Saturday Silly, Kinda/Sorta Just A Sea Story
In 1969 I was TDY on Guam. I was assigned to the dive locker. These sailors were Navy Divers. Not SEALS ,mind you, just work-a-day folks who were responsible for salvage and hull inspections, etc.
They had a thing for the UDT (You Did Its) lot across the bay, more on that in a bit. On their off time they would take the Mike boat out and visit The Shark Pit to spear fish. I was diddling with their electronics and adapting well enough. A UDT type or two would join in because a big Grouper was worth some money with the locals.
At that time there was STILL a Japanese soldier from WWII alive and active on Guam. I didn’t quite spend time looking over my shoulder, but it was a regular topic of conversation.
While there I decided to learn to scuba dive. A Navy Diver types figured I aughta get it done right. So in a regular pool I was put through the UDT type education. Got my mask ripped off underwater, etc. No official certification – just fun. I then got to go to the Shark Pit and watch from underwater while they hunted. I also got to help clean the fish.
Odd Wannabe sidebar: I’ve related this story over the years and heard back later that I claimed to BE a SEAL? Never got the connection myself.
OTH When I related this Sea Story to Capt Bailey HE laughed. He also observed that there was a SEAL Team there at the time.
So, memories and memories OF memories exposed. I DID get comfortable underwater. I was made comfortable during that visit to Guam. Truth is… I had never actually heard of the SEALS back then.
Category: Geezer Alert!
Nice story Zero;
My father was stationed on Guam around that time. He was a Chief Radio man. Our whole family was there with him. As a kid I really enjoyed(what I remember) having fun with the other kids. I was very young. I think we were there till 1972.
Sgt. Yoshi was the gent.
And I got my PADI Open Water and Rescue Diver certs in Hawaii. Dove almost on a daily basis when I got to Guam. A few of us owned a zodiac, or shares in it. We used to dive and spearfish. Bring the fish into the local bar and trade it for beer.
One of the few things that kept me sane there.
I used to sleep in the same berthing as the tender divers. Great guys. Sadly, one was snorkeling off Orote Point, had a shallow water blackout and drowned. Dangerous stuff to do alone or go too deep.
So, doesn’t this make 13 wins over Army for the Navy??
Just asking… 😀
Yes. Yes it does.
I am mindful of the symbolism with this win. Navy was wearing new uniforms which featured the original Navy Jack on the jersey and helmet, as well as the palms of the gloves. And they got their 13th win, which gives them 1 for every one of the original colonies. 🙂
I rather like that.
And Pons, brother? Nice story, man. It’s always nice to hear about the every day back stories of where we were stationed, what it was like, etc. I was never stationed in the Pacific, always either the Atlantic or Med.
Yeahhhhhhhh….baby!
Cool story, Zero! A Ranger friend of mine, that I used to do civilian skydiving with (no, I’m not Airborne qualified, or a Ranger through association with them), who was, also, Scuba qualified, and he trained me up and took me scuba diving in a couple of South Georgia lakes that we knew were not home to ‘gators. It was a great time in that part of my life.
I flew with VQ-1 back in the early 90s and passed through Agana on my way to the Arabian Gulf. Got stranded there because of a big typhoon that passed through the area.
Anyway, during my short time there, heard three things about Guam that are probably bullshit, but they are what they are:
1. Guam is actually an acronym for “Give Up And Masturbate.”
2. The asphalt on the road is made from coral and become slicker than goose shit whenever it rains.
3. Always, ALWAYS kick the dumpster before open the lid to dump trash. That way you won’t get attacked by the monkeys inside.
It also stands for, “Give Us American Money.”
I can vouch for the coral base of the roads. Anytime I was there on either of my boats or stationed there (Proteus and Holland) the big thing was to head over to the main NAVSTA gate after the rainstorm at 1500.
At 1530-1600, all the guys came heading out the gate towards that one traffic light down the hill…and couldn’t stop.
Ah, good times.
3 is bullshit. No monkeys. Brown tree snakes killed them all. Seriously. The radio station had a giveaway of a new truck to the person who brought in the most LIVE brown tree snakes. The winner brought in something like 25,000 of them.
Being stationed there, one had three things to do: drink, dive, or be a gym rat. Most of us did all three. It wouldn’t be so crappy being there now, because I’m sure it doesn’t cost $4/minute to call home, and with the advent of e-mail, etc., guys aren’t spending their entire paychecks going to the ITE hut to call home.
I was conceived on Guam in 1963-1964 :-). Never made it back there, despite tours in Misawa and Okinawa.
Early 70’s, remember the weather girl on KUAM?