WAR STORIES FROM PARADISE
You have traveled back to 1980!
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
1980 -81
NAME = Randy Dailey
MY QUEST = 200 m.p.h.
VT of a SWALLOW = Only
37 m.p.h.!
E-MAIL = jedattn@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = U.S.N. Seabees
UNIT = NMCB-40 'C' Co.
Fightin' Fuckin' Forty
RANK/RATE/JOB = Steelworker/Scummer(as
Cheif Dorrell would call us) then.Car freak now/still whatever
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = First
of all - What a trip finding this fuckin' site ! I remember bending a shit
load of rebar and "goin down the road " with Hambone (Hamilton) and gettin'
hammered pretty often with Roy Childers , Les Nebel , Gary Bohnencamp and
Pat "Bus" Bussanmas then that fuckstick Bobby Wright would come into the
hooch and lay on top of someone.I still talk to Albert Parkhurst. He didn't
make it to Diego because he crashed his bike just before deployment.
Anyway I remember
one night (little) Howie Belssing getting so hammered he got in a fight
with Foley all because he wouldn't back off when Foley asked him if he
was lookin' for trouble after Howie said somethin' stupid . Foley hit Howie
one time Howie hit the pier on his back knocked out eyes wide open and
he was snoring all at the same time ! I felt sorry for Howie, well for
a second and then I had to laugh my ass off. I think that was one
of the Jungle Juice party nights when Dave Towe got so hammered he pulled
his dick out (again) so I grabbed it and took him for "walk" it was funny
as hell because he didn't think anyone would do it. And I remember
: Y.C.J.C.Y.O.C.O.B.??? Your curiosity just cost you one case of beer and
havin to beer bong a six pack ! Thank God I/we survived.
April thru July 1980
NAME = Rex Chilton
MY QUEST = To get one
of those blasted chickens
VT of a SWALLOW = all
the way into next week
E-MAIL = rchilton@uabmc.edu
NATIONALITY = bama
SERVICE = AF
UNIT = Boom Operator,
tanker task force
RANK/RATE/JOB = Ssgt
then, retired now
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = Well,we
arrived at diego from Gaum just after the Iran rescue mission, which sadly
went very south. Thanks Jimmy. So we thought, ok pack up and head back
to Guam, Wrong! Stayed for a couple months doing missions with the guys
off the "Connie and Ike. Great bunch of pilots.
Before leaving the rock
we were told to buy as much bottled beer and red man that we could, the
seabees needed supplies. So we did. Once on Diego a duce and ahalf met
us on the ramp and we sold them back our "supplies" at our cost. Now I
have read where guys bought cases of beer for 20 bucks but not from us,
all we wanted was our per-diem money back (of course we kept enough beer
for ourselves). This turned out to be a very good thing to do, the seabees
treated us great. Spent many hours at the E6 peir with Don Woods and the
guys form the 133rd out of Gulf Port MS rasing all kinds of hell. My good
bud and great boom, Kevin Doyle and I have talked about our time on Diego.
Hope those guys from the 133rd are still kicking and doing well.
1980's
Phil Furze <tatahn2@yahoo.com>
After a 25 year career
(retired in 1994) I still have nightmares, of the time I was in transit
from Oman to Japan. Back in the 80's I was in the Navy and I had to suffer
7 days in 'DaGar'. The warm lagoon waters, the sandy beach, the trip
to visit "Katie", drinking beer with the Aussies. It was horrible!
P Furze
MSG USAR (ret)
1980 to 1984 RBRM - 1993
with BJS
NAME = John L
MY QUEST = Returning
just for the Expat club sunsets and Margaritas
E-MAIL = johnjel1234@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = USA
RANK/RATE/JOB =
Contractor with RBRM and BJS
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = After
having been gone from the island for approx. 10 years I took a job with
BJS to see how Diego had developed. I had been there from 1980 with
RBRM during the construction years.
In 1982 the Navy approached RBRM and told us they had 10,000lbs of frozen
lobster tail they wanted to sell. Since we had our own food budget
we bought the lobster and started Surf & Turf every Friday night at
the expat mess hall.
When I returned in 1993 I was in the O club and noticed that someone was
getting a lobster dinner for their birthday. I thought "No it couldn't
be the same lobster we bought in "82." Guess what! It had no taste
and was really tough.
So much for lobster at the "O' in 1993. By now I would think it is all
gone.
1980
From: Chris Kelley <whotmewory@nc.rr.com>
28 Feb 2008
What a great thing it was to see you have
Hector on the web.
I believe that the photo that George Wilson
scanned for you is one taken in November, 1980 from the fantail of the
USS Puget Sound AD-38 by the fantail watch or someone with him. We were
stationed there in the Fall / Winter of 1980 to relieve the Dixon. I actually
saw a hard copy of this when our Master Diver Chester Stanley showed it
to us. He was so proud of it he would not share copies.
The British customs officials at the time
had lots of anecdotal stories about him and told us that British and American
sailors from WWII has seen or heard of Hector during the war; which made
him quite old in 1980. In a 1970s / 80s book called "Shark!" the author
insisted hammerheads got no longer than nine (or thirteen?) feet long.
I forget which, but after having seen Hector, I was sure wishing there
was a way to tell the author about the Diego Garcia shark.
One thing that struck me was the British
stationed there told us they had no record of Hector killing or maiming
any man. Funny, the British told us not to swim in the lagoon; the Americans
told us not to swim in the open seas - or was it the other way around?
Anyway, we swam in both!
I have a neat photo of some WWII guns on
the beach where we swam. I'll send them from home as work won't send e-mails
larger than a certain size.
The reason swimming in the open ocean was
frowned on were the black tip reef sharks that populated the black coral
reefs on the slopes about 60-90 feet down. I guess they were worried the
sharks would wander up for a nice bite of calf meat.
At the time we were there, there were mostly
crazed Sea Bees, chickens and donkeys - and an army of coconut crabs. Sleeping
in the open screened huts on the [then scarcely populated and untainted]
island was a lifetime experience. I wondered then at the future when Hilton
or the Sheraton would ruin the island, or civilians from the PI would move
there. Later, last decade, I saw an Air Force film showing PI civilians
and barracks and enlisted quarters and...ugh! I am so glad I got to see
the place before that mess.
Thank you for having this site on the INet!
Cheers!
Chris Kelley, PE
Professional Engineer / Hydraulic Specialist
Apex, NC
Former MM2/DV, R5 Division Dive Locker
USS PUGET SOUND, AD-38
1980
David Semenke <blake@execpc.com>
I was stationed
at Deigo Garcia in 1980 for six months while my ship the USS Emory S Land
visited it. I was temporarily assigned to the customs division on the island.
While there we took part in operations related to the failed Hostage rescue
in Iran. The transport plane carrying something, I'm not sure what, landed
there and only certain people were allowed on board.
I saw some pretty interesting stories while there, one was about a former
soldier who was in Vietnam and was well decorated - Congressional Medal
of Honor and was carrying it with him. He joined the Navy and was being
transferred to his ship by way of Diego Garcia as a seaman. As I
was going thru his things I found a lump inside of his pants cuff and confiscated
the trousers as possible contraband. It was soon determined that
the material was harmless but still he missed his flight out. He
was also livid cursing an Air Force Sargeant in the Phillipines, telling
me that the guy was jealous that a seaman had the Medal of honor while
the Sargeant had twenty years in and nothing to show but good conduct.
He missed his flight in the Phillipines, as well, while waiting for the
Sargeant to return his belongings. He felt the Sargeant took too
much time and must have planted it there. I don't know what happened
after that but he said that when he reached his final destination he was
going to have a chat with the Captain to see what could be done about the
Sargeant.
Also while I was wandering around the island one day I found the anti aircraft
guns but I was puzzled by the remanants of a structure nearby. It looked
as if the foundation was all that was left with steps leading down into
it. In the center was a concrete slab that rose up to the height
of the walls with a base that looked like a pyramid and very little room
to walk around it. I was wondering if you know anything about it.
