What is your most memorable Christmas while deployed?

In 1969 I was a Marine helicopter pilot in Viet Nam. The Bob Hope show was playing in DaNang, and, to allow the Marines there the opportunity to attend the show, the units based north of DaNang flew their missions.
I drew the mission of transporting the Division Commander; unusual since he normally flew in a UH-1E. We arrived to pick him up and were immediately loaded with huge crates of socks and hot food. Once we were loaded, the General appeared, along with the Division Sergeant Major who was dressed as Santa Claus.
We spent the rest of the day flying to all the remote sites where Marines in the field were involved in combat operations. At each site, the General and “Santa Claus” would dismount, serve a hot meal and give clean socks to their Marines.
Christmas 69 certainly wasn’t my most festive Christmas, and none of us shared the joy of our families, the Christmas feast, or a candlelit worship service, but the memory of the joy those Marines got from a hot meal and clean socks is with me to this day.

Christmas Eve 1969, RVN, I was on Rat Patrol. Two jeeps, each jeep with a driver, Radio Operator, and two men manning a M60 machine gun. I was the Radio Operator, and our job was to patrol the roads at night to keep the VC from planting mines. We drove the roads randomly without lights. At midnight, we could see red and green flares shooting into the sky from the direction of Cau Ha Combat base. The next day, the whole battalion was read the riot act, to ensure that this behavior did not occur ever again. New Year's Eve, I was again on Rat Patrol, and the same thing happened back at the base.

Christmas Eve 1966, Bearcat South Vietnam, spent it alone sitting on a sandbag wall looking at the stars.

Korea, 1964.
We got trucked to the Div HQ for the Bob Hope Show but arrived a trace late due to some confusion about coverage on the Zone. Anyhoo, by the time we got there the only seats were way back in the nosebleed section.
Show time! Bob Hope walked out on stage, looked around and headed back off stage. The CG looks confused and follows him off only to return a few minutes later to adjust the seating. Seems like the first five rows had been reserved for and filled with officers, not an uncommon practice at the time. But not one that pleased Mr. Hope. Apparently he wasn't going to start the show until there were Soldiers in those from rows, and by that he meant us enlisted swine. So we in the back got moved to the front and those in front, including the Div Staff, got our seats. A great show.

That was the first and only time I got to see a Christmas show of any sort while deployed. In fact the only celebrity I saw during the time in RVN was Maggie Ray. She actually came to where the teams were and visited, as in sitting around and actually b*llsh*tting with the troops. Way better than a show!

WOW! It's been a while since I've thought about this but: Christmas 1973, Waegan, S. Korea. I was 19 years old, first time away from home and in a foreign country. I had just met a lady and we wanted to spend the holiday together, but had no clue what to do. As it turned out, there was an orphanage just outside our compound. It was poor, run down and the kids were hungry and dirty. Our post chaplin arranged with the Korean authorities for troops to adopt an orphan for Christmas and take them to the mess hall for Christmas dinner. My date, who later became my wife and I adopted a little boy, named "Cha" for the day, but we kept him for 3 days, with permission, of course. This little guy was filthy when we got him, but I took him to the barracks and let him take a shower, and change his clothes. We bought him 2 sets of clothes, a winter coat and a pair of boots and shoes. This little guy never knew what a shower was, but he sure had fun. We took him back to the orphanage on Sunday and he was the best dressed and cleanest of all 50 or so kids that lived there. It was also his first time ever sleeping in a real bed. I'll never forget the look of joy and awe on his face each time he did something new. As we said our goodbyes, he bowed in front of me, showing me respect the traditional way and when he straightened up, he promptly grabbed my knees with a bear hug and wouldn't let go. Our chaplin adopted him the following year. To say that that was an emotionally charged Christmas, would be an understatement. One I hope to never forget.

While I was with VS-22 on board USS John F Kennedy (CV-67) deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in support of Multinational Peacekeeping Force Beirut, Lebanon 1983-1984, Bob Hope had an USO Show on board the USS Kennedy as part of his 1983 Christmas Show Bob in Beirut 1983. YNCS(AW) Mizel C Wood Retired

I spent 5 Christmas Overseas and I cannot remember one. But then I'm 74 and can't remember breakfast.

Got a resupply on Christmas in the boonies..3/506th Infantry 101st 68-69.. hot chow and packages..made a tree with lrrp ration liners and a couple of m60 belts..got socks and clean fatigues..stuffed ourselves with cookies from home..Currahee !

