When I first arrived we were living in tent/ plywood "hooches" near the NCO club, with little luxuries. Urinals were dug in the sand (and filled with crushed cans because gravel was not available), showers were structures with tent roofs and a single water line along the beam in the ceiling with a hose bib (rather than a shower head) to stand under. In the sunny days the water would be warm, in the monsoons it would be cold. I used to shower with Lava soap to get the gun grease, and soot off of myself.

I remember going to a tent "chow hall" and cleaning our mess kits in the barrels with the heaters in them, and then later going to an actual building for a chow hall. Also, the out door theater and throwing empty beer cans at the projection booth when something went wrong with the film. (we always used to holler "Luther" at the projectionist when there was a problem, but I think it was the name of some one who had already gotten on to the "freedom bird" and gone home.

After I had been working on the SUU-16 gun pods for the better part of a year, I was sent to Clark AFB, Field Training Det. for training along with another guy. The gun pod had only just arrived from Viet Nam in Clark (via ship) and was saltwater rusted etc. The other guy and I tore it down, cleaned it and reassembled it (with changes that had been made in the field making it better.) For the rest of that FTD class we could pretty much do as we pleased. :-)

Last item - on that TDY, while we were there they changed E-4s from Airman 1ST to "Sergeants" so when we arrived in the Philippines, they didn't know how to handle us. NCOs were allowed to live off base, and we ended up billeted off base in a hotel. Not a great hotel, but it was absolutely heaven to a couple of GIs who had spent a lot of time in-country.

Thanks for building the site and reminding me of some horrible and wonderful memories. Keep up the good work! I've got some photos around here somewhere that I'll try to digitize and share.

John