Another impounded classic Department: Rx Author: Charlie Era: 1983 Date: 06/05/05 Wags had a 62 Chevy Impala that was a beater but solid and could have made a good restoration project. Just before the 83 Med, Wags announced he was selling it to some airedale for $150. To Cal and me, that was heresy. We each gave Wags $75 and figured we'd worry later about who kept the car after we departed the USN. The next day was our last day inport, and Cal was supposed to move the car to the D&S piers, where we were allowed to stash a car for long-term parking. I had duty, so Cal went out and got drunk and parked it at Pier 12. About 4 months later while we were in the Med, Wags received a letter from the Norfolk Police informing him the car was impounded and he had to pay a fine to reclaim it. We couldn't do anything about it, so I guess it got auctioned or scrapped, which was a bad fate for a car with such great Gonzoness.

Racing down Hampton Blvd. Department: Rx Author: Charlie Era: 1981 Date: 06/05/05 The night before one of our short cruises, Cal and I left Shady Acres in the El Camino to go on the mid-watch. We were pretty drunk and cruising down Hampton Blvd when a couple of squids on a motorcycle came roaring past us in the other lane. Cal rose to the challenge and pretty soon, we were doing about 90 in this 35 MPH zone. A cop pulled us all over near the Main Gate, and Cal and I were trying to hide about a dozen beer cans under the seat. I got a flashlight shined right in my eyes and the cop told me I was free to go and asked Cal for his license. I staggered out of the El Camino and could barely stand up when the other cop yelled for his partner to come over to the motorcycle. Our racing buddies had a bag of dope on them, so Cal and I became an afterthought. They wrote Cal a minor speeding ticket and let us go, while those other guys got hauled off to jail.

Sorry Gary Department: Rx Author: Elmo Era: 1983 Date: 06/06/05 Gary, Sorry I was sure I had registered that car into my name....

Noodles houses. Department: Rx Author: Elmo Era: 1984 Date: 06/06/05 Charlie, I mix up your houses I thought you lived in Shady Acres before VA Beach? Shady Acres was where Joe R. messed up his knee trying to stomp on a fire cracker wasn't it? You guys dropped him and me off at the VA Beach airstation and we went home with Pete's girlfriend and her husband. It was funny the guys in Medical asked why he had to pee so much and I told them we gave him alot of beer to kill the pain. Then he had to pee at night so I told him to go pee out the front door which he did and said there was people watching him and I said so what they didn't see much.

OTP Department: Rx Author: Elmo Era: 1986 Date: 06/06/05 I went out to pasture for my last 2 weeks. I put a chit on Big BOB By GOD Amantes desk and didn't show up for the next week. We were in Dry Dock and the ship was making a float for some parade in Newport News so I said I was working on the float and would not be in for the rest of my time. Well on Friday One of the other people working on the float said Amante said I had to be back on Monday. I went back on Monday and took the rest of the week off. I went in on Friday to get out.

See Page 6 Department: Rx Author: Charlie Era: 1981 Date: 06/06/05 Elmo, Shady Acres was our name for the Chesapeake Trailer Court where a bunch of us lived after the IO Cruise. See page 6. We then had a house near Oceana NAS after the 82 Med, then Noodle Central at 80th Street after the 83 Med.

Group Sups Department: Rx Author: Charlie Era: 1984 Date: 06/06/05 It always seemed RM Div had a "good cop/ bad cop version of who was each plant's Group Sup. When I went to 2 plant, Bubba Boone was GS and a very fair guy and friend to everyone. Bob Winger was in 1 plant, but was shortly replaced by an ex-sub chief named Foster, who quickly made a name for himself among the 1 planters. After Bubba departed, he was replaced by Chief Barney Scott, who was also a very decent guy. 1 Plant finally got some relief when Mombo replaced the Fos, but after MMCS Colpus left, Chief Scott went to the Division Office and we got Mombo in 2 plant. 1 plant got stuck with Chief Fox, another real winner. 1 plant finally got a break when they got Bob Amante and 2 plant got Skip Mullis. Mullis was always pestering me about making him a list of jobs to do. Before we could finish his list, he'd always want another one. He also tried to get me to re-enlist because he briefly got out and said the civilian world was too much for him. Anyone know what became of him?

Steppenwolf Concert Department: Rx Author: Charlie Era: 1982 Date: 06/06/05 In 82, Steppenwolf played at this club in Va Beach called Rogue's. We were getting really primed before going when Wags produced a whole bunch of morning glory seeds. He had read about the hallucenogenic effect they produce in a book called "Legal Highs". You had to eat a large amount to achieve this effect and one side effect was nausea. After eating enough of them to puke, only Pete R was still trying to reach the next level. He became a puddle on the way to Rogue's. We had to hold him up while we waited in line to get in, and when we got inside, all Pete could do was sit on the floor and stare into space. It was strange seeing him in that condition because he was usually very loud and boisturous on such occasions. Oh yeah, it was a great concert.

Pete's Charger Department: Rx Author: Charlie Era: 1981 Date: 06/06/05 Pete R had a 73 Dodge Charger that was a real beater. It was so bad a Delaware cop told him he didn't want to see that piece of s--- in his state again. It had a sunroof that was held in place by beer cans. It had 29 bullet holes in it when we went target shooting once and decided it would make a nice target. Once, Pete ran it into the garage wall trying to park and pulled the fender out when he tried to back out of the garage. The next morning, a Sunday, we were out there with my hatchet trying to beat it back in place. We finally just chopped off a section and called it good. All that noise really went over well with the airedale chief next door. I think he even quit calling us "shipmate" after that.

Learning from the Khaki Department: Rx Author: peter Era: 1979 Date: 06/06/05 Early on in my sentence on IKE, a couple of us were in a bar in the Virgin Islands (Will P. and myself). Sitting a table away from us was our Div Officer (LT.Bristo) - That son of a bitch was receiving 5-star treatment while the rest of us in the bar were left clamoring for service. When we asked him what was up with that, he informed us he had bribed the waiter when he first sat down. From then on, wherever applicable, I would try to slip the right guy a few piasters/pesetas/etc. in my quest for better service. Usually with fairly good results. Especially productive was the USO in Naples. While you poor losers were standing in line, waiting for your grub, I'd head directly to the front, slip the cook a few thousand lira and get twice the meal you had paid for. Plus I'd already be headed back to the Piano bar while you were just sitting down. So, a belated thanks to LT. Bristo, and who says you can't learn anything from the khaki.