Posted on Nov 28, 2015
What is your most memorable Christmas while deployed?
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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...
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...
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 175
Mine was when I was stationed at Kunsan AB, Korea. I was missing my husband and did not plan on coming back to the states for a mid-tour as I was afraid that I would not come back. I sat on Santa's lap on base and told him that I wanted my husband to be with me for Christmas. Well, after that I made arrangements for him to fly to Korea and stay in my dorm room. That made my Christmas, even though he came there after the new year. That really helped get me through the Christmas season.
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As a member of the U.S. Army in December 1968, I was having Christmas Dinner just south of the Korean DMZ at Camp Casey, Korea. We had REAL eggnog, flown in from California! (“Real” as opposed to the milk we usually had, which was shipped to Korea as powder, and “reconstituted" in the Army Milk Factory in Seoul, replacing the butterfat with coconut oil. It tasted OK if it was really cold, but if not it tasted like plastic). I was amazed that the Army made that effort to make Christmas "special"!
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PFC David Tomlinson
3 years later, I was at Camp Pelham, about 25 km away. We didn't eat anywhere near as good, LOL
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Laying in the snow all night in the alps with my M16. I was APC driver, my sgt. wouldn’t let me sleep in it. Didn’t mind too much, APC had a terrible stink. No showers for couple of weeks for 8 infantry. 1970
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I am not sure if it was Christmas day, but I was at a Navy LT house, who was a coach for the Rugby team I played for while doing two years and four months overseas. He had a wife and two children. one girl and one boy. His son graduated WestPoint a few years back. We had dinner and exchanged gifts.
We would travel a ferry about two miles across the Lock to go to practice and games. I would work Fridays and Sundays to get time off for Rugby.
My time there was made easier with his company and well as a Scotsman Mr. Morgan. He was my teammate. A lot of my time was spent on special weapon transfers. In the worst conditions I would expect men to be working in.
Pam Am 103 was blown out of the sky while I was there. It landed somewhere between 15 to 30 miles southeast of our position. Women and children were targeted for being married to our service personnel.
Over and out.
We would travel a ferry about two miles across the Lock to go to practice and games. I would work Fridays and Sundays to get time off for Rugby.
My time there was made easier with his company and well as a Scotsman Mr. Morgan. He was my teammate. A lot of my time was spent on special weapon transfers. In the worst conditions I would expect men to be working in.
Pam Am 103 was blown out of the sky while I was there. It landed somewhere between 15 to 30 miles southeast of our position. Women and children were targeted for being married to our service personnel.
Over and out.
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In 1965 I got a chance to see the Bob Hope Christmas show in Danang. It was pouring rain but nobody cared. It was a great break from what was happening in Vietnam. I still have vivid memories of the day.
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Early 1980's Christmas eve. Uss Midway home ported in Japan . I walked the streets of yokosuka thinking about my family in California, My.Mom Dad Brothers and sister. It was my first Christmas away from home. As a young man I felt so lonely. So I put on my Walkman, listening to the BeeGees I walked for miles that night.
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Having spent 33 years in the Navy, I have been assigned to a number of different ships. I have been deployed many times over the years and more than a few of those have been over holidays. We have always managed to be in port somewhere which allowed phone communication with the home front, if not having loved ones visit that port EXCEPT that one deployment to Desert Shield/Storm. Christmas was spent making best speed in the South China Sea with a sixteen ship amphibious task force headed for Persian Gulf. We were allowed some battery powered directions, but no contact home and no visitation from loved ones. I really remember that Christmas.
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Christmas Day 2006 at FOB Shield in Baghdad: we had the day off from our duties as part of the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior transition team and decided to have a Christmas party and share all of our care packages from the folks back home. While in my hooch gathering mine from over the past month or so, I came across a box of Cheerios that one of my old P-3 squadronmates from Jacksonville sent earlier that year. I had set it aside because of the dearth of good breakfast chow at the DFAC. I decided to bring it along, but noticed that the box "sloshed" when it was shaken. And lo, there came a welcomed harbinger of Christmas Spirits, in spite of CENTOM’s General Order Number One forbidding said spirits: My thoughtful and resourceful friend had neatly hidden a pint of Jim Beam inside the box and carefully resealed its top with a glue gun. Thankfully, it had slipped undetected by the not-so-diligent Booze Police.
Needless to say, that was one item I did not share with my group on the FOB. No problem falling asleep that night!
Needless to say, that was one item I did not share with my group on the FOB. No problem falling asleep that night!
