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 WAR STORIES FROM PARADISE
You have traveled back to 1982!
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!

1982
NAME = Joseph Seibert
MY QUEST = To fondly remember the night the rock rocked!
VT of a SWALLOW = 32 feet per second squared ?
E-MAIL = jsalaska@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = 'merican
SERVICE = Uncle Sam's Canoe Club
UNIT = AFRTS Radio/TV
RANK/RATE/JOB = Interior Communications Electronic Technician Petty Officer Second Class (IC2)
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 was there the night the earthquake hit Diego Garcia. My girl friend and I, (yes I was one of the lucky few to score!) were in my barracks room doing the horizontal mamba when she really rocked my world! Or so I thought until I realize it was just an earthquake.
    My lady friend and I ran out of the barracks smack dab into a Chief Petty Officer who bellowed, "It's an earthquake! There'll be a tidal wave coming soon so get to the center of the island!" We took off at a sprint until I realized that if the island was hit by a tidal wave moving a quarter of a mile inland probably wouldn't help much. So we decided to go out with class. We grabbed a six pack and headed down to the lagoon to watch the tide go in and out.
    After an hour or so of watching the tide we decided to pick up where we left off before we were so rudely interrupted by mother nature. Ah, those crazy moonlit night nights on that island paradise are still a fond memory for me.

 
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.
 

From: "Dan" <voyeur777@cox.net>
Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2008 10:50:20 -0800
I was on the USS Dixon AS 37 . It was the first ever west pac for the boat . But cant find any info from are time on DG. We were thear about 5 months . in 81 or 82 I think. I wish i wasnt so drunk the hole time on shore. Did catch a 250 lb. hammer head off the fantail of our boat ! That was fun. Well Enjoyed you web page . Brings back old times for me. Thank You. Dan
 

82-83
NAME = J-Ski
MY QUEST = dont leave anything on the table
VT of a SWALLOW = dont give a shit
E-MAIL = browns1300@earthlink.net
NATIONALITY = polish-American
SERVICE = navy
UNIT = work nights mostly
RANK/RATE/JOB = EO MY
INTEREST IN DG IS = Professional Adventurer Looking For The Ultimate Get Away
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Fishing Story
MY WARSTORY = speaking of Henry you all disappoint me lets not forget the token bar for which shirts were made and then banned at the club In memory of " JOE'S GARAGE" I cant beleive I havent seen mention of that. oh Schafer we played poker together hey F-ing Grody what up you hut mate I see your name out there wow the rake in the head do remember that one. The blond Brit she was hot. The night the dumpsters burned I do beleive acid was involved. Imagine that dont know where it came from.Good to hear these stories.
 

82 and 83
NAME = I was a EOCR to EOCN
MY QUEST = I am Seeking anyone who Remembers when EO3 Schaffer was electicuted doing that job at the airport when the crane with the Re-Bar Form rolled into the overhead 13,800 volt power line and we all headed to take care of him and who all was there besides me i know it was in the early 80s on the Island i need to know the date THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME and for them to get in touch with them!
E-MAIL = Animalc6969@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = Pedro, Ohio U.S.A.
SERVICE = US Navy
UNIT = NMCB-62
RANK/RATE/JOB = I am in need of contacts who where with me in Diego Garcia to help me with information with VA matters! I was a New Seabee then and was on was on the Wash Rack first then Motor Pool and worked in CM Shop and on CM Repair Truck,and helped out with any job i even drove the fuel truck for awhile! I loved the Fishing there! They Called me ANIMAL for a nick name!
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 = Well i out near the end of the Alpha Company Yard by the fence near airport when we all saw a Blue Flash and Eo3 Schaffer was frying on some Re-Bar that was being lowered into place with a crane it rolled into the over head 13,800 volt power line then the tranformer exploded and we all watched in horror as are friend lay the smoking! And does any one remember when the i think it was a E-18 did the belly flop ont the runway when its gear wouldn't drop, and when the thing cam to a halt he poped the top and out came the pilot not a scratch on him?? Does any one remember CM3 Henry running the TS-24 Scrapper through the huts that night? Boy i still have dreams about all the damage!!! And not one person got a scratch on them????? Well any one who does i need to hear from you i need to get in contact with you A.S.A.P. You may call collect at 1-740-643-2179 or IM me or E-Mail me at Animalc6969@yahoo.com i am in need of some one to tell the VA i was there! YEAH GO FIGURE! Help me out all ye 62 Bee's i am in need of dates and times! It is funny how we know these things happened and the Navy Don't? So help me out some one this is very IMPORTANT!!  EO2 Greg (ANIMAL) Campbell
 

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...

 approximately--some time in early 1982 thru early 1983
NAME = daniel barkley
MY QUEST = no'tin'
VT of a SWALLOW = african swallow?
E-MAIL = ddbbarkley@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = u.s.a.
SERVICE = navy
UNIT = nmcb 62
RANK/RATE/JOB = old and fat
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Drink A Lot, Cheap
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out on The Beach
MY WARSTORY = i can't remember exactly whether it was '82 or '83....i had the duty.  it was somewhere around two in the morning.  someone had driven a HUGE piece of equiment through two seahuts (no, i don't remember the equipment; i was BU not EO.)  the equiment had tires over 8 feet tall.  someone had been making fun of the fact he hadn't washed his underwear.  several seabees woke up between two huge tires.  he went through two sea huts and no one was killed. a miracle.  the got the s.o.b. off island fast, they wanted him to live till trial.
 
 

1982
NAME = Michael Nelson
E-MAIL = miclawson1@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = US
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = I was working for Brown & Root. Spent Christmas there. The Flips roasted seven pigs. When I was there, we expats ate and drank good. Worked a lot. We weren't allow in the water. Maybe wade in the lagoon. You could go to the pool. I think there were a couple of C-141's and maybe a couple of A-7's, and some P-3's. I still have some pictures of a buddie and I drinking on a day off at some kind of boat grave yard. I sent back to Houston to my boys all kinds of coral, shells and a cat skull and a old bible I found. The C-5A ride there from Clark Air Force base was murder ten times when your hung over. There was a buddie, I think his name was Allen Fink. He was like a pay master. I worked in the Brown & Root DP center. I couldn't wait to get home. My boys are grown up now and if there was something for me to do on the footprint of freedom I'd come in a Maryland minute. If anyone knows if there is a need for an IT specialist on the island. I left my email with this Warstory form. I remember about four years later I was in Northern Virginia. Doing some work at MILPERCIN and low and behold I ran into Capt. DeVeek. He was the Navy commanding office on the island when I was there. I think there was a saying. If you call me DeVick I'll treat you like a prick, if you call me DeVeek I'll treat you sweet. Some bull shit like that. Anyway it was nice remembering all this shit. I will never forget my trip there or the people I met. I may not remember the names but I remember the goodness and good times I had with the people I met. I forgot to mention for the Christmas USO show we were happy to have the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders visit us. There weren't any women on the island.
Thanks
Mike Nelson
 