I was stationed 8 miles offshore on the Columbia River Lightship “RELIEF” WLV-605. Basically we are a floating lighthouse anchored as the entrance to the Columbia River (WA/OR).

There are two lightships that swap station every four months. Each Lightship has a crew of 22 with about half on compensatory leave with a crew of 11/12 aboard at only one time while “on station.”

We were replenished from time to time with water and fuel by a Coast Guard buoy tender. Just before Christmas 1974, the USCGC “FIR” WLM-212 arrived astern of us to pick up our messenger line (floating stern with a blow-up rubber ducky) and they attached the fuel/water hoses for replenishment.

The entire crew of the “MIGHTY FIR” were in elf hats and the CO in a Santa suit with Christmas music blaring from speakers on their bridge wings.

I will go to my grave remember what the crew of the “FIR” did for us lonely Lightship sailors.

Christmas 1982 was my most memorable Christmas CPT Jack Durish. I was stationed in Bamberg, Germany and went to Heidelberg, Germany with another infantry 1LT bachelor from my unit. We sat outside the castle across teh river and drank while watching the black bears they kept caged up outside by a bridge which went to the castle. The bears frolicked and play fighted under the clear black sky.
It was cold and clear, I had spent several Christmases away from family since I enlisted in 1974l but, for some reason that Christmas seemed the most poignant. I was a little homesick and melancholy

South Pole. We had a diesel carving contest. Our tree was made of cans, candy wrappers, and licorice. Dinner was ham and turkey with all the fixings. Since the sun was up 24/7, everyone noticed they missed the night time "eve" part of it.

On Christmas Eve 1970 I was on duty at Monkey Mountain, RVN (Panama Control) when a deep voice boomed out over Guard frequency - "This is God on Guard - Happy Birthday Son"
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.

My most memorable Christmas while being deployed was in Vietnam, December 1966, when LZ Bird was trying to be over run by the NVA. It was a major battle with the First Cav kicking ass. Two of my friends who worked at the POL were captured, never to be heard of again. We lifted off right after the attack began. There were many NVA but they weren't good enough to defeat us. Read the attached link:
http://www.troynovant.com/Franson/Marshall-SLA/Bird.html

Camp Estelle, Afghanistan 2013. The 838th AEAG Spartans and our Italian Air Force Friends gathered together on Christmas Night, to a bonfire. I had a content look on my face that night as my own year long deployment was coming to an end. While I missed my wife and kids terribly, I couldn't ignore one of the few moments of true camaraderie we get to experience in the military today. That night and that deployment for that matter are experiences I will never forget.

Christmas Day 1971. We were A few miles off Da Nang waiting for Bob Hope to come aboard. The fog was so bad he couldn't make. Instead of a Bob Hope show on Christmas Day we moved out of the fog and flew missions into Laos. What a merry Christmas that was

Berlin 1984. We got drunk and snuck over to the Battalion Comanders head quarters. He had just had it landscaped that fall. We cut down one of his pine trees with an e-tool. Took it back to our room and decorated it. It's said he is still looking for us.

Mine was Desert Storm...we had already deployed from Germany to Saudi Arabia around 12/09/90 for Desert Shield. My 2 other brothers and I were sent to different locations in Saudi Arabia prepping for combat and this was the first combat operation which we would serve together.

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

I went straight from Vietnam to my next duty assignment. Do not pass-go / do not collect $200. I served in Vietnam as a member of the Marine Security Guard detachment at the American Embassy in Saigon at the time of its evacuation in 1975. Evac'd, float to Manila and here are your orders: American Consulate in Asmara, Ethiopia where I would receive hazardous duty pay for my entire time there (civil war had just broken out and we were literally stuck in the middle between two adversaries, neither of which liked us / but that's all another story). How does this relate to Christmas? I received orders in mid-December that transferred me to the embassy in Brussels, Belgium and did so on Christmas Eve. I was very thankful for Christmas 1975 - alone, brand new arrival but didn't have to worry about incoming or any of the "to whom it may concerns" that were common in northern Ethiopia and Vietnam earlier that year. Still remember dinner that Christmas: hot dogs on toasted raisin bread, the only thing in the Marine House kitchen. But at least it was peaceful.

