIL
= plains98@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY
= Colorado,
SERVICE
= U.S. NAVY SEABEES
UNIT
= NMCB5 worked on the peir team corner pour
RANK/RATE/JOB
= BUCN did my 5 years and returned to being a civilian
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY
WARSTORY = There I was 19 years old and I couldn't belive the place ran
out of beer other than OLYMPIA!!! So I ran into JACK DANIALS and the rest
is a blur,or dont REmEMber. I do remember working on the peir team and
the corner pour on the peir, man was that a lot of concret and a lot of
drinking after. I even have recently met a retired ed1 from the USS CONSTELLATION
that has docked threr several times. pertty cool to here about the peir
that was just in the construction faze,back then is still in very much
use today.
where
in the ---- is deigo Garcia and all of FIVES BEES from 79-83 when I departed
NMCB5 C Co.
ROLAND
HAIRNT BALL PAVEY
March
79 to March 80
NAME
= Bill Thrush
MY
QUEST = Hope to catch up with old buddies
VT
of a SWALLOW = couldn't tell ya
E-MAIL
= billthrush@msn.com
NATIONALITY
= American
SERVICE
= U.S. Navy Seabees - 13 years
UNIT
= Ran Diego Bell...the only phone company in town
RANK/RATE/JOB
= CE3 at the time (made CE2 on DG) Got out completely disgusted with the
way the Navy was falling apart in 1990. Spent time in California, PWD Sigonella
(twice) Little Creek and Antigua W.I.
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY
WARSTORY = I found this site by doing a web search for my buddy Dave Ratto.
I read all of the 78, 79 and 80 entries. Man...what great memories. Diego
was a great place in 79. I remember when the female legal officer showed
up and caused quite a disturbance (see her entry in 1978). I remember when
some genious sent a hoochie coochie USO show to the island. That nearly
turned into a gang rape!! A wise senior chief from MCB 40 arranged for
his DET to get the first two rows reserved for DET 40 by working a deal
with the Chief Master-at-Arms to have his guys lock arms and keep the masses
back if things
got
out of hand. It did...and they did. The (very delicious) young ladies were
hauled out of there quickly in a van. I guess the show lasted about 10
minutes.
I ran Diego Bell....even had a licence plate made for my van that said
"Diego Bell". Some of you may remember. I don't know how long it stayed
on there after I left. When you have unlimited access to the AUTOVON lines,
with no other way to phone home (accept MARS calls).....you were a popular
guy!! Any extra benefits that you could get on Diego were highly treasured.....and
I had lots of them. Everyone else had to turn in their van at the end of
work....not me. I parked it in the jungle behind BEQ 6....my home....shared
with all the guys from the Public Works Department. We had some good guys.
My roommates were Larry Paul and Mike (can't remember Mike's last name,
but he was a UT and ran the swimming pool....another good job to have).
The one time they told me I had to turn it in....I did so without saying
a word. I passed by the phone exchange on my way back to the barracks and
promptly disconnected every phone that the transportation department had
(they had just moved it into town....by the bowling alley). I had my van
back in an hour or so....and the phones started working again. The same
thing happened at the chow hall when they got a new MS1 and he told me
that I couldn't have early chow (enter through the back door....no lines).
I took my time giving them their phones back.
This was a good time to be on Diego. The new BEQs were getting finished,
but it was a long way from paradice. I could write for hours about the
times and people. Most of the guys I never saw again. There was an EA3
there named Tom.....great guy. We partied together and snorkeled a lot.
If you had to be on Diego, PWD was THE place to be. Some of you may recall
a toga party in October or November of 79. That was put on by my roommates
and myself. It was a great party. The battalion guys had it rough, so we
did our best to look out for them. You made friends quickly and easily
on Diego. It was changing rapidly by the time I was leaving in March of
1980. It was still all guys, but some women were visiting and some of the
ships had female officers. By the way.....there were NO ships visiting
Diego until the Iranian Hostage Crisis started up. We went from the nearly
forgotten "sleepy hollow" to a real military base virtually overnight.
To say that the 1,300 Seabees on the island resisted this change would
be a huge under-statement.
It was a great time. I learned a lot about how the Navy works. I learned
that I made the right choice by joining the Seabees instead of the fleet.
I learned
that
life without women is peaceful, but a year without them is too long!! I
wouldn't trade it for anything. My thanks to Ted Morris for hosting this
site.
Greetings
to all my fellow Seabees...past, present and future!!!
1979-1980
NAME
= B.U.3 F.C.Dugan "Chet"
MY
QUEST = To find news of Batt.5 Seabees during that time
VT
of a SWALLOW = Kiss my ass
E-MAIL
= wahinewarrior8@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY
= Irish American
SERVICE
= United States Navay, Seabees
UNIT
= NMCB 5-Det. Diego
RANK/RATE/JOB
= BU-3,retired
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY
WARSTORY = I do rember the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders U.S.O. show , it
sure was great to see WOMEN after so many months with out them.In particular,I
had the good luck to have lunch with one of the girls. I had to take a
late lunch due to a concrete pour at the hobby shop project.The galley
was closing and I was the last Seabee in for chow. As I sat down and started
to grub in walked this cheerleader in full uniform and sat down right next
to me.I'd been on the "Rock" for several months by then and could barely
speak to this girl, I was totally in shock.I akwardly tried to explain
that I was very flustered by having such a beautiful woman share my lunch
with me after not even seeing one for so long.Finally I calmed down and
was able to chew my food, and speak in cohearent sentances.I forget everything
we talked about that lunch,mostly small talk, but I'll never forget that
afternoon on the shitty little island of Diego Garcia. BU-3
F.C. Dugan "Chet" USMNCB-5 "79-85"
1979
NAME
= Jim Anderson
MY
QUEST = old friends
VT
of a SWALLOW = 8.2 gigahertz
E-MAIL
= jla22757@netscape.net
NATIONALITY
= white
SERVICE
= Seabees
UNIT
= Oficers living quarters
RANK/RATE/JOB
= BU3 Charlie Co
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Other
MY
WARSTORY = Looking For Ken Clevenger....Remember the sprouts??? never forget
that place,what a trip....If it wasn't for the care packeges, I to may
have ended up as crab food on the beach.....
1979
NAME
= Don Gatchalian
MY
QUEST = To get a chance to visit the island again
VT
of a SWALLOW = Mach2
E-MAIL
= Not this time - only have one e-mail address
NATIONALITY
= US
SERVICE
= Seabees
UNIT
= Pier Team Volunteer (NMCB 40)
RANK/RATE/JOB
= LCDR, CEC, USN Retired - was EA3 in 1979.
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY
WARSTORY = I only did one 6-month tour on the island from Jan79-July79
and I consider it to be one of the best tours I had in my 21 years in the
Navy. I learned a lot in the construction trade which I use now as a public
works manager as a civilian. I left the Pier Team early because I was selected
for officer commission as ships driver but came to my senses and declined
the commission once I reached mainland. I always wanted to be a Seabee
and an engineer.
While on the island, I remember staying in the ocean front sea huts, naturally
controlled air conditioners (nope - just screen windows and you let the
sea breeze in) and pearl white beach, just 10 feet away from my sea hut.
I did not really get into drinking but since the Pier Team worked 6 days
a week and at least 12 hour-days, I was too tired to do anything during
the week. Sleeped in on Sundays and got into collecting vinyl LP
record and cassette tapes.
The best friends to have on the Pier Team were UCT divers because I got
my fair share of the crawless lobsters (langusta), cods, octopus and turtle
soup (before they were considered endangered). I also had my share
of the coconut crab before the Brits banned them. I remember running
the tip to tip but after a 15-month tour on Midway Islands before I joined
NMCB 40 in Rota, Spain in 1978, I was ready to go back to the mainland
after DG.
