Sgt. Mike Viet Nam Humor

[F4phantom]

I can imagine that this has hapened somewhere. I consider myself very lucky that I was never assigned to the "Head Detail" anywhere.

Not as bad, but while on mess duty at Camp Geiger we had to clean the serving line everyday. I was in charge of the line. One day the Staff Sargent comes in to inspect the line. He went to the end of the line, lifted the floor grate and stuck his arm down the drain. When he pulled it up he had a fist full of nasty grease and who knows what. We had to stay and re-clean the entire line. I made sure the drain was clean. When we were finished I had someone get some lemon juice (my mother taught me that would take the smell away) and poured it in the drain. Nice spring day smell. I then filled the drain with hot water from the steam table. We sent for the Sargent and he came back to inspect the line again. When he was finished, he went to the drain and pulled the grate off; stuck his hand/arm down the drain. At first he hesitated but kept on going. When he pulled his arm out it was mildly red. He didn't say anything and dismissed us for the day.
Oh the fun we had.

 

[Retired W4]

Not as bad, but while on mess duty at Camp Geiger we had to clean the serving line everyday. I was in charge of the line. One day the Staff Sargent comes in to inspect the line. He went to the end of the line, lifted the floor grate and stuck his arm down the drain. When he pulled it up he had a fist full of nasty grease and who knows what. We had to stay and re-clean the entire line. I made sure the drain was clean. When we were finished I had someone get some lemon juice (my mother taught me that would take the smell away) and poured it in the drain. Nice spring day smell. I then filled the drain with hot water from the steam table. We sent for the Sargent and he came back to inspect the line again. When he was finished, he went to the drain and pulled the grate off; stuck his hand/arm down the drain. At first he hesitated but kept on going. When he pulled his arm out it was mildly red. He didn't say anything and dismissed us for the day.
Oh the fun we had.

The evil grease trap was the worse KP duty at Ft. Polk. Did it once. That was enough.

 

[AJ]

Not as bad, but while on mess duty at Camp Geiger we had to clean the serving line everyday. I was in charge of the line. One day the Staff Sargent comes in to inspect the line. He went to the end of the line, lifted the floor grate and stuck his arm down the drain. When he pulled it up he had a fist full of nasty grease and who knows what. We had to stay and re-clean the entire line. I made sure the drain was clean. When we were finished I had someone get some lemon juice (my mother taught me that would take the smell away) and poured it in the drain. Nice spring day smell. I then filled the drain with hot water from the steam table. We sent for the Sargent and he came back to inspect the line again. When he was finished, he went to the drain and pulled the grate off; stuck his hand/arm down the drain. At first he hesitated but kept on going. When he pulled his arm out it was mildly red. He didn't say anything and dismissed us for the day.
Oh the fun we had.

The evil grease trap was the worse KP duty at Ft. Polk. Did it once. That was enough.

Never got stuck on Mess Duty either. However, as the Marine Officer of the Day at Marine Barracks, NWS Seal Beach, Ca., we were required to inspect the chow hall. One day I was checking the vent above the grill. Found gobs of grease.......the messmen spent a couple of hours dismantling and cleaning the vent.

 

[Greyman50]

IIRC only had KP twice in basic at Ft Campbell and once in AIT at APG. Spc 4 while in AIT so never had KP after. Was platoon driver in basic so that got me out of a lot. Had no idea having a driver license was a big deal but in Vietnam it was. Drove to many places, some ok, some not ok,

 

[F4phantom]

IIRC only had KP twice in basic at Ft Campbell and once in AIT at APG. Spc 4 while in AIT so never had KP after. Was platoon driver in basic so that got me out of a lot. Had no idea having a driver license was a big deal but in Vietnam it was. Drove to many places, some ok, some not ok,

I got my gov drivers license in Japan. When they find out you have a drivers license it never ends. Was the S2 driver in squadron for thirty days. Don't get stuck in the sand (there was hell to pay), got really good at going from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive when hitting the sand. Never got stuck. The Staff NCO's always had guests from the Army. When it came time for them leave, around 0100, they would call and I would take them back to their units. A little dicey , since there was a stretch that was outside the wire. I always wondered if there were any VC around. I drove with the lights off. Made it back to the base without anything happening.
Oh the fun we had.

 

[F4phantom]

This is for AJ. Were you issued an electricians knife? I was issued this pocket knife when I got to H&MS 24 at Cherry Point right after "A" school, July 1966. There is a nylon belt sheath in a box somewhere in the attic. It was made by Camilllus in New York. The knife company is still around. I keep in my toolbox and it comes in handy. I wonder if the electronics guys get anything like this now? They probably get better things.
Oh the fun we had.

