Check out Russell
Irby's Home Page with photos from when he went ashore with UDT 12 in
1971!
Before the LSTs could get into the lagoon,
the Frogmen had to open the channel...
Meanwhile, Welcome to Diego Garcia,
30 years ago...
Back then it was called "Reindeer
Station"
Here's the logo,
invented by Jim Murray:
Here's his picture
of the Terminal:
Here's where
Jim and his buddies lived - the infamous H-15 SEA Hut (see his story on
the 1971 warstory page) -
Here's his explanation
for this official Navy photo of the H-15. "Apparently we got loaded up
and painted FTN all over the front
of the hut. The
Chief made us paint it over so I got creative. I was at chow when this
was taken (piss me off)."
October or November
1971. Jeff Mead's Photo
The following photos are from
Tildon Parker - March, 1971.
Coming Ashore, March, 1971. The USS VERNON COUNTY - LST 1161.
Go check out Gerold
Ricks' page about the VERNON!
Mike Boats Coming Ashore, March, 1971...Then there's always the
sign to be built!
The UT Crew.
Tildon Parker himself.
Be sure to Check Out Roger Allie's Photos
of the Arrival
of the USS Graham County - LST 1164
A Whole Page devoted to the 2nd LST to arrive!
The following photos are from
Carl Villanueva - from 1972-1973...
Go Check Out His WEB
SITE! You will LOVE IT!
Here's some stuff you might not know...we were issued bicycles when we
arrived; chiefs and officers used to have motorized minibikes, but they
ended up being buried someplace on the island because of too many accidents;
wild cats were not a problem, but there were a few 'pets'; we used to have
a few treehouses for "hangouts"; we made a "houseboat"; there were boats,
catamarans and kyaks left behind by the natives which were passed down
from one sailor to another (I had a red kyak); I was in the "air ops" department
and we used to go over to the plantation side regularly to clear the roads
and party (air ops worked directly for the britrep); we used to have only
one supply plane a week (C-130); we used outhouses; R&R was 1 week
in bangkok; we had the last bob hope christmas show (his C-141 was the
first jet to land there); we used to have to put out smudge pots for the
plane to land at night; also had to chase the donkeys off the runway with
the crash truck and sirens; calling home was via ham radio; I remember
when the 'control tower' was a 8x8 trailer sitting on the field. the controller
sometimes was in his underwear when talking to the plane because it was
so hot in there (I think the air conditioner had broken); all the wagon
tire valve stems were in short supply because the guys swiped them for
use as hash pipes (they were perfect!)....
...