Another thing that I want to mention, and I personally feel that someone
was pulling my leg, is that according to rumor a Japanese soldier was found
on the island long after world war II and did not know the war was over.
He actually killed himself before they could get him. Of course this is
just a rumor and frankly I don't believe it.
1980/81
NAME = Russ Nichols
MY QUEST = To find and
"remember" old friends
VT of a SWALLOW = zzzoooooommmm
E-MAIL = russ_in_blhills@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = White
SERVICE = Seabees
UNIT = MCB Fightin' Fuckin'
40
RANK/RATE/JOB = 6 damn
years and still left as BU 3rd class!
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I was shipped
to 40 outta A school in 80.40 had just already got to The island, so I
came late by a month. But 7 months were a big plenty. It's a wonder
I'm alive. I was put in a "hooch" with 3 others I knew from school, Greg,
and a couple others I'll have to look up. Put on the "Hot Tar Crew". With
one I recognized Wade Hovey, Kees Peer, along with others. All quite foggy
yet. Need others to refresh my memory.
My story was, not long after I got there. My friends, and all the new friends,
all were partying one night,(imagine that), and at that hootch, they had
a sheet of "Micky Mouse" acid. Never tried it till that night, they talked
me into it, so after a bit, someone had the great idea to go for a walk
to the beach,,, they took us to the jungle, and "Ditched" us! Then
once we decided we were lost, and freaking out, we started what we thought
was back to camp. The "older" guys that ditched us, now were hiding behind
trees, and scaring the shit outta us. I was never so glad to get back to
camp, and back to my hootch. Never done acid since. But don't underestamate
me, we all drank, and smoked lots of "Beaners" hash, or partied with Loui
Rico (R.I.P.) And who can forget the girls off the ship that
ended up in one of the circles. Lines of men. Never me
though!
June 1980 and Feb 1982
NAME = Edd Keudell
MY QUEST = The Grail...no
the Ring
VT of a SWALLOW = 94
knots
E-MAIL = mapperhd@msn.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN Submarines
UNIT = SSN 694
RANK/RATE/JOB = SK2/SS
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
MY WARSTORY = I remember
pulling along side the Ajax and them lowering the brow to our deck. When
some of their guys came over to attach power and whatever some of them
were so terrified of touching foot on a sub that they crawled on their
hands and knees.
On my second glorious trip to the island with the most pristine beach I've
ever seen, I got drunk during a softball game in the near-equatorial sun
and had a black out. Someone told me later I bitched out one of the O-gangers
back on my boat.
Rumor has it that someone finally caught Hector...
1977 and 1980
NAME = Rick Baptista
MY QUEST = Who Knows
VT of a SWALLOW = Who
Knows
E-MAIL = r.baptista@comcast.net
NATIONALITY = White
SERVICE = NMCB-40
UNIT = Pipe rat; Crane
crew; Batch Plant
RANK/RATE/JOB = EO3 to
EOC
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = What can
I say! I stole the truck loaded with Alpha Company, crashed the donkey
gate and chased them fucking brits down the road. To bad Barto got
caught. Sure was a long walk from the plantation to t-Site. If it
wasn't for the human chain at the donkey gate the rest of us would'nt have
got caught. Well there you GO LT. Rock now you know. Well he
always knew but just couldn't prove it. If Bll the Head didn;t hit
that Brit with his sneaker they might have let us go. Well thats one story
of many I can tell. Was a fun place and did alot of drinking.
Having the shits during Shipoff load cause of bad Turkey Ala King.
Looking for Bad Bart; Dan Hosher; Ron Ried etc. Hey Dog Face I thought
that was in Newfoundland I broke your back. Anyway I should be getting
half that check. For all that recall this story send me an e-mail
From:
cfonteno@peoplepc.com
To:
easy501@zianet.com
Date:
23 Jan 2007, 08:56:52 PM
Subject:
Diego Garcia
All
Hail Dodge!
Love the site and would like to be a member. I did T.A.D. transit duty
in the early days, 1980-81 on my way to meet the USS Ranger for West Pac.
Lived in Splinterville while working with my Squadrons shore detachment
VS-37. Fond memories of the place. I even have a picture of me next to
the "Footprint of Freedom" sign that was up between town and the airfield.
I'll share that with everyone upon successfull citizenship to the Republic.
Chuck Fontenot
1980
NAME
= Trish Schiesser, mother of LY SPEAR contingency, Andrea Robin Schiesser,
Cosier, McDonald, Rose
MY
QUEST = To tell the members of this group about my daughter who served
aboard LY SPEAR in Diego Garcia 1980.
VT
of a SWALLOW = Depends upon how big the drink is.
E-MAIL
= lilreddog1@Yahoo.com
NATIONALITY
= Caucasian, USA
SERVICE
= U.S. NAVY
UNIT
= Boatswain's Mate
RANK/RATE/JOB
= E/2 or E/3. Deceased.
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Other
MY
WARSTORY = My daughter, Andrea, was a member of the crew of the L.Y. Spear,
out of Norfolk, VA. Her ship was called up during the Iranian Crisis in
1980. She was never where she was supposed to be at the time to be
there, she had more Captain's Mast's than anybody else I know of. She wound
up in the brig and in the engine room, on bread and water, while in Diego
Garcia. But, she was a brilliant woman of 18 who didn't know who she was.
She could have attended Annapolis, but puposely flunked the test so she
could follow in her father's footsteps (he was in the Merchant Marine at
the time)around the world. So, she opted for a ship, and she got the SPEAR.
She became one of the first women Shellbacks on a non-combatant vessel.
Her father never became a Shellback, since he was on non-navy ships while
crossing, but he was an Officer in the Naval Reserve, so Andrea saluted
him when they were together. Andrea was a sweet, kind, and generous woman,
who loved her family very much - maybe that is why she screwed up her naval
career and lasted only two years until it was mutually agreed upon that
she exit the service. She was married, first marriage, to Fred Cosier,
who was aboard the LY SPEAR - has anyone heard of him? or heard from him
recently? He doesn't know that our Andrea, at age 40, died of breast, lung
and brain cancer on July 19,2002. We miss her terribly and these websites
really contribute to our well being. She is up in heaven now, looking down
upon all of you, all of us, sending nothing but golden words to cover our
heads as we plow along in life. If you knew her, please send me an e-mail
at: Clara19126@msn.com - I am Trish Schiesser, her mother. God Bless everyone
of you.
1980
NAME
= lytelle john mcgowan
MY
QUEST = trying to piece it all together
VT
of a SWALLOW = unknown to myself
E-MAIL
= ljmcgowan56@charter.net
NATIONALITY
= white
SERVICE
= navy
UNIT
= uss ly spear weapons department
RANK/RATE/JOB
= e4 busted to e1
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 = as an ex army veteran, i joined the navy for adventure and to
help me cope with life. all that drinking and smoking earlier in life made
me quite an onnery character. there i was stationed at norfolk on the ly
spear and then the iranians decided to take some hostages. so we had to
take a vacation in paradice. i was known as mad mike cause i was always
angry and in trouble. it was rough going accross the ocean because of rough
seas and a lot of stuff got tossed around on bourd. i wished i was more
into socialising because there were some pretty chicks aboard and a lot
of really great people. HELLO TO ALL THOSE THAT REMEMBER ME. liberty boat
duty was hell and all there was to do at d. G. was to drink, bowl, eat
DEW BURGERS, and help the CB's build a park. back on the ship,
we serviced submarines and a one or two surface ships. i finally ended
my tour of duty at norfolk...the captain giving me six months to live because
of my drinking and drugging.ireally needed that kick in the rear to change
the course of my life. now i'm a succesful dishwasher at shoneys restaurant.
ahoy to all you mates that remember me.