 

[AJ]

I got my gov drivers license in Japan. When they find out you have a drivers license it never ends. Was the S2 driver in squadron for thirty days. Don't get stuck in the sand (there was hell to pay), got really good at going from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive when hitting the sand. Never got stuck. The Staff NCO's always had guests from the Army. When it came time for them leave, around 0100, they would call and I would take them back to their units. A little dicey , since there was a stretch that was outside the wire. I always wondered if there were any VC around. I drove with the lights off. Made it back to the base without anything happening.
Oh the fun we had.

I also got a gov't drivers license in Iwakuni. I was assigned as the Suply Driver to the squadrons. Delievered parts eight hours a day fror 30 days. Also drove a 6X6 out in town a couple of times, that was fun on the narrow streets/alleys.

 

[AJ]

I had two different types of pocket knives issued. The black handles are just a pocket knife. We called them TL-28's, which is incorrect. The silver sided ones are TL-29's, which is correct. The US Marine Corps marked are WW II. These are not issued anymore as I understand. These are considered a tool and in the name of positive tool control individuals can not have one.

 

[Greyman50]

The Army calls the black handled ones Tl-29s and so does Cole in his knife books. Had one in Vietnam that was used for work and brought it home with me. Had it through Ft Bragg and after ETS until blade broke off at work. Been looking for one like it as had 1971 date on blade. Found several with dates but no 1971.

 

[Retired W4]

Back to the Mil. DL's. When we went to Panama our Flight Operations was a 5 ton expandable computer truck. Someone needed to be able to drive it so I volunteered. Before deployment our Motor Sarg gave me a once around the ramp and signed me off. The great thing about those computer vans was the air conditioning. It could run you out.

 

[AJ]

The Army calls the black handled ones Tl-29s and so does Cole in his knife books. Had one in Vietnam that was used for work and brought it home with me. Had it through Ft Bragg and after ETS until blade broke off at work. Been looking for one like it as had 1971 date on blade. Found several with dates but no 1971.

Depends on whose book you read and who you correspond with. Have never seen a black handled one with a date on the blade. Only the silver handled ones are dated. The three that were issued to me are dated 1972, 1975 and 1982.

 

[AJ]

I guess you could say the CO's were liked and the XO's were not.

 

[Retired W4]

Knew a couple XOs who were jerks. One had to run the company cause the CO was an alcoholic. The guys on the line kept things running in spite of them.

 

[Greyman50]

Depends on whose book you read and who you correspond with. Have never seen a black handled one with a date on the blade. Only the silver handled ones are dated. The three that were issued to me are dated 1972, 1975 and 1982.

When I get home I'll dig the several I have out. As far as who's books one reads I've been collecting for about 50 years and Mr. Coles books were the " bible" for US blade collectors and I still have them for reference. No one is perfect and some slight errors have been pointed out but for the most part Mr. Cole is the man. IIRC I paid around $15 each for them and now they are OOP and pricey. I'll also check my Army TMs and FMs to see if TL-29s are in them.

 

[AJ]

I remember coming home from RVN and any loud noises had our attention. Sometimes to the point of looking for cover!

 

[Greyman50]

Thats putting it mildly, was " jumpy" for a while.

 

[Greyman50]

Sent you a video about the kid combat reporter over there. Had forgotten about him. He was in An Loc when we were there to get the T-54s

 

[F4phantom]

I remember coming home from RVN and any loud noises had our attention. Sometimes to the point of looking for cover!

I was home about two days sitting in the kitchen with my mother. The town had a siren that went off at 1500 everyday to mark the end of the shift at the steel mill. Needless to say I jump out of my chair and ran for the door. Once outside I realized where I was and came back in the house to my startled mother. I had to explain what just happened.
I got to MCAS Beaufort around the fourth of July. It seems people thought it was funny to watch guys run out of the receiving barracks after they threw M-80's in the stairwells. It wasn't funny.
There was another time when working night shift when someone was changing a tire on a F4 and it blew. It was loud and you could tell who the people were who just got back from VN.
Oh the fun we had.

 

[pmanton]

I had just gotten back. We were at the inlaws and I needed a nap.

I awoke to see my MIL leaning over me looking at me.

I guess I thought we had been infiltrated and I was about to die. I let out a howl that could be heard on the next block.
My MIL thought I had done it deliberately.

 

[AJ]

When I got back to MCAS Cherry Point, we had squad bays. I was sleeping one evening when I got woke up to the sound of the "In-coming" siren at Da Nang. Coming out of a sound sleep hearing that I got up looking for a bunker to take shelter in. After the guys got done laughing several of us started chasing them to inflict bodily harm. Needless to say that recording was not played again!