It doesn't seem like 42 years ago ... I was preparing for my daily activities at USNA (usual pre-morning formation stuff) when the word was passed. You could feel the shock, the stillness and the tense atmosphere throughout Bancroft Hall that morning. The impact was incredible. It was a hard day throughout the Navy-Marine Corps Team waiting for the terrible news updates.
A few months later, I was off Beirut onboard USS Nassau (LHA-4) for "Summer Cruise." I was assigned to the Gunners' Mates and my General Quarters station was loading 5-inch rounds into the feed tray for one of the forward 5-inch (Mk 45) guns aboard Nassau. We were there supporting the final withdrawal of the MAU from Beirut. And we spent just about every night at General Quarters. During the day, our group (Nassau, Ponce and some Spru can I can't remember ... O'Brien??) would stand out over the horizon. At night. we close the beach to about a mile or so. We could see rocket fire and tracer rounds all over the city. We'd routinely get lit up by some radar or tracking device, go to GQ, get ready to send rounds where they needed to go... wait .... secure from GQ. I'd then unload the 6 or 7 5-inch rounds I had just loaded. A couple hours later, we'd do it again. Made for long nights ... And then ... mission complete. Time to go. It was a sad, depressing end to a sad, tragic event.
They came in peace.
Semper Fidelis.
John
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
One of our local American Legion members, who passed away a couple of years ago, claimed he was manning one of the checkpoints that the truck passed, and couldn't get authorization to open fire on it. The guy was a walking case of PTSD, so nobody was really sure if his story was true. He died of a big drug overdose. RIP, Bubba! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Jerry, pass me his name offline and I can get a confirmation for you.
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
One of the Marines I served with at ITS/SOI when we were “building” the LAV POI, and getting our selves trained on the LAV had a brother in Artillery in Beruit. They got a little bit of payback. The Marine I served with was “Nutz” (crazy). He said his brother was crazier.
That was definitely a sad time.
Another quality post. Real Trucks Rattle HELP! The Paranoids are after me!