My Pier Team OIC - LCDR Jack Wong, AOIC - LT Liedke, LCPO - CUCM Meeks,
and my LPO - EA1 Lee Ellsworth. Hey. if the pier is out of line, I did
it!
1979-80
NAME
= Paul Michael aka Slinky
MY
QUEST = contact old friends
VT
of a SWALLOW = dead or alive
E-MAIL
= paulmbuckeye@msn.com
NATIONALITY
= American
SERVICE
= usn
UNIT
= USS Dixie AD-14
RANK/RATE/JOB
= BM-2
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY
WARSTORY = Sailed in to Deigo in December the towel heads screwed our west-pac
only got to spend a week in Subic. Standing at sea&anchor the island
looked ok at first then it sunk-in this place is going to suck and it did.
The island or dodge city was to small for our crew we got liberty 1 half
day a week ( 6 duty sections ) if you made the first liberty boat you had
time to get your booze at the canteen if it was open. We had three woman
officers on board they must of looked great to the sea-bea's and Brit's.All
we did was work I was lucky I drove one of the UTB's on liberty runs some
times our modified fishing boat. At times we had 3 to 4 ships tied up on
one side and 2 or 3 sub's on the other. Vert-rep's and our crane's working
almost non-stop supplys going hand to hand to the other ships the daily
trash run with our mike-boat out side the lagoon and if you were lucky
you got to go to the plantation for the day. When you had liberty you got
drunk at the bar waiting for a lane to bowl or you went to the softball
field got drunk and chased coconut crabs if they did'nt chase you first.
You could swim and snorkle on the lagoon side ( with the sharks ) ocean
side was off limits but we still went any ways. We got a break and went
to Maritiuse for a week to stock-up on weed and hash our ship and the island
needed it we were go'ing crazy. As bad as we had it the CB's were stuck
there some of us made friend some of us just got in fights. we had a UTB
sink we had one catch fire on a night time liberty run we used mike boat's
to push us along side the fuel barge. our ship and crew did alot of good
work in deigo and I feel we paved the way for our relief the LY Spear.
I will never forget my time at deigo or some of the friends I made. If
you were there when I was contact me at my e-mail and if your one of the
guy's I got into fights with sorry for the blackeye's
1979-1980
NAME
= Ed Rouse
VT
of a SWALLOW = E=MC2
E-MAIL
= stratsurfer2000@yahoo.com
SERVICE
= U.S. Navy Seabees
UNIT
= MCB-62
RANK/RATE/JOB
= BU3 then, Got out in 82'
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 = Hey there Dave Grady, it's been many years. Saw your name posted
and had too respond. This site has been in my favorites for a couple of
years now, great site! I think your the only other MCB-62'er Ive seen posting
on this website. I dont know if you'll remember me but I was one of the
four dudes who lived in the seahut instaed of the trailor circle. I still
have my Battalion year book of that year with our Diego detachment personnel
photos. Have some memorabilia as well.
I
will truly never forget being there.
Projects
worked on:
I
worked on the POL building at the end of the pier along side the pier team,
started the arresting gear pads at the runway, and helped the prefab team
for prefabricated L blocks for the pier team. I still cant get rid of the
KA-CHING in my head from the pier team driving all them steel piles!
Things
I remember:
The
long plane flight!
The
stay over in the Phillipines.
5:30
am
BU3
Gene Weatherholtz.
Sr.
Chief Cummins (loved to watch him get RED!).
(Formaldehyde
laden) Budwieser & Olympia, and Donkey Burgers!
Outdoor
Movies.
Ships
off loading party.
Fights
with MCB 5.
Mojo
parties with supplies from chow hall for BBQ's.
Taking
the Duece-1/2 to the donkey gate and getting the donkey's drunk.
Starting
of the tilt up wall buildings for the new barracks down by the MTO yard.
The
Iran conflict, Burned up Helicopter pieces on the taxi way.
Clearing
of the jungle for the Marines advanced base.
and
Oh Yeah, the P-3 inbound flights from Phillipines if you catch my drift.
and
lastly boarding that C-5 going home to the states, but eventually being
brought back to that tiolet of the world: GULFPORT (Fuck'in) MISSISSIPPI!
(But next deployment Puerto Rico was excellent, Remember the band RAMPAGE?
Know you should remember me).
Take
care Dave and all my other devoted Diego Garcia & MCB-62 friends.
79-80;
81-82
Grady,
Dave [Dave.Grady@city.pittsburgh.pa.us].
I
was in nmcb 62 and did a couple of tours in 79-80 & 81-82, Great website
79-80
NAME
= Eo Kim Brown
MY
QUEST = Looking for barbara weaver, radioman crossrated to UT
VT
of a SWALLOW = never tell
E-MAIL
= kimmidkiff2002@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY
= real american
SERVICE
= usn SEABEE
UNIT
= none
RANK/RATE/JOB
= EOCN Made E2 3 times in 6 yrs :(
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY
WARSTORY = i was am an EO, stationed in Pearl Harbor with staff Civil Enginneers,
Met barbara, became best buds, lost contact. I know she left dg and tranfered
to pearl, then she went to adak, last saw in 1985 she was on her way to
Port who needs me as a UT instructor. Anyone who knows where she is or
how to contact her PLEASE E-Mail ME Thanks from one cb to another.
Sep
1979 - Sep 1980
NAME
= Joseph Nahorodny
MY
QUEST = Find the fools I knew there
VT
of a SWALLOW = very fast
E-MAIL
= nahorodny@comcast.net
NATIONALITY
= Russian - can you believe that?
SERVICE
= USN
UNIT
= CTO
RANK/RATE/JOB
= E-4
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 = Riding the bike to the secret "seashell spot."
Thousands washed up on shore, could sit there for hours just picking through
them. Starting out by the beach side (the side where it started just past
the cannon) walking along like Charlton F'ing Heston at the end of planet
of the apes (- the woman of course because of the barbaric conditions the
Navy set forth that no female persuasion would be present). Running the
6 man tip to tip 36.4 miles and about to win it until the fool anchor man
who went home on leave the 30 days prior and did not run while home on
leave, we lost it in the last mile I tell you !! 2nd place after we all
ran our asses off. wherever you are you still an idiot. Hanging out with
the "brothers" coooking up fried chicken in the room, drinking beer, smoking
and having a great time. Sneaking out of the super top secret cryptological
cypher box building with a couple of friends and getting higher than a
friggin kite. Here we are with Top Secret Clearances................ yikes,
to be 20 years old again. Watching storms three days out at sea.
Where
are you guys? Not a one of you I knew is out on this site, what a shame.
1979-1982
NAME
= ed crays
MY
QUEST = find other NMCB3 seabees
VT
of a SWALLOW = Dimples from Subic
E-MAIL
= crayzys@aol.com
NATIONALITY
= Italian
SERVICE
= US Navy Seabee's
UNIT
= Naval Mobil construction battalion 3 gold team
RANK/RATE/JOB
= EM3 equipment mechanic
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Want a Job as Far Away from My Wife as Possible
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY
WARSTORY = Jolo's pics wanted, wheres the pic of dimples Dave? Who remembers
Florida club and the brown derby?
