What is your most memorable Christmas while deployed?

1969 Camp Enari (Pleiku) -MP sitting in a V-100 with full flack gear watching the Enlisted men's club so the guys would not fight among themselves.
Good side - we had a great party at the MP club with goodies sent from many families.

I had just finished delivering ammunition to a Spooky at Tan Son Nhut AB in '72. The war was winding down and I was walking back to our Line D hangar when someone from the Red Cross drove up and handed me a care package. I don't know why but it struck me so deeply that I will never forget it.

I was TDY at Yokota AB, Japan. This was about 1982. We were working out on the hot and downloading Class A and B explosives onto a high line. There were 6 of us working this mission. We had just downloaded the Class B and were trying download the Class A. The rollers on the highline were rusted and the pallet got stuck in the rollers. So we pulled the pallet back to get a running start. We were able to get it going and it went faster and faster until it got out of control. The team chief yelled, "Get out of here it's going to blow!" the two guys on either side bailed off the highline leaving me and my buddy to try to slow down the 9,000 lb. pallet. We drug our feet, and pulled back on the cargo netting and finally when the pallet caught the other it was only a mere bump. I looked at my buddy and said, "We're safe now. So why am I still shaking?" At that we laughed. Then we went to the café in the passenger terminal. We missed the turkey dinner at the chow hall, so all we had was a hamburger and fries and a coke at the Pax café. Considering the alternative it was the best tasting burger and coke we had ever had.

Military Police caught me in a 'hootch' in Tong Du Chon Korea in 1956...

While with the 1st Cavalry in 1969 we set up our perimeter on top of some unknown hill near Loch Ninh. After everything was secure we sat down for dinner. I reached into my pack not knowing what I was going to get because it was dark. I grabbed a C Ration not a clue what I had picked. To my great surprise my ration came with canned peaches and as a bonus a pound cake. Pouring the peaches over my pound cake on the flattened cardboard was heaven. It was one of the best Christmas dinners I have ever had!

When we were in heading home in the early 90's we had a port visit at the Rock Of Gibraltar. There was a sign up sheet for rent a sailor. About 15 of us were invited to a Pub where we had a good American Christmas dinner at the Pub (which was closed)which was made by the owner. Turkey and ALL the fixins. After which we had an open bar. One of the best CHRISTmas away from home port.

I grew up in the Salvation Army so I received a care package from them. My grandmother packed them with the usual goodies, SA magazines , home made cookies and a small Christmas tree. I was in Vietnam at the time. At the bottom of the box were the last six months copies of Playboy. Obviously my aunt Janette had helped pack this box and was letting us know what we were protecting...hahaha....all the guys saw this and immediately wanted to join my church....we shared everything during Christmas. 1969.

Dec 1967 MCRD San Diego. The platoon was out on the tarmac for an evening run. The air was cool and I remember the silence except for all the boots hitting the pavement in unison and seeing Christmas lights twinkling at scattered homes around the surrounding hills. Little did we know it was a little peace before the storm. Not deployed but memorable none the less.

Desert Shield 1990 in Saudi Arabia at the gunnery range prepping for Desert Storm and the eventual ground war. Pulled a 2 hour guard duty shift on Christmas Eve guarding ammo dump. Temps were in the low 30's with huge wind gusts. Was so damn cold I spent most of my shift running up and down a sand berm just to stay warm. Most miserable Christmas in my life!

Christmas 1992. Deep Freeze ‘93. Woke up on Christmas morning to see the continent of Antarctica off the bow. It was a childhood dream come true. Later that morning, the ship navigated through a large field of ice bergs that dwarfed the ship on our way to McMurdo. It was vey humbling. We had holiday routine that day and most of the crew shared cookies and the like that they got from packages back home.

The best memory of the Holidays was spending both Christmas, and New Years during Operation Desert Shield / Storm, listening to everyone complain about being away from home, and family. I would just smile, and laugh, because I was spending my holiday's surrounded by all my buddies for the first time in five years, since I never went home on leave during those weeks sitting in the barracks with nothing to do. The Commander eventually set up a Spades tournament to pass the time away; I remember my partner, and I went to the finals, winning the whole thing in just three hands.

