Soldiers Abroad

[mmichaelson]

I thought that maybe since this was the barracks forum, we should have a thread about our soldiers.

Do you know any soldiers serving right now (or in the past) and want to share their stories? This is the place!

My entire family has served our country at some point. My grandfathers (all five) served in World War II. My father served in Vietnam. My uncles and aunt were all in the army and coast guard. My cousins have all been in the navy, army, and air force.

My cousin Curtis (the closest in age to me) has been in the army since he was eighteen, so it's been 10 years now. He served as a medic scout in Kosovo and saw some terribly heinous things. Currently he is stationed in Japan, but has requested that he be transferred to duty in Iraq. He will be shipping out soon for Iraq, so keep him in your thoughts!

[barfle]

I served a long time ago in a land far, far away. OK, it was the late 1960s and it was mostly in Germany. I was the most important man on the post, because I drove the truck that went to the supply depot and brought back the toilet paper. If you ever experienced German toilet paper, you understand why so few people were interested in irritating me.

[mmichaelson]

LOL. I experience German toilet paper five or so years ago. . .nothing to fuss over.

Germany is where my cousin was stationed before he was sent off to Kosovo. What branch were you, Barfle?

[GreatCarouser]

My dad served in the Army Air Corps (the precursor of the USAF) as a Sargeant. He worked on radios and radar equipment and spent a brief time in a small Italian village where one of his duties was guarding the local gelato factory. He says he never saw combat.

I was never able to confirm the following story about my maternal grandfather as he died when I was 8 and his brothers had all passed by the time I was interested but He was a Polish Jew from a city in what was then Russian territory (WWI). He was 'impressed' into the Russian Army, as were many young Jewish men. They were not allowed to carry 'live' ammunition and were generally sent as the first wave in charges. The theory seems to have been their bodies would create cover for the troops following.

In a battle with the Austrians he played dead and then walked across Europe to Switzerland where he learned watchmaking. He eventually went to England and then America bringing most of his family over with his earnings before meeting and marrying my grandmother.

I knew a few guys who were sent to Nam. None of them got back to the best of my knowledge.

While taking my credentialing classes I was in school with women with husbands currently in the service. I wish them and your cousin better fortune than my poor boyhood friends'.

[barfle]

Originally posted by Saxy Buff:
LOL. I experience German toilet paper five or so years ago. . .nothing to fuss over.

Germany is where my cousin was stationed before he was sent off to Kosovo. What branch were you, Barfle?

Nothing you would want to apply to your tender regions, either (at least in the late 1960s).

I was in the Army, trained as a radioteletype operator. After nine months of training, I never typed another letter on the air.

I was stationed about ten miles outside of a tiny little town called Prüm in a tiny little post where they had a tiny little theater, a tiny little four-lane bowling alley, and a couple of places to get snockered. They had a gymnasium, but wouldn't open it up because someone scuffed the floor.

[mmichaelson]

Yeah, he's got nothing good to say either, except that he is proud to serve his country. They've stuck him in a dead-end job in Japan. . .so he requested to go to Iraq to get out of the nightmare he's stuck in currently.

One nightmare for another eh?

[Serenity]

Militia are so "gun-ho". I salute you and thank you!

How's the TP in Japan and Iraq?

[brkelm]

I did 26.5 years as a Navy Seabee, and retired in June of 2003 and have spent the time since working at the U.S. Naval Academy. Loved being in the Navy and love working at the Academy.

Was a "Dirt Sailor" as being a Seabee meant you did not spend much if anytime onboard a ship. Spent a good deal of time visiting other places such as Guam, Diego Garcia, Okinawa, Puerto Rico, Spain, Saudi Arabia (First Gulf War), Philippines, Singapore, Japan, Korea (only the South side)and a few others. For the most part I had the time of my life, and was always amazed by the ingenuity of my fellow Seabees. Those guys can build just about anything out of nothing. Many of my “shipmates” are serving in Iraq today, and so far I do not know any of the Seabees that have paid the ultimate.

Now I am just as thrilled about working at the Academy. If you ever worry about young folks just come here for about 10 minutes, and you will see the smartest, most dedicated, and focused people I have ever met in my life. I wish I was half as focused as these kids are when I was their age. My wife and I sponsor six Mids (open our house to them on weekends and other times that they can get away from the “yard” and love every moment they can visit us.) Two of our Mids have brothers that are deployed to Iraq, I’m telling you there are some families out there that are really pulling the load for us, and I very proud to know them.

Only TP story I can tell is of our Seabee Camp in Saudi Arabia when I was the XO of NMCB-5. Every day a Pakistani contractor would come by and pump out the wooden "Burn Out" heads. Under the seats were just 55 gallon drums that were cut in half. One of the problems was when whole rolls of TP would drop into the drums and the contractor would try to suck up a whole wet roll. Got stuck in the hose every time. The contractor would put the vacuum into reverse and you would hear the engine strain and pressure build. You would hear a verroooooom and then a pop. Then all would watch as this brown meteor with 3-4 foot streamer arc across the sky for a good 100 yards or so. Fun to watch as long as it didn't hit your tent or land too close. “INCOMING”

Brian

[analog]

I guess i am the part of my generation from whom little was asked, never got drafted due to the birthday lottery. In retrospect wish I'd joined Nuke Navy.

Have a son at Kadena AFB, he wants to do a tour in the sandbox. Ah youth!

Two uncles were Army Air Corps in WW2. Uncle Bud flew a photo recon Lightning, with the B29's from Tinian. Uncle Chet was stationed stateside, flew an Aircobra between Washington state and New Mexico transporting "Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers", which he figures were probably something for the bomb.

[OperaTenor]

Hi Analog, I didn't know you were a nuc. That makes four of us here on the BBB.

May I ask what you did in the navy?

[analog]

OOps, OT, i wasn't in the Navy ; sorry - if the post read that way it was unintentional.

I worked thirty years in a civilian nuclear power plant. Needless to say Navy Nukes were numerous in that industy. I was always impressed by the excellence of Navy training and the caliber of people we got from the Navy. That's experience I would like to have under my belt.

The power plant is a really cool machine just it doesn't go anyplace! I'm a Joseph Conrad fan and always wanted to go to sea. Hence that reference to "youth".

[bignaf]

OT, I'm offering reading comprehension classes for cheap...

[OperaTenor]

Originally posted by bignaf:
OT, I'm offering reading comprehension classes for cheap...

My oops. *ig, I take it your parenthetical statement was meant to retest my reading comprehension.....of the lack thereof......

[bignaf]

Actually, I expected a jab at my reading comprehesion or lack thereof... I escaped safely... for now...
then again, I'd probably make a good reading comprehension teacher. once someone understands my writing, he'll be able to understand anything.

<small>[ 12-31-2004, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: bignaf ]</small>

[OperaTenor]

I don't understand....

[piqaboo]

Pix of the Cole being loaded onto a transport ship. Instrumental music attached.
Cole-carrier

I had no idea there were ships that could do this. That Norwegian ship is cool.