1979
NAME
= ROBERT N DABOV UTCN
MY
QUEST = LIVE AND LET LIVE
VT
of a SWALLOW = NONE IF ITS TERMINAL ITS DEAD
E-MAIL
= BOB@SUPERIOR POWER WASH.COM
NATIONALITY
= SOUTHERN GOOD OLD BOY
SERVICE
= UNITED STATES NAVY
UNIT
= FIRE PROTECTION FOR AIRPORT NMCB 5
RANK/RATE/JOB
= UTCN NMCB5 NOW RETIRED FROM FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS
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 Fishing Story
MY
WARSTORY = I was assigned nmcb 5 bravo company.Went through rehab once
on diego.Iremember winning a batalion fishing tournament with a 40 pound
Grouper i cought on the ships off load. I cought him on a piece of chicken
out of my box lunch.Put the fried chicken leg on a hook atached to piece
of heavy rope and dropped it over the side of the barge next to the ship,
they were loading us up with exsplosives.What a cluster fuck that was.those
ships off loads were dangerous.I DONT MISS THEM ONE BIT BUT THE WEED ALWAYS
WAS BETTER AFTER A SHIPS OFF LOAD.1
july
1979
NAME
= mike caldwell was enfn
MY
QUEST = stop the nightmares of returning to dg
VT
of a SWALLOW = depends on if shes standing on her head or not
E-MAIL
= skyspy2112@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY
= usa
SERVICE
= usn
UNIT
= main power plant
RANK/RATE/JOB
= got to d.g. as enfn got out in1987 as en1,had enuff by then....
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 = Arrived on d.g. in july 1979,my luggage went to japan and by
the time it caught up with me i was friggin hungry as the chow hall wouldnt
let me enter in my week old civies! I was assigned to a barracks
room with a cb,cant remember his name, and a EN named stan,(stan the man)from
oregon.Thanks to the unnamed cb our little room supplied the whole island
with recreational goodies for about a year. You see, this guy pumped
out the shitter tanks on c-141s and man did they hold a shitload of film
canisters. He also stole a nice rug from underneath the drumset of
one of the uso shows,dont know how he got away with it but it really tied
our room together. Remeber a bartender at the club named Johnny walker,
no shit,used to get us hammered for nothin,best bartender in the I.O.
Had another friend named Dave from New Jersy,he was a C.B. also, we took
a dumpster truck on a joyride out to the plantation and stuck it in the
surf up to the axels, we hitched a ride back to town and escaped without
a scratch. Drove a diesel fuel truck for awhile to fill the main
power plant tanks, overfilled a tank one day and put 300 gallons
of diesel on the ground, didnt know you wearnt supposed to put a stick
in the suicide handle so your hand wouldnt get tire of holding the damn
thing! All in all my stay at dg sucked but it was one of the best
partys ive ever been to! Thanks to all the guys I partyd with and
ill never forget ya,but i vagely remember,to bad they waited untill we
were gone to bring chicks to the god forsaken place. Left d.g. in
july of 1980,stopped at clark for 3 days, tits clits and san migel beer!
work for ford building f-150s,buy one would ya,my two ex wives are waitn
for their checks! later....
1979-1980
NAME
= Ned Daniels
MY
QUEST = Sharing Diego stories
VT
of a SWALLOW = Its only terminal if you swollow the can!
E-MAIL
= neddlydan1@aol.com
NATIONALITY
= Been here before the indians
SERVICE
= USN
UNIT
= USS Dixie AD-14 First ship on station after iranian
hostage crisis
RANK/RATE/JOB
= I was an OM2 at the time. Did my four and bolted for the pier as soon
as I got my release papers.
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out in the Club
MY
WARSTORY = What a beautiful atoll! The natives (Seabees) were mostly cordial
and for the lack of women, it would have been heaven. I did hear that a
few enterprising Seabees were hooking out a inflatable doll. (GAG) As Dixie
had a 6 day duty rotation, we could only visit every sixth day, being anchored
in the lagoon as no pier was built in 79. Days were spent wandering the
beach, Diego burgers and waiting for the EM club to open. I can still smell
and taste the formaldhyde in the beer! What a hangover! I remember the
Dixie's boxing team challenging the Seabees team to a smoker on the beach
one day. I think there were four of five divisions represented and Dixie
was kickin ass on the Seabees, until the final bout. The big boys!
Well, this Seabee was winning his match when out of the blue, in the final
round, someone chucked a full beer can into the ring and dropped the Seabee
like a dirty shirt! It got deathly silent for what seemed like an hour.
Then the scene erupted into a melee of flying bodies, fists and bottles.
I hastily beat a retreat to the pier. Remember "Hector the Hammerhead,"
shark? As I remember, he had taken up residence in the lagoon for some
years and had taken a few divers lives over a ten year period. We were
urged to swim on the outer beaches instead of the lagoon because of this
15' killer. Saw him up close by the port pier one evening. He was chasing
food up close to shore and his thrashing drenched all of up on the pier!
I also recall a $1,000. reward for anyone who could slay the beast. The
only taker I remember was a somewhat scrawny Seabee with a look of too
much hooch and sun named, "Luther." One day, Luther secured himself a fine
chunk of meat, some nylon line about an inch thick, some milk jugs for
bobbers and what looked like a baling hook. Luther tied one end of the
line to a cocoanut tree and swam into the lagoon with the other end with
hook bated and the jugs to mark the location and suspend the meal. The
next week I saw Luther not looking anymore prosperous for his endeavours.
He told me old Hector took the bait and stripped the hook clean. Even bent
the hook straight! He showed me the tree that he had anchored to and there
was a groove cut into its base a half inch deep from the struggle. I always
did wonder what happened to Hector, and Luther.
1979-1980
Date:
Fri, 5 Aug 2005 16:41:59 -0400
From:
"NAHORODNY, JOSEPH \(AAS\)" <jn7823@sbc.com>
Rodell
"Rudy" Kearse. Where are you? respond to this sight. Anyone from this year.
Especially those of you who were "CT's". Thanks God Bless, Joseph Nahorodny
1979-1980 &1981
NAME = Kenneth P. Greco
MY QUEST = I would really
love to go back to D.G. and work in some capacity.
VT of a SWALLOW = 8,999
mph
E-MAIL = kgreco05@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = Caucasion,
but what does that matter !
SERVICE = U.s> Navy
Seabees
UNIT = June 79 to May
80 -steelworker NAVSUPPFAC, 81 NMCB 4 Detachment , February to July.
RANK/RATE/JOB = SW3 (then),
I left active duty in July 81 just after we got back from Diego Garcia
(our deployment-NMCB 4).In Jan.84 I became a police
officer and remained
one until June 96 when I retired. I spent several years in the Reserves
after active duty, and have been out of the Reserves since 91.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= This is a No-Shit Fishing Story
MY WARSTORY = One time
I was fishing in the lagoon on one of those 15 ft. Boston Whaler
boats that you could rent out for free at the marina.This had to be early
1980 or late 79.I was fishing with another steelworker- enny Horn.
Usually When you fish in the lagoon you would only wait a couple to a few
minutes before you hooked a red snapper, grouper, or one of God's most
beautiful fish on God's most beautiful fishing location!So, me and Kenny
were out on the lagoon for about an hour and didn't get any bites.So, I
reached my hands into the good old Indian Ocean lagoon to wash them off,
leaving my fishing rod alone in the boat, and yep! you guessed it!,I then
got a bite and my rod and reel went out of the boat and into the beautiful
blue and green waters of the lagoon.I looked down at the lagoon in dismay
and anxiety, and Kenny Horn just said "it's gone Greco, it's gone!".I was
ticked off to say the least cause we still had almost a whole day left
out on the lagoon.So, we stayed out there and Kenny continued to fish,
since I no longer had a rod and reel.A little while passed, and we used
a little Seabees "Can Do Spirit and ingenuity". We had snorkeling gear
with us, so we went over to the other side of D.G. into shallower water,
and I put on the snorkel gear,got out of the boat and used Kenny's line
from his rod and reel with the bait on it(raw chicken from the chow hall),and
went snorkeling for fish in that mode!I saw one of those puffer fish with
the spike looking things sticking out from it's body amidst some coral,dropped
the bait and line in front of it,it bit and we had a catch.Then Kenny reeled
it in and we so continued.There's alot of other great memories fron D.G.
that are to numerous to mention(like when me and the same Kenny Horn were
snorkeling on the ocean side of D.G. and a 12 ft. Mako shark was near us).Diego
Garcia-"truly the best duty location in the Navy", even though you didn't
think that when you were sent there back in 79,80,& 81.I like to say
hello to all those guys I was stationed with back then like Kenny Horn
from the story,Jim Tavenner,Dave Edwards,SW1 Garland Evans,SWSC Reagan,Mark
Rickaway,John Beausejour a.k.a. "animal,SW2 Holland,BUC Hass,John Stallings,Perry(don't
remenber last name),and a lot of others that I was there with in Public
Works(NAVSUPPFAC),and to all of the guys I was ther again with in 81 with
NMCB 4,s Det.(J.Miracola,N.Hederman,C.Straney,M.