I didnt have a christmas in the military. But i did have three december 25ths

1969. Departed Long Binh for R&R in Sydney on Christmas Day, arrived In Sydney on Boxing Day. I had an enjoyable week, mainly rotating between the Texas Tavern in Kings X and the Royal Auto Club downtown every evening, with days enjoying the sun on Bondi Beach.

Christmas 1969, Marine Helicopter Squadron aboard the USS Iwo Jima. We had Vietnamese orphans in the ships Hospital and we all gathered up as much pogey bait that we could find and had a little Christmas party with them. We sang a few Hymns, led by the Nuns. Not a dry eye!

lucky you :-)

1984 Bob Hope did his Christmas Special from the USS Independence. Plus we were in Israel

Christmas 1969 we were trucked over to 1st Mar Div HQ to watch the Bob Hope show, I was allowed to go as I was short on my first tour, I enjoyed the show and only had to stop 1 member of my squad from shooting a soldier who kept standing up in front of us 2X!!! We rode back and I got to stay in my hooch until evening when we shuffled up the hill to man the OP were I stayed up all night wondering the contradiction of seeing a great Christmas show in a war zone when I never had a chance in the world.

Danang Air Plane Patch in 1972, dodged rockets most of the morning. The guys on monkey mountain said they enjoyed the early morning show.

During Desert Shield/Storm we got GP mediums to sleep in instead of under our camo nets by our tracks. I pulled guard duty Christmas eve at our ammo dump and it actually snowed out in the desert!!

The Christmas in Kassel, Germany bare in mind I was 19 at the time. great to get together with friends. both Military and non- Military.

Forget about it !!!

Christmas1974, Darmstadt, West Germany. My roommate and I got a small pine tree, maybe 2-foot tall. We decorated it with balls of aluminum foil and Cheetos strung through with yarn. For a star topper we cut out the bottom of an aluminum foil pie tin. The next day the unit had a "health and welfare" inspection. The NCOs tore apart every aluminum foil ball looking for drugs. Needless to say, the tree didn't look the same when we put it back together!

Christmas 1966 Chu Lai all I remember is Christmas Day we still ran or daily patrols but all patrols were ordered not to engage for that 24 hr. time period samey same their Tet. Also all patrols had to be led by E-5 & above so I became squad leader again for the day. Saw 5 or 6 VCS’s at a distance but did not engage.

Camp Holloway, Pleiku, Christmas, 1969. A father of one of the guys in my platoon (I think it was Len's dad) sent us a live Christmas tree and decorations. L-R in the photo: Lonny Mitchell, Larry Whaley, Len Shellhammer & Paul Daily.

Christmas eve in Persian Gulf 1990 awaiting next beach assault.

My team arranged for a Christmas dinner at the American FOB near ISAF HQ and we all enjoyed a meal together minus the officers on duty at the Afghan MOI Operations Center. We were all far from our families although we were an “Army” family and were being meddling by our mutual sacrifices in order to bring the precious gift of freedom to people who had no idea what to do with the gift. It was the last time that we could celebrate as a team before an insider murdered two incredible officers who were our team mates. We felt blessed to serve together and to have achieved so much towards to goal of Afghan self sufficiency. We had no idea that a sleeper was in our midst who would destroy our trust and the families of those they murdered. The murderer worked among us on a daily basis and the two victims were the most generous among us as it relates to kindness and generosity towards every Afghan we worked with. Our Christmas dinner was a moment that few can ever comprehend in it’s power and meaning for each of us. We all pledged to risk our lives in the effort to give liberty to every Afghan and our efforts were met with the devious actions of the Taliban and the Quetta Shura. These are people that need to be expunged from existence and the same apply to every member of their gene pool. Great men died the following February and their families were robbed of their life long contributions. I am so thankful to have served among this incredible group of warriors who were willing to risk everything in order to give the most precious gift of liberty to millions of Afghans who we never met. God bless LTC Loftis and MAJ Marchanti. They gave us a gift that few will ever appreciate or understand.

Long Binh, Republic of Vietnam, 1969. Christmas Eve Bob Hope show with Neil Armstrong, who had walked on the moon that summer. He waved and said, "Fellows, I know what it's like to be a long way from home."
For the 25th, then, Charlie supplied some rockets.