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Remembering Christmas 54 years ago
By Robert "Bob" Kickenweitz
When I was a youth growing up in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Christmas was pretty much the same year to year other than the presents we would receive. Each year my family would watch a variety of Christmas Shows, Ozzie & Harriet Nelson with David and Ricky, Andy Williams, Perry Como, I Remember Mamma, and of course The Story of the Nativity. On Christmas morning after church, my Aunt and Uncle would drive out from New York City to spend the day and have dinner with us, sometimes my Grandmother and Grandfather would be with us also. My younger brother Edd and I knew that whatever we received as gifts from my Aunt and Uncle there would always be a new pair of slipper socks for each of us, we hated slipper socks but we knew we couldn't say anything other than, "Thank you."
The year I have the most vivid memory of is 1966. This would be my first Christmas away from home, I would not have my family and friends around me, and we would not be having dinner together and for once I wished I could be home to receive those slipper socks. December 25, 1966 found me in Xuan Loc, South Vietnam as part of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Our base camp was located about 65 miles northeast of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, between the jungle and a rubber tree plantation, I really was not looking forward to Christmas that year. I can remember that after dinner on Christmas Eve I went and took a shower, put on a clean uniform and sat down to listen to Armed Forces Radio and to write some letters for my family back home. We also listened to Hanoi Hannah the only other station on the radio. She was the Tokyo Rose of the Vietnam War. She played the best music and in between songs would send out her propaganda message. On this night, she was saying that the Vietcong, (you remember the guys in the black pajamas) would be having Christmas Dinner on the base camp of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment the following day. Now that’s a message that really got our attention.
At about ten in the evening I got up to go over to the service for Christmas Mass. Our Chaplain, Father Egan, his assistant Tony Graziano and whoever else helped, did a superb job in preparing an open field into a beautiful place to serve midnight Mass. They started by taking some beer and soda pallets to construct a floor for our altar, then nailed some plywood on top of the pallets to finish the floor. For the rear walls of the altar, they nailed four by eight sheets of plywood to the floor, then lifting the plywood seven to eight feet high into the air to create the rear walls of the altar. Blue spotlights were used to wash light across the back walls of the altar. A podium with a white cross on the front of it was in the center of the altar.
Off the altar to the left was a confessional with a long line of soldiers and some nurses. The lines were always long at the confessional, everybody always took the opportunity when it presented itself, to go to confession. While more soldiers were filling in the bare spots in the field the Chaplains assistant was playing Christmas Carols on an organ. For some reason while I was sitting on the ground singing with the others around me, I decided to lie back on the ground. Coming from the New York, New Jersey area you never see all the stars that are in the sky due to refractive lights of the big cities. But out here between a jungle and a rubber tree plantation you get to see the Milky Way in its full splendor. I’m not sure if it was my missing of family and friends or if God was telling me in his own way that things would be okay. Looking up into the night sky I saw the most beautiful sight I have ever seen in my life. On the ceiling of our open air church was the same scene the shepherds must have seen two thousand years before, the only thing missing was the star of Bethlehem. The grandeur of the Milky Way in that black sky was absolutely breathtaking. Every Christmas Eve when my family and I go to Mass, inevitability sometime during the service I drift back to that magical Christmas Eve. so many years ago and so far away I'm still filled with a joy only that Christmas could deliver. This year more than any other, I would like to take the opportunity to wish everybody; especially our young men and women of the armed forces a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and that they may feel the magic of that special Christmas.
Robert Kickenweitz
11th ACR HQ & HQ Troop
Oct 66 - Sep 67
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By Robert "Bob" Kickenweitz
When I was a youth growing up in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Christmas was pretty much the same year to year other than the presents we would receive. Each year my family would watch a variety of Christmas Shows, Ozzie & Harriet Nelson with David and Ricky, Andy Williams, Perry Como, I Remember Mamma, and of course The Story of the Nativity. On Christmas morning after church, my Aunt and Uncle would drive out from New York City to spend the day and have dinner with us, sometimes my Grandmother and Grandfather would be with us also. My younger brother Edd and I knew that whatever we received as gifts from my Aunt and Uncle there would always be a new pair of slipper socks for each of us, we hated slipper socks but we knew we couldn't say anything other than, "Thank you."
The year I have the most vivid memory of is 1966. This would be my first Christmas away from home, I would not have my family and friends around me, and we would not be having dinner together and for once I wished I could be home to receive those slipper socks. December 25, 1966 found me in Xuan Loc, South Vietnam as part of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Our base camp was located about 65 miles northeast of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, between the jungle and a rubber tree plantation, I really was not looking forward to Christmas that year. I can remember that after dinner on Christmas Eve I went and took a shower, put on a clean uniform and sat down to listen to Armed Forces Radio and to write some letters for my family back home. We also listened to Hanoi Hannah the only other station on the radio. She was the Tokyo Rose of the Vietnam War. She played the best music and in between songs would send out her propaganda message. On this night, she was saying that the Vietcong, (you remember the guys in the black pajamas) would be having Christmas Dinner on the base camp of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment the following day. Now that’s a message that really got our attention.