Formosa,R.Duncan,T.Curran,&
others)."Thanks for the memories"! I am currently looking for work and
I am sick of waisting my time and efforts with alot of the so called "perfect
employers looking for the perfect candidates for employees".I'm not perfect
and God knows they ain't either !I can work and am willing to do so.Please
E-mail me at kgreco05@yahoo.com.
Thanks for your time
in reading this warstory and request for employment-Kenny Greco.
Date:
Thu, 24 Mar 2005 21:03:22 -0500
From:
"Auggie Dog" <auggiedog1005@msn.com>
From the desk of, AuggieDog1005@msn.comPlease
help!!!,
If anyone involved in
Operation Evening Light/ Eagle Claw 79-80 or attached to Helecopter Mine
Countermeasures Squadron 16, HM-16 and on the rock for that breif duration
please contact me and lets catch up on some things!
1979-1980
NAME = MICHAEL WYNN
MY QUEST = STILL DO NOT
KNOW
VT of a SWALLOW =
E-MAIL = TWYNN62@AOL.COM
NATIONALITY = AMERICAN
SERVICE = NAVY
UNIT = USNMCB 133 HCOMPANY/CHARLIE
COMPANY
RANK/RATE/JOB = MADE
IT TO E-6, COULDN'T STAND THE SHIT ANY LONGER AND DIVED OUT
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Other
MY WARSTORY = WENT THROUGH
THE STORIES FROM FELLOW PALS FROM GOOD OLE DIEGO. SOME HAVE LEFT A LIFLONG
IMPRESSION ON ME, WITH MANY MEMORIES. MIKE MCCARTHY ONE CRAZY GUY. NEAL
FOBAR EX MARINE THAUGHT ME HOW TO FIRE THE M-16, BY THE WAY WHICH I LATER
USED AS A PRISON GUARD. UT3 MALLOY AND E03 BRUCE COTTON WHOM I PARTIED
WITH IN GULFPORT. BRUCE KNEW HOW TO UNLOAD A DUMP TRUCK FULL OF BED RACKS,
HIS TIMING WAS OFF AS A YOUNG OFFICER CHEWED HIS BUT OFF AFTER HE DUMPED
THEM IN FRONT OF THE WAREHOUSE. SENIOR CHIEF COZART WHOM RODE A BIKE WAY
TOO BIG FOR HIM. SENIOR CHIEF HATCHER WHO SPOKE OF "FUCKY SUCKY MAMA SON".
BEST OF LUCK TO YOU GUYS AND YOUR FAMILIES. MIKE
1979-1980
NAME = Bruce B. Geibel,
Capt. CEC, USN, Retired
E-MAIL = seabee_mcb11@tds.net
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = U.S. Navy
UNIT = Naval Mobile Construction
Battalion One-Thirty-Three (NMCB-133)
RANK/RATE/JOB = LCDR
then, retired Captain (06) now...February 2005.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Please Select The Category That Best Discribes Your Interest in Diego
Garcia
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing
on Diego Garcia
MY WARSTORY = To all
who read these presents, greetings! I was the proud executive officer
of NMCB-133 from 1978 to 1980. I made the Camp Silver City, Rota, Spain
deployment in 1978, Camp Moscrip, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, deployment
in 1978-79, and Diego Garcia, BIOT, deployment from November 1979 to January
1980. The battalion was there until July 1980.
We left our homeport of Gulfport, Mississippi, after an exciting period
of rest and recuperation, military training, marching in a dozen change
of command and pass-in-review ceremonies (Ugg!), a full mount-out exercise,
and responded to local military and community needs after the disasterous
Hurricane Frederic hit the Gulf Coast from Gulfport, MS. to Mobile, AL,
on September 12, 1979. The Battalion worked many long days and nights helping
clear the streets of debris, and restoring essental utilities, including
water and power. Congressman Trent Lott visited Gulfport and commended
the battalion for their service to the community as did Missippi Power
Company. Many of the battalion's Seabees were awarded the "Humanitarian
Service Medal" for their humanitarian response. The Battalion arrived on
Diego Garcia and relieved NMCB5 on November 14, 1979. The Battalion was
deployed to Diego Garcia for eight months until mid-July 1980.
The Commanding Officer on Diego Garcia was Commander Herbert H. Lewis,
Jr., CEC, USN. I was the executive officer until relieved by LCDR Frederick
J. Jones, CEC, USN. The Operations Officer was LCDR J. E. "Gene" Jones,
CEC, USN. The Supply Officer was LT. O. Lee Fortier, SC, USN. The Command
Master Chief was CUCM Charles Guse, USN. The USMC Advisor was GSGT David
Sardo, USMC. The Navy Careet Counselor was NC1 Sam Williams, USN. The rest
of the crew were CEC and staff officers, the Seabees and fleet rates who
made up the battalion. We were a Happy Crew and turned to and burned up
the construction schedule on Diego Garcia. For eight months, from o-dark
thirty (6:30 am) until 5:30 pm the Battalion literally "...worked their
asses off," not to be confused with the donkeys on the other side of the
Island belonging to the Brit Rep.
The Battalion deployed to Diego Garcia during some very interesting and
trying times. U.S. Marines and USAF aircraft arrived in the Indian Ocean
to be ready for challenges facing us in Iran. The U.S. Fleet was enhanced.
Khomeini was doing his wild-thing in Iran. U.S. Embassy was overrun and
hostages were taken. The U.S. was at the brink of war in the Middle East
and Persian Gulf. The Beehive of NMCB-133 was active...they had stirred
up the Bees for sure.
The Seabee battalion was expanding the facilities on Diego Garcia to handle
a rapid build up of U.S. forces being rushed to the Indian Ocean to handle
the Iranian crisis. Everyone in the World was watching everything that
went on at Diego Garcia. It was said that the official visitors read like
a stack of alphabet letters. Visitors from CBPAC, CINCLANTFLT, NAVFACENGCOM
and CBLANT all stopped by for a look around. Even a few congressmen stopped
by for a look see. A few stewardi from commercial aircraft flying in reinforcements
enjoyed the sandy clean white beaches on the Indian Ocean. The Seabees
enjoyed the Stewardi (er, sights), as well.
The Bees built BEQ's 9 and 11 and BOQs 4 and 5 from the coral reef to buildings
fully occupied. Several other BEQs and BOQs were also constructed.
Enough steel rebar was cut to stretch from one end of the island to the
other. An ammunition storage facility was constructed. The concrete
batch plant was a lifesaver for the many projects on the Island. The Bees
blasted coral in the Indian Ocean and dragged it to the beach to haul away
for concrete, runway, pier and road works. The Island Power Plant was increased
in capacity and size. The "Kangroo" battalion became better known as the
"Can Do" battalion during their stay.
Details from CBMU 302 and NMCB's 1, 3, 4, 5, 40, 62 and 74 joined the resident
battalion from NMCB-133 to complete many joint projects reinforcing the
"One Naval Construction Force (NCF)" concept of operations. The supply
department and galley were burning the mid-night oil during much of the
deployment as the Bees worked in shifts around the clock to complete high
priority naval facilities.
