I had heard stories about "Torpedo Juice" but I never heard anything first hand before.
I was actually pretty lucky to be deprived of alcohol during most of my tour, since in those days I was pretty easily drunk.
I drew R&R in Taipei on my eighth month in country and on the evening before my flight from Danang I joined three other Marines and we all decided to visit the Air Force side of the base to see what was there. As always, that was a bad idea.
We found the NCO Club and it was raining heavily, so we were soaked - and a large bouncer told us that we couldn't come inside. We kept asking to come in and some of the Air Force guys inside urged him to go ahead and let us in. Reluctantly, he let us come in and we found a table and started drinking. I don't remember the exact sequence of things, but I remember some airman telling me war stories (!) when one of my companions hit the young waitress accross he bottom with his wet hat as she bent over to hear another table's order. She tottered into that other guy's lap - and then all hell broke loose. The bouncer got knocked out almost immediately and it was about evenly divided between "non-Marines" and "adopted Marines" and the place was pretty torn up, fast. We heard vehicles arriving with urgency, so we picked that time to leave through a broken window and vanish into the rain.
I heard that after that, Marines were banned from that side of the base and they're probably still looking for us - the Air Force never forgives or forgets.
Heh, that’s a great story-The Air Force never forgives or forgets”!
Yes, in those days, I was susceptible to drink as well, no doubt. I don’t drink much at all anymore, probably better for me, but I did spend a few days offshore fishing in Maine with my buddy who went into the USN with me back in the Seventies...and I did knock back a few.
It didn’t take much, but I sure did have a good time. I forgot how much fun it is-I just don’t have the energy to drink anymore, it really takes the starch out of me hte next day!
I admit, though...we had a damn good time, laughing our butts off having drinks and dinner at a restaurant after...:)
The only bar fight I witnessed was in a Cuban dive. Brits were there also, and one of ‘em asked a swabbie what the two stars on the back flap of his uniform meant.
Swabbie said, “That’s for the two times we beat Hell out of England and there’s room for plenty more!” When the first chair flew, I got outta Dodge.