At about ten in the evening I got up to go over to the service for Christmas Mass. Our Chaplain, Father Egan, his assistant Tony Graziano and whoever else helped, did a superb job in preparing an open field into a beautiful place to serve midnight Mass. They started by taking some beer and soda pallets to construct a floor for our altar, then nailed some plywood on top of the pallets to finish the floor. For the rear walls of the altar, they nailed four by eight sheets of plywood to the floor, then lifting the plywood seven to eight feet high into the air to create the rear walls of the altar. Blue spotlights were used to wash light across the back walls of the altar. A podium with a white cross on the front of it was in the center of the altar.
Off the altar to the left was a confessional with a long line of soldiers and some nurses. The lines were always long at the confessional, everybody always took the opportunity when it presented itself, to go to confession. While more soldiers were filling in the bare spots in the field the Chaplains assistant was playing Christmas Carols on an organ. For some reason while I was sitting on the ground singing with the others around me, I decided to lie back on the ground. Coming from the New York, New Jersey area you never see all the stars that are in the sky due to refractive lights of the big cities. But out here between a jungle and a rubber tree plantation you get to see the Milky Way in its full splendor. I’m not sure if it was my missing of family and friends or if God was telling me in his own way that things would be okay. Looking up into the night sky I saw the most beautiful sight I have ever seen in my life. On the ceiling of our open air church was the same scene the shepherds must have seen two thousand years before, the only thing missing was the star of Bethlehem. The grandeur of the Milky Way in that black sky was absolutely breathtaking. Every Christmas Eve when my family and I go to Mass, inevitability sometime during the service I drift back to that magical Christmas Eve. so many years ago and so far away I'm still filled with a joy only that Christmas could deliver. This year more than any other, I would like to take the opportunity to wish everybody; especially our young men and women of the armed forces a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and that they may feel the magic of that special Christmas.
Robert Kickenweitz
11th ACR HQ & HQ Troop
Oct 66 - Sep 67
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On Christmas 2006, at Kirkuik AB, Iraq, the chaplain and the Top 3 okayed the making of a Christmas tree. We made it out of a steel frame with camouflaged netting and lights, the base commander had a lighting ceremony and we all stood around singing Silent Night and a few other carols.
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During a cruise to the Middle East on a destroyer in '93 morale was quite low and there were pro and anti Christmas sentiment on the ship, as we had not been receiving mail regularly for some time. But with a little bit of luck and a lot of help, it turned out to be an okay Christmas.
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1980. Went by train from Naples Italy to northern Hollamd for Xmas. My friends family was of a Dutch background. Went thru the alps. Beautiful but cold. Saw a lot of Germany. When we got to our destination his grandmother had us stay upstairs w no heat but slept in a bed w feather pillows. She fought in WW2 w the underground. She did not speak any English. Sat w two nights s coming back. Met a guy from Iraq on train and I think he wanted to surrender to us since we were Americans. Got back to the John F Kennedy (CVA67) and finished our Med cruise. PN2 Mike Rickey
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I was stationed in Iceland unaccompanied from 93-95 while my wife, my 3yo, and my son was born on Christmas Day 1993 in Jacksonville, Florida. For my Sons 1st birthday, they flew to Iceland and spent Two weeks enjoying the Snow, extremely high winds, sledding and the blue lagoon. One of my Sailors dressed up as Santa and delivered Christmas gift to my 1year old and my 3 year old. It was great. We even flew to Amsterdam for 4 days to warm up a little. This event helped shape my youngest Sons career path as he is a Navy Seabee and really enjoys it. My other Son is in his last year of Medical School and, as expected, we are both proud of our young men. Merry Christmas to all my shipmates overseas and those at the tip of the Speer. I am proud of every man and woman serving our country. It makes us all better people. Stay Safe.
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CAPT (Join to see)
no colder WX than when preflighting a Kef Ready Alert bird @ 0dark30 in the winter!
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In 1969 I was serving aboard USS Benner DD 807 on Yankee Station as plane guard for the USS Ranger CV 61 (nickname-TOP GUN). We were notified that a select few members of our crew would be helo- lifted to the carrier for the Bob Hope show. I was standing CIC radar watch while the show went on but in my minds eye, I was on the carrier. The other plane guard was the USS Eversole DD 789. Their crew was similarly given access to the show.