But, it was not all work and no play. The Bees snorkled and boated in the
sheltered harbor, snorkled and went Longusta hunting in the shallows around
Diego Garcia, played tennis, racketball and softball, held weekend steak
cookouts, and toured the old Plantation on the other side of the Island
with its scenery and donkeys. They put a significant dent in the supply
of hot dogs and hamburgers and definately drained a few kegs of cold beer
during their stay at the tropical paradise in the middle of the Indian
Ocean. The Ops Officer went on a long overnight cruise in the Harbor and
was missing in action. That is another story. The Bees awaited the incoming
C-141's bringing in the mail, and used the MARS station to call their friends
and loved ones back in the States. They took some R&R off island and
enjoyed the USO shows on the island...from rock and roll to top 40. They
enjoyed Diego Garcia every day and in every way (well, some of them did,
really). All in all, it was a good, hardworking tour for the Seabees. They
worked hard, and they played hard.
Then in July 1980 it was wheels up and the Seabees of the 133rd Battalion
headed back to Gulfport, MS, to start preparing for their next overseas
deployment. For their tour on Diego Garcia, the Battalion won the first
of many Navy "E" awards for excellence. The Can Do boys got their stripes
and their awards the old fashioned way...they worked hard and earned it.
This is one of the annual stories of NMCB-133 that took place during World
War II (1943-45) and has taken place every year from the Vietnam War to
the present time in 2005. They came, they went, they constructed, they
started over again, and again, and again. Seabees "Can Do!" The Kangroos
of the 133rd Battalion have "Been There, Done That!" Long live the Kangroos.
Bruce B. Geibel
Capt., CEC, USN, Retired
XO, NMCB-133,1978-1980
November 79--May'80
NAME = William D. Miller(BILL)
MY QUEST = Hotel company
VT of a SWALLOW = Depends
on her throat depth!!!
E-MAIL = exastro54@aol.com
NATIONALITY = Red Blooded
American
SERVICE = US NAVY
UNIT = NMCB- 133 H CO.
RANK/RATE/JOB = SK2-then
Got out November '80
Noe President of a Recruiting
firm from Erie, Pa
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Please Select a Title For Your Story, or Select 'Other'
MY WARSTORY = Kevin Eddy,
Chris Leber, SN freddy Giest What a crew we had on resupply day. 12 hour
shift. Broads off the ship giving blow jobs and then getting caught. learning
how to drive a Semi in Gulfport.The shitty ass shows the put on in the
out door theater.The fucking jet lag we had the next day. Some asshole
geting busted on the plane flight over nad us drinking all the beer onboard,
GO FLYING TIGERS>
christmas eve party in
the hooch, Some asshole puked in the beer cooler. Donkey burgers, room
mates drinking all the beer out of the hooch refrig and not buying anymore.
Painting the sand crab with the Can do Motto. out of 8 years of active
service, this was the best year of my two tours. My wife sending me after
shave on a island with all dudes, go figure, plus that shit was awful smelling
so i gave it ti SN Giest, He loved it. But i got into a fight and broke
my ankle and had to leave DG for the PI, and never saw you dudes again.
Let's get in touch NOW!!!!!!
For you Kevin------GO
STEELERS. You fuck heads better email me. Need to get together and throw
down a few.
79,MCB5, 80-81 det Diego
MCB5
NAME = Michael P. Jones
MY QUEST = Relate stories,
find others
VT of a SWALLOW = Constant
E-MAIL = diegodrifter@msn.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN Seabees
UNIT = MCB 5 First deployment,
BOQ's, second Hanger, Com station add, and generator bldg add.
RANK/RATE/JOB = BUCN,
BU3, BU2. Diego, Diego, Sigonella, Adak. Lets see after my alchoholic
binge and failure at school, just had to resort back to what the navy taught
me, Ya still pouring concrete.
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 = Got
to admit, Diego has special place in me. First time there I just
turned 18, Tropical Paridise. The most enjoyable activity would be snorkeling.
All the colors and tropical fish, manta rays, giant sea turtles, then the
mory eal at low tide on the reef, couldn't see him but he sure would tear
up the stick we stuck in his hole. Now what would we have done if he decided
to come out and do that to our legs? Always wanted to see a shark out in
the water. Those damn crabs. I would crash out 0n the beach now and then
or maybe it was pass out. One time the waves coming in woke me up, glad
it was dark sure hate to see what else was eyeing me. Two guys down the
first deployment. Did they ever find Mcbride? Then the Eo found on the
beach getting eaten by the crabs, This happend within two Months of going
home and I decided to take it easy in the water, cause i wanted to go home!
First time was good , drunk and crazy.
Second time The
Det , back to back was with the Groggers in Tyroliaville. I got stuck in
that crowd late in homeport, but I think they accepted me. Was going to
Guam then 2 weeks before deployment "THEY" decided to have me go back to
Diego. For a week I just said to hell with you, then had to put in a "CHIT"
to fight it, Ya they just laughed at me, The Co of MCB 5 said they needed
me, I new what was going on, and of course the Det CO was turning others
down. So off i went this time was fun riding back wards in a c-141 with
about 3 windows half way around the world. Well I sure proceeded to get
drunk when I got there, wouldn't you know it I was first for watch, so
I went to react hut to sleep it off, Then had to do on island counseling,
for awhile then Got in some more trouble and spent the last 2 months of
deployment sober. Back to states and drunk again till I was 27, been sober
since I'm 44 now. The opportunities I missed from drinking.
The Iran crises
started just as we left the first time, 6 months later we went back, All
hell was breaking loose on Diego, has been ever since. I liked it better
when it was just a Seabee island 2 flights in a week if your lucky, Peaceful
it was. The second time there 2 flights in a day, ships subs marines. I
envy the first Seabees in the early 70's.
Hell of a lot of
crazy shit happened there, mojo, toga parties, fighting, just too much
to talk about. Second time there I about just didn't want to leave, guess
you can call it "institutionlized". I found peace there with all the fight
I had in me when i got there the second time, Good friend of mine Don Miller
BU mcb 40 came over two months into my second time and he got me out of
my fighting shit. I lost contact with him when I got out, I was stationed
with him up in Adak. Don Dudek an Electrician I befriended there, I found
him several years ago and with these damn Pc we keep in good contact
Miles Simmenou? I beleive
it was Ted Gourd Cal surfer used to say, Cowabunga or was it knarley? I
asked him one day what it meant, Hell he didn't know, just a surfer term
for cool waves i beleive. We lost 2 guys each time there.
I kind of grew
up there, spent 16 months in my late teens. Hell 5 years active duty I
spent close to 3 years in isolation. I don't regret any of the navy time,
just wish I had more life under my belt and wasn't a drunkard.
1979
NAME = Ned Daniels OM2
MY QUEST = To remember
the good old days!
VT of a SWALLOW = 57mph
at full dive
E-MAIL = neddlydan1@netzero.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = USS Dixie (AD14)
RANK/RATE/JOB =
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = The Dixie
was the first foreward deployed support ship sent to the rock after the
Iranian hostage crisis started. Notable events include we were the first
Naval ship to have women aboard in the form of three officers, one ens.
and two ljg's. I see that most of the stories relate to seabee's who were
stationed there but I couldn't help to throw my two-cents worth in. I came
to know many of you guys while there and was shown a very good time indeed.
I remember a particular hut on the westward side of the island on the beach
that sported a long dock extending out into the ocean, terminating in a
T with a bench and built in cooler for that rank beer we used to swill.
Had many a drunken night out there with you guys. Anyone remember a guy
named Luther who had a grudge against Hector the Hammerhead? I remember
him stealing a beaf roast and baiting a baling type hook on the end of
a nylon rope and anchoring it out in the lagoon to a cocoanut tree to catch
the shark. Hector took the bait that night and bent the hook straight and
the rope cut a groove an inch deep into the tree! I also remember the Dixie's
boxing team taking on the Seabee's team at a group party. Dixie was fairly
well waxing your asses until the heavyweights. A seabee was winning the
bout til out of the blue, someone chucked a beercan into the arena and
dropped the Seabee. It got real quiet for about 3 secs. then all hell broke
loose. I for one made tracks for the beach to avoid the blood bath that
ensued. Those were the days!