In December of 1969 I was at Phu Bai, in the former Republic of Viet Nam. I was the new guy (fng) and while not being satisfied with being low man on the totem pole, I had incurred the wrath of my 1st Sergeant by getting drunk and fighting. So while my comrades enjoyed the Bob Hope show at Camp Eagle, I listened to the show on AFVN radio on a tiny transistor radio while I pulled a 12 hour day guard shift in a bunker on the perimeter, pouring down monsoon rain and a lovely Christmas dinner of cold C ration turkey. I was a miserable little pup but I learned my lesson.

Capturing Saddam Hussein during the month of December, Christmas week back in 2003. And receiving care packages during the holidays while in Tikrit Iraq.

Dec. 25th 1971 off the Vietnamese Coast. We were refueling another Ship when our steering went out. The ships rammed and hoses and cables were flying everywhere. Took two days to repair all the damage and we were ready to send a avgas to the Enterprise. Not much of a Christmas but we got the job done.

2003 while at Victory Base, Baghdad. I spent Christmas Eve out on a guard tower to let an enlisted soldier have the time off. Christmas day dinner I was invited to spend with the Australian contingent. It was a great time and will never forget it.

Sad to say I don't remember a Christmas Deployed. At the Very Least I know that I was in Diego Garcia for at least One Christmas. Actually now that I think about it. Christmas in Pearl was pretty cool. The Christmas Spread at COMSUBPAC Pearl Chow Hall was wonderful.

I was in Iraq in 2003, and although I wasn't able to see them in person, some of the WWE wrestlers came to LSA Anaconda. I got to watch the show on tv.

Christmas 2004 Camp Ramadi. S BTRY 5/11 3rd Plt attached to 2/11. They gave us two beers and one of those airline bottles of rum or vodka per person. And you can guess there was a bunch of trading. Everyone trying to get booze from from the fellas that didn't drink and the beer only and liquor only folks haggling. Was a good day.

Canned Turkey in Cu Chi and watching some Korean all girl band playing "I want to go Home" and getting hit by 122 mm rockets that night

Being in South Korea and having my friends want to go out to "karaoke". I chose to stay in and call home to my family. When they got back and told asked to borrow money because they were robbed by hookers, I knew I made the right choice.

OIF 2006. Our tree

Spent Christmas Eve '71 stuck at Ft. Hood on CQ duty with relief at midnight. Knowing I was to be deployed to Vietnam in January I was certain this might be my last Christmas. Having grown up in Dallas, less than 3 hours away I called home to tell my father I'd be home for Christmas. Once off duty I caught a cab to the Belton Grey Hound bus depot. Having never experienced bus travel I bought a ticket to Dallas. The bus left Belton around 1 am and i could smell the bacon my dad was frying in his cast iron skillet. As I mentioned this was a bus depot and I had grown up in Texas traveling all over the state. What I experience over the next 15 hours in route to Dallas was an Almanac view of almost every city with less than 500 citizens between Killeen and Dallas. I watch people come and go the entire time wondering how much longer before I would see the Dallas skyline on the horizon. When the bus stopped for lunch in Waco I began to realize the enormous mistake I had made. We pulled into the same bus station that I consumed a box lunch in the day I got drafted...at 5 pm Christmas Day! When i checked the return schedule to Killeen I quickly realized that if I was going to report for duty the day after Christmas I had no choice to catch another bus in less than an hour. I called home to find to Army friends who were stationed with me celebrating Christmas with my family. I told everyone the dilemma, wished them the best, and hopped the bus. I spen t my next Christmas at Camp Stanley, outside of Oijonbu South Korea. Having been pulled from RVN in December '72 I was redeployed to Korea. I have profound respect to the vets who fought there during the Korean War since 1951 was the coldest winter in their history....and while the jungle was the jungle those vets fought up one granite mountain after another. I did make it to Korea in time for the Bob Hope Christmas show at 2nd Inf command in Tong Du Chon. Since I was coming off the DMZ we got front row center stage. I do remember it being so cold that even with two parkas we were all freezing.

1990, Operation Desert Shield, pulling TOC duty NCO with Deuce-and-a-half's crawling through our Battalion camp with the cargo canvases rolled up on the sides and outlined with improvised Christmas lights from home (thanks to the motor pool electrical genius who rewired them from 120VAC to 24VDC !). In the backs of those trucks were the CSM, staff officers and firing battery lieutenants singing carols. About half the battalion was having dinner that night with Saudi Aramco employees courtesy of the Host A Soldier program, so the ones in camp on Christmas eve were the ones who were hosted for Thanksgiving (1SG's made sure nobody double-dipped on both). Those singers all were hoarse the next day from having to sing at max volume over the engine noise !