81-82, 83, 99-00
NAME = Andy Bigelow
E-MAIL = cdrcab@mailcity.com
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = NMCB 62 and NAF
RANK/RATE/JOB = CDR (Ret.)
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = First deployment after joining the Navy and NMCB 62 as an Ensign.  Arrived advanced party and departed delayed party ('81-'82: 9 months). Last full Battalion deployed to DG. There were no Dets during this deployment. Living in a Seahut was a unique experience. Nothing like going into the Seabee Camp's Enlisted Club and sending guys back to their huts to put on some clothes.  At least a towel!  Or have a guy try to crush his fellow Seabee's with a scraper.  Be careful of who you pick on as they may not think it's funny especially around large pieces of construction equipment.  Good thing he didn't know how to operate it correctly.  We did such a great job they let about 40% to 50% of the battalion go home about 3 months early then the Regiment doubled our workload as we had to tie up all the loose ends as the last Battalion. Saw the first group of females, that were perminently stationed on island, arrive.  Interesting, especially when we heard they had been told to stay away from the Seabees and out of the Seabee camp during their briefings before arriving on island. Volunteered to go back as AOIC of the "Last Det." with NMCB 62 ('83: 8 months).  Chief "Huck" worked hard to complete my JO training.  Tough not being the big boys on the block as the Seabee population dropped from 900-1000 to less the 150. Could not keep the NAF MA's from chasing a wayward Seabee into the Seabee Det camp. Always made for an interesting evening when this happen.  Went back as PWO ('99-'00: 13 months).  Things change but still stay the same. PW was located in the old Craft Shops (leather, woodworking, Audio/visual) we (NMCB62) completed in 82.  Had the power go out 20 minutes before midnight 31DEC99.  Not Y2K just a failed lightning arrester but it made for an interesting 30-40 minutes at every Y2K party on island unitl power was restored.  The original Seahuts are all but gone though they are bulding new one in the contractor's camp.  Seabee's are back, they realized they still needed them on island and currently have re-established Seabee Dets on DG.  Diego Garcia is one of the best kept secrets.  The family separation is tough but if they ever do allow families to come on board, nobody will want to leave.  Made full circle - First deployment during first tour then last assignment before payback tour and retirement.
 

1982
NAME = Samuel Wihongi
E-MAIL = trish-sam@xtra.co.nz
NATIONALITY = New Zealand
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = HMNZS Waikato
RANK/RATE/JOB = Then - Leading Seaman
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other
MY WARSTORY = There with RFA Grey Rover and HMS Alacrity
     I remember coming ashore with a few of the chaps and hiring a pushbike from the PX. Away we went armed with back packs full of ale to the nearest beach. After settling down at the beach we were told to leave because it was for Philipinos only. (Mmmm segregation) So, we ended up at the Brit Club getting socially excited.
     Was there for what was supposed to be a couple of days of R and R. However, the weather turned to crap and we had to sail. As has been mentioned earlier on we tried to take half the island with us which was attached to our anchor.
 

1982
NAME = Mike Miller USS Lapon SSN661
MY QUEST = To find the Lady from the USS Sierra AD-18  who stole my heart
VT of a SWALLOW = fast
E-MAIL = o well
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = Submarine service
UNIT = "liberty port"
RANK/RATE/JOB = DS2/ss
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = While pulled in to this fine island there was not a proper submarine tender. What we had was the USS Sierra AD-18. What the Sierra had was women. I would love to find out what happend to the ET2 who I got to know when I stopped an old boyfriend from hitting her one night at the enlisted club. From that night forward she woke me up with a steaming cup of coffee every morning (in my rack on the Sub) and followed me no mater where I went on the island. This included the outdoor movie theater the beach with the gun and a couple of times in the shower on the boat (of course you can not fit two people in a submarine shower so she waited out on the sink for me to finish. After three weeks of this it got a little old but not too bad. What a place!!
 
 
 

1982
NAME = David 'Jumper' Collins
MY QUEST = To rid the world of unseen porn!!
VT of a SWALLOW = Are you talking about an African Swallow or an European Swallow?
E-MAIL = dcollins@electec.ac.nz
NATIONALITY = British
SERVICE = Royal Navy
UNIT = HMS Alacrity
RANK/RATE/JOB = then - Artificer Apprentice, left RN as POWEA (WD) now retired MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other MY WARSTORY = (First of all the last two questions didn't have the responce I was looking for which was "ALL OF THE ABOVE"...)

I visited on HMS Alacrity in 1982 and was one of those war-hardened sailors who had been down at the Falklands War earlier in the year.

Well I remember the New Zealand sailors on HMNZS Waikato (Wacky-potato). You see in 1982 the New Zealand Navy still had a daily Rum Ration where you got a free tot of rum ( for Junior Ratings this was pre-mixed with water to prevent them from storing it away) Senior Ratings got theirs 'neat'.  As the Royal Navy no longer had a daily rum ration we took as much advantage as possible to get across to the Waikato at Rum-issue time in the hope of cadging a free drink...

We had a great BBQ at the 'Brit Club' and even through the haze of far too many rums and beer I well remember that we had a visit from at least a couple of the 6 women based at DG.

I also remember that the Kiwi's must have enjoyed themselves there so much that when we came to leave (we were not alongside any pier but at anchor) Waikato tried to take half the island with them (maybe to set up their own mini "Barrier Reef" to rival their Australian neighbours).

There were quite a few signals flying between Alacrity, the fleet tanker RFA Grey Rover (Gay Raver), and Waikato.  Departure was delayed by about 30 minutes as Waikato was made to put the lump of coral attached to her anchor back...

Many years later, after I had left the Royal Navy, emigrated to New Zealand and joined the New Zealand Navy, I was very sad to lose my (well worn) Diegio Garcea baseball cap when it blew over the side one day when I was serving on Waikato's sister ship HMNZS Southland.... but therein lies another story !!!

What happy, carefree days those were back in 1982 - 24 years ago !!!

David.."Jumper" .. Collins
 
 

82-83
NAME = John Lucas
MY QUEST = Just to remember
VT of a SWALLOW =
E-MAIL = indianajohn63@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = Ship store
RANK/RATE/JOB =
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out in My Room
MY WARSTORY = I remeber a lot of people from DG whom I have thought about over the years. I spent one year there that was not all so good. At that time in my life, I was emotionally scared. First time overseas in the Navy. First duty station. I thought I did a good job working in the camera/jewelry department of the ships store. There was nothing to much to do in your spare time other than drink and boy was it cheap. Everything in my off time involved alcohol. I'm a feel good junkie and this led to my demise of taking the opportunity to buy some hashish from a nark whom because he was unliked by most personnel decided to work for the Brits as a snitch. He approached me one day offering to sell me some hashish that he had acquired from some fellow sailors on the USS Fox (shame on him, shame on me). I was never a drug user but thought it would be a change from the muldrum of the events on the island. One night while I was working as a stocking clerk in the store, my room was raided and my roommate was busted for possession. Another roommate came to the store the next morning informing me of this. Long story short, that morning I awaken to the Brits coming to my room. In a bedpost they discovered a quantity of hashish (how had it gotten there?). My last 30 days or so on the island were spent in restriction. Was I guilty of consumption? yes. Was I guilty of possession? The CO thought so. In any event, I thought I had been a good sailor in the USN. My military carrer was short lived after that time. I had served 2 years 9 months in the Army before transfering into the Navy where I served for 2 years. In the end it appeared to be a waste. My time on Diego did have it's happy time though. I met some wonderful people like Alice Lambing, whom I will never forget. Johnny Johnson, you were always cool. Frenchie, I loved you as a friend, Joe Veezer, you were a person I was happy to know. And, Tony Reed, you wanted so much to be a player. You were cool too. Oh, and my roommate from Ohio Paul. I hope your career turned out the way you wanted it. I have a lot of respect for the people who give a year or more of your life to serve your country away from your loved ones. Thank you for the freedom that I am provided. Just so you all know, I have been very successful in my endeavors outside the military. If you decided also to pursue other careers, I hope you have been as well.
 

