What is your most memorable Christmas while deployed?

I was in basic training for Christmas 1983. Everyone was so depressed and missing family and home. When lights out was announced and our whole flight hit the sack; it was quiet and dark, there was no talking on this night. About 30 minutes after we all got into our beds our First Sgt. got on the giant voice and started telling us about Airmen guarding the DMZ, and Airmen patroling the flightlines on the Alaskan/Russian boarders. So don't feel too bad about being in BMT for Christmas. Well that got everyone crying in their beds until we fell asleep. Very memorable time in my 27 year AD military career. Merry Christmas to All!!!!

Cmsgt. Dave

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!