SM Decorations!!

[Cliff_Chambliss]

"Stay east of the Waianae Wall". That was one of my first safety briefs by my First Shirt when I arrived a Wheeler AFB as a scrawny 19 year old. I once ventured into the unknown....once. Whole different world on that side of the island for sure.

When my dad went to West Germany, one of the first briefs his First Sergeant gave him was to stay out of the old part of Nürnberg because supposedly there was still a cluster of ex-Nazis there.

So guess where dad and some of his buddies went on their first pass?

I was stationed in Nuremburg with the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment during the early 1970's.  It was during this period The Regiment first began wearing the black beret and partnered with a German Armored unit.  Several of us, US and German, were at a local biergarten and ran into a bunch of German WWII Tankers.  Friendly guys, after several beers all Panzer Troupen were Ok.  Roosevelt and Churchill were wrong, the US and English Panzers should have helped beat Stalin.  A very interesting time.  Over the next couple of years we developed a real friendship with these old guys and we stayed in touch until the last of them passed on a couple years ago.  We (my family and I) really enjoyed our time in Germany Nuremburg, Heilbronn, Wurzburg, and Feucht and we left many good friends back there. Next year we will be returning to Germany but many of the old bases have Been closed and converted to other uses. 

[ol'fido]

LOL.. and that's not a short hop either. Someone had a little too much.. ;-)

Yeah, and TheBus stopped running at about 2230. Let's hope he had enough singles left over from one of the strip joints on Keaomoku Street, Moose's. or Studebakers to get a cab ride. My two favorite joints down in the "ki's" were the Rose&Crown and the Jolly Roger's Crow's Nest. The Nest was on the main drag Kalakaua(?) and the R&C was around the corner from the International Market Place. I used to go down to the Rose & Crown because they had a piano player on Saturday nights who would play karaoke style tunes and everyone would stand around the piano and sing as a group. Then I would head up to the Crow's Nest and listen to a couple of guys who sang old bawdy songs and told jokes in between. The later it went the more "adult" the show became. The show at 2300 was known as the "Crusty" show. the 0100 show was simply called "Smut".

[PHall]

LOL.. and that's not a short hop either. Someone had a little too much.. ;-)

Yeah, and TheBus stopped running at about 2230. Let's hope he had enough singles left over from one of the strip joints on Keaomoku Street, Moose's. or Studebakers to get a cab ride. My two favorite joints down in the "ki's" were the Rose&Crown and the Jolly Roger's Crow's Nest. The Nest was on the main drag Kalakaua(?) and the R&C was around the corner from the International Market Place. I used to go down to the Rose & Crown because they had a piano player on Saturday nights who would play karaoke style tunes and everyone would stand around the piano and sing as a group. Then I would head up to the Crow's Nest and listen to a couple of guys who sang old bawdy songs and told jokes in between. The later it went the more "adult" the show became. The show at 2300 was known as the "Crusty" show. the 0100 show was simply called "Smut".

And don't stand in front of the dart boards at the Rose and Crown. It will be a painful experience!

[The Infamous Meerkat]

Haha, the Waikiki bars were an endless source of entertainment, but our Marines usually hung out at Coconut Willy's, Mooses, The Red Lion or Kelley O'Neils. Live bands and cheap drinks, it's all most of our barracks apes could afford.

[BGNightfall]

I wouldnt have an issue telling an Air Force instructor I thought their blue cord looked goofy.  Sorry, Air Force Basic hardly has an intimidating reputation.  Of course.... you are talking to the same guy who was asked to leave a Coast Guard chow hall for telling a Coast Guard drill instructor at OCS (whatever they call them) to get the $%^& out of my way    I left with a smile on my face and a skip in my step. 
The other services have a historical background for those uniforms that date back 100+ years. Deciding you want one in 2011 is hardly built on the same foundation.

So, I didn't encounter "ropes" until I washed up at the Defense Language Institute and encountered an Air Force MTI yelling at some poor dope who was on his way to chow about something called "pocket rockets" .  Apparently my Air Force compatriots didn't have enough else to do, so they had to worry about how their cheap name tapes shrunk and puckered their shirts.  So, I made a comment to that effect, which drew this SSgt's ire on to me.  "Gimme yer 341!", "Wazzat, Sergeant?", "It's the form yer suppost to carry in yer pocket at all times.  Who's yer red rope?" Now, at this stage, the only red ropes I'd had were my RDCs at Great Lakes, so I hesitated for a moment, then scribbled down my senior RDCs name, and the duty phone number.  That sergeant cut a wide berth around me the next time I saw him.