1981, 1982, 1983
NAME = Michael "Mickey" White
E-MAIL = mikew3439@sbcglobal.net
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = Navy, Seabee
UNIT = NMCB 62
RANK/RATE/JOB = Equipment Operator, now 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 was blessed with back to back deployments to the rock with NMCB 62. I remember waking up in a porta hut watching 4 guys play cribage drinking beers and asking me "watch ya lookin at "Boot Camp" which became my name for the first deployment. But oh how i learned to be a real seabee with these fine fellows as mentors. Mojo Partys, Burnin dumsters when the lights went out. Dodgeing TS 24 Scrapers. Yea, Taz, Grody, Jim bob. They taught me alot. And, if we knew then what we knew now we would have realized they were the best years of our lives and ya, I would do it again in a heartbeat. This is it for now but ill be back for more with Det Diego.
 

1981, 1982, 1983
NAME = Michael "Mickey" White
E-MAIL = mikew3439@sbcglobal.net
NATIONALITY = USA
SERVICE = Navy, Seabee
UNIT = NMCB 62
RANK/RATE/JOB = Equipment Operator, now 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 was blessed with back to back deployments to the rock with NMCB 62. I remember waking up in a porta hut watching 4 guys play cribage drinking beers and asking me "watch ya lookin at "Boot Camp" which became my name for the first deployment. But oh how i learned to be a real seabee with these fine fellows as mentors. Mojo Partys, Burnin dumsters when the lights went out. Dodgeing TS 24 Scrapers. Yea, Taz, Grody, Jim bob. They taught me alot. And, if we knew then what we knew now we would have realized they were the best years of our lives and ya, I would do it again in a heartbeat. This is it for now but ill be back for more with Det Diego.
 

"ben cotton" <brencoulton@hotmail.co.uk>
To:  easy501@zianet.com
Date:  21 Jan 2006, 09:42:47 AM
Subject:  diego garcia and HMS Alacrity
Small world i think  i got  your  camo  shirt and  your  medals heheh remember  that day  well ,down at the house  that  Jack  built ,HMS Alacritys  crew  still  meet  up  every  year  and  part of the  storys are about  DG.We had a  brills  time  there loved it to  bits Well reply  and i  might  send  your  medal ribbons  back
PS hope the  unoion  jack is  still okay
PS it was not the  signals  officer  who  gave  you the  flag
I live in portsmouth so still see the  ships  sailing
take  care  plase  reply
brendan
 

1981-1983
NAME = Scott Zoeller
MY QUEST = remember the old days...
VT of a SWALLOW = african or european?
E-MAIL = scott_zoeller@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = usa
SERVICE = U.S. Navy Seabees
UNIT = NMCB 62
RANK/RATE/JOB = BU3 and BU2 on the Rock BU1 later
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other
MY WARSTORY = I was asigned to NMCB 62 Delta Company in 1981. We made the endless journey through Frankfurt to the exclusive resort publicly known as Diego Garcia. It always seemed that Delta Company was the bastard company of the Battalion. We did the construction support of Charlie Company. I ran a crew of texcoat freaks. Paul Barnett and John Case were memorable men as well as Kirby O'Brien (Our Hut Slut), Curt Boos, John Laspisa and countess others. No women on the island except  some visitors from the ships and a brit named Carmen. It was the last great Hurrah for the Seabees in the island's history. It was wneh Henry crashed the scraper into his hooch and nearly killed his hoochmates. I think he was getting shit about golden showers. He was a hell of an operator cause he smashed that hut ofter making a hairpin turn into the camp. They sent him away quick. We lost power in the huts I was in for a few hours. Needless to say when it came to emergency construction rerpairs the ballation had it all. We had great fun with the loyal british subjects on the island. No not the BritRep...the cats, chickens and the delicious coconut crab(did I say delicious?)
Ireturned with Det Diego the following deployment when the main body went to Gwam. Much lower key this time. I remenber Proctor's Builder's test. I bet they don't do those anymore. I did Texcoat again this year. My boss was John Weiss. A bit of a hard ass but a hell of a guy. He embodied the seabee style of if its done its good and if its not done its bad. We must have erected half a hundred premade bus stops.  One of my workers, Bob Steathem was coerced into jackhammering a concrete pull box at the runway porject run bu some olf fart CE1. I remember pulling the compressor off the job, getting into a pile of shit over it and then the Lt. found out it was a 13800 pull box that would have shut down the airfiels if it was breached. Made an enemy out of the CE1 but saved Bob from possible electrocution. (Bob was killed by terrorists on flight TWA 847 after leaving the battalion and becoming a diver. A gentle and good man.) The best thing about Diego this time aroubd was that there were GIRLS.  Not just TAD but women assigned to the NSF and NAS. I made some great female friends, best of which was Alice Marsh and Vicky Reinhart. It gave the island some civility wit women aboard. The det made a raft called the Lil DILIGAF for the raft race. We did'nt win but it was a good time both to the raftsmen and we who watched the race. They would not allow beer on the rafts. A little inginuity and the flotilla became a floating beer barge. We had a bit of shit when one of the women was the focus of a rake attack between 2 guys in Alpha Company but I don't remember if that was the Det or the Main body Deployment. We left the island as the last detachment and moved to Gulfport for another few months then on to Rosy Roads.

81-82, 82-83
NAME = Andrew Perkins
MY QUEST = stroll down memory lane
VT of a SWALLOW = ?
E-MAIL = aperkins@simplynet.net
NATIONALITY = Oklahoma
SERVICE = NMCB62
UNIT = MLO, Satelite Dining Facility
RANK/RATE/JOB = CE2
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = I was there in the last full battalion, and right back after home port in the last detachment.  I remember "Henry's Revenge", and was real surprized when I got back with the detachment to see "new" hooches on that corner.  It was surprising the amount of damage a pan scraper could do to a hooch.

Since the main choices on the rock were to 1. get religeon, 2. become an alcholic, 3. become a fisherman, I got drunk and went fishing with a lot of the others.  I remember, (I think) drinking a case of Bud a day, many days in a row.  Since Jim Beam came in those nice bowling pin bottles, it was fun to rack the empty's up and bowl them down with coconuts.  I have never forgotten the morning after head ache from drinking frozen Sangria, or a night drinking just plain Mojo.  I don't think I would want to do that again.

I remember Alice's over by the laundry, and how disapointing it was to see it converted into the QD when we got back on the det.

I remember Ole Oleson dressed up as Santa Clause in the back of a jeep throwing batallion christmas card at morning quarters.  I still have the patch, and have it framed with my "A" school certificate.
 
 

1982-83
NAME = Jim (Hoppy) Hopkins
MY QUEST = To find my way back to the donkey gate
VT of a SWALLOW = a dollar two ninety eight
E-MAIL = hop4him@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = U.S Navy Sea Bees
UNIT = NMCB 62 det. DG
RANK/RATE/JOB = then E3,E4,E5,E3,E4,E2...STEEL WORKER
Now civilian preacher
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 Sailing Story
MY WARSTORY = There once was an Island wide raft contest on the rock, until the year I got there. Well my comrads and I were outraged so, we built one anyways, as we finished our second fifth of Jim Beam in the middle of the shipping lane in the harbor, a funny little man with a bull horn on the beach said "I am giving you a direct order, to come to shore and dismantle that raft at once". Well the only logical thing we could think of to do was show him our posterior tan line and see if he could count our fingers from that distance. We realized when the funny little boats with the fold down front end came to get us, that probably wasn't a fantastic idea. You see the little guy with the bull horn was the nav sta xo OOPS!! That's ok we had plenty of time to discuss it later that day.
And trust me sober is better.
Peace and Beads Man
Hoppy
 
 

Oct-Dec 1982
NAME = Rich Rhatigan
E-MAIL = rhatpack@optonline.net
NATIONALITY = US
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = VP-1
RANK/RATE/JOB = AE2 Then.  Got out as AE1 in 1987
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = There are many:  Someone puking off the balcony onto the chief's head.  Being attacked during the night by every living insect in Splinter Village.  My favorite is when a New Zealand ship pulled in for a few days.  Every night at the club shore patrol basically ran a shuttle service to and from the ship.  Those guys were out of control.  Women were very new to Dodge.  One night, one of the NZ sailors was dancing with a wave.  They stopped dancing.  Had a few words.  The sailor then reached back and planted a right hook square on her jaw.  He caught the next shuttle to the ship.
 