1980
NAME
= MIKE SMOLLON
MY
QUEST = FIND OLD FRIENDS
E-MAIL
= MSMOLLON@AOL.COM
NATIONALITY
= USA
SERVICE
= MSC
UNIT
= LIBERTY-MSC CREW USNS RIGEL
RANK/RATE/JOB
= COOK & BAKER
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 = USNS RIGEL - MCS SHIP WE JUST SAILED INTO DIEGO GARCIA MANY
OF THE CREW LANDED ON SHORE FIRST TO GET SOME COLD BEER! wE WENT FOR A
SWIM AT THE BEACH WHEN WE HEARD A HUGE BOOM THEN SMOKED BILLOWED FROM OUR
STACK. ONE OF THE OFFICERS WITH US 3RD ASST. ENGINE DEPT. SAID WE MUST
HAVE BLOWN A BOILER. THIS MEANT DRY DOCK EITHER IN SUBIC OR SINGAPORE.
I WISH I COULD REMEMBER HIS NAME BUT HE WAS A PROUD IRISH AMERICAN SO HE
GOT DRUNK AND HOISTED HIS IRSH FLAG IN PLACE OF THE BRITISH FLAG ON DIEGO.
HE SPENT THE REST OF HIS STAY IN THE BRITISH BRIG, HE SAID IT WAS WORTH
IT!
OLONGAPO, SUBIC BAY - AN AWSOME LIBERTY!
ANYONE WHO REMEMBERS THIS ADVENTURE PLEASE GET IN TOUCH.
REGARDS
TO ALL - MIKE SMOLLON, STEWARDS DEPT. USNS RIGEL 1980 OR 81 MSMOLLON@AOL.COM
1980
CHRIS
KELLEY <whotmewory@triad.rr.com>
I loved your site!
I'm attaching for you a copy of a photo of the old W.W.II Brit guns that
were on the "foot print" back in 1980. (editor's note - sorry Chris, I
couldn't open the attachment for some reason)
Diego was much different then: SeaBees, Divers, rock crabs and laws against
sodomy of the goats and chickens! I was a 2nd Class diver working on the
pipelines there. The Brits said not to dive outside the atoll; the Americans
said not to dive in the lagoon - so we dived in both - netting black coral
and urchin stings!
I remember hoping - in the open, screen sided Quonset huts we slept in
then - that the Sheraton or Hilton would never mar the little atoll.
I'm glad I'm not ever going to visit the place as it has been trashed now.
Cheers
from NC!
Chris
Kelley, USN, USAFR Ret.
NC
licensed Professional Engineer
Yadkinville,
NC 27055-8109
336-251-2018
(mobile)
whotmewory@triad.rr.com
1980
NAME
= bud downer
MY
QUEST = find old buddys
VT
of a SWALLOW = 2 mph
E-MAIL
= cjd8364@sru.edu
NATIONALITY
= american
SERVICE
= navy seebeas
UNIT
= cbmu 302
RANK/RATE/JOB
= E-3 discharged in 1982 MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There
is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT
OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY
WARSTORY = i was detailed there from subic bay pi. i remember the
kill dozer episode' the barracks burning the iranian hostage situation
making ice formaldahide flavored beer . there was the beer drinking
donkey coconut crabs and the best snorkeling and fishing anywhere
in the world. i am from pittsburgh pa and the steelers won the superbowl
that year. the C-5s bringing in all the helicopters they used for the rescue
that went wrong. sitting on generator watch in that train car i'm still
shaking.the whole time i was there i never ate in chow hall it was that
bad. some of the guys iremember where tim thrasher ut, paul foley ce,paul
perkins eo,oh my head its hard to forget but if anyone remembers me please
contact me, still live in pittsburgh go steelers. been a firefighter
for 20 years its great but whish i was still in, go figure.
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?
1980
NAME = Terry Monser
E-MAIL = tmonser@comcast.net
NATIONALITY = Mex-American
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = Fightin Forty-B
co.
RANK/RATE/JOB = ut3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = So many
to tell. We didn't know it then but we had a great time. Buzz Sawyer turned
me on to this site. I still keep in touch with him. One of things I remember
was the half way party we had, everybody was shit faced from the get go.
There was a few of us that got hold of some acid and I
decided, since I was
a veteran of many trips at my previous duty station (NAS Fallon,NV),
that I'd take 3 hits that day. So at the party I got used to reaching into
the cooler and taking beers got out of control fucked up. the party ended
and we move everything to the em club. By this time I was in and out of
reality, so some of this is hazy. I started to reach over the bar and into
the cooler for beers and the bartender was getting pissed. the MP's were
called and I was led away. some how I got away from them and spent the
next 10 or 11 hours hiding from them. I would go into the jungle for awhile
and pop into one of the huts and scream that eveyone was after me. I'd
start freaking out and Frank Long, who had duty that night, would send
me out the back door of the hut and point me in some direction and tell
me to hide some more. Frank, did I ever say thanks? Well, anyway I came
down finally and was told of what i
had done and of course
had to see the co. chief. He wanted to send me to the brig but ut1 Rudd
(I think that was his name) put in a good for me and I just
had to do some extra
duty for awhile. I have a hard time remembering peoples names (I wonder
why). I do remember Buzz, and Frank, and Rico(R.I.P.), Twitch Morrison,
Steve Foley, Steve Kelly, Tom Reedy, Wah Wah, thats the only name I remember
about him,Russ Young. As I sit here thinking some names are coming back,
Chris Murphy, Eddie Oates. Well anyway, the time we spent on DG was a pretty
wierd time and I like looking back at it. My daughter is sick of all of
my Navy stories. Drop me a line, I'd like that.FTN-40
October-November 1980
(TDY)
NAME = Michael J Monz
Jr " Mighty Mike"
MY QUEST =
VT of a SWALLOW =
E-MAIL = mgtymike33@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = USAF
UNIT = MAC OL
RANK/RATE/JOB = SSGT
/E5 during my time on the BIOT
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Professional Adventurer Looking For The Ultimate Get Away
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= I am a Born Liar, and Want To Tell About All The Sex I Had on Dodge
MY WARSTORY = Assigned
to the 619MASS HICKAM AFB HI, was hand selected by the 834th Airlift Division
to enroute at Clark for inbriefing and ACM Status on a C-5 for the 8 hour
flight to Deigo Garcia ( BIOT) to establish the MAC Operationing Location.
What a task considering we had to deal with the squids, who were nortorious
for tearing up things and calling the ramps of everything a "deck". Came
upon an old 40K loader that missed the upgrade to deisel. The navy filled
the tank of this gas vehicle with the stuff, when it did run, it blew the
most perfect smoke ring. I shipped it back to clark.
We MAC troops had it fairly well considering during this time the joke
was " a women behind every tree" due to the lack of. in fact female head
count was 0. Still we had a couple of trailers colocated to the beach
on the bay side. a couple of the navy cooks would hang out there and assist
with the beer
drinking. Beer Drinking...
crew dogs took my order, and the next Charlie 5( C-5A )arrival(next day)
had my request filled. 13 cases of the good ol SAN MIGUEL. Next day at
lauch I sent 12 of them cases back for refill.
Long days and some hard work to get things on track and running. But the
mission was accomplished, and the "Deigo Garcia Resort" T shirt made for
some enlighting talk with females looking for the ultimate escape...hehehe
Nov 1980 Mar 1981
NAME = Tom Persing
MY QUEST = don't know
still lost in the haze
VT of a SWALLOW = Just
before the cat swallows it
E-MAIL = boilermaker1959@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = USS Jason 11A
RANK/RATE/JOB = HT2 I
Quit
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 = Was there
in 80 81 I voluteered to work on the ammo ship ( Merchant Marine} They
didn't care for welding and cutting hot work. I managed to get done what
they wanted without striking an arc. The Master fed me beer and good chow.
I was late on the 2200 Liberty the Master kept me late at least he vouched
for me. I nevwr drank a beer or anything else on the island.
