That’s typical. Bars do that all the time. The military guys fight, especially each other.
Fact of the matter is, many bars and clubs will not let in large groups of young guys if they do not have any women with them. This isn't limited to servicemen, though it would effect them more visibly in communities with military bases nearby. I encountered this in college occasionally when our rowing crew would all go out together. Regardless of your race or profession, a bunch of single guys are going to have a tough time getting into a bar as a group.
As a bar owner, that's where your trouble tends to come from- large groups of single men, whether athletes, servicemen or less savory characters like gang members.
There is a bar here in DC, Hawk and Dove that won't let two or more Marines in unless they are with dates or in uniform.
So true. I was in the Navy in the 50s and the older guys talked of getting in fights as to which ship was better. In my time I saw brawls where the submariners took on the "surface skimmers".
The tale I liked best took place in a bar in the UK during WWII. Some Brit comes up to a U.S. sailor and asks what the two stars on the flap of his uniform signifies. The sailor replied, "That's for the two times we beat Hell out of England - and there's room for plenty more!" It took the bobbies a half hour to break up the ensuing fight.