My Christmas memory was kneeling in the sand tactically spaced outside in the embassy compound in Mogadishu with Marine snipers providing overwatch while a Catholic chaplain gave a mass to about 50 of us. Michael Toler LTC USArmy
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1975, 1976 USS INDEPENDENCE CV62, Christmas in Naples duty on Christmas Eve. Went down for Dinner and the Skipper was working the serving line. In the shop one of the guys made wine and we watched movies.
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The time my wife was banging another dude.
Every Christmas is always the best because I celebrate it with my friends. This Christmas I have sent the designer cards to my friends that I selected on
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Christmas 1981 Spinelli Barracks Mannheim Germany living on the top floor, had arrived about 3 weeks earlier. Germans love fireworks at Christmas, and I had a magnificent view of the city from my window!
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Probably my first December while stationed on Guam, in 1993. I called my mother and she asked how my first winter was in a foreign country. I told her that it was still a US territory, so not really a foreign country. I also told her that there wasn't winter there. Huh, what do you mean? Well, there are only two seasons here. I don't understand. The two seasons are the Wet Season and the Dry Season. Okayyyyyy, what's the difference? Well, right now it's the Wet Season, which means that it rains pretty much all day, every day. Okay, so what's the Dry Season, then? Well, the Dry Season means that it only rains once or twice a day and not for very long.
As a point of reference, during the Dry Season, if you had blue skies, not a cloud in sight, start the timer on your watch. Clouds roll in, rain for literally 5 minutes, then the clouds roll out again. Blue skies with not a cloud in sight. Check the timer on your watch? 10 minutes had gone by. After being home on leave for a few weeks, I started doubting that this was even real that things like this happened. Then I flew back to Guam and experienced it within the first few minutes out of the airport. Yep, really happens.
As a point of reference, during the Dry Season, if you had blue skies, not a cloud in sight, start the timer on your watch. Clouds roll in, rain for literally 5 minutes, then the clouds roll out again. Blue skies with not a cloud in sight. Check the timer on your watch? 10 minutes had gone by. After being home on leave for a few weeks, I started doubting that this was even real that things like this happened. Then I flew back to Guam and experienced it within the first few minutes out of the airport. Yep, really happens.
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Stationed aboard the USS McKean DD784 out of Long Beach, CA Naval Base; fortunate to spend Xmas 69 & Xmas 70 in Long Beach; phoned home both Xmases to speak with my parents and sister. No special celebration aboard ship. Many crewmen had families in Long Beach where they spent Xmas except those with the duty that day. Only the duty section aboard those days and those who couldn't go home or Xmas like myself.
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FSB Iron 1 Christmas 1969. I was detailed to bring 5 troops back to Lai Khe to attend the Bob Hope show. Upon arrival, I received an azz chewing from the REMFs that never set foot outside the gates of Lai Khe for not maintaining secure radio procedure in mentioning the show. So I was sent back to the FSB without seeing the show. There were 5 NFL players visiting the troops in Lai Khe. I wondered aloud why these magnificent physical specimens were not in uniform with us? That caused a questioning of my patriotism and a skeptical viewpoint on my behalf towards the flag waving hypocrisy of the NFL. Turns out I was right.
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When I was in Vietnam on the River boat.We had our Christmas diner on the River they flew it out to us
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Christmas of 1968, 9th Infantry, Dong Tam Base - Bob Hope Show. A refreshing break during an eventful year in the Mekong Delta.
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Christmas 1969...NSA DaNang...I was getting short...ETD would be 23Jan70...but Christmas in VN was still a bummer
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1972. I was on security duty at the entry post of the missile site , which consisted of a small 6x6 guard shack in the middle of no where. The only thing visible was one small building in the distance and lots of rocks, lots of rocks, and lot of rocks and a double fence covered in concertina wire. It was December 24 and my scheduled should have ended at 3:00 PM. Unfortunately it had started snowing earlier in the day and by noon the blizzard hit and we had 3 feet of snow on the ground and no visibility. I had walked outside to take a piss earlier and found a mouse haft dead struggling in the snow. I have no idea where the mouse came from. I took him inside with me. It continued to snow and the message I received was that I had no relief coming due to the weather, as if I did not know. So I spent the next 3 days, including Christmas in the 6x6 shack. Marines on security duty were not allow to have food, books, or any items that would distract them, but I had my mouse. By the third day I was wondering if you could grill a mouse over an electric heater. Luckily relief arrived by snow cats on the third day, mostly due to the needs of the crew at the missiles site. I never got the opportunity to find out if you can grill a mouse.
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