1979
NAME = Mark Ahern
MY QUEST = To be among
some of my fellow early settlers of D.G.
VT of a SWALLOW = Yes
E-MAIL = markahern@earthlink.net
NATIONALITY = U.S.
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = R.P. Chapel
RANK/RATE/JOB = E-3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Other
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = My real
problems surfaced while at Diego Garcia, apparently I am an Alcoholic.
And with drinks being 60 cents for singles and 80 cents for doubles, my
drinking took on a whole new life since there were no women to chase and
Men don,t interest me , sexually. 24 years latre after nearly ruining my
life and all of my relationships, including God, I finally found A.A. and
life has never been better.
1979
"Hixson" <camg@theofficenet.com>
I was on DG with NMCB-5
in 1979, and at that time there was a story about a 21ft hammerhead shark
romming the waters of DG. Do you have any info about this shark has name
was Hecktor the Hammerhead.
79 and 80
DENNIS MULLOY,
NMCB-5 1979 and DET Diego 1980
<dennis.mulloy@navy.mil>
Hi, I would like to contact some of my old buddies from NMCB-5 Det Diego
Garcia. In 3 years I did two tours of duty there. 4 months
with the main body in
79 and a full 8 month deployment in 80-81.
Looking for some of the old 'Groggers'. Shackelford, Jensen, Gourd, Brewer
and anyone else who spent that special time in our
young lives.
We were on the fire station block crew, and worked also at the airfield
laying the tarmac..
Thanks!
79 and 80
NAME = bill hedy
MY QUEST = old friends
VT of a SWALLOW = i'll
get back to you on that
E-MAIL = bhedy@msn.com
NATIONALITY = american
SERVICE = navy,sea bees
UNIT = mcb40
RANK/RATE/JOB =
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Other
MY WARSTORY = all i remember
was staying pretty fucken wasted all the time, running down the brits fence,
painting chickens, mojo partys,good friends. I get a hangover thinking
of it. it was fucken great lets do it again. kurt weber, rick baptista,
pete mc guiness i'll never forget you guys
1979 to 1980
NAME = Stephen McWilliams
MY QUEST = To not forget
the Britts and their witt and the days on the rock
VT of a SWALLOW = What
ever it wants to be
E-MAIL = smcwill516@excite.com
NATIONALITY = American
and proud to be.
SERVICE = United States
Navy (Retired)
UNIT = Power Plant (Day
maintenance)
RANK/RATE/JOB = At the
time I was a EN-1 and now I am retired. I retired as a ENCS.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = Spent 365
days on the Island. Worked at the Diego burger part time, then got promoted
to work at the bakery making buns and bread for the Diego burger and the
galley. Drank a lot with the brits, got used to warm beer spiked with booze.
(Man can they drink.) Did a lot of sailing, racket ball, salty dogs and
the out door theater. Sure would like to return to remember good times.
Would like to know the wereabouts of a then first class construction mechanic
by the name of Andy Anderson. Loved to fish and catch the Jacks and the
lobsters. If not for the service and lack of female companionship it was
a paradise.By the way, I did make time to work at the power plant maintaining
the fairbanks diesel generators. Working for the brits was great. Their
work ethic was if there is work to do then do it if nothing is going on
then I'll meet you at the brit club. Lot of good memories and friends made.
Thanks for the opportunity to let me express a part of my life in writing.
Thanks
Stephen L. McWilliams
ENCS (RETIRED)
Nov. 79 to July 80
NAME = Randy Lloyd
MY QUEST = To find others
from Diego to cure my insanity
VT of a SWALLOW = 'till
it reaches her stomach
E-MAIL = trandy107@msn.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USNMCB133
UNIT = "b" co. FUBAR
PLUMBING Co.
RANK/RATE/JOB = UT-3
I was also called Perkins because I found some greens to wear that had
someone else's name on them.
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 = Before
we left Gulf Port we watch movies to pass the time. One of the movies was
Apocalips Now. That scared the hell out of me.I remember that one of the
stuwardess that was on board one of the planes we took to Diego was in
Play Boy that year. Before they let us off the plane, they told us of the
things that weren't alowed on the island (like that was the perfect time
to tell us). I sill remember that catipults weren't allowed. I remember
swimming in the lagoon with the turtles untill I saw Hector the hammerhead
swim through the pier. I remember the christmas eve that the blacks hooches
went up in flames and we all spent the next day in major deep shit. Some
people got busted with things they shouldn't have had. Being a UT, I was
on duty that night. I remember the donky (I thought she was named "Missi")
who would let you do anything to her as long as someone was feeding her
beer. I remember bying a couple of hits of microdot for thirty five dollars
a hit and getting lost in the jungle with my friends and having to stand
quarters the next day frying my ass off. Amazingly I have found two other
people hear in Las Vegas were I now live who were there when I was. One
was in 40 and the other was on the ship were Penny Candy came from. Penny
found two friends of mine and me when she first came on the island. It
didn't take fifteen minutes before our hooch was filled with horny dick.
My friend from the ship tells me Penny got busted a week later with over
twelve hunderd dollars cash in her locker. I wonder where she got that
kind of money? I remember catching the 19 foot white tip with the hook
my friends and I made from rebar and using a chicken as bate. I still make
"Diego beans" from pork'n beans like we did back then when we could get
our food from the chow hall and cook it our selves on the beach. I remember
ship off load when we worked twelve on and twelve off and the day we off
loaded all the creosote poles and came back to the hooch to find the power
off line and no showers working. I remember dreaming of being crushed by
a boat at the dock and trying to puch it away from me and ultimately pushing
my hooch momma's locker over on top of him. I remember waking up most every
day with sand in my bed and having to walk out to the showers in the middle
of the hooches to do anything personal. I rememb we wrote FTQ on the road
and found out the Brit's didn't think as funny as we did. I remember the
morning the bulk haller was found flooting it the lagoon. Ah, Diego. I
remember well. Don't forget to throw a rock on the roof for me too.
July 1977- March 1978
and November 1979- July 1980
NAME = Kevin "Samurai"
Eddy
MY QUEST = To find a
Red Roo patch for my riding vest.........oh yeah living free and ridin'
free as well
VT of a SWALLOW = I'm
not sure but it ain't near as fast as those chickens were!
E-MAIL = thejuggernautone@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = Texan of
course.
SERVICE = US Navy
UNIT = NMCB 133
"Kangaroo Can Do"
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
MY WARSTORY = I found
this site looking for patches for my riding vest......................
I have perused it the last 2 days and realize now how much I miss those
I served with and those I still call friends even though I have not seen
or spoken to them since.......... to those on the 79-80 tour (that I remember
anyway): CE3 T.J. Avallone, ET3 J. Bellgraph, EA3 R. Brown, EACN
S.B. Coats, BU2 R.D. Crissey, CM2 L.J. Cruz, BU3 C. Dains, Bu3 R.
DeWitt, BMC J.M. Ezell, EO2 C. Green, SW3 R. Gustad, EA3 J.E.
Messenger, CMCA W. Mitchell, CM2 R. Moeller, BU1 R.A. Moody, CMCN K. Overstreet,
BU1 D. Pullen, BU3 T. Pullman, EO2 D. Rath, CM3 L. Sullivan......
oh hell the list goes on and on .................these were good guys one
and all. I personally am proud to have been a Seabee with them.
