October 6, 2012
I met Mr. Roberts at the Williston Peanut Festival. He had been with the Seabees (the builders of lots of bridges, etc.). He had been in the service 1952-1955. He was mostly stateside during the Korean "Police Action." I got the idea, that in addition to being the builders, they are kind of the Radar O'Reilly of the Navy. Barter seems to be their middle name. They are adept at getting almost anything, any time, any where (ice cream in the desert, maybe). Their bartering services extended to all branches of service. My guess that Uncle Sam might never find some of its property, because of the trading amongst and between.
Mr. Roberts, a Daytona native, said that he had been stationed at Davisville, Quonset Point. I knew exactly where that is as part of our trip this summer brought us through Davisville, RI. My friends Lynne and John, now married almost forty years met at Quonset Point. Mr. Roberts wanted to know about the area now. He would never recognize it. He remembered it as having lots of Quonset huts (thus, the name). Did not see a Quonset hut anywhere. A large part of the base is a shopping center. Quonset Point has been decommissioned as a Naval base some time ago, but the local Air National Guard still uses the airstrip.
It is kind of fun to talk to someone who knows a place that you also know, but it is too remote for others to figure out.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
GREENE. LAMAR
October 6, 2012
I met Mr. Greene at the Annual Peanut Festival in Williston today. I had been chatting with another veteran of that time period. If one wants to hear the real stories, stand by and listen to a conversation of two vets. Mr. Greene had been in the USAF. I don't know any of the details of his life in the service except for the one story I heard, but I felt it was humorous and needed to be shared.
He talked about how different beers were in different locals and barter between units and other US service personnel (particularly the Navy) was a large part of doing more than surviving. At times, it was part of the good life, it seems.
Mr. Greene mentioned that in the belly of a plane going to a place where supplies might be different, cases of beer might be included. The tail number(s) would be communicated to the destination of the plane. Soon, another plane or two would be coming back from the destination with "Korean" beer. Again, the tail numbers would be communicated. So, beer barter was active. The appropriate men in the ground crew were always in the know.
He had been stationed in Okinawa.
I met Mr. Greene at the Annual Peanut Festival in Williston today. I had been chatting with another veteran of that time period. If one wants to hear the real stories, stand by and listen to a conversation of two vets. Mr. Greene had been in the USAF. I don't know any of the details of his life in the service except for the one story I heard, but I felt it was humorous and needed to be shared.
He talked about how different beers were in different locals and barter between units and other US service personnel (particularly the Navy) was a large part of doing more than surviving. At times, it was part of the good life, it seems.
Mr. Greene mentioned that in the belly of a plane going to a place where supplies might be different, cases of beer might be included. The tail number(s) would be communicated to the destination of the plane. Soon, another plane or two would be coming back from the destination with "Korean" beer. Again, the tail numbers would be communicated. So, beer barter was active. The appropriate men in the ground crew were always in the know.
He had been stationed in Okinawa.
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