 

1982
malcolm <malcolm@csplus.com>
heres one for you i was station on diego carcia 1n 1982 when the first  female arived a few months after, a maile salior was killed with a rake in the head by a jeolous boyfirend, it was hush hush, i worked in the commsta and sent the message out cant remember the date it was classfied then, also that same year we found a foot from one of the migrant workers on t site aparently he was out get longusta and accrding to the me in the philllipines when they packed the foot off he was eaten by a rate larger groupter

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
 

November 1982
NAME = Mary (Gregory) Snider
MY QUEST = To remember the name of the youngest Brit Marine stationed on the Island
VT of a SWALLOW = is this a trick question?
E-MAIL = lakeriedog@yahoo.com
NATIONALITY = American
SERVICE = USNavy
UNIT = USS Samuel Gompers
RANK/RATE/JOB = EN3 at the time, 13 active...8 reserves
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = I spent two weeks on Diego waiting for the Sammy G, and then quite a bit of time anchored out, running small boats... was there and helped out with the dewatering of the merchant ship that nearly sunk.  Met a very nice brit marine named Davey who swapped t-shirts with me and taught me the fine art of tattoo removal.  He showed me the plantation side, and how to swim with sharks.  Look a baby Wolf!
     Although a good bit of my time there is a drunken blur, that is  where I took my last drink ever...too bad I can't remember what it was!  I woke the next morning on the floor of the bathroom in my room in the barracks with a bad case of coral cuts on my legs an empty wine bottle and my toothbrush.  To the guy who I threw the coconuts at, I wasn't really trying to kill you, but I'm not sorry, shame on you!
     I had some really great times snorkeling and trying to learn to wind surf, and hanging out at the merchant seaman club with a very nice merchant seaman who's name I can't remember...he had a mohawk haircut and a removable front tooth. He came to visit me on the ship one day and practically caused a security alert,  the OOD called me up to the quarter deck and ordered him off the ship, how RUDE!
     I still have the fishing pole and jungle boots which were given to me there, and would love to go back for the beaches!
 

Dec '81 - '83
NAME = McNeil, a.k.a."Mac"
MY QUEST = Find old friends and acquaintances.
VT of a SWALLOW =
E-MAIL = lotlot66@prodigy.net
NATIONALITY = U.S.A.
SERVICE = U.S.N.
UNIT = NAF
RANK/RATE/JOB = AT-1
 

1982-1983
     NAME = joe buzzone
     E-MAIL = buzz-one@comcast.net
     NATIONALITY = american
     SERVICE = usn
     UNIT = master at arms
     RANK/RATE/JOB = mm3
     MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Other
     SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
     MY WARSTORY = I was stationed on dg as a maa. I spent eleven months on the rock.  I actually had three girl freinds on the rock while I was there.      first there was Dee Davis and Kim I can't remember her fucking name.  Dee was fun lasted a couple of months.  Kim was a wild cat.  She ended up getting busted and placed on restriction.  One day she got drunk with the restriction po and then split.  Well I found her and we ended up staying in my barracks overnight.  Surer than shit we got nabbed.  The co wanted my balls for his golf game.  After a short summary court martial I spent 15 days in confinement with hard labor in Subic Bay, $500 for one month and my po stripe.  It had to be the most expensive piece of ass ever paid for in dg history.

Sometime before 1982
     NAME = Guy Wilson
     MY QUEST = Search for a Flag
     VT of a SWALLOW = A bit slower than an Exocet Missile
     E-MAIL = guyjcislord.wilson@ntlworld.com
     NATIONALITY = Brit, true blue
     SERVICE = Royal Navy
     UNIT = Visiting
     RANK/RATE/JOB = Petty Officer (M)Retired
     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 = To those of you who remember HMS Sheffield (the Argentine target in 1982) Does anyone know the whereabouts of the White Ensign that was presented to the depot ship that we parked alongside? I seem to remember that it was signed by a lot of the Sheffs crew. I also remember being invited on board to watch a movie, and I seem to remember asking some of the crew over to Sheff for a drink, there was some confusion when one of you American gentlemen came on board having just come from the shower, all smelling sweetly, with too much aftershave on, I then remember one of you asking for a light for a cigarette, I had just filled my Zippo lighter (one I managed to get off a kind American sailor) (as is usual from a Brit Matelot)Anyway the mix of over aftershaving and overfilling a zippo is a dangerous mix. If you are the one whose face I set on fire, I apologise. (Really I do!!) Does anyone remember this?
     Tug Wilson
     Ex-Sheffield.
     OLD GUNNERS NEVER DIE THEY JUST GET FIRED.

1982
     NAME = Bob Knight
     E-MAIL = rjknight@sbcglobal.net
     SERVICE = us navy
     UNIT = ctf 70 det diego garcia
     RANK/RATE/JOB = LCDR, Oinc, retired
     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 the OINC, CTF-70 Det Diego Garcia in spring of 1982.   I welcomed the first usn females on the island.
     Best regards,
     Bob
 

1982
     NAME = Joe Madrid or Cpl Madrid then.
     MY QUEST = Why no mention of the Marines that were sent there for three mounths
     as security.
     VT of a SWALLOW = Do nt care.
     E-MAIL = joemadrid1@hotmail.com
     NATIONALITY = White
     SERVICE = USMC
     UNIT = Security
     RANK/RATE/JOB = CPL
[editor's note:  Mainly because no marines have written any stories or sent good photos for me to use]

1980 through 84.
ROB HODGES <hawkeye6936@attbi.com
See his 1980 entry...

Jan 1982-Sept 1984- I was there for the quake
NAME = Annette Salvato-Gangi
MY QUEST = to share a quake story
VT of a SWALLOW = don't know, don't really want to know
E-MAIL = Nettesal@YAHOO.COM
NATIONALITY = AMERICAN
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = ASCOMM
RANK/RATE/JOB = RM2  THEN
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 the Quake of 83.  I worked down at the mini-ascomm at the time.  I was in my barracks watching movies.  It was the 3 story new barracks at the time.  The rumble started and it got so loud you couldn't even hear yourself yell.  We thought it was a C5 coming in to low or the wrong way.  Then the building starting to bounce. We all headed for the door and the 3 of us were trying to get the door open to get out.  Of course we were all very calm.  (LOL)
We got out of the room and I just wanted to jump from the 2nd floor to the ground.  At that point, we thought the building was coming down.  My friend at
the time grab me and pulled me to the steps and we ran down.  We got to the ground and you were just bouncing  off of it.  Well it felt it anyhow.   We finally figured out what it was and time just seemed to stop and the quake seem to go on for ever.  All the lights went out and we were all told to go to the center of the island because they were expecting a wave to hit.  What a joke that was, the center and highest point was the swimming pool.  Some of us went down to cannon point to watch and some of us just started partying.   I had never been in a earthquake before and hope I'll never be again.  Needless to say for the next couple of months, due to the aftershocks,  I slept  fully clothed and shoes by the bed ready to book out if needed.  We drove out to T-site within the next couple of days and saw where the wave had washed over the road and the crack in the building out there.  This experience makes you realize you never know when your time is up.

