Sgt. Mike Viet Nam Humor

[Greyman50]

Thank God I do not get sea sick. Years ago at a conference in Detroit there was a yacht evening dinner on the lake. There was some wind waves and rocking boat. Our attorney and I were enjoying the fresh shrimp and steak while many were hanging over the rail calling " ralf", we just laughed. The drinks were also great.

 

[steelslaver]

There's a reason commercial fishermen refer to pleasure boats as pukers

 

[AJ]

Everybody has their own priorities! Sometimes the guy in charge has his own and they are not mission specific...........!

 

[F4phantom]

I always liked the "hurry up and wait" approach.

 

[AJ]

When I was on USS Saratoga, I lived in the Chief's Berthing. All laundry was accomplished by those assigned to the Laundry. Ours always came back neatly pressed and nothing mismatched. Can't say for the E-5 and below, but their laundry was neat and clean too. Maybe some of the Navy folks will chime in.......

 

[F4phantom]

When I was on USS Saratoga, I lived in the Chief's Berthing. All laundry was accomplished by those assigned to the Laundry. Ours always came back neatly pressed and nothing mismatched. Can't say for the E-5 and below, but their laundry was neat and clean too. Maybe some of the Navy folks will chime in.......

At Chu Lai we did our laundry in a bucket and used a clothes line to dry them.
The Koreans came in and set up a laundry. That was the bees knees. During the monsoon season we would stand in the rain in line with our ticket to get our laundry. A Major cut the line and when he presented his ticket. The young Korean fellow behind the counter noticed what he did and pretended to look for the Major's laundry. He came back and handed his ticket back to him. The Major was visibly ticked and stormed off. After he was out of sight the young man behind the counter picked up a brown paper package. There was justice even in a war zone.

 

[AJ]

At Chu Lai we did our laundry in a bucket and used a clothes line to dry them.
The Koreans came in and set up a laundry. That was the bees knees. During the monsoon season we would stand in the rain in line with our ticket to get our laundry. A Major cut the line and when he presented his ticket. The young Korean fellow behind the counter noticed what he did and pretended to look for the Major's laundry. He came back and handed his ticket back to him. The Major was visibly ticked and stormed off. After he was out of sight the young man behind the counter picked up a brown paper package. There was justice even in a war zone.

You guys in Chu Lai were in the low rent district. At Da Nang we had "House Mouses" (Vietnamese Mama-sans), who cleaned our hooches and did our laundry. Had some friends at Chu Lai in VMA (AW) 533.

At "The Rose Garden" there were no facilities or "House Mouses". You washed your clothes where and when you could, usually in the showers. During the monsoons we would wash our clothes in the rain and then hag them on the birds while we washed ourselves. Probably 200-300 guys on the Flight Line doing this at a time.

 

[Greyman50]

During the monsoon recall never being completely dry except the cot in the hootch.

 

[bgrafsr]

An electric tank is a complete JOKE. Unless one has been around, worked on and drove M-48, M-60 and M-551s you have NO CLUE. Would guess the Abrams are the same.

I like the M551's. Worked for Allison Division of GM as a plant guard. They had a proving ground with a lake for checking the floatability of the M109's and the 551's, plus a test track. When I worked security there the employees would let me drive the 109's and the 551's on the test track. I was told not to say anything to the union reps if they came around.
The 551's were a blast to drive.

 

[AJ]

During the monsoon recall never being completely dry except the cot in the hootch.

Fact of life then. I have a Jungle Hat packed away in the attic. It has a 12 inch brim all the way around. Why, you ask? Well it was so I could smoke a cigarette and not get it wet during the monsoons, the rest of me was soaked, but the cigarette was dry.

Found a picture of me cleaning my mess gear wearing the aforementioned Jungle Hat............

 

[bgrafsr]

You guys in Chu Lai were in the low rent district. At Da Nang we had "House Mouses" (Vietnamese Mama-sans), who cleaned our hooches and did our laundry. Had some friends at Chu Lai in VMA (AW) 533.