1980-1981
NAME = Mike "DOGFACE"
McKinnon
MY QUEST = The story
VT of a SWALLOW = Good?
E-MAIL = www.mikedfmck@aol.com
NATIONALITY = U.S.A
SERVICE = U.S.N
UNIT = "PIPE RAT"
RANK/RATE/JOB = SW-2
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 = It wasn't
Hordork and Bland that got into a fight over a burger, it was Mark Givens
and me "DOGFACE" that got into it. And if I remember, I was so drunk that
Givens kicked my ass. But one time that sticks out is when all the "PIPERATS"
checked out a duece and a half and went to the other side of the island.
We played frisbee football and I fucked up my foot. Bland had to drive
back and the asshole hit a tree. Then I had to go before the ROCK and lost
my drivers license. Hell, I didn't give a shit. I still keep in touch with
Buzz, Latting, Thompson, Mitchell. Chandler, and a few others. If anybody
can get in touch with Rick Baptista tell him thanks alot for breaking my
back. I get a nice check from Uncle Sam. And tell that asshole to e-mail
me. As for Mat Bland I think he is still in Chino. Later all my "SEABEE
BRO'S"
aDDENDUM: On the
war stories you have it wrong. At the begining you state that I was a BOOT
that cought up with 40. You are completely wrong. I was in 40 from 1978-1981.
I was also the crew leader of the "PIPERATS" in 80 and 81. Please get it
straight.
1980
NAME = amanda
E-MAIL = amndypanda74@aol.com
NATIONALITY = i am an
american and i love boys
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Please Select The Category That Best Discribes Your Interest in Diego
Garcia
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= There I Was, Passed Out in My Room
MY WARSTORY = ok
one day i was asleep in my room and then came my boyfriend and said that
the phone was 4 me and
1980-81
NAME = Mike (mick) oeler
MY QUEST = to find the
end of the road
VT of a SWALLOW = 714
E-MAIL = mmi20032000@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = american
SERVICE = fightin fuckin
forty
UNIT = charlie company/
pipe rats
RANK/RATE/JOB = SWC-3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= There I Was, Passed Out in the Club
MY WARSTORY = Anyone
remember the pipe rats? Pipelining from the pier to the new tank farm.
Mike Hodorff, Mike McKinnon, Mark givens Matt Bland, Jimmy "Rocky" williams,
myself, Chief Henson, Chief Durrell. Eric "abdul bow wow kalcan".
(you had to be there) and a few others. Quite the crew.
If any of you guys are reading this, who was that lifer fuckstick SW-1 we got about halfway through the deployment. He was all hung up on proper uniforms of the day. Ours was shorts, mangled shirts and unstarched hats, it was a little on the hot side if memory serves. He tried his damndest to get us to tighten up. Never happened.
How about the automated tig welder? I remeber me and rocky had some officer wantingto watch it one day. So we fired up on a 24", or 36" pipe weld. This was inside a tarped hut, about 130 degrees inside this fuckin thing, and we told the "o" that once we started the weld we couldnt stop till it was done. Which was bullshit. Poor cocksucker nearly passed out from the heat. Fuckin hilarious, for us anyhow.He couldnt wait to get outta there.
I remember mail call, with the "special packages". Before the brits wised up. Whoever got the "box" was damn near mobbed as soon as he got back to the hooch. If ya know what I mean.
The great steak heist
and cookout. (nuff said)
Bob Rodgers and the band
jamming.
Boxing matches, we had
a guy, Nick somebody, who was pretty damn good.
One special delivery of
blotter acid, 30 hits I think, wow.
The softball team.
Riding in that fucking
cattle wagon everyday out to the pier.
Eating off that lousy
roach coach, since we were out in fucking timbucktoo we had to stay out
there for chow. Last ones to eat, fuck.
Mike Mckinnon, myself
and a couple others saying "fuck it" and driving to the chow hall, when
we got there the "cook" told us he turned the grill off already. Let's
just say that he eneded up turning it back on.
Food poisoned with some turkey shit, and the whole battalion running to the outside shitters in the middle of the night.
Racial tensions ran high
for awhile, dont remember why.
Hoarding booze in our
lockers.
Mike Hodorff and Matt Bland had one of the longest fights I ever witnessed in our hooch. It started over the last cheeseburger. These two guys beat the fucking snot out of each other in the hooch for like 30 minutes, with breaks in the middle. All the other roomies, 4 of us I think, just watched. Then they shake hands when its over. Un-fuckin believable.
takin a 5ton truck to the lagoon to play football, and wrecking the fucker into a palm tree.Knocked a hole in the radiator. Im sure we had a couple beers that day.
Checkin out the SR-71
at the hanger, watching it takeoff.
That "milk"??? served
warm. what was that shit called?
Damn man, I could go on all day with this stuff.
I gotta say, looking back, what a wild fucking time it was. You didnt realize it at the time, but it's a pretty good memory.
By the way,
F.T.N..
And, Buzz,(Joe Sawyer)
yes I do remember the day you were talking about.
Dec 1980 - Feb 81
NAME = Kevin Mackey IC-2
Crew Member of the USS Jason Ar-8 (Then ICFN)
MY QUEST = Remembering
the days
VT of a SWALLOW = SPLAT
- Terminal Velocity of a Swallow is the same as a bug on the windshield.
ZERO!
E-MAIL = In the book
in BRANSON Missouri
NATIONALITY = U.S.
SERVICE = US NAVY
UNIT = USS Jason Repair
Ship stationed at DG during the Iran Hostage Crisis
RANK/RATE/JOB = Interior
Communications Fireman, Out in 1983 as IC-2 still aboard the USS Jason
AR-8 (AKA "USS Love Boat" and the "Jolly J"
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = The Jason
arrived at Diego Garcia (B.I.O.T.) on Dec 11, 1980 at 08:48 and remained
there until after the Jan 20 release of the American hostages held in Iran.
We departed for home on Feb 18. 1981. We arrived with a crew of aproximately
800 men and 45 women. YES WOMEN. Another 45 or so women came aboard while
the Jason was there. This made us very popular with the natives.
Very shortly after we
arrived, the EM Club ran out of beer. We had a ships party ashore, with
free beer, and we again were very poplar with the natives. Several "crashed"
the party with our welcome.
New Years Day 1981, IC-3
Danny Sotelo, myself and another sailor (can't remember who it was at this
time) went snorkling in the harbor looking for oysters. Danny was an experienced
diver and we had found a HUGE oyster shell on the beach. We figured if
the oysters were that large, there was a possibility of huge pearls to
be found. The harbor was very shallow so we snorkled a long way out but
was still in water about 6 foot deep when we found an oyster. The other
sailor was digging one out with stick we had brought with us for the purpose
while I watched with my snorkle mask in the water. I noticed a large shadow
pass by, to my side and back, and assumed that it was Danny who we had
not seen for awhile. We assumed Danny had gone on to deeper water. I turned
to look to see Danny but instead what had passed was a large shark. The
other guy pulled up the oyster he was digging out and asked if I had caused
the shadow, and I said no. Realizing what it had been he asked where Danny
was. We assumed that Danny had been attacked and that is why we had not
seen him in some time. We swam the long distance back to shore all the
time worring about Danny. Only when we got back to the beach did we find
out what happened to Danny. In the beach we found a note in the sand, saying
"Gone to the Club, Danny". We made a bee line to the E-Club to read Danny
the riot act for putting us through the anguish.
More one of these days
...
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.
1980
NAME = Then UT-3 Terry
Willey {Alias Wiley Cyote]
MY QUEST = Find Freinds
from the old days on Deigo
E-MAIL = streetshakngrafix@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = Navy Seabees
UNIT = nmcb fuckin 40
RANK/RATE/JOB = UT-3
Now medically retired after 12 Years
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
passing time away drinking and smoking shit, Fucking withe the chickens
and just plain ass gettin trashed all the time!!!!