November 1982
NAME = Joe Drees
MY QUEST = stay sober for just a minute longer
VT of a SWALLOW = I don`t swallow
E-MAIL = Drees@charter.net
NATIONALITY = US
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = transiant
RANK/RATE/JOB = Was MM3 at the time, now UT1 USNR
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 = Room? We lived in those screened huts. Had to take a shit before 0700 or you could pass out from the heat in those portajohns. We had just spent a wonderfull two weeks in the PI enroute to USS Enterprise and got stuck on the rock for two weeks. Got sunburned beyond recognition. Remember eating this rubber turkey on thanksgiving so hung over that the chaplain came over to cheer us up not knowing we were still blasted to the gills. Bowled a 200 game there.
 

1982-1983
NAME = YN3/2 Janice Patrick
E-MAIL = jhump2001@aol.com
SERVICE = USN
UNIT = NAF
RANK/RATE/JOB = Retired MACS(AW)
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out in the Club
MY WARSTORY = November 82 to November 83 on the rock was the best year of my life.  I wasn't in that first group of women, but I came along about 6 months later.  I was a Yeoman at NAF Admin, worked most nights at the First Class Living Room, an illegal club owned by the Seabees.  On the nights I wasn't working there I was drinking there.  Those guys of NMCB-1 were some real party animals and simply wonderful!  Before the days of political correctness, wearing short shorts and a T shirt with no bra, and flip flops.  Wish I could do that year again.  I left a few days before the quake.  I remember Obie, Frank, Buck Bell and Jimmy Eaves.  And of course, Mad Dog, and my personal favorite, Art the guitar player from public works.  If you are out there guys email me.  Jan

1982
NAME = Don Tracy
E-MAIL = Dtracydenver
SERVICE = Navy
UNIT = U.S.S. Kiska AE-35
RANK/RATE/JOB = E3, GMG3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Please Select The Category That Best Discribes Your Interest in Diego Garcia
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = During our West-pac in 1982, I was lucky enough to have liberty on my 21st birthday.  Myself and several buddies from Fox division of the Kiska took the liberty boats ashore and began a very enlightening night on the rock. We went to the club ( I can't recall the name ) and commenced to celebrate my 21st. It seems that the entire patronage of the club sent drinks to our table that night and needless to say I was probably the drunkest 21 year old birthday celebrant in the world that night. I do not recall the boat ride back to the ship but very vividly I can remember the spill down the ladder to the Fox/Rase berthing compartment. The morning came rather soon as is the norm when embiding. I requested time for sick bay and told the oc that I needed to go to C.A.A.C. ( of course the C.A.A.C. was located in the P.I. of which we had left some 30 days ago ). I needed the recovery. The Doc sent me to the clinic. I signed in for the counselor and waited with a picture in my mind of 30 days of liberty in Subic ( recovering ). Well, my name came up to see the counselor. I went in and was met with a nice looking female LT. As we discussed my problem drinking I could tell that she had something to tell me. I pleaded with her to send me to C.A.A.C. After about twenty minutes of talking she politely told me that I was not going to Subic and that I had better leave and go to the boat landing and get back to my ship. My mouth fell open with shock, I was appalled that this trained counselor would not send me to paradise. This lady then proceeded to tell me that she had been standing at the shuttle stop the past evening when I was on my way back to the ship when the club had closed. She vividly remembered a conversation between a very drunk celebrant and his shipmates. It seems the topic of that conversation was how I was going to get my ass back to Subic so that I could really enjoy myself during the birthday period. She actually entered into my medical record that I should never be allowed back in the P.I. because of my desire to partake in the best liberty port in the world. I almost cried on my way back to the ship. ButI can say even though I was 10,197 miles from my home of Denver ( and I have a picture of the sign post to prove it )the birthday that is supposed to be so special in your life - WAS. I was free, I was with friends and I was treated so well by all of the patrons of the club that night. Theses others did not know me, but we all shared a common thread. We were all far from our homes and we sure as hell didn't cry about it, we made it a great night!
 
 

1982-1983
KAREN DUFOUR <karanngoroo@satx.rr.com
What Is Your Quest? Sun and Fun on the Sand
What is the Terminal Velocity of a Swallow? African or European
Nationality: NORTH AMERICAN; If Armed Forces, Which Branch? US NAVY; Unit or Work Assignment on DG: PSD
Rank/Rate: PNSN then...
My Interest In Diego Garcia is:  Decided to Join A Monastery, But Couldn't Find One
Title of My Warstory:   I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking on Diego Garcia
My Warstory:  I was 20-years old, 5'6", Blondish-brown hair, blue eyes, one of the first batches of females to hit the Island:  I called Bingo at the Enlisted
Club "Ooo69"... served Sunday Champaign Brunch at the club... umpired the softball games... swam in the lagoon with Hector... ate mid-rats at 3 a.m... perched in the dunk tank... I remember Mike Stewart, Steve Knox, Bobby Shunk, Rosanne!, Nancy, Kermit, the Seabees, VP-46ers, HC-1 Det 3... so many people so little time! Several others I prefer not to remember... Met my husband from VP-46 > and remain married to this day :)
    The Earthquake was awesome... thought my roommates were f*cking with my rack. Yelled out to assholes in the quad to shut the f*ck up.  Who was it
that told everyone to go to the highest part of the Island? Who sent them to the pool as the highest part of the Island? Which idiots actually went?
Partied with the Brits til dawn!! Earthquake / Awaiting Tidalwave party :)
     Sex on the beach was not a drink back then. Coconut crab was the absolute most wonderful part of the R&R on the Island - better than Lobster . Nothing
like flashlights, sticks, and pillow cases to hunt them down. Got in more trouble than I can say... my name came up a few times at the COs meetings :) Fraternization was not allowed - well not legally.
 

Feb-March 1982
NAME = Scott Erich
MY QUEST = Total Discontent
E-MAIL = serich@twcny.rr.com
NATIONALITY = American; SERVICE = USN; UNIT = Upkeep in DG being on the Uss Groton (SSN 694); RANK/RATE/JOB = STS2/SS
MY WARSTORY = Pulled in DG in Feb 1982 along side the Uss Hector, and who pulls in a few days later?? The HMS Sheffield (D80).  Sheffield was sunk 3 months later in the Falklands.  Played rugby with some of her crew by one of
the softball fields.
     Beautiful island!  I remember the long pier that was ocean side near the MARS Station.  At night the algea would light up as the waves came in. Very hot and the sun screen would wash off while you were sweating and you'd end up with a streak skin sunburn.  Being attacked by those damned coconut crabs.  Things were mean!!  Had the crap scared out of me by a dolphin or porpoise while in the water near the far ball fields.  Over all was a good time but was only there for a short while!

