Any Vets Wanna Share a Thanksgiving Story?

Free Republic ^ | Nov. 22, 2001 | IronJack

[WillaJohns]

Great thread, IronJack.

Thank you, everyone, for your stories. I laughed, cried, and laughed a whole bunch more.

[IronJack]

I wasn't talking about sharing in the MAKING of the jerky. I was talking about sharing in the JERKY. But thanks for the recipe. I'll see if I can get the wife to do it. heh heh heh

[IronJack]

Thanks for the story. And for your service.

[IronJack]

Moving story. That's part of the pride the military gets to feel. How did Milton put it? "They also serve who only stand and wait."

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Just a story that is probably not very uncommon.

Standing the 12-1600 sonar watch and went to do chow relief before I ate.

By the time I got down to the mess decks they were out of turkey, potatoes and stuffing.

I had fishsticks and turkey gravy.

[Joe 6-pack]

CP Page, Korea, 1996. I had taken command of the 55th MP Company. I insisted my LTs and I show up at the mess hall at 0500 in dress blues, relieved our mess hall personnel and served our troops. We then went to the arms room, drew weapons and pulled gate duty. The Koreans that entered post that day were greeted with MP officers in dress blues and sidearms...blew their minds.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

watched some loser movie...

Would that be "Maximum Overdrive"? I hated that movie and they played it at least five nights a week on the Barney.

[Snickersnee]

1965 -- a firebase somewhere between Bien Hoa and Tay Ninh -- our mess stewards were two NCOs from Loozyanna, SFC Black (who was white) and SSG White (who was black). They went into the 'ville two days before Thanksgiving and traded our entire turkey ration for a giant sow, a mammoth pig, a porker almost the size of a Volkswagen that needed a deuce-and-a-half to bring back.

They slaughtered this thing concurrently with overseeing the construction of a five-foot deep barbecue pit, which was fired up and then allowed to smolder. The skinned, dressed carcass was lowered into it and then covered over with coals. It stayed there a day and then on Thanksgiving morning we "unearthed" it and served it up with SSG Black's inimitable BBQ sauce, something I wish I had the recipe for to this day. (It was mostly ketchup and vinegar but he had secret ingredients.)

Anyway, I have never had pork like that before or since -- the meat fell right off the bone, and the taste and smell were so delicious that if there were Taliban in those days, I swear they would have converted to Cajunism if they were downwind.

[Joe 6-pack]

Oh yeah, forgot to add that some of the Warrants and LT aviators authorized to own a POV in that Area of Korea expected a salute from the MP when they came through the gate. Imagine their surprise when the MP at the gate, "begged their pardon."

[Bigun]

Thanksgiving 1966 is one I will NEVER forget! We were in a place just outside Tan sa Nuit(sp) airbase in the Republic of South Viet Nam. There was a Hawaiian staff seargent, who's name escapes me at the moment, in our outfit who decided that Thanksgiving was a PERFECT time for a full fleged Hawaiian luau and WE HAD ONE! Roast pig and ALL!

I swore that I would NEVER forget that man's name but, alas, I have done so! In any case it was, to say the least, a MOST memorable thanksgiving!

[IronJack]

Hey, Bigun. It's been a while. Glad to see you. Hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving. And thanks for the chuckle!

[IronJack]

fishsticks and turkey gravy.

Not exactly rippin' good fare. I trust you've made up for it.

[IronJack]

HAHAHA! Great story! I've heard of that custom before, and I always wondered if those kinds of "unusual" situations would occur. Thanks for a laugh!

[SSN558]

I was walking around the hanger with a steaming cup of coffee, spiked with bourbon of course. Yeah we had to work a 24 hour shift on the flightline.

I was approached by a Master Sarge that asked what was in the cup. He probability smelled it from 20 feet away.

Don't know sarge, but it sure tastes good want some. They are all drinking it tonight. Boy I sure hope whoever is in charge around here tonight doesn't let this get out, or they're going to be in real big trouble tommorow.

He got real quite and never mentioned it again.

[Joe 6-pack]

"HAHAHA! Great story! I've heard of that custom before, and I always wondered if those kinds of "unusual" situations would occur. Thanks for a laugh!"

LOL! One snot-nosed 2LT aviator saw me in my blues as he rolled through the gate. I checked his ID...he apparently didn't check my shoulder boards. After I passed him through the gate, he slammed on his brakes and yelled back, "Hey MP, don't you salute officers?"

We took a long walk....to the MP station. We discussed the concept of disrespect. Knowing full well, that such a bright young officer could clearly recognize rank insignia, I administered a field sobriety test on the road side, (his battalion XO just happened to pass by), and escorted him to the MP station for a breathalyzer...obvioulsy, such a knowledgeable young stud would have recognized captain's bars, had he been sober...

His battalion commander later called me to chew me out...I had my comeuppance, but that's another story that has nothing to do with Thanksgiving.

[Looking4Truth]

I'm a vet (USAF) who got out in '89. My story actually involves my time as a civilian and single employee in Germany working for the Army.

One Thanksgiving a nice lady who works in my office invited me to their Thanksgiving celebration. Great time, we had Americans and Germans there and we all had a great time. Thanks Gerri and Dan.

Another Thanksgiving, basicially the same thing, but this time it was a group of young 20-something military couples whom I had met thru the same circumstance who invited me over. I was the old guy at 40. Thanks Roxy and Paul.

Wherever you are right now, Happy Thanksgiving. You made it nice for me since both times I was living alone and wasn't seeing anyone. I won't forget it.

[Norb2569]

SFC Black (who was white) and SSG White (who was black)...

I remember I went to SNCO leadership academy and we had a SSgt Green (black), SSgt White (black), Sgt Black, (white), Sgt Brown, (mixed race white/black). We all had lots of good laughs on the 'grinder' practicing close order drill, when SSgt Green screwed up a command, and Sgt Brown told him that 'for a black man he didn't have no sense of rythm'. Then Sgt Black told Sgt Brown he didn't have no room to talk as he was only half black but had a brown name! Everybody broke out laughing their ass off and our instructor had drill an extra 2 hours because he was so pissed!

I really miss the comraderie in the Corps.

if there were Taliban in those days, I swear they would have converted to Cajunism if they were downwind.

I know those to Loozeyanans did y'all just right!

Thanks for sharing your story with us.

[IronJack]

I just got back from eating more than a regiment has a right to. And that description actually made me hungry again. My wife and I took a trip to New Orleans earlier this year, and I loved the Cajun and Creole cooking there. Which may explain why I'm still carrying a couple inches of New Orleans around my waist.

[Norb2569]

I'm still carrying a couple inches of New Orleans around my waist.

Since Sept 11th, I am carry around about 15 extra pounds of north Florida with me!

[IronJack]

Good friends and good times. You got lucky, both times. Happy Thanksgiving.