|
| Author | Topic: 36th Forum |
| Mickey Blanchford |
posted 5/25/07 5:50 AM
As a medic with the 36th in Vinh Long in 1970, I had a role in helping a small group of fellow engineers celebrate Christmas in their traditional manner. Several years ago I wrote a short story about that experience. That story, titled "A Christmas Pig," is posted on the following website: www.vfwpost5702.org If you choose to visit the site and read the story, click the VFW for Students button found on the home page. Once you are in the Students section, scroll down and click on A Christmas Pig. While the story will not be winning any awards, I hope you enjoy reading it. Whether positive or negative, I would appreciate your reaction.My feelings concerning my fellow engineers and my wishes for your holiday season are best expressed in the last line of the story.Doug "Doc" NeralichPete Peterson posted 12/5/06 8:34 PM Click here to send email to Pete Peterson Doc, I'm glad you are back! I read your story, "A Christmas Pig", and I enjoyed it because it brought back memories of a "pig roasting" held at Vinh Long in 1968.The project was engineered by SSgt Frenchy Desair and sufficient funds were collected from everyone to purchase a "Papasan Pig". I believe the hog was shot in the motor pool and the hog's basil body temperature was not a concern. At that time Vinh Long was an outpost and regulations were not explicitly complied with. Frenchy was a farm boy from Damar Kansas and he knew about these things. Our welder constructed a barbeque from 55 gallon drums and the hog was butchered and roasted. The hog was large and had a lot of fat. Obviously, it was not "USDA Prime", but a good time was had by all! Also, we tried water buffalo and I do not recommend H2O bovine!Your story brought back memories of Frenchy and the "Hard Core". Frenchy is gone now; he died three years ago. The "Hard Core" was the earth-moving platoon and Buck, Smitty and David Gee are gone. Hutch called awhile back and told me that Sparky had passed Vermont."A Christmas Pig" brought back a lot memories about men that I grew up with and men that I would like to meet again!Thanks, PeteDouglas Neralich posted 12/6/06 6:26 PM Click here to send email to Douglas Neralich Pete,I didn’t realize that we were continuing a pig roasting tradition at the 36th. And you had water buffalo as well! In your post you mention a welder. One of the things that always impressed me with the engineers was the abilities that those men had. There were guys who knew how to fix or build just about anything.I am sorrowed to hear of the passing of some of the members of your “Hard Core” earth-moving platoon. Unfortunately, time catches up to us. I just turned 60, and it doesn’t seem possible that I could be this old. A few months ago, I retired after a 38 year career in education. The 5:15 A.M. wake up plus a 2 hour round trip to an urban school each day just got to be too much. Since I am now "retired," I hope to be able to read post more on this site.Thanks so much for reading the story.DocPete Peterson posted 12/6/06 10:31 PM Click here to send email to Pete Peterson Doc;If I may expand on the story, we were still BCo 69th EBC in 1968. The welder was a man named MacWilliams and he was from up-state New York. Mac was our 3rd shop, which consisted of a 5 ton truck with folding sides and equipped with machine tools and a couple of CONEX boxes. This man could make or repair most anything.The water buffalo was something that we inherited and that is another story. I believe I still have the tips of the horns in a box somewhere. I had ambitions attaching them to a motorcycle helmet when I returned to the "World".In September or October of 1968 four of us were loaned to DCo 69th EBC which was beginning the Binh Thuy grading job. I remained at Binh Thuy, after the others retuned to Vinh Long, and skinned cat for DCo until New Years of 1969.I spent Christmas of 1968 at Binh Thuy. They attempted to make us mashed potatoes and you can imagine how that turned out!They had some canned peach halfs and I was lucky, because there were not enough for everyone, and was served one. I had not seen a peach half in ten months! The cook served it on top of my mashed potatoes with a big smile. I didn't know if I should eat the peach half or save it for later. While I was deciding, it began to rain and water was running off my s**t skillet. This was an out door event that took place in DCo's make-shift motor pool. Nobody ran for cover. Most of us probably needed a shower anyway! The "psy-ops" people flew over in one of their "bird dogs" playing Christmas carols and I believe they dropped leaflets wishing us a Merry Christmas.With respect to your story "A Christmas Pig", we experienced a wonderful "Silent Night"! I ate the peach half!PeteCookout posted 12/8/06 1:02 AM PeteThe best PLT cokout was the T-bone steaks. Better than any pig or water buffalo. Can't remember if you were there or not, or just when it was.AlanPete Peterson posted 12/9/06 7:55 AM Click here to send email to Pete Peterson Alan;I remember the T-bones because I had hitched a ride on a chopper to Vinh Long in an effort to get payed.The steaks were liberated by a newly promoted SSgt. who sort of owed me a minor favor. As I recall, that was the night Buck Howard and Olson had a disagreement and the Big Swede lost!Sarge, send me an E-mail. I have experienced a problem with your address.PeteDoug Neralich posted 12/12/06 2:38 AM Pete,I hope you have that "peachy" Christmas story written down. That story needs to be shared. It speaks volumes about the character of the American GI.May this Christmas be a hundredfold brighter for you.DougReturn To Message Board36th Engineer Battalion | Post New Topic http://www.fortirwin2vietnam36theng.org/HOME.html 36th Fort Irwin & Vietnam |
|
|