[Flying Pig]

I wouldnt have an issue telling an Air Force instructor I thought their blue cord looked goofy.  Sorry, Air Force Basic hardly has an intimidating reputation.  Of course.... you are talking to the same guy who was asked to leave a Coast Guard chow hall for telling a Coast Guard drill instructor at OCS (whatever they call them) to get the $%^& out of my way    I left with a smile on my face and a skip in my step. 
The other services have a historical background for those uniforms that date back 100+ years. Deciding you want one in 2011 is hardly built on the same foundation.

So, I didn't encounter "ropes" until I washed up at the Defense Language Institute and encountered an Air Force MTI yelling at some poor dope who was on his way to chow about something called "pocket rockets" .  Apparently my Air Force compatriots didn't have enough else to do, so they had to worry about how their cheap name tapes shrunk and puckered their shirts.  So, I made a comment to that effect, which drew this SSgt's ire on to me.  "Gimme yer 341!", "Wazzat, Sergeant?", "It's the form yer suppost to carry in yer pocket at all times.  Who's yer red rope?" Now, at this stage, the only red ropes I'd had were my RDCs at Great Lakes, so I hesitated for a moment, then scribbled down my senior RDCs name, and the duty phone number.  That sergeant cut a wide berth around me the next time I saw him.

My encounter with my coast guard guy was him stepping in front of me as I was walking to the soda fountain in the chow hall. He says "Stand By Marine, (as he puts his hand up) my people are in the chow line."   So I say, "Im just refilling my soda"  It wasnt even like I jumped in the middle.... people were just milling around.  He comes back with "After my candidates are all through the line"    I say "How about you get the ---- out of my way?"   He was a CG E5 and I was a Marine E5... fair is fair.   So he steps aside, or more like he just walked away a few feet.  I get my refill and go back to the table.   About 10 minutes later a CG Chief comes over and asks if I was the person who had an issue.  I say "No Chief not at all but your instructor over there doesnt need to use me to try and look like a tough guy in front of his people and as a Sergeant since when do I dont take a back seat to recruits?" 

He says "Understood Sergeant, but Im going to have to ask you to leave the facility since you are done eating.  I say "Aye Aye Chief"  and off I went.   So the instructor gets it broken off where the sun dont shine and runs to daddy..... copy that tough guy  

[The Infamous Meerkat]

Hahahaha! very well played.   I had this fatuous gasbag of an Air Force Major (who had an obvious eating problem, or lack of PT issue...) go on a tirade about me not pulling the slide on my M9 ALLLLL the way to the rear when clearing it at the chowhall on Camp Bastion. Funny thing was he had obviously never had a holster on or about his perfectly clean cammies, so I took his comment in stride.

I leant over towards the clearing barrel, racked the slide and locked it, turned the barrel towards my face and checked the chamber with light from my thumbnail while looking down the barrel. I told him, "it looks pretty clear to me, Sir, but I'm not sure." Then I held it out to him, "care to make sure, Sir?" 

He wasn't impressed. My buddies behind him we trying not to laugh. I was okay with him hollering a bit more, so I didn't mind... 
My dumber days got me in a tiny bit of trouble now and again. Luckily that time all Gunny said was to quit messing with the the Air Force.

[a2capt]

I say "Aye Aye Chief"  and off I went.

Very well played .. Leave when you're done. Well, you certainly were not going to stay, right? Too funny.

[Flying Pig]

Yeah that more or less told me the Chief was just trying to support his guy in some manner.  No problem.  Funny I havnt thought about that in years.  I was probably 21-22yrs old.  The CG E5, (Petty Officer 2nd Class, 2 striper)  was easily in his 30s.

[ol'fido]

Haha, the Waikiki bars were an endless source of entertainment, but our Marines usually hung out at Coconut Willy's, Mooses, The Red Lion or Kelley O'Neils. Live bands and cheap drinks, it's all most of our barracks apes could afford.

Had a buddy almost get jacked by HPD at the Red Lion.

[ol'fido]

LOL.. and that's not a short hop either. Someone had a little too much.. ;-)

Yeah, and TheBus stopped running at about 2230. Let's hope he had enough singles left over from one of the strip joints on Keaomoku Street, Moose's. or Studebakers to get a cab ride. My two favorite joints down in the "ki's" were the Rose&Crown and the Jolly Roger's Crow's Nest. The Nest was on the main drag Kalakaua(?) and the R&C was around the corner from the International Market Place. I used to go down to the Rose & Crown because they had a piano player on Saturday nights who would play karaoke style tunes and everyone would stand around the piano and sing as a group. Then I would head up to the Crow's Nest and listen to a couple of guys who sang old bawdy songs and told jokes in between. The later it went the more "adult" the show became. The show at 2300 was known as the "Crusty" show. the 0100 show was simply called "Smut".

And don't stand in front of the dart boards at the Rose and Crown. It will be a painful experience!