I remember Building the
Biggest Dam Potatoe Gun That Fired a Coconut at least 100 feet to the zeros
huts and hiding the fucker under the trailer and laughing our asses off!
Mike Boles, Mike Watson, Jerry Tewes, SOW, Larry Jonesy, and to my close
friend Roy davis whom I soent a numerous amount of nights gettin toasted
with! If anyone of you are out there from bravo company please contact
me! Ain't none of us gettin younger
1980 some time arounf
Feb or March I think
NAME = Bill Verstelle
E-MAIL = verst@pacbell.net
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USAF
UNIT = TDY from Beale
in support of SR-71
RANK/RATE/JOB =
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 = I was told
that I was going TDY to a Island in the Indian Ocean called Diego Garcia
and it was a paradise. My orders said confindencal location and I was told
it was a secret mission. Well when we landed in Okanawa We read in the
Stars and Strips what our mission was...so much for a secert.
We were told that we would be eating real well, Steak for every meal. Well
after a flight that seemed to last for ever We saw the Island on the radar
scope and when the Island came in sight I remember thinking how small it
was and could we really land a KC-135Q on such a small island. Well the
runway was just long enough and we all stepped out to a Hot humid blast
and I remember it being hard to breath. When we left Beale it was Winter.
We were driven to some old wooden sea Huts on the bay side and that was
to be home for the next 30 to 40 days. The mattresses were piss stained
and full of sand. We cleaned it up as well as posiable and stowed ours
belongings.
We had a young Lieutenant with us and all he talked about doing when
we land was eat a coconut, so he finds a tile knife (we were not allowed
to bring any knifes with us) He grabs the first coconut he finds laying
on the ground and attacks it with the knife. Well it takes him a while
but he finally get down to the nut and crackes it open and looks inside
and it's full of worms, he throws it down and doesn't look at another coconut
the rest of the trip. We had a guy with us from Hawaii and he tells us
to only eat the geeen ones in the trees and not the brown ones on the ground.
The rest of us eat a lot of coconuts until we got the running GI's.
The next day I head to the Chow hall for some of thoes steak and eggs I
was told I would be eating. When we got there we were told that a Navy
ship had a refrigerator malfunction and lost all its meat so they
took all of ours, all they had was some fish rolled in stale potato chips
and this warm milk in cartons that doesn't need refrigeration and some
stale toast. I could not eat that crap so we went back to the main area
and found these Diego Burgers we called them donkey burgers and even though
they were not Burger King it was better than the chow hall.
Well now I can't sleep or eat well so the only other thing to do was drink.
The beer was cheep but not so good the cans had rust on them most was warm
and not to many brands to choose from but hey when a bunch of GI are stuck
on a island they will drink any thing. We were running our tankers back
and forth to Okanawa so we placed orders for food and lots of good beer
even Pizza. So life was getting better, we was doing a lot better that
the Seabee's who were stuck there for a year or more and did not have the
dilivery service that we had. I felt sorry for them they worked so hard
and than have to be away from their families for so long and not a women
in sight. They the Seabees treated us ok we drank a lot with them shared
our beer and did have a few fights but most of us were so drunk we didn't
even remember a fight the next day.
I remember swimming in the bay with Snorlels we check out and I remember
how beutiful the coral and fish were. We also check out row boats and went
fishing you could see the fish and catching them was a piece of cake, we
had some great cookouts. Our young Lieutenant got to go fishing with the
Navy Capt and our Colonel in a boat with a outboard motor out in the ocean,
well the LT hooks into a big grooper and fights it for a long time than
all of a sudden his pole bend all the way over than goes slack. Well he
pulls in a 10lb grooper head with no body, than a Hammer head shark tries
to get into the boat to get what is left of the grooper. Well this scars
the shit out of the LT and the Capt and Colonel get a good laugh.
The other things I remember was a 5 lane boweling lane and out door movie
theater and no women on the island. I was in the enlisted club one night
and the Dutch navy shows up with their nickers and white hats with a white
fluffy ball on top. They had more American money than we had and clean
out the ship store, but they did buy us a lot of drinks. I also remember
a lot of chickens and those coconut crabs but didn't see any donkeys.
We were told that these were British subjects and we were not allowed to
mess with them.
When we launched our tankers one day some guys in a jeep drove behind them
with rocks and bits of coral flying everywere and they got a little messed
up. Well the next day when we were ready to launch I was told to go out
to the road and stop any one from driving behind the planes. Well I was
waiting for engine start and look into the bay were there was a school
of baby fish in a ball so I was throwing small rocks into the middle of
them just to watch them scatter and go back into there ball again. Well
there was this Brit walking down the road and he sees me throwing these
small rocks at the fish so he run over to me and chews me out for throwing
rocks at the little fish, he says the fish don't have a chance and I will
kill all of them if I don't stop. Man what a werdo, I think the chap had
gone off his rocker, spent to much time on this island and need to go home
and get laied. I later spent a couple of months in England and found out
that this is normal thinking for the Brit's Know wonder we kicked them
out.
When I was there I hated it and could wait until I got home to a normal
life but now many years later I have a fond place in my heart for this
island. It was a weard feeling while there kind of like being in a different
planet but it was an experance that I will always remember. I regret that
I didn't take any pictures I just wasn't into picture taking than, I did
have a 110 camera but I lost the film before I ever developed it. I would
like to go back now and see how things have changed. I also remember how
bright the stars were and I could see the sothern cross...what I could
have seen with a telescope.
Our mission was to bring fuel (JP8) in for our SR-71 which would later
in the year make a visit to the island another team before us took down
one of out SR-71 hangers a Beale and installed it on the island...I wonder
if it is still there??
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.
1980
NAME = Mary Ellen Shannon
Nigh
MY QUEST = to find out
if kittens are aerodynamic
VT of a SWALLOW = african
or european?
E-MAIL = sionan37@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = USS LY Spear
RANK/RATE/JOB = ICFN
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Professional Adventurer Looking For The Ultimate Get Away
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I arrived
at DG after becoming the first enlisted female shellback since WWII and
possibly ever, since at that time nurses were occifers! Our ship
was the one relieving the USS Ajax, which had a couple of female occifers.
We had over 100 enlisted females onboard the Spear so our CO called us
together to have "a little talk" about the Navy's policy on male-female
relationships. No fraternization! Period! I was on the first
liberty launch ashore and we were met by a bunch of horny CB's waving MUTIPLE
PAYCHECKS! I explained that I wasn't interested in ending up in the
brig, and the guys decided that just talking to a female and looking at
something that didn't look like a deck ape was pretty good. I got
interested in a sweet but slightly older British Officer (there were two
on the island and he was the younger of the two). Then one day onboard
the Spear they announced as how anyone interested, could take a tour of
a real live nuclear submarine. Now my job didn't involve going onto
the sub, but our shop supplied power to the subs, so I was interested.
I climbed down the hatch and one of the guys was escorting me around the
Baton Rouge, explaining what I was seeing. We stepped up onto the
control room deck and we passed close to the navigators station, where
there was this cute guy. I made some remark to him and he said hello.
I explored the control room a bit and then left. A couple of days
later I was helping to organize bingo night (we didn't have a lot of entertainment)
on the mess decks, when crossing the gangway, here comes that cute guy
from the BR. I asked if he wanted to join me and away we went.
Several picnics on the DG beach, swimming in the DG swimming pool, some
illegal canoodling on the Spear's bow later, we got engaged on top of the
BR. On December 27, 2004 (just a few days ago) we celebrated our
24th anniversary! We have 2 sons and many fond memories of DG.
Both of us hope that one day we can return to the scene of the crime!
P.S. About that illegal canoodling, we were once run off from our favorite
spot by a male chief and a female occifer!
