Frankly Speaking -Christmas 1972
There we were off the coast of North Vietnam. History will record that U.S. forces were executing Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombing siege of North Vietnam. Some will say it worked while others speak too the fact that North Vietnam simply changed tactics. Regardless, a month or so later we were home, the U.S. was out of that mess and some of the P.O.W.s had beaten us home. I say it worked! It was OVER!!!
We had been on the line for some time and I was shocked when I entered the Comm/Nav shop on Christmas Eve. There stood (or should I say hung) a fresh green Christmas tree! Now, we all had our contacts but this was a little much. Evergreen trees weren’t readily available in the places any of us had contacts (Danang, Subic Bay, and Bangkok primarily). Then consider the fact that it was fresh! Where, How, Who, When did that thing get aboard an aircraft carrier in the midst of the most intense air campaign of the Vietnam war? I know who got it, but I don’t know how.
We had been deployed since April. Maybe a little Christmas was in order. And if you don’t understand what a “band of brothers” is you would if you had this experience.
Obviously, we lacked a stand. So as previously mentioned it was suspended from the overhead (ceiling). We had no ornaments but someone fashioned one out of an electronic component. Someone else went about going one up on the first contributor and on and on it went. It really wasn’t a surprise when someone thought to use chaff (aluminium foil cut to lengths designed to disrupt radar) as garland. And suddenly there was a decorated Christmas tree in our shop.
Well, it was an inpromtu party so we needed some treats! Everyone had hoarded their “care packages” from home waiting for the opportune time to enjoy a little Christmas cheer. This seemed to be it! A buffet of sorts was spontaneously arranged!
We had an ad hoc goodie store we operated selling Coke, Pepsi and candy bars to ourselves. The inventory was ours and all the receipts were either split amongst the group or re-invested in our next inventory purchase. Well, there was our drink! We emptied our stash. Fortunately we never had to restock it.
So we spent the evening together in the Comm/Nav shop. No booze, no kids, no wives, no girlfriends, no parents, no presents, no carols and no convenient excuses to call it a night. A ceasefire had been declared for Christmas day so we could all sleep in.
That was Christmas 1972
We had been on the line for some time and I was shocked when I entered the Comm/Nav shop on Christmas Eve. There stood (or should I say hung) a fresh green Christmas tree! Now, we all had our contacts but this was a little much. Evergreen trees weren’t readily available in the places any of us had contacts (Danang, Subic Bay, and Bangkok primarily). Then consider the fact that it was fresh! Where, How, Who, When did that thing get aboard an aircraft carrier in the midst of the most intense air campaign of the Vietnam war? I know who got it, but I don’t know how.
We had been deployed since April. Maybe a little Christmas was in order. And if you don’t understand what a “band of brothers” is you would if you had this experience.
Obviously, we lacked a stand. So as previously mentioned it was suspended from the overhead (ceiling). We had no ornaments but someone fashioned one out of an electronic component. Someone else went about going one up on the first contributor and on and on it went. It really wasn’t a surprise when someone thought to use chaff (aluminium foil cut to lengths designed to disrupt radar) as garland. And suddenly there was a decorated Christmas tree in our shop.
Well, it was an inpromtu party so we needed some treats! Everyone had hoarded their “care packages” from home waiting for the opportune time to enjoy a little Christmas cheer. This seemed to be it! A buffet of sorts was spontaneously arranged!
We had an ad hoc goodie store we operated selling Coke, Pepsi and candy bars to ourselves. The inventory was ours and all the receipts were either split amongst the group or re-invested in our next inventory purchase. Well, there was our drink! We emptied our stash. Fortunately we never had to restock it.
So we spent the evening together in the Comm/Nav shop. No booze, no kids, no wives, no girlfriends, no parents, no presents, no carols and no convenient excuses to call it a night. A ceasefire had been declared for Christmas day so we could all sleep in.
That was Christmas 1972
posted by Frank at 3:22 PM
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