I've still got my dart set somewhere.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

So, I didn't encounter "ropes" until I washed up at the Defense Language Institute and encountered an Air Force MTI yelling at some poor dope who was on his way to chow about something called "pocket rockets" .  Apparently my Air Force compatriots didn't have enough else to do, so they had to worry about how their cheap name tapes shrunk and puckered their shirts.  So, I made a comment to that effect, which drew this SSgt's ire on to me.  "Gimme yer 341!", "Wazzat, Sergeant?", "It's the form yer suppost to carry in yer pocket at all times.  Who's yer red rope?" Now, at this stage, the only red ropes I'd had were my RDCs at Great Lakes, so I hesitated for a moment, then scribbled down my senior RDCs name, and the duty phone number.  That sergeant cut a wide berth around me the next time I saw him.

Pocket rocket:


Awarded for various criteria at varying times in USAF.  I remember seeing a retired Vietnam Air Force vet's service dress and he had one.  I said "I never knew you put in time with SAC in a missile silo."  He said, "I didn't.  I got this for hanging Sidewinders and Sparrows on F-4's at Korat."

That MTI must have been a couple short of a sixpack if he expected a Navy guy to be carrying a 341.

You probably (rightly) embarrassed the heck out of him, first because he didn't intimidate you (MTI's thrive on intimidation, or attempts thereof) and second because he knew he was in the wrong, which is why he gave you a wide berth from then on.

[Private Investigator]

When were you in?  I was in from 93-2000.  NOBODY wore their uniforms off duty.  Of course in North Carolina, being a Marine didnt impress anyone either

1976-1982. Growing up outside Camp Pendleton when we have HS football practice it was not unusual to see men in uniform. One of our star track member's dad was CO of MCRD. Actually we had the children of a few Generals as classmates. And of course Colonels, Majors, Captains and Staff NCOs.

WWII and Korean era Veterans are much different from lets say Desert Storm and forward, Veterans. Some Marines are MARINES and others just left an impression on their bunks. Just like police work. Some cops are COPS and the other 80% are civil servants.

[Private Investigator]

You could be 200 miles from Camp Lejuene and try to whip out your best line on some girl and she responds back, "Yeah....My dad is 1st Sgt Smith from 2nd Force Recon."   

BTDT ... Head Cheerleader Jacksonville HS nobody was brave enough to ask her out except for 'iyo tunay'   

[Private Investigator]

WOW, a thread drifted OFF uniforms!   

Aer you kidding??!!  This information is a gold mine to some cadet getting ready to ship out!

I agree. I think every Cadet should talk to me. My grandfather was one of the WWI Veterans who started the American Legion in Paris 1919. My father, me and my children are all members.   

[PHall]

So, I didn't encounter "ropes" until I washed up at the Defense Language Institute and encountered an Air Force MTI yelling at some poor dope who was on his way to chow about something called "pocket rockets" .  Apparently my Air Force compatriots didn't have enough else to do, so they had to worry about how their cheap name tapes shrunk and puckered their shirts.  So, I made a comment to that effect, which drew this SSgt's ire on to me.  "Gimme yer 341!", "Wazzat, Sergeant?", "It's the form yer suppost to carry in yer pocket at all times.  Who's yer red rope?" Now, at this stage, the only red ropes I'd had were my RDCs at Great Lakes, so I hesitated for a moment, then scribbled down my senior RDCs name, and the duty phone number.  That sergeant cut a wide berth around me the next time I saw him.

Pocket rocket:


Awarded for various criteria at varying times in USAF.  I remember seeing a retired Vietnam Air Force vet's service dress and he had one.  I said "I never knew you put in time with SAC in a missile silo."  He said, "I didn't.  I got this for hanging Sidewinders and Sparrows on F-4's at Korat."

That MTI must have been a couple short of a sixpack if he expected a Navy guy to be carrying a 341.

You probably (rightly) embarrassed the heck out of him, first because he didn't intimidate you (MTI's thrive on intimidation, or attempts thereof) and second because he knew he was in the wrong, which is why he gave you a wide berth from then on.

I was awarded the pocket rocket for about six months, then they took it away.

I was a Boom Operator on the SAC Airborne Command Post, aka "Looking Glass" at the time. As part of the Flight Crew up front I helped copy and decode Emergency Action Messages.
One of the missions the Glass had was to function as a Airborne Launch Control Center if the LCC's were destroyed.

Somebody up at Bldg 500 at Offutt (SAC HQTRS) decided that anybody who was involved  in any way with launching the ICBM's was entitled to wear the "Pocket Rocket".
This resulted in all of the Flight Crew up front and the Communications Operators in the middle of the jet being awarded the "Pocket Rocket".

The Coneheads put up such a howl about this that the rules were changed back to what they were before.

Didn't bother me much but it did cost my unit (2nd ACCS) about $600 to buy everybody new cloth nametags for their flight suits.
Which we then had to stop wearing a few months later.