1980
NAME = James H. Martin
MY QUEST = to fly to
DG someday to help the USAF erect the portable B-2 hangar
VT of a SWALLOW = 1 f.p.s.,
from mouth to stomach
E-MAIL = jmartin@logis-tech.com
NATIONALITY = US
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = VA-52 off the
USS Kitty Hawk, transient to Clark AFB PI
RANK/RATE/JOB = LT in
1980, retired as CDR in 1997.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = The USS
Kitty Hawk, CV63, had swung by in December 1979 to pick up the the H-53
helicopters for the Iranian hostage rescue operation. On the way to DG
[alone, we ditched the remainder of the battle group in the Malaca Straits
during a night high-speed underway replenishment with the White Plains]
we launched an EA6B to DG, the 4-man crew included the squadron CO going
in to liaison for the H-53 pickup. The EA6B disappeared, fate
unknown, presumed crashed
at sea. The same month, another EA6B crashed in the med, killing my best
friend's Whidbey Island roommate. So during our 10th month of deployment
we picked up the H-53s and headed for Iran, the loading was a fly-aboard
at 2am--no piers for carriers existed then and the whole operation was
too damn secret.
During early January operations my CO and roommate went in the water in
their A-6 off the catapult. We ran over Bruce Miller the BN. Our skipper
CDR Butch Williams was alive as he passed down the port side, but his chute
pulled him under and he drowned despite the heroic effort of the rescue
swimmer who got Butch's body back to the surface. My friend Clint Provenza
escorted his body back in an S-3 that refueled through DG on the way to
the PI.
After a month and a half of sneaking through the straits of Hormuz in the
dark and spying on Iran, we were relieved by the USS Coral Sea, we thankfully
passed the H-53s to her in February [they later made a mess of the rescue]
and we high-tailed it East. I had a firm PRD and commitment so within COD
range the CO launched
me to DG. A fellow squadron mate was with me and we were manifested 10
days later out of DG, the wait backlog was that long [and mail used to
take 30-45 days back then]. Getting drunk in an open-air hooch [the only
kind at the time] that night we met a C-5 maintenance crew on a layover.
Their landing gear was broke and could not be repaired on DG. The C-5 was
going to take off at dawn, before all the manifested passengers would show
up at 8am as-ordered to "wait all day long, just in case". My buddy and
I slinked onto the C-5 pre-dawn as 'maintenance crew', thankfully I was
an Aviation Maintenance Officer, albeit Navy! We had four box lunches each
to help us survive the 17 hours flight to Clark AFB PI, yep, 17 hours in
restricted-speed flight, with the landing gear PINNED DOWN all the way.
Noisey, too.
That was my one night on DG, in a giant rainstorm, not sober for a minute.
My buddy and I holed up in a Manila hotel for a week and waited for our
commercial flight home to Whidby island, WA. Sure was better in Manila
in 1980 than it was in DG. Things have really changed.
1980-ISH
"Mike Buchinno"
<mbucchino@charter.net>
Here's my info anyway!
>USA (the best country
in the world!)
>USAF
>TDY (AF temporary duty)
Operation Busy Lobster
>E-2 A1C to E-4 Sgt active
AF crew chief on the KC-135A's & Q's back then, E-5 SSgt active AF
jet mech on the F-15A's & E's in the late
80's, E-6 TSgt Arizona
Air National Guard on KC-135E's in the 90's, E-6 TSgt New Hampshire Air
National Guard(retired)on the KC-135R's
now.....
>Stroll Down Memory Lane.....
>Actually I Have A Real
Story To Tell.......
>Well, back in those
days there was a regular TDY exercise named "Busy Lobster Tanker Task Force"
to Diego from Kadena AB, Okinawa (where I was serving an accompanied long
tour at the time). I was lucky enough to get two different 9 day
long TDY's to Diego for these excellent, frequent exercises. We brought
a few tanker's and some F-15A's and IIRC, an E-3 AWAC's from Kadena, plus
a C-5 from Travis. I have many pictures of the place, and even more fond
memories. Staying in the elevated half plywood/ half screen 'hooches',
the f***'in jarheads waking us up every morning, the Brits in their khaki
shorts and their security shakedown/in-briefing, the coconut palms, the
pristine white sand beaches, the rusted cannon 'guarding' the entrances
to the north, the donkey gate, the picnic at SeaBee park, goin' out 'crabbin'
after dark, the warning not to "f*** with the Queen's ass, the Queen's
pussy or the Queen's crabs" (donkeys/cats/coconut crabs). They told
us that the coconut crabs could crack open a whole coconut with their claws,
so it was best not to get too close...The "Pentograph" fuel manifold systems
on the flightline were so limited in flow, that if you put 2 aircraft refuels
on at the same time, it took twice as long to finish. The runway
that was so narrow that after a C-5 took off, it's outboard engines hung
out into the unpaved areas and blew so much gravel (FOD!) onto the runway
that no one else could use it until a sweep truck cleaned up the big mess.
The barbeque of assorted fish from a deep sea fishing excursion some of
the guy's went on one day, where we all got a taste of barracuda (it was
delicious!). The two poor guys that got shared shitless while out snorkeling
on the lagoon side, when a large shark fin appeared between them and the
shore. The stories of Hector the 26 foot hammerhead. Finding some
awesome red and blue coral and shells on the beach. Riding my 10-speed
racing bike around that I brought along on the airplane (they stopped allowing
bikes to be carried on the planes shortly after that time). Getting
woken up in the middle of the night by the crash of a coconut on the tin
roof. Having to De-Ionize our own water with a fire hose (sloooowww!)for
the water injection system on the tanker. The almost complete lack
of females on the island, the only ones being a couple Filipino's that
worked there. The open air theater where we watched old movies at
night. Wow, what a lot of memories of that strange and wonderful place!
I'll post some pic's soon if possible.......
Thanks, Mike Bucchino,
Sr.
1980-1981
Subject:
You never know what you got till it's gone!!!
Date:
Tue, 28 Dec 2004 18:21:13 -0600
From:
"Scott Brown" <josephscott13@msn.com>
What happen to the rock
? Tidal waves had to have hit it. I wish I could have been there!!!
ABH3 Brown
Crash Crew 80-81 [see his surfing pictures on the Surfing
Page]
T. Max Devlin <tmax01@verizon.net>
Hey.
My name is T. Max Devlin,
a moniker I sort of picked up on the "Footprint of Freedom" itself.
(My real name is Tim, Max is a nickname I picked up in the
service, and DG is where
it finally stuck for good; now even my mom calls me 'Max'.) I was
senior PO of workcenter 610, VP-4 deployment, USN, in nineteen eighty something.
Wasn't 'till almost twenty years later I realized it was the greatest time
of my life, but even then I knew it was great. Sunrise over the Indian
Ocean is the kind of thing I wish I could still experience every day, even
though I wouldn't have seen it even once if I hadn't been ordered to be
at work at 0530. ;-)
I hope someone is still there at the PPDRDG. It is nice to know I
wasn't alone in appreciating that god-forsaken nightmare of a paradise.
But to be honest, I only found you because I heard something that really
creeped me out about what the US is doing in the BIOT these days.
"Camp Justice", is that
what they call it?
Sure as hell not the way those who almost-secretly love it would want Diego
Garcia to be introduced to the wider world, eh?
Thanks for your time.
Hope it helps.
hmmmm....
Well Max, actually "Camp Justice" is just the USAF tent city where another
generation of young Americans are sweltering in the tropic sun. If
you are referring to the rumored prison, well, I'm afraid I don't know
anything about that, but I'll ask you this in exchange: Have you
forgotten?
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!
80-81
NAME = Gordy "gertin"
Jenkins
MY QUEST = to find the
grail (really to maybe hear from some of the great guys I was lucky to
know)
VT of a SWALLOW = african
or american
E-MAIL = s.jenkins1@cox.net
NATIONALITY = hard headed
welch kraut
SERVICE = US NMCB 40
UNIT = H Co.
RANK/RATE/JOB = SKSN-SK3
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 = Saw Joe
"buzz" sawyers story and some the memories came out of the alcohol fog.
