Share your favorite photo or memory from a Thanksgiving you spent away from home

Thanksgiving 1973. Stationed in Incirlik CDI, Turkey. Our section had to work on Thanksgiving morning and after we were done our commander surprised us by having Thanksgiving dinner at his apartment down town. It made a wonderful day for us.

It was Thanksgiving in 1969. Assigned to the CGC STORIS in the ship yard for repairs. Back then it was required to be in uniform when off ship for liberty. The Seattle area was a very military friendly area. I was walking along a road in the morning when a car pulled up along side me and a couple in the car asked where I was having my Thanksgiving dinner. I responded by saying “on board”. They then asked me if I would like to have Thanksgiving dinner with them at home. I responded, with surprise, with a resounding I’d love to. They then said to bring a friend and told me to be waiting at the gate at 4 o’clock. One of my buddies was interested and joined me and as arranged we were picked up at the main gate and driven to their home.

Even we arrived, we were met by two very nice girls our age, and their mom at the door. After introductions, we all sat down to a, to put it lightly, a grand feast with the biggest turkey with all the trimmings you could imagine on the table. I didn’t hesitate to fill my plate just as I would if I were home. My buddy was being polite by taking a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I said to him “eat well, that’s what folks like to see when the invite a total stranger to dinner”. At that, I filled my plate again. When asked what kind of pie I’d like for desert, apple, pumpkin or mince, I said that would be great! Thanks.

However the evening wasn’t over yet. After dinner the four of us were driven into Seattle to the USO dance for a couple hours of music and dancing. But the evening wasn’t over yet. After the USO dance, we were picked up and taken to Farrells Ice Cream Parlor and treated like family. As the night ended we were driven back to the ship. This was indeed my most memorable Thanksgiving.

Ed Gerhardt
Chapel Hill, NC

I WAS IN THE BORDER SAUDI ARIABIA AND Iraq, BEFORE THE WAR STARTED, THE BRING THE TURKEY WITH ALL EVERYTHING VIA HELICOPTER IN OUR CAMP, AND WHEN I SEE THE PUMKEN PEI I WAS SO EXCITED AN I SEE THANK YOU LORD FOR THE FOOD AND THE TURKEY, WHILE WE ARE EATING THE DUST STORM ARRIVE AND HEAVY SO, THE TURKEY DINNER WAS SAD I DID NOT EVEN EAT MY PUMKEN PIE BECAUSE IS SO MUCH DUST AND THROUGH ALL MY DENNER IN THE TRUSH CAN AND COVER MY FACE, HEAD WITH TOWEL AND SEAT DOWN THINKING MY FAMILY, IT SO HARD FOR ME, BEING A SOLDIER AN NO MATTER WHAT IS JUST DRIVE ON, HOAH THESE IS MSG. ROBERT GASPAR ( SERVE IN THE ARMY FOR 25 YEARS AND,19 DAYS AND 4 HOURS.) AND MY MOTO IS I DONT TAKE NO FOR ANSWER )

During my years on active duty, I never had the opportunity to go home either
due to job need or distance (when my parents were overseas. Dad was in I Corps
and mom lived in Bangkok).
I always offered to stand OOD to relieve officers who had families
However, I
never felt deprived because I was always with my 'family'
(am also a Navy brat)

Shared caring and mutual support.