What is your most memorable Christmas while deployed?
2011 Christmas Lights- Thank You Troops and Veterans! Thanks for Your Votes!
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We sure didn't have the wherewithal all to decorate our hooches like this in Vietnam, but one of the parents of one of my men owned an Italian restaurant in Indianapolis and they sent all the table decorations and stuff to make a helluva Christmas dinner. I and my driver stole a case of frozen steaks from the ration break down point at Long Binh and I horse traded at the mess hall for a lot of other "necessities". The young man who had grown up working in the family restaurant worked his buns off setting it all up and we had a very Merry Christmas despite missing friends and family at home. The leftovers (and they were ample) were donated to an orphanage at Ton Son Nhut. We also stuffed stockings for the orphans with everything we could find as well as small gifts our families sent from home. It became a contest to see who could make the biggest stocking. Have you ever stuffed an Army issue wool sock? They expanded so large that most were taller than the kids. That was Christmas 1967. The Tet Offensive began less than two months later...
And just as quick a smaller voice piped up on Guard - "Thanks Pop!”
I was chuckling over that the rest of the night.
My folks sent me a decorated tree for my room and a bunch of gifts to go under it.
The chow hall had a spectacular feed and I stuffed my cargo pant pockets with apples and oranges for Mama-San's kids - these were almost unheard-of for the Vietnamese at the time.
http://www.troynovant.com/Franson/Marshall-SLA/Bird.html
Bird - The Christmastide Battle - S.L.A. Marshall
Bird: The Christmastide Battle, by S.L.A. Marshall, tells the story of the North Vietnamese Army attack on Landing Zone Bird shortly after midnight, 26-27 December 1966. The NVA plan had been to overrun the American outpost, wipe out the Americans and destroy LZ Bird's howitzer batteries, and retreat into the jungle just as the negotiated Christmas Truce came into effect. The NVA force arrived in the vicinity late because of high water in the...
It was scary as hell because we had no way of contacting each other, even though I had Global DSN and could call anywhere. I spent my Christmas eating the REAL ARMY MREs and T-Rations before we were able to go to KKMC on a log run which we put money together and bought several whole chicken which we grilled out in the hot desert.
I remember it well because as soon as the chicken were ready to eat, we were HIT by one of Saudi's dust storm which covered EVERYTHING in dust!!!
Some Merry Christmas that was! LOL