Of course I have to separate these guys from those guys though I am no
less proud of how I fell about them. But lets face it without Hotel Co.
who would have gotten paid? Ate? Got supplies or those rare R&R leaves
we heard about.... SK3 G. Pasley, SK3 T. Holian, SK3 C. Leber, DK3
D. Barnett, SK3 J.A. Koenig, SK2 W. Miller, YN3 M.G. Bland,PC3 P.V. Bradley,
MS1 R.S. Collins, MSSN D. Collins, MS2 E.E. Crane, SK2 T. Dale, DK1 M.R.
Felker, YNSN M.D. McCarthy, HM3 D.J. Henry, PNSN M. Scott, MS3 D.R. Patitz,
MSSN F.X. Porter, SK1 K. Payne, PN3 W. Payne, JO3 J.R. Powers, SK3 A.V.
Filyaw, SK3 N.F. Fobar, YN2 R.F. Gray.
Come on.. Freddy (SN
F. Geist), Drac (SKSN M. Griffin) or Squirrel (SK3 D. Swoope) would I forget
you three....
To the guys from 77-78 133 Diego Detachment that started that POL pipeline
namely: Jerry, Billy, Mule, Drew, Chris, Browny, Martinez, Chief Cortez,
Mask, and the rest of you guys on page 140 of the cruisebook that (I can't
remember your names) in typical fashion the names were left off of......
Anyway to all of you and all of the others before and since.
Well done gentlemen. well done. Kangaroo Can Do. ......and did!
Oh yeah by the way the 77-78 detachment built what we called a Bar-B-Que
Cart..... has any body seen it? the Kangaroo was on the tongue and
it even had a grill and cooler...... I have pictures
oh yeah I've got pictures............
ON OR ABOUT SUMMER OF
1979
NAME = Michael Tacovelli
MY QUEST = TO FIND SAILORS WHO WERE ONBOARD THE USS RACINE
VT of a SWALLOW = LAIDEN OR UNLAIDEN......
E-MAIL = grnbear@bellsouth.net
NATIONALITY = UNKNOWN
SERVICE = NAVY
UNIT = VARIOUS
RANK/RATE/JOB = BM1retired
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I was the boat coxswain of the capt's gig transporting the
capt of the uss racine to the beach during the above year. after
myself and the boat off loaded the capt a dn officers at the pier close
to the post office in diego garcia , myself the bowhook and the boat eng
decide to go for a swim. of course we had to undress(totally) to
go swimming. we all enerted the water naked, then we returned to
the shore seeing that our uniforms were stolen. all 3 of us placed
our rain coats on(looking like exibitiists)transporting the CO and other
officers back to ship..they never knew what happened...and they never asked...thats
my story..
79-80
NAME = Derek Knight
E-MAIL = derek3112@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN SEABEES-
UNIT = MNCB133
RANK/RATE/JOB = E-4 to E1 depending on what month
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 = So many stories.First night on the rock after getting off
watch we had a mojo party and a guy said lets steal a duce i'll give you
a tour of the island. Long night shortened, went to the other side of the
island knocked over many coconut trees and the Brit. gate, wrecked the
truck had to walk back. OR
The time they showed the new movie Warriors one night and we had such a
big riot they cancled the rest of the shows.
OR
The racial riot on Christmas Eve, complete with fire bombings and a congressional
investigation.
OR
The time the Marines came during the Iranian crisis and we got them so
stoned and then tried to steal a tank.
Probably the best time on the Rock was after they started letting girls
on ships we met a girl named Penny? We called her Penny Candy.Well one
night made 9 monthes feel not so bad.
Never forget my time with the red rats,
Derek Knight
1979-1980
Lopez, Ignacio (CBCHUE)"
<LopezI@cbchue.navfac.navy.mil>
To fellow members of the Diego Garcia history,
I deployed to the Diego Garcia atoll in the Spring of 1979 and left January
1980. Our NMCB 40 Det was mainly tasked with the welding of the 16-inch
fuel line that connected to eight fuel tanks, the construction of
12-inch concrete walls to surround the tanks and the construction of a
fuel/water separator pit. We had our full, complete deployment work schedule
cut for us but we made time to jog/run in the afternoons or drink our "mojo"
in the weekends and throw rocks or dried coconuts at the tin roofs of our
Seahuts.
We lived in Seahuts that had only some sort of screen to prevent insects
from getting in. When the wind blew hard (during high tides), we
get sprayed and wet with salt water from the lagoon. We normally
had Sundays off and most of us tried to get as much sleep as possible only
to be woken up by crowing noises made by chickens running around the Seahuts
areas. Seabees sleepily throw rocks at the chickens to drive them
away. Mind you, that's where the "Every week is a Chicken Choking Week"
sign on T-Shirts came from.
One of the memorable events that I have joined was running the island "Tip
to Tip Marathon Relay"on July 4, 1978. The whole distance was 38
miles with six runners per relay team. First and last leg runners
took seven miles each and the rest ran six miles each. That must
have been the only excitement at the time because there was high rate of
participation. A total of 19 teams registered and ran the race.
I still remember running along a narrow path where I've seen land crabs
scurrying to their holes as the runners went by.
Having parties at the plantation side was equally fun. I have experienced
a young coconut fruit fell and grazed my head as I stooped down to stir
the coal in our barbecue pit. Lucky for me because the fruit did
not land squarely on top of my head. The donkeys always had their
share of the beer that we brought. Once someone puts down an open
can of beer, one of the donkeys would lick or bite the top of the can.
No one would want to drink from that can then, but the donkey.
Keeping the "Donkey Gate" secured/closed was always an issue. There
were times when people who go and visit the plantation side would forget
or miss closing the gate and the donkeys from the plantation side would
have a free reign to go to the runway. If a flight happens to come
in at the time, you'd hear the plane radio in and require the donkeys be
driven out of the runway and fly a little longer in the air until the runway
is clear.
When I returned in the early winter of 1982, I have found out that the
land adjacent to the runway has been widened with rocks/corals that was
dredged from the lagoon. I know that it has been continuously improved
so I'm not surprised when I get word now that the island has turned out
to be a paradise. It feels great to hear about Diego Garcia, - "The
Footprint of Freedom". I'm CUCM Ignacio P. Lopez, and I have just
retired after 30 years in the Naval Service on 01 January 2004. I'd
be glad to hear more news about the island or to get word from folks who've
been in the island during the earlier years. Hurraah!! Diego
Garcia.
Ignacio P. Lopez
1979 -1980 AND 1981 -
1982
NAME = Garland D. Evans
MY QUEST = Work
VT of a SWALLOW = 8,999 MPH
E-MAIL = nmseabee74@aol.com
NATIONALITY = Texas
SERVICE = USN Seabees
UNIT = NAF and NMCB 74
RANK/RATE/JOB = Retired SWC
1979,1980,1984,1985,1986
NAME = Joseph P Stropole
MY QUEST = Old Friends, and Enemies....
VT of a SWALLOW = 60 MPH in a Windshield
E-MAIL = jstropole@mail.com
NATIONALITY = USA !
SERVICE = Merchabt Marine
UNIT = USNS Rigel, USNS Mercury, USNS Jupiter, USNS Ponchatoula
RANK/RATE/JOB = 3rd Asst, 2nd Asst
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 Sailing Story
MY WARSTORY = 1984, Ready to leave the skids, for the rock, civillian merchant
marine waiting for the REPAT flight, the animal launch (remember this one
???) Broken Faces (not mine), Broken dreams, and then broken airline tickets,
somebody smacked my favorite CHENG, the offender was a jarhead....The rest
was BIOT history....
