What is the most memorable thanksgiving that you spent while in the military?

I arrived at Inchon Harbor, South Korea on the USS Gen Hugh J. Gaffey, in November !963. Waiting on deck to disembark, I asked my buddy, Nick Fonseca, why the flags were at half mast. He told me they had killed the President, but since he was prone to joking I dismissed his response. Going down the ramp, I saluted the officer of the day and asked him the same question. President Kennedy was assassinated, he answered . The dreary day seemed even drearier. I was in another country, my first trip any where, broke, and my beloved president had been killed. Needles to say, the holidays that year were definitely memorable to me.

I was in Ras Al Ghar Saudi Arabia during operation DESERT SHIELD, and on Thanksgiving morning Armed forces radio played a show that Robin Williams made for us.... it started with "Goooood Mooorning Saudi!" we all loved the show.

Navy Corpsman with USMC

1968 at FSB 22 I hadn't finished talking to the prisoners yet before everyone had eaten, gone back to their stations and the cooks had put everything away. I walked over the boards above the mud to find the mess tent empty except for the crew tidying up. They wouldn't let me leave without taking everything out again and preparing a special thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings just for me. It made me feel very special. I sat there in the abandoned village and savored every bite.

It was 1969. 101st Airborne, we were out in the jungle terrain of the DMZ Vietnam. They had us hump up to an LZ where they choppered in a complete HOT Turkey dinner for us. The first hot meal we had in months. That was surreal! …. All of you veterans out there have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving 1968 in the field Mekong Delta. The sent out a bunch of cooks that made us a real Thanksgiving dinner with the works. With all due respect to my Mother & Grandmother, it was every bit as good as home. Don’t know how those guys did it but it was awesome

Thanksgiving of 1950 in Korea we had canned turkey that was canned in 1928

I was in the Reserves so did not have to spend any time away from my family on Thanksgiving.

I do have to comment that my favorite military Thanksgiving is when George Bush our Commander in Chief surprised the troops In Iraq. I was so proud to be led by such a man.

I am retired now, and I Thank you all for serving today. God Bless you all and your Families.

LTC Marshall.

I was a USAF Loadmaster on the C-141B from 1986-1990. Over the Thanksgiving holiday in 1987, we flew a mission to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. I spent that time on the beach with my fellow crew members, appreciating how lucky I was to be there on my birthday. There wasn't a whole lot to do on the island, other than drive up Green Mountain and go fishing for grouper, but we made our fun and it was a very enjoyable 48 hours.

Left Jacksonville NC on Wed afternoon in a sedan with 5 other marines, me in the middle in the back. Snow started shortly thereafter. Hit the DC beltway around noon. It took 6 hours to get a quarter of the way around the beltway to the highway west. Then headed to Chicago. Did I mention that the 5 marines were smokers, and I wasn't. Nor would they roll the windows down. "it's cold, dude."

Just before I was sent to Vietnam I was stationed in Ft. Hood Texas (1968). Although the Army was very generous for holiday meals, several of us decided to drive to the range and find our own Turkey the day before Thanksgiving since rumor had it there was plenty of wild turkeys there. After a day with no turkey, we decided we'd just give in and eat the food on base. But on the way back we spotted a nice deer. You can guess the next move. And there we were headed back to civilization with about 60 lbs of venison. Lo and behold we get pulled over by MP's. There we were 5 of us blood all over us, shotguns, and fresh meat in the trunk. Well, these two MP's were so amazed at our accomplishment that they laughed their asses off and just let us go. It was a better time those days. Anyway, my friend and his wife had an off post house in Copperas Cove so we headed there and finished cutting up the meat. Between the neighbors, our friends and us, by Friday there wasn't much left. Venison tenderloin and eggs for breakfast on Thanksgiving....never forget it!! We feasted for two days on it.