At "The Rose Garden" there were no facilities or "House Mouses". You washed your clothes where and when you could, usually in the showers. During the monsoons we would wash our clothes in the rain and then hag them on the birds while we washed ourselves. Probably 200-300 guys on the Flight Line doing this at a time.

When in Bien Hoa, we had "house Mouses" assigned to our hut. Cleaned our clothes and the hut, and made sure the beer was iced down in the coolers for when we got off work.
They also brought us a grapefruit like fruit for us and were they good. Bigger than a standard grapefruit too.

 

[Greyman50]

I like the M551's. Worked for Allison Division of GM as a plant guard. They had a proving ground with a lake for checking the floatability of the M109's and the 551's, plus a test track. When I worked security there the employees would let me drive the 109's and the 551's on the test track. I was told not to say anything to the union reps if they came around.
The 551's were a blast to drive.

551's were really not tanks but recon vehicle. We used to " adjust" the governor on the 6V-53 TIs and they could almost make 50 mph. That was ONLY after MAKING SURE the tracks were not loose or had bad pads. The fun we had…. Here's the insides

 

[Retired W4]

Fact of life then. I have a Jungle Hat packed away in the attic. It has a 12 inch brim all the way around. Why, you ask? Well it was so I could smoke a cigarette and not get it wet during the monsoons, the rest of me was soaked, but the cigarette was dry.

Found a picture of me cleaning my mess gear wearing the aforementioned Jungle Hat............

Ah yes, the old immersion heater in a trash can trick. Very sanitary.

Our hooch maids in Tay Ninh did the laundry and polished our boots. The boots looked great. The laundry...not so much. Bien Hoa laundry service was first class. Of course we had hot water and flush toilets in Bien Hoa, a hold over from the Air Force.

1st picture: Bien Hoa. 2nd picture: Tay Ninh.

We didn't have sand bags surrounding our hooches in Bien Hoa, although we did get rocketed there on occasion. Big smiles on these stone cold killers.

 

[AJ]

Ah yes, the old immersion heater in a trash can trick. Very sanitary.

Our hooch maids in Tay Ninh did the laundry and polished our boots. The boots looked great. The laundry...not so much. Bien Hoa laundry service was first class. Of course we had hot water and flush toilets in Bien Hoa, a hold over from the Air Force.

1st picture: Bien Hoa. 2nd picture: Tay Ninh.

We didn't have sand bags surrounding our hooches in Bien Hoa, although we did get rocketed there on occasion. Big smiles on these stone cold killers.

When Nixon rescalated the war in 1972, part of our Air Wing went to Bien Hoa. Those were the birds with shorter legs, like the A4 Sky Hawks. They had it good, compared to those of us that went to the Rose Garden in the jungle!

 

[Retired W4]

The "Rose Garden"? nice name anyway.

Here is a shot I took during an over flight of the runway at Bien Hoa. Looks like an A-1E SkyRaider parked near the Hurcs. The fast movers are under the their Quonset looking bunkers. I saw a couple U-2's land and take off from that runway. No pictures!!

 

[Greyman50]

Used to watch 122s headed to Ben Hoa, blue streaks.

 

[Retired W4]

Used to watch 122s headed to Ben Hoa, blue streaks.

Yea, and a big fire ball when they land.

 

[AJ]

The "Rose Garden"? nice name anyway.

MCAS Rose Garden - RTAFB Nam Phong Click on "Report Aboard" at the bottom.

 

[AJ]

Used to watch 122s headed to Ben Hoa, blue streaks.

Yea, and a big fire ball when they land.

At Da Nang as it got closer to us pulling out in May of 71, we were getting 122's at least once a night and sometimes several times a night. They hit the Air Force fuel dump and supposedly 1.5 million gallons of gas burned. All I know for sure was there was a heck of a column of smoke (over a mile high) for a couple of days as it burned.

I was about 50 yards from one when it hit. Made a he_ _ of a boom!! Have pictures somewhere........

 

[AJ]

Stand "bridge watches" instead of "flying", couldn't be anyone that I knew!