I Remember When

REMEMBER WHEN, IT WAS
YOUR TURN TO SAY GOODBYE?

   Life is no life to him
      that dares not die and
     death no death to him
that dares not live!
Unknown

Inscription on a statue of a
deploying Seabee's final
moments with his family.

CBC, Port Hueneme,
California

Please share your memories with the MEN OF 121.
Listed, last received, first shown

I remember I was in the mess hall at Phu Bai on the afternoon of 15 January 1968 when my direct superior, Rocky Barnes came to tell me the XO, Commander Thomas Harwell wanted to see me in his office. I had received a telegram stating that my baby girl back home was dying. I had gotten paid that day and like many others had purchased a new 35mm camera so had no money. I made the statment that I was broke and didn't know how I would get home from wherever they Navy flew me to inside the continental limits of the US. Within the next two hours four different guys brought me envelopes with money donations inside from my comrades in MCB 121. The total was a staggering $661.00. After the first one I tried to get the others to take the money back and give it back to the guys who gave it but none would do it. I will ALWAYS remember the kindness shown me at a very bad time in my life.

Billy W. Bolin CE2, H co.

During the Gia Le tour, part of my job was to repair the PRC and Motorola radios. There were several to be worked on one day and I used the Alpha Co. dispatcher (if my memory serves me right) to do radio checks on them. Each time I called, he said "Receive you 2 by 2", meaning a loudnes of 2 and a clarity of 2. After a while, he must have been a little irritated, because he replied "Receive you 2 by 2 by 2". When I asked him what he meant, he said "I receive you too loud, too clear, and too darn often!!!"

Ed Wolinski ETN2 Hotel Co.

The batch plant crew decided we would like a day at China Beach and the only way to do it was to get the hooch of the week award on Sunday inspection. We cleaned the hooch from top to bottom, painted everything in sight olive drab and even scrubbed and oiled the floor. We then retired to the batch plant to do pm on it. When we got back the notation on the inspection report was "too sterile." We tried again the next time, a general field day and one addition, a small vase with a red flower in it. Once again it was off the batch plant for pm and on our return the note on the inspections report was "smart ass."

Can-Do....now and then! Maybe some of you remember me. My name is Dick Bell, BU3, Charlie Company, 68' - 69'. Was the Charlie Company clerk for 1/2 of the tour at Gia Le with the rest of the tour in the Pre-cut Yard. Had some great times with Jones, Pecor, Boven, Mace, Packard, and other tea-toadlers! Want to communicate? email me at: thebells@vbe.com .

Greetings from Chaplain Starr. It was great to hear from Billy this week and be brought up to date on MCB 121. Those were two great years for me and many of you helped make it a unique experience. I always thought it was kind of a sandwich experience -- Gia Le and Danang with Hurricane Camille sandwiched in between!! I'm looking forward to seeing many of you in Hampton in February. I'm retired and living near Jefferson City, MO.

I Remember When: we had problems with one of the antenna's for the MARS station at Gia Le and someone had to climb the 90 foot pole to work on it. Mike Hyneman, Mike Eaton, Mike Baker and I all worked in the station and were all CET's which meant our climbing ability was not much. In other words, the yellow streak down our backs was a little too wide for that height. After practically begging Lt. Stikeleather, he managed to solicit help from the linemen (CEP's) of Bravo Company who didn't seem to mind helping out their, not so brave, buddies. I'm not sure who did the climbing but I believe our thanks, 32 years later, goes to Terry Bockman and Dale Isenberg for pulling us out of that bind. Also to Lt. Dave Stikeleather for not threatening us with a court martial for failing to do our job. Thanks Guys!!

I remember when we got the all clear at about 6 A.M. after spending more than a week in a fox hole following the Tet Offensive. When Bernard McDougall and I went to the chow hall, we saw a line waiting to get in that was several hundred long. I turned to Mac and said "F--- this I got a canned ham in my locker" and he said "I've got a 5th of 4 roses". We heated that ham up right proper after it went down. Probably the best breakfast I've ever had and we were the first ones in the showers. Sorry fellahs, we just didn't have enough for everyone.

I remember when we had several memorable rocket attacks while in Gia Le. The night that one landed just behind the chapel and nobody knew whether or not it went off...and then there was the night that the equipment shed at the ball field got hit and threw balls, bats and other sports gear as far as the Acey-Ducey Club! Life in the fast lane I guess. 11/1/00
G. W. "Gerry" Davis, EQCM (SCW) Ret (CM2 in PAO - Gia Le)
GWDAVISEQ@aol.com

I remember when a popular saying of Seabee Team 12104 members was "As a Seabee, I've done so much with so little for so long, I think I can do anything with nothing!"
Tripp Hines 4/7/00

I remember when I and my fellow E-6's of "A" Co. built one of the best hut bunkers in Phu Bai. Not long after, the Chiefs of 121 built a head with flush toilets. These "construction experts" also ran a leach field line that kept our bunker floor wet and tainted the bunker with a foul odor. Until then, I had assumed that the VC were my primary enemy. Alan F. Kane 1/21/00