I remember jammin with Bob R and Jim Z and Vinnie and Keith (fleet sailor)on
the beach (picture in the at ease page in the beginning of the cruise book,
in orange shorts, my better side) and any body else for that matter, every
chance we got. Seeing Ed's, Steve's & steve's, Mike's, Bob's, and lamby's
names in print like this blew me away. Who could forget, or is it remember?,
loading the icebox trailor with ice and shitty headache beer, going to
the other side to cook the shitty burgers, chase chikens with blowguns,
feed the donkey beer after beer after beer, and of course, drink and jam.
Losing the outboard in the channel, seeing the train line form behind the
pig from the tender with the guy crying he didnt want to be last, lol.
Watching good softball, seeing the blackbird take off, getting to meet
miss america and say hi to miss conecticut (my home state), getting the
giant clam shells from steve, the purple from "cool" johnson, waiting in
line for a diego burger?, yeah did it, and of course a new years eve that
thankfully i didnt remember much of (and dont really need too, i have the
pictures, and a cracked molar}.
But most of all i remember great, great people. Frank T, Mark G.,mike B.,
Frank L. and on and on. Being quite mellow now (wife, two kids, no drinking,
i know, i shoulda quit when i was there) i find my self telling my kids
about the old crazy days in 40.
Ray Johnson, was that you i saw at "witch meadows" campground in ct, holloween,
oh maybe6 or 7 years ago?, if not you have a twin.
Bob, if u see this bro, hope your still jammin, I am, with a great bunch
o guys.
Ed N., if you see this, what a great trip home, Pat W. thanks for the
hospitality, thanks for the ride and the memories
Hope to hear from some
of you soon
1980 -1981
NAME = Frank Gonzalez
MY QUEST = Locate friends
from Grissom AFB
VT of a SWALLOW = ?
E-MAIL = Frankg807@aol.com
NATIONALITY = PR
SERVICE = USAF
UNIT = 307 OMS
RANK/RATE/JOB = SR. AIRMEN
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 = Anybody
out there remember the time the Subchaser piloted by an Admiral overshot
DG. Well I was the assistant Crew Chief that helped prepare our tanker
to take off and rescue them. At the time we were laying out on the beach
in the shark infested lagoon enjoying our many free cases of bear.
We were told that our efforts saved their lives. The tanker arrived within
three minutes of them ejecting to save them. We were all given Commendation
medals for our efforts.
Does
anybody out there recall hoew the philipines would go out to the lagoon
during the low tide and circle around the sharks to catch tem for dinner?
1980 '81 and'82
NAME = wayde hovey
MY QUEST = try to get
back a few lost brain cells
VT of a SWALLOW = all
i know is it just ain't fast enough
E-MAIL = nmcb40cc@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY =
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = nmcb40 charlie
co
RANK/RATE/JOB = got out
as a BU2 after Rota Spain dep
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 = hell we
were passed out all over the damn place had some of the best times
on that shitty little island got some great pics of our crew drunkards
everyone of them i'll scan some and post some if it's you in there give
me a shout most of my memories are lost in tomenting Tisue you know
what i mean i'll get those pics posted give a hollor ror an old drunkard
1980 - 1981
NAME = Bu3 Kelly Weaver
MY QUEST = Rusty Tipps,
Scott Jerome, John Schlichter
VT of a SWALLOW = i dunno
E-MAIL = weaverboxing@aol.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USN SEABEES
UNIT = BRAVO COMPANY
RANK/RATE/JOB = BU3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS
= Please Select The Category That Best Discribes Your Interest in Diego
Garcia
SUBJECT OF MY STORY:
= Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = Had many
fights, in & out of the ring...Capt. D.C. Black saved me from CourtMarshall.
Whipping Marines, AirForce boys & Guamanians..before one of our own
was murdered there
May '80 to September '80
NAME = Jim Catron
MY QUEST = wake up tomorrow...
VT
of a SWALLOW = Vt>=delta dawn.
E-MAIL = jcatron@email.wcu.edu
NATIONALITY = Scot-Irish/Moravian
SERVICE = kill'em from30,000' USAF (ZOOMY!)
UNIT = KC135 tanker avionic support
RANK/RATE/JOB = staff sgt then, PFCivilian since '84.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I left Seymour Johnson AFB in eastern North Carolina
in early May of '80 to go to a "FOL". We had tankers going to Diego to
support whatever shit was going down in Iran. Leaving PI we escorted two
F15s on the way to Kadena.About halfway across the fighters spied the USS
Constellation being shadowed by a Soviet trawler."Watch this!" they said
and proceeded to peel off and do a low level fly-over the trawler. Our
young A/C told everyone to hang on and took our KC135(boeing 707) into
a wing over down to 100'! Our boom operator off-loaded a thousand pounds
of JP4 on the Russians!
When we landed on a Saturday,the Chief Brit came out to do the customs
inspection on the planes-he was the only one around. As we were sitting
on the parking ramp by our planes, he told us what wasn't allowed on the
BIOT island.."blowguns, drugs,Easy Rider motorcycle magazines,firearms,
etc...But you chaps don't have any of those things,do you?" We told
him "no",he turned and left and the adventure was on! One a/c crewchief
had been to 'Nam and took me on his plane to show me how he travelled to
an unknown situation. Under two big padlocks on the container reserved
for tiedown chains and such, was an arsenal of guns and ammunition,
all private stash of this well-prepared airman. "Sure glad he didn't ask
to see this box"...
Good to arrive on the weekend-A picnic was scheduled and someone was needed
to get up early and keep the 'Bees from commandeering the whole picnic
grounds.Gave me and my bud a chance to try out the Kief that traveled so
far. WoW!! A "Bee cop came by-see what we're up to...gave him the
dozen or so half-empty whiskey bottles that were left by the previous partyers-
That put us on the good side from the get-go! Plus, we were AF and had
two planes arriving EVERY Saturday from Guam or Kadena-"What'cha need?
We can get it for you! Had two spools of parachute cord arrive (thru channels-hehe)from
the states via Mac..Thanks, guys!
Our AF group had to correct the image our former people left,that is one
of "NO horse trading!" Our new OPs officer set aside a slush fund to aquire
whatever we needed. "Don't use it for steaks or beer",he said. No problem!
A case of beer was worth a case of steaks anyday! And we always had beer
coming every weekend! Had a Navy one-star arrive with a broken autopilot
on his "personal"AF tanker-you know,spit-shined engine cowlings,Lt Col.s'
for pilot/copilot..His aircrew got pissed because another zoomy and I boarded
the plane (after the 'dignitaries' were greeted)in standard uniform of
the day..cutoff fatigues, no t-shirt,fatigue shirt unbuttoned-It WAS night-time..
"Who the hell are you?" AF. "WHOSE AF?" Same one as you, sir... I
don't have to fix your autopilot- you can fly manually all the way to wherever
you're going..spare parts are real critical here.I don't care. "Just fix
it! The following week we were notified that a PACAF inspection detachment
was coming for a "suprise" visit on Saturday.The 30 year, Berlin Airlift
veteran (who made E9 while in Diego!)running our outfit told everybody
AF to shave,get a haircut,put on long pants,T-shirt, polished boots,etc..-look
STRAC! And we did! The high level Kadena crew couldn't find any signs that
discipline on Diego "had gone to Hell..".They departed on Sunday, and everyone
went back to the uniform of the day-cutoffs,etc..
True, no females,initially,but one 'Bee detachment(?)was rotating out and
the new one arrived to find rumor of FOUR naval females that stayed shipboard,being
occifers..Episodes of near toxic levels of alcohol consumption resulted..
There was even an attempt to set fire to one of the JP4 shitters (unsuccessful).
Got to fly with a helicopter crew that was doing touch and go's. Thanks!
to the very friendly guys that gave a zoomy the nickle tour of the place!