1979-1981
NAME = Dennis Mulloy
MY QUEST = To Survive
VT of a SWALLOW = About that
E-MAIL = DMulloy@Sprynet.Com
NATIONALITY = WHITE
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = NMCB-5/ NMCB-5 DET DIEGO
RANK/RATE/JOB = E-4 a couple times.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Drink A Lot, Cheap
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = After reading fellow grogger Ted Gourd's story it brought
back memories. If I recall, Ted was a surfer from So. Cal. A few
of us known as the 'Groggers' were always up to no good. Especially, when
NMCB-133 was releiving us. We would go out in the middle of the night and
change their monikor, i.e., sign. By morning it would read 'Groggers' or
something like that. We changed it for a whole week straight. We would
change it at night and NMCB-133 would change it back by day. This went
on for 4-5 nights. Finally, the word got out that is was those misfits
from NMCB -5. We only had about a 30-40 man DET. So we were fairly close.
Best times of my life were on that rock. Pretty sick huh?
Did I ever tell you the story about the loyal chicken subject that was
run up the BRIT flag pole.
Another time my friend.
79
Chet Kittle <chetnmarsha@integrity.com>
Subject: The last
photo of Dodge I have.
After leaving Diego in 79’ with Det. 74, (we built the hanger), I had a
stack of photos and now just one. And it’s a beaut. Everybody’s favorite
place to take a photo of a sunset. I’ve been crusein’ the site for a good
year and finally took the time to get this off. War stories, I got a few.
I’ll send a couple soon, but this photo says more than I could ever say
of way I feel about “that fly speck.” More to come, Chet Kittle EO2, NMCB
74. 76’ to 81’79-80
[here's Chet's sunset
photo]
David Stott <dkstott@compuserve.com>
Hi there,
stumbled upon your site..
I spent 1 glorious year
on the rock from 1979 - 1980.... I was there during the Iranian Hostage
Crisis, Yemen crisis and during the time of no women on the rock....
I ate food from Donkey Burger, drank preserved beer, and somewhere's
around here, I have photo's from the time spent there as well as my "everyday
is chicken choking day on Deigo Garcia" t-shirt.
Dave Stott Jan. 79- Sept.79
[here's 2 of Dave's photos
- the Donkey Burger, and the theater]
NAME = Chet Kittle
MY QUEST = To return.
VT of a SWALLOW = Anywhere in front of a jet engine.
E-MAIL = chetnmarsha@integrity.com
NATIONALITY = I was born in Dodge,KS
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = Det. 74, crane operator.
RANK/RATE/JOB = Made E4 the fourth day we were there.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Decided to Join A Monastery, But Couldn't Find One
Stateside
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other
MY WARSTORY = Oh dear God, where to start. I'll do some memorables then
a bunch at the end. One of the three days that they gave us to recooperate
after the flight (36 hrs. from goofport, 6 on the ground)I saw everyone
running down to the lagoon. There were about 20 guys pointing at this shark
fin that stood about 2.5 ft. (or more) out of the water. I don't know what
you call that fin that's in the back, but it was about 16 ft. behind the
front one. They said it was a 20' ft. white that got caught in the lagoon
at low tide and was circleing until it could get out. That was straight
out my hut door, 15' to the water.
After being there for a couple months, everbody started going a little
nuts, woke up one morning to hear that notorious clunk-clunk, clunk-clunk,
clunk-clunk. Poor Mittens couldn't even keep up on Air Only.
Watched a friend of mine single a chicken out, and chase that poor bird
down (by hand) and then rip it's head off. I was driving back
to the hanger after lunch one day and I was in front of Alfa Co., where
you can pretty much look straight down the run way, and I was watching
a 131 take off and just wishing I was on that flight, when the outside
engine went poof, so he circled and landed. Pieces of engine peppered the
body, nobody hurt. One of the most memorable times was the tip to
tip relay. I had the first leg, seven or so miles, (I think there were
six of us), got to take the mike boat over early in the morning,got stuck
about 100 yards from the beach, so a few jumpin' porpoises, and ran my
little ass off. Came in sixth out of 12 I do believe and we ended
up 3rd overall (thanks to that Brit gettin' heat stroke right in front
of the hospital. We used to get 5gal. buckets full of the land
crabs and take a jeep down by the donkey gate, head back into town about
35 or 40mph, lean way out the back of the jeep and gently set the crab
down on the pavement. Well they skid along pretty good until they hit something
or try and move and they just tumble and fly apart. Ah,good times.
And I don't know how many times the neighbors would be haveing one of those
very inertaining parties, when one time it was dark, everybody was trying
to sleep, they had a card game goin' or somethin, when the power went out.
Well that just sent 'em into a tizzy. Fuck this and fuck that, and then
they broke into a rouseing rendetion of FTN, FTN, FTN,FTN,....... while
jumping up and down in the hut. No shit, you could hear it all over that
end of the island. FTN, FTN, FTN, the floor gave out. All ten hit the sand
at the same time. Died silence, except the laughter! Here goes with the
bunch of stuff....ea moray eels(6' or better), barricudas, shellin'
(cowreys or anythig that didn't move), Black tips, whites,400+ lbs
of snapper at time, 6' steel leaders with three sets of treble hooks to
catch absolutley nothing!!,turtles, seacucumbers, 1" scare on my finger
tip from a razor clam, black coral, sailing;sailing;sailing, tree house
(split level),softball, outdoor movies, the Steal band from Holland,weights,donkey
burgers, coconuts (ate one a day)hated the way they freaked ya out
on the roof at 2am but sounded great on the cheifs hut,The Plug, red white
and blue chicks that would turn purple with age, watching the tires burn
on my crane after a CM backed the gantry into that 15 thousand volt line
at Alpha, working with asbostes and red lead (son, how come you look like
that), flash burns from looking at the tig (yea yea I know), the plantation,
watchin' and hearin' a C5 scream out on a medavac, a crane that would start
by itself, watchin a 131 buzz the hanger with six guys laying sheeting
on the roof, church (there's a firsts), sunsets, and the ocean.
And tappin' that fuckin'
salt!
Dodge will always be
a part of me, 'cause I was a part of Dodge.
jan 1979 ___1980
NAME = TED GOURD
MY QUEST = TO FIND SOME
OLD DOGS (IMISS YA MAN ! )
VT of a SWALLOW = 1.82
SEC. WITH A BEER BONG &2 BEERS
E-MAIL = TED@RPMS OUTLAWNET.COMW
NATIONALITY = WHITE NATURALLY
SERVICE = U.S.NAVY
UNIT = NMCB-5 DET-NMCB-5
RANK/RATE/JOB = I WENT
FROM A HAPPY E-1 TO A HAPPY E-4 ON DIEGO (2-DEPLOYMENTS)
THEN I WENT TO SPAIN!!!!!
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Want to Drink A Lot, Cheap
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing
on Diego Garcia
MY WARSTORY = JEE WIZZ
THIS IS KIND OF A TRIP :A LOT OF SHiT WENT ON OVER ON THE ROCK!@ FOR CHRIST
SAKES
1979
NAME = JAMES CARRIERO
MY QUEST = DIEGO GARCIA
E-MAIL = JJAMCINMATNIC@AOL.COM
NATIONALITY = ITALIAN/IRISH;
SERVICE = US NAVY; UNIT = NMCB74 AIRCRAFT HANGER; RANK/RATE/JOB = CE2
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 = DURING
SHIP OFFLOAD, WE STOLE THE OFFICIERS ICE CREAM AND JAR SHRIMP. WE
FEED MILLER LITE BEER TO JENNY THE MULE. SHE WAS THE SIZE OF TWO
MULES. I GOT ARRESTED FOR SPEEDING IN A DUCE AND A HALF BRINGING
THE CREW TO CHOW. THE BRITS WOULDN'T LET ME DRIVE ON THE ISLAND FOR 6 MONTHS.
I LEFT THE ISLAND A WEEK LATER FOR THE STATES. BROKE MY HEART.
DIDN'T DRINK A SINGLE BEER THE WHOLE 8 MONTHS I WAS THERE. THE PLACE
REALLY BLEW MY MIND.
4 months in 1979 ALSO
4 more months in 1976
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 Se