Dec 2001, FOB Rhino in Afghanistan. Mail had arrived and in it were several Hickory Farms gift packs, so we shared amongst our S-3 section. It was a nice break from a solid month of MREs.

Had the fortune of being in Long Binh Xmas '67 waiting for an assignment when the Bob Hope show rolled in. Managed a spot near the stage and as an 18yr old as of just a few months had my heart rate challenged being just feet away from Raquel Welch.

Hue Vietnam 1965. George E Jessel entertained the troops inside the VOA compound. He can outside to visit and meet the Marines that were protecting the compound. An area that was always under fire, his support of the military was very special. Cpl John T Hewitt family from Richmond Va sent our 4 man team - canned sardines, family photos, ( maybe a few cans of Black Label beer) and a Rosary each.

1989 Panama Just Cause/Desert Shield. Sitting with my fbf eating a chicken ale king MRE thinking about our family back home and how bad we wished we were with them.

1970 and a wet day at Fire Base Blackhawk on QL19 between Anke and Plieku. Hot meal with ham and turkey, with warm Olympia beer. Good day :)

Seeing a black Santa riding on the hood of a 3/4 ton truck around the perimeter road at Marble road Air Facility in 1970 made my day. LOL

Remote Turkey in 1975. Playing Santa Claus at a Party for kids from the local orphanage. Not that they knew who Santa was....but were all smiles when I gave them a gift.

A little antisemitism for Christmas. My uncle Jack was killed on patrol in Normandy. My cousin Alan was wounded on Okinawa. My cousin Martin, a Marine, fought in Korea. I spent a brutal winter outdoors near the DMZ in a combat zone in Korea. Maybe we made up for the day your guy missed?

Working Christmas Day in Afghanistan. Didn’t do a thing, set up a digital projector, opened up my facility, watched movies with a bunch of people, some I knew, some I didn’t, but we were all family, we all felt that too.

BLT 3/1 was blooded on 23 Dec 67, on Operation Fortress Ridge. 10 KIA and 20 wounded. On the 24th we were back on the Valley Forge, had a great Christmas dinner on the 25th. Embarked on Operation Badger Tooth on 26 Dec. On the 27th 3/1 encountered an NVA battalion in the village Thon Tam Khe. At the end of that miserable day, 48 Marines were dead and over 100 wounded. Christmas hasn't been the same since.

Date: December 25th 1966 0700 Hrs.
Place: Phan Rang AB RVN
Unit: 35th Security Police Squadron, K-9 Section

At 0600 I and my K-9 partner Prinz were picked up from post and returned to the kennel area after spending Christmas Eve/Morning patrolling the Air Base perimeter for the past 10+ hours.

The squad kenneled, feed and watered their dogs then climbed back on the truck again for the trip to the compound.

It was now about 0700 and as prearranging three of us got together in our hooch to memorialize our Christmas in Vietnam. Hopefully our only Christmas in Vietnam.

I pulled my olive green footlocker to the center of the floor and removed a bottle of Crown Royal, three cans of Coke and a small candle from my locker.

With the lighted candle at center stage on my footlocker and the three of us sitting around it we share stories of past Christmases, families at home, girlfriends present and past and what our plans were when we finally left the war zone. All that until we finished that large bottle of Crown Royal and the candle finally went out.

It definitely was not the Christmas we were dreaming about with our at home families but we were family now and making the best with what we had and it was a good morning.

To this day I cannot drink Crown Royal without remembering that Christmas morning in Vietnam.

I think it was either 1982 or 1983. Underway and submerged on a ballistic missile submarine, USS Casimir Pulaski, somewhere in the Atlantic. I was a junior Missile technician (MT3). Our Weapons department senior chief dressed himself in a Santa suit and walked through the ship handing out candy canes. A group of Christmas carolers went through the ship singing to the men on watch in the different compartments. A Christmas dinner was prepared by the cooks.

Christmas 1963 I was stationed at NATTC Memphis (Millington, TN) and I was not going home. We had a 14 inch snowfall around Christmas day and they had us airmen out clearing sidewalks using a broom stick and dust pan. Evidently there were no snow shovels available and they needed sidewalks cleared so there we went. We really used up a lot of dust pans during that snow storm because the snow was heavy and wet. I was able to fly home to Nebraska for the New Year.to see my family.