1982
GORDON ELLWOOD <sellwood@stx.rr.com>
I was recently surfing around on the web and got off on some tangent when I thought back to my experiences in the US Navy (1981-1985).  The time was the summer of 1982, and I had just been stationed at NAS Miramar, with VF-2.  The squadron was deployed on WESPAC when I arrived at Miramar, so I had to just hang out on the base and wait for them (aboard the USS Ranger) to come into range of a place where I could
be sent to join them.  That place turned out to be Diego Garcia.
    I was flown via commercial airline from San Diego, to Seattle, to Yokohama, to Manila and ended up at Cubi Point (Subic Bay) for two amazing weeks, while waiting for the ship to come off Gonzo Station.  From Cubi, we (a group of about 20 of us) were bussed to Clark AFB and then flown to Diego Garcia via a MAC flight.  All of this was an incredible journey for a surfer who had just been taken WAY out of the comfort of his stateside California element.  Having never been farther out of southwest America than a quick trip to Baja, this was amazing.  I had never even HEARD of a place in the middle of the Indian Ocean called Diego Garcia.  But, I was stoked when I found out about it in that summer’s issue of Surfer magazine.  It was a special travel issue and had a section on remote, rarely surfed waves.  There was a picture of the big gun (at Canon Point) and another of a perfect breaking left.  I couldn’t believe my luck.  I was going to a place (courtesy of the US Navy) that hardly anybody could ever go to.
     After landing, and then being debriefed by the Brits in their shorts (a uniform idea I wished the Navy would have adopted), I don’t remember a whole lot else.  I DO remember laughing my ass of when the Brit customs guy was explaining the prohibited items.  For some reason, the way he said “cocaine snorting tubes” stays in my brain to this day.  I was there for only about 24 hours, to the best of my recollection.  We arrived in the afternoon, and were checked into a large, single-level transit barracks.  I remember that it had screens all the way around, and these were all ripped and full of holes, with no air-conditioning.  We were given the usual Navy pillow, pillowcase, two sheets and a blanket for the cots that were laid out (like boot camp).  There were no other ammenities in the room at all.
     I remember ending up at the outdoor theater and we must have had a few San Miguels there.  The movie was “Chariots of Fire”, which I recall vividly.  The next memory I have of the only night I spent on the island, was of getting EATEN ALIVE by the mosquitos while trying to sleep.  It was, and remains to this day, the WORST night in my life.  It was too hot to sleep under a blanket, and the mosquitos would bite through the sheets.  The sound of mosquitos buzzing around my ears even today, reminds me of this awful night.  The dawn couldn’t come soon enough.
     The next day, I was determined to check out the surf, even though I didn’t have a board with me.  We had been told that swimming on the “ocean side” was prohibited because of the danger of sharks.  But, being young and stupid, I didn’t care.  I made my way (walking) to some beach on the ocean side and found myself right there, next to the big ass gun, the VERY SAME place as was in the magazine.  I took a camera with me, and found a way to take my own picture with it - standing next to the canon.  (I wish now that I had taken WAY more pictures while I was there - as I later bacame an AVID photographer).
     There were perfect, peeling waves breaking on the reef, a mere 60-80 feet from shore, and I couldn’t resist.  I took off my shoes and jumped in.  I swam out to the break and caught a few waves (body surfing) before I got paranois.  All those shark warnings started gaining priority in my brain.  Once back on shore, I stuffed my socks with puka shells (and others) and made my way back to our transit barracks.  I recall that there were a shitload of chickens and coconuts on the island.
     My next memory is of being briefed in a hangar area for what to do if we go down in the open ocean (on our way out to the Ranger).  This was the first time, since joining the Navy, that I was actually a little nervous, as we listened intently on how to remove the rubber molding for the helicopter windows to get out of a sinking chopper.  Half of us got to fly out to the ship in a COD (C-2), and the other half went out on a Chinook.  I was with the latter group, missing out on a chance to “trap” on the carrier - a rare treat for an enlisted puke.  However, I must admit that we got a better view on the way in.  I was awestruck when we got to the carrier, which was about 40 miles away.  The amazing deep blue water was almost perfectly calm, and when we landed, there was a HUGE party going on on deck.  I happened to come aboard as the ship was celebrating it’s 25th anninversary with a “steel picnic” - with steak and lobster !!  This was my first impression of the US Navy at sea.  I had no idea.
     I also had no idea that everything would drastically change the next day, as we headed back out to Gonzo Station for 45 days of 12-hour days, 7-days a week.
      We then headed down to Perth, Australia - which was unscheduled, and another stop on my world surfing tour.  AHHHH, Rottnest Island !!  But that is a surf story for another time.
     Anyway, I thought that you might get a kick out of my DG memory.  Gordon Scott Ellwood  (at Diego Garcia in the summer of 1982)

82 & 83
GORDON PERMANN   <Krztalizer@aol.com>
Until I found your website, I honestly felt that Ken Webb and myself were the only two people who ever said
they had fun there out loud.  You have a great site, sir -- well done.
     Do you still have contact with Jaws?  She was a very cool chick.  We arrived on the same flight and I went
through indoc with her.  "Don't touch the chickens, crabs, cats, or the donkeys.  Try not to drink too much.
      Ok, scratch that - don't touch the chickens and if you kill a cat, bury it deep."
cheers from a fan
v/r
Gordon Permann
formerly assistant intel at PATWINGONE, 82-83 plus a few other visits

82-83
NAME = Steve "GRODY" Gundlach
MY QUEST = To stay alive
VT of a SWALLOW = African or European??
E-MAIL = stju@charter.net
NATIONALITY = American; SERVICE = Seabees; UNIT = NMCB 62; RANK/RATE/JOB = Up and down
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Professional Spy
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = Anyone remember the night Henry got so drunk he drove the scraper threw the hooch down in Alpha company??????  If you weren't there you wouldn't believe it.

Nov 1982 - Dec 1983
NAME = Joe Meno
E-MAIL = bdhrdy@home.com
NATIONALITY = Asian pacific islander (Guamanian); SERVICE = US Navy; UNIT = Main Power Plant (South) 20 Alpha crew; RANK/RATE/JOB = EM2 while assigned in Diego Garcia, retired from active duty Nov 1996 as an EMC (SW). Presently residing in San Diego, CA working for Pacific Bell
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Interested World Citizen
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = I'd Like to Share Precious Memories of Drinking/Fishing/Snorkeling/Sailing on Diego Garcia
MY WARSTORY = Had many good times while station there, but the earthquake that shook the island stands out the most..... not to mention Ms. Marie Greene

1982
NAME = Sandy Leishman
MY QUEST = dodging ragheads
VT of a SWALLOW = slower than an excocet
E-MAIL = alexxxforty@hotmail.com
NATIONALITY = British; SERVICE = Royal Navy; UNIT = HMS Alacrity; RANK/RATE/JOB = Radio Operator 1st Class/Just a big fat civvy now
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Homosexual Interest Only
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY = How good is your web page?... f@*&ing good! Pissed myself laughing.  I think I was one of the RO's who swapped that ensign with you..... but I was very, very drunk [editor's note:  We ALL were]   Cheers for refreshing my memory it brought a great run ashore  back to life for me (I’ve still got no hair on my arse after doing that daft dance)!

1980, 1981, and 1982
NAME = Larry Ortega <AKAZILLA@AOL.COM>
see his 1980 entry

Twice aboard the uss sierra  aug-nov 1982 and june-aug 1985
NAME = david goins
MY QUEST = looking for the holy grail
E-MAIL = goinsfam@mindspring.com
NATIONALITY = American; SERVICE = Navy; UNIT = USS Sierra AD-18  storekeeper second class
RANK/RATE/JOB = Left the service September 1985, Note: flew out of Diego at 10 pm at night for Norfolk, VA to get out
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Stroll Down Memory Lane
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out on The Beach
MY WARSTORY = I have been TWICE. The first time sucked. Worked our asses off on ship and there was little to do on the island except drink, drink, and drink.
     Second time was better. Drank alot. Played alot of softball with the local Marines. Drank alot. Chased women. Drank alot. Beautiful island. Beautiful beaches. There is not many of us who have been there and experienced the place. But like they say, the best view of Diego Garcia is in your rear view mirror!!!!
 