An SR71 'Blackbird' spyplane came in to show off! That mach3+ plane
also got two of the coveted "Busy Lobster"logos painted on the twin vertical
stabilizers. In Chevrolet Orange!
The most hilarious event was getting a speeding ticket (and not having
a bus license-there were 27 guys in and on the square blue AF step-van
going to chow).A Brit officer chewed me out and made me give him my DoD
license!(Had 3 more in my wallet)
Housing for us was the newly built SEasia style of plywood hootches, tinroofs,side
screens for windows all the 'way round with wooden shutters for the storms!
Our hooch was decorated with a stole sign from a Phillipine bar- The Bat
Cave-and soon had a 'frig-again from our navy brethren-Thanks!
If I recall correctly,the holds on the ship bringing in supplies-
BEER!-leaked and the salt water trashed the aluminum cans resulting in
the infamous "shortage" of '80! Us zoomies instructed every AF arrival
to buy all the beer he could afford and bring it with them!When the big
side cargo door opened on the tanker,there was always a line to buy Coors
at $10 a case! Big markup over class 6 stores! But it was COLD, refrigerated
by travelling at 30,000'. One young 19 year old airman got the name
of "Crash" Craddock because he rolled a power cart on the flight line!
A submarine crew came in.Driving on the flightline we saw a REALLY pale,sickly-colored
young fellow walking about in new jeans and shirt fresh from the BX.He
said they had just spent the last 3? 6? months underwater and was stretching
his legs.. They were a hard drinking lot,always yelling DIVE-DIVE-DIVE!
at their table!
Then the Phillipino's came to do contract KP work in the mess halls.
All you could eat lobster soon became half a tail... At dusk you could
see little brown people running all over carrying things they had "found"
around on base-plywood, toilets,you name it,if it wasn't too heavy, enough
of them would improve their hootches with everyone's stuff.After all they
were there for a year!
(This may turn into a book!)
Enough for now-jcatron@email.wcu.edu 68th Bomb Wing SAC
September 11, 1980 - April
15 ,1981
NAME = Daryl Hopkins
MY QUEST = life long physical fitness
VT of a SWALLOW = .69
E-MAIL = not now maybe later
NATIONALITY = African American
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = NMCB Fightin Fuckin Forty
RANK/RATE/JOB = E-1 then now Retired E-5 T.E.R.A program. 1996 15yrs.
4mo. 21days. and to many hours to count.
MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me
Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other
MY WARSTORY = Lots of P.I. purple hazed beer fogged memories all good.
but what sticks out most in my mind is the Forty Thrashers softball team.
Staring my self D.hop, Tom Gillespie, Joe Proctor, Mike Hawkridge and so
many others. I remember or record after the season was something like 56-9
we had a team ritual of rocking a chicken after every game but after the
first 20 or 30 games it was getting kind of crazy.I remember Olie olson
was the C.O. of 62 I had a few friends from the Battalion as well as friends
from NMCB 5's det. How about the black out lots of smokin going on then.
pink floyd on the boom box. captains mast for the beating of a 2nd class
builder from my det Bu2 Ken Klowsloski whooped his ass good! more than
worth the 20 days restriction and extra duty.well until next time FTN!
Feb. & March 1980
NAME = Allen C. Hatcher Sr.(TSGT.)
MY QUEST = To find out who is the regular crew chief .
VT of a SWALLOW = Is this for beer or hard hard stuff?
E-MAIL = allenhatchersr@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = United States of America
SERVICE = U.S.A.F.
UNIT = CREW CHIEF on KC-135A Sratotanker (T/sgt)
RANK/RATE/JOB = S/SGT Paul Harmon Crew Chief KC-135A.
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Professional Adventurer Looking For The Ultimate
Get Away
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = Well I guess I got the ultimate get away when I went Pacific
Tanker Task Force on a supposed 30 day TDY from McConnell A.F.B, Kansas.
We, my flight crew and two ass't, were sent to Anderson A.F.B.,Guam for
tanker support of the B-52Hs that were flying the 33 hour nonstop missions
to Iran and back to show the Iranians and the Soviets that we were still
players in this hostage situation.
Originally we were supposed to go to South Korea for the joint war
games that were going on there,but as luck would have it the tanker we
launched to Diego Garcia crapped out about about 2 hours out. Me and a
couple of other NCOs had gone to the NCO club to get some chow and have
a few drinks, mities. At about 23:00 the line chief tracked us down
to give us the bad news,"boys you're going to Diego Garcia ,so get your
shit together and get down to the flight line and preflight your bird".
Lucklily the only thing we had to do was service liquid oxygen and we were
ready to go. Our flight crew showed up at around 05:30, they noticed that
we were a little bit under the weather, chuckle chuckle, I told our Aircraft
Commander that we had been sucking on pure oxygen to revive us, he just
laughed . Once we got airborne and at altitude we just settled back for
the 10hour plus filght to Diego Garcia.
After flying for over 5000 miles I was Awakened by being weightless in
my fold down crew bunk, "holy shit what the hell is happening", then all
of a sudden gravity kicked in and I was plopped back down in my bunk. I
jumped down out of my bunk and scrambled up to the cockpit. As soon as
I entered I saw that our boom operator Bruce was flying the plane. Our
two pilots Jesse and Tom turned around grinning and said "hey we didn't
do it" and pointed to Bruce. He turned around said " Oops, sorry about
that,".
When everything calmed down I could see we were on final approach to Diego
Garcia. It's a good thing we had good navigation aids or we would have
missed it for sure. At least it was bigger than WAke Island ,but not by
much. As we landed I exclaimed " We have the distinct honor of being the
first tanker from McConnell A.F.B, Kansas."
After landing, refueling and putting our bird to bed, we hopped a bus to
where we were to be billeted. We were the only ones on the bus except two
sailors and the driver. Due to my Boy Scout training I was prepared, I
had brought along a couple of cases or COORS beer which I had imported
from Derby, Kansas, this beer was still ice cold from being at 30,000
ft plus lying next to the cold aircraft skin. To shorten this I gave each
of the sailors an ice cold beer,I will never forget the looks on their
faces, halfway around the world they get a taste of home,one of the guys
actually had tears in his eyes. To me this had made the trip almost
worth while.
We settled in and started flying a couple of missions a week. What would
happen is that our tankers would go up and hit the B-52Hs from Guam that
were on their way to Iran to buzz the Soviet navy then they would fly back
and we'd top them off for the long flight back to Guam.
After being there for almost 30 days things started to get real interesting.
One evening I noticed some activity at the gymnasium so I ambled over the
to see what was going on,as soon as I walked in I saw that the entire gym
floor was covered with cotts and on those cotts were combat dressed and
armed Marines. "oh shit something is coming down big time", so I got my
ass out of there.
The next day my replacement tanker arrived, low and behold it turned out
to be another McConnell bird, Paul Harmon's. When I recognized the
plane I just busted out laughing and couldn't marshal the bird. All of
a sudden the pilot put the brakes on and stopped right there, then the
cockpit filled with bodies and the pilots window opened up. When they saw
it was me about 4 arms stuck out of the window giving me the The Hawian
Good Luck Sign, you know the finger. I regained my military bearing and
brought them in. I was like old home week having one of our own with us
even thought we would be leaving in a few days.
I warned the guys that Diego Garcia was a whole different world.
Later that evening Paul Harmon and I went over to the enlisted club to
have a few beers. We were sitting there when two juiced sailors were
playing so full contact ping pong decided to play through,the ping pong
ball landed on our table and one sailor decided to play the ball where
it laid. The sailor ran over hit the ball off the middle of our table it
was a nice chip shot. Then the game was on. I told Paul to finish his beer
and that we had better scram, because all hell was going to break loose.
Sure enough just as soon as we walked out the Master at Arms with his boys
to break up the fight. Paul commented "These guys are animals", I told
him that's what happens when you get guys who have been cooped up on a
ship for months and they finally get a chance to blow off steam.