1982-83  (also TAD for three months in 1979)  See his 1979 entry.
NAME = Daniel Guajardo
MY QUEST = To finally be happy
VT of a SWALLOW = Let me drink a couple of cases and will get back to yeah!
E-MAIL = wings97-98@att.net
NATIONALITY = U.S.; SERVICE = U.S. Navy; UNIT = C-site; RANK/RATE/JOB = CTO-2  got out 1986
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = Other
MY WARSTORY = Wrote previously, was tad to the rock back in 79, pissed off my master chief while in Kami Seya, so he banished me for three months to dodge. spent a x-mas and new years there, not much there at the time, have night-mares bout donkey burgers, but the booze was cheap!
  Went back in 1982-83, of my own accord, thought it would be a place to chill after Guam, spent 15 months on guam but rode the boats tad about 10 months of the time. burnt out on the P.I., so thought i would chill on dodge, bad mistake. met up with the craziest bunch of CT's, ole Johnnie Kennedy, Shoe the Jew, Phil Rainey, and a supporting cast of alcholics... Tom Gussie, what a year. We busted ass at ole C-site, we had the best watch-section, but boy did we play hard, talk about pounding cases of Bud, and got turned on to green label JACK by Shoe the Jew, had the first annual Diego raft race that year, had the best softball team on the island, and we won the first annual C-site softball tourney, with a bunch of rejects and women! forgot alot of stuff, but have pictures and some coral scars on my arm and leg from drunken wipeouts... thought Diego was out of memory, but my soon to be ex was just there, 1999-2000 and got the dreaded phone call for divorce after her being there for two months, oh well damm the bad luck, she never even came back to say why or anything, left me with our son, which is a good thing, good luck to the guy that ends up with that hoe.   over-all have some good memories, and so it goes.

march 1982 through march 1983
NAME = Dan Neuenswander  (swanny)
MY QUEST = on diego, to get drunk....
VT of a SWALLOW = huh ?
E-MAIL = neuenda@bp.com
NATIONALITY = german mexican
SERVICE = navy
UNIT = harbor ops
RANK/RATE/JOB = went there cause I pissed off my LT. I hit on her ! was a sr then fr. inactive now
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out in the Club
MY WARSTORY = I was there BEFORE the women, they showed up months later. I was assigned to Harbor ops, SELBY and Sutherland, I remember you guys ! I was the only moron that was hit on by a black female recruit and TURNED HER DOWN !!!! what was I thinking..... I have since grown :) speaking of getting hit on, I was UPTOWN living the good life and my roommate EM2 Kevin Paulus (you never forget your first one) tried "snorkeling" on me while I was passed out in bed. I woke up and screamed AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHHH !!!!! living with a homo on diego. I hung out with the divers, and escorted the ladies back and forth from the USS Gompers (the love boat). There was this short BM3 that really turned me on (can't remember her name) but she was gay. seaman warner (from Hawaii) the redhead BM3 heavy set chick. saving the MSC ship from sinking, I got a letter of commendation for that ! Catching 5 foot long Wahoos ! almost beaching an LCM8 boat on the outside of the island, Drone hunts ! The Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders (I have pics ) I worked as an engineman on the LCM8 boats, Selby, YOU were my bow hook ! man, the stories.....
 

FATHER MARK BETTI <talgg@telpage.net> (c/o Tom Clancy)
Ted,
     By way of introduction, I am Rev. Mark J. Betti, a Catholic priest now living in North Carolina. I was on DG '82-'83 as EM2 Mark J. Betti assigned to the Main Power Plant.
      I just got back from a two-week vacation in Spain. As long as I was on the peninsula, thought I'd swing by Portugal and visit the very homeland of the navigator Diego Garcia - perhaps even bring back a picture, bio or some other momento of him to pass along to you for the website.
      In Lisbon there is a Navy Museum dedicated to preserving the memory and mighty deeds of all those brave sailors from Portugal who sailed all over the world.  All, that is, except for one. NOBODY at, in, or around the museum ever heard of Diego Garcia! Nothing in the museum nor in the bookstore about him! Near the museum there is a Naval archive and library that may have some info on him, but I coundn't get in. I was there on Saturday, and it is only open Mon-Fri.
     **IF ANYONE IS GOING TO LISBON, CHECK THE MUSEUM LIBRARY - DON'T WASTE TIME IN THE MUSEUM ITSELF. BRING US BACK SOMETHING ABOUT OUR HERO!
Thank you. (And God bless you!)
Rev. Mark J. Betti
[Ed note:  We've got an update now on ol' Diego - see the latest controversy about the name of our favorite island on the Stump the Dumbies Page!]
 

1st Time December 1975 (3 months), Second Time May 1978 (4 months), Third Time January 1979 (3 months), Forth time March 1982 (18 months) August 1983 - December 1985
NAME = Jack Kaltenhauser
E-MAIL = arizseabee@email.msn.com
SEE HIS 1975 & 1983 ENTRIES...
 

1982-1983
Paul Denton  <phdenton@quixnet.net>
Hi Ted,
       As a Seabee stationed on the Rock from '82-83, I was in charge of the Public works high voltage line crew. Got a great tan "cruising" around in a lounge chair in the back of a bucket truck.
      I have had the very rare priviledge of having coconut crab for dinner once...very tasty and very expensive (if caught by the Brits).
      I often thought during my time there that DG would make a great resort provided the guest list was kept to 40 or less guests at any given time. Hate to think of spoiling the beauty of the island.
      Fondest memory...becoming a single digit midget. Short-timers have more fun. Had a great time asking "what day is it?" just to hear someone reply "day two hundred and twenty-three".Your page brings back great memories of the Brit Club and all the other wonderful tourist traps on the island. It was my pleasure as the crew leader of 7 Sierra (high voltage line crew) to keep everyone in the light (or dark depending on whether Seabee or squid).
     This Guinness is for you and all of us real survivors...

Paul Denton
CEO, Diego Power & Light
 

Oct 82 - Oct 84
NAME = BOB MROCZKOWSKI <bobski643@cs.com>
MY QUEST = to be crowned king butterfly of angeles city
VT of a SWALLOW = zero
NATIONALITY = american; SERVICE = navy; UNIT = r-site/cal lab; RANK/RATE/JOB = et3
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Drink A Lot, Cheap
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit 'How I Put One Over On My Senior Chief' Story
MY WARSTORY = Did two back to back tours on "The Rock" working at the callab at R-Site. My job as a caltech was easy and a day job so I had plenty of time to spend partying. Did alot of drinking with the radiomen in the teletype repair shop. The sunsets,beaches and partying were all fine and dandy, but the only reason I stayed for as long as I did was because Diego was my ticket to the P.I. I got the 30 days extra leave for extending,plus regular leave, accumulated leave before I got there and leave that was never recorded[while stationed there]because leave papers got "lost". I spent so much time in Angeles City,Subic City,The Barrio and Olongapo that the girls thought I was stationed dito[stationed in the P.I.]. Those were some of the best times of my life. Diego was just a drunken  party I went to while
waiting to go back to the P.I. After Diego I went to a frigate homeported out of Yokosuka where my ship was always going to P.I. plus other great hotspots like Pattaya Beach,Pusan,and Hong Kong. Got out of the Navy when I found out we were losing the bases in P.I. Best thing I ever did, life out of the military is GREAT!
 
 

1982-83
NAME = PATRICK  T. STEVENSON
E-MAIL = Patrick.Stevenson@kls.usaka.smdc.army.mil
NATIONALITY = U.S.; SERVICE = U.S.NAVY; UNIT = SEABEES , Water Plant ,AC&R shop
RANK/RATE/JOB = Worked my year and extended for 6 months more. Stayed Kinda drunk, Anyone remember Roy Roubiduex,or UTC Barfield. I was a UT1
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Decided to Join A Monastery, But Couldn't Find One Stateside
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = There I Was, Passed Out in My Room
MY WARSTORY = All I can remember was that all wsa not fun and games. At least two days weren't. I read where some of you can remember the earthquake in 83 well my friends I was in charge of the emergency all out crews for A/C and Electric and It was hectic!!! Jack Kaultenhauser wherever yoou are I could sure share a Beer with ya over that night. That's the night I told the XO to get of the Radio because serious people had serious work to do. What a night that was. If anyone remembers ENC Hanso of the power plant unfortunatly he passed away Feb 2000.
 

1982 -1983
NAME = Deco (Crash & Fire)
MY QUEST = Find anybody who work @ the airfield Crash & Smash
VT of a SWALLOW = Golden Shell Back
E-MAIL = EDeoc13021@aol.com
NATIONALITY = Hawaiian
SERVICE = U.S. Navy
UNIT = Air Field Ops/Crash & Fire
RANK/RATE/JOB = I was stationed there when the earth quake shook DG during the morning hours. We had to foam down the tarmac when the JP-5 lines broke with one of the fire trucks. I was an E-5 then, but now retired E-7 living at (Otay Ranch) Chula Vista, CA.  I currently work at the Naval Medical Center San Diego as a Lab Tech (GS-8).  I would like to hear from any shipmates who were assigned at Crash & Fire. 1982-1983.
 

82 FEB 01   83 JAN 07
ERIC  FLOYD <edbk123@aol.com>
MY QUEST = CAN STILL DOWN A CASE OF OLY.
VT of a SWALLOW = FULL BORE
NATIONALITY = AMERICAN; SERVICE = USN
UNIT =  NAF/ OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT/ STRUCTURAL FIRE DIVISION."HOSER"
RANK/RATE/JOB = LEFT FN,MOVED ON TO HT-A SCHOOL TI,ALL THE FUN SCHOOLS AT TI, THEN SHIPPED TO SUB-BASE NEW LONDON,THAT ATE UP ALL THE TIME,WOW!! WHAT A TRIP!!!
MY INTEREST IN DG IS = Want to Return When the First REAL Club Med Opens
SUBJECT OF MY STORY: = This is a No-Shit Drinking Story
MY WARSTORY = WAS SITTING IN THE EM CLUB ONE NIGHT WITH A FEW OTHERS,MCKENZIE,OZZIE,
ZOLMAN,MAYBE SOME OTHERS"COULD'NT REMEMBER THEN SO I DAM SURE CAN'T NOW,
THE HECTOR CAME IN FOR RR,"NOT THE HAMMERHEAD",AND A BUNCH OFF THE HECTOR WERE GOING TO JUMP MY CHEIF,"WILLIE, WELL I WOULD HAVE NONE OF THAT,FEELING NO PAIN AS USUAL ME AND MAC WENT OUTSIDE AND WAITED FOR THE WOULD BE JUMPERS TO SET UP, ONLY WE BEAT THEM BEFORE THEY BEAT OUR CHEIF,I THINK THERE WERE 6 OF THEM,ANYWAY, IN THE BRIG ME AND MAC WENT, "FOR THE NIGHT",CHEIF WILLIE WENT TO HIS NEST SLEPT IT OFF,"THEN GAVE US THE PIPE" LITTLE DID HE KNOW WE SAVED HIS ARSE.
SERVED AS SEC./TREASURER OF THE YAHT CLUB."MAN I MISS THAT FISHING".
PUT IN 6 MONTHS IN SPLINTERVILLE,DROVE TANKER-6 MONTHS BETWEEN ARMORY AND NAF,THOSE 3AM P-3 HUNG LANDING GEARS GOT OLD QUICK "GOD",ANYWAY-IF ANYONE EVER WANTS TO CHAT E-MAIL ME. "I DONT DO FORMALDIHIDE ANYMORE".  ERIC.
 
 

76, 79 and 82
CLAUDE BLACKSHER <cab0557????>
MY QUEST = lots of brothers
VT of a SWALLOW = stops at a blabe of an eo
NATIONALITY = american; SERVICE = seabees; UNIT = nmcb4 det d.g., nmcb4 main body, pwd transportation
RANK/RATE/JOB = eocn, eo3, eo2 then
MY WARSTORY = the attact of the coral head only the few few bastards that where there will remember this time.  it was on my last tour there when the whole island thought we were being attact from the commies (thanks to the fleet tweets).  thats when sugar knew that they screwed-up by taking the batts. off the island.  only the the few that where there that had come from batts. had the chore of deffending the island.  and as snafu as it was there the fleet got a bleep of a coral head at low tide.  a short time after that sugar sent i a marine corp unit to take care of its fleet(airdales) and ladies.
 

1982-1984
JAMES SELBY <IKABOD@PRODIGY.NET>
SERVICE = NAVY; UNIT = HARBOR OPS
My Time There is Lost in an Alcoholic Haze, Help Me Remember!  Actually, I Have a Real Story To Tell
MY WARSTORY =  Hi!  When I arrived on the island I was met at the airport by first class petty officer Brown who took me to the place I would work for the next two years - HARBOR OPS.  My CO was Bos'n Ray.  He was a little guy but scare the coconuts off the trees then he took me to my new home the hooches.  Some people called it Splinterville.  It had three lockers and a fan and a rack but it was home sweet home.  There were no women on the island yet so the dress code was pretty easy.
     At work we ran the LCM-8 boats thet took care of the ships in the harbor. We would bring in stores from the ships for the island and that was a 24 an hour a day job.  We didn't have the biggest crew in the world but we were good at what we did.
     There was a time when a merchent ship blew a valve in it's hull and we had to tow two tugs and the divers on the island almost to the other sidr of the harbor so they could pump the water out and they could fix the ship.  Back then there wasn't much to do but get drunk, fish, and play softball.  Some friends and I decided to form a band and we rocked the place for a year.  The band's name was ALLIED FORCES.  I played the drumms, Jeff Slaven lead gutar, Jeff Nestler rythm gutar, and Jim Sutherland bass.  We were the only band for 1,500 miles so we got all the groupies when they started letting women on board.
 

1982  (6/82-11/82 TAD from VP-47)
MARTY HOLT <blueknight1014@msn.com>
     I lived in a hut right on the lagoon.  As an E-4 at the time,  I spent alot of time at a bar the Seabee's had set as a 1st Class Petty Officer club nearby.  Many details of my time at Diego are fuzzy (read alcohol haze) such as for some reason I thought the largest aircraft that came in at the time was the C141 - I don't ever remember seeing a C-5.  Anyway I was surprised to find your web-site but it is pretty cool.  It really got the memory going, I have remembered the names/faces of most of the people I lived and worked with there.  Thanks.
 

1982-1983
BARBARA SHUPING <barbshuping@yahoo.com>
SPECIAL NOTE 26 Jun 07 - Barb has changed her name to Catherine Windsor for professional reasons.  Her new email is cwindsor59@yahoo.com.
      I was there from 26MAR82 - 24APR83.  Was BM3 Shuping then.  I remember hearing that there had been women assigned to some air crews, but I was assigned to NSF. When I got there the only females on the island were of the animal variety (cats, chickens, donkeys, and the notorious land crabs).
      One of the other BM3's that I ended up working with broke into my room the first night, but I had just come off of 2 years on a ship so I wasn't too worried about him. I still get a good laugh when I think about the first time I walked into the dining hall, I now know what all those people feel like when they mention E.F. Hutton. Silverware clattered to the floor and one guy blew milk out his nose.
     I still miss DG in many ways, mainly the weather and getting to be in the water every chance I got.
 

1982-1984 (as a C-141 Crew Member)
GALE RICKERT <Red_Sonya141@aol.com>
What is Your Quest? To retire-Damn Stop Loss
Were you ever on Diego Garcia? yes, C-141 crew, Jul 82-Nov 84 numerous times
    C-141 engineer station at Travis from Jan 81-Oct 85. Now stationed at Charleston, still flying the "old bird" until they run her out (about 15 more months).
    Still remember staying in the trailers on the beach when I first visited there, braving the beach, and cookouts. Had a great time. It was already getting civilized before I stopped flying in there. Your site brought back some great memories. Some time I might get back before they let me out.