December 21 in 1968 was a Saturday. It may have been our last day at NAVOCS until the new year of 1969. Hope everyone had the chance to get back home then for family, friends, etc.
To get a flavor of the times, here is a video of the Dean Martin Christmas show of 1968. You got Dean, Dom, Bob . . . and more! 🙂 Back when they wore tuxes.
Speaking of uniforms . . . . Technically, we were supposed to wear our uniforms when “out in public,” even on liberty. I was wearing mine when I met two friends — Connie and Bob, soon to be married — for drinks during the holiday break. And I think my uniform helped me out later that night, when I drove home.
I was in Western Massachusetts and it was late on a cold night. Duh, December. It was also a night for black ice. For whatever reason, I was not driving my car, but my family’s car — a 1965 Plymouth convertible, I believe.
I remember coming down a long hill toward an intersection, with traffic lights. The lights turned yellow and I pressed on the brakes. That begat a long slide. I remember looking and hoping no cars were approaching the intersection from left or right, and I saw there were none.
Went through the intersection and ran into the traffic divider on the other side. Car had turned around. I remember sitting there, engine off, very quiet. No seeming damage. But when I grabbed the wheel, it just turned loosely. No connection to the wheels.
Of course, this is pre-cell phones. Who to contact? How?
Don’t remember how long it took, but a police officer showed up. I think I explained what happened, best I could. Might have been slurring a bit. Maybe a lot. Ultimately, I remember sitting in the police station. I, or they, had called my father and he showed up to bring me home. No charges, no nothing. I know times were different then about DUI, but I also think being in uniform, in those times, with police officers then as now often being veterans, gave me a bit of a holiday gift.
Anyone else have stories from that Christmas break?
UPDATE: We were on leave for Christmas . . . enlisted leave. Below is my leave chit from that time. (I know, it’s probably weird that I have it.) We were due back on Friday, January 3, no later than 0730. I showed up at 0137 that morning, perhaps disturbing the quiet repose of YNSA Jennings. My repose, I’m pretty sure, was disturbed only about four hours later, at reveille.
UPDATE: Don Cockrill had a feverish holiday. “In 1968 there was a global ‘Hong Kong flu’ pandemic that struck the USA in early December — including OCS. Onset of the flu was rapid and debilitating. I caught it and spent 90 percent of the next two-three weeks in my bed, but did manage to return home to northern Va./D.C. for the break.
“I lost at least 15-20 pounds and my parents, especially my Mom, were horrified. I was 6’6”, 220 lbs., before the flu, but even so the Navy topcoat issued me was already too long and way too big — with the sudden weight loss it made me look like a cadaver.”
The Hong Kong pandemic killed between one and four million people worldwide, 1968-70, and was the third pandemic of the century, following the Asian flu of 1957 and the pandemic of 1918-19. The Hong Kong variety was considered highly contagious and its spread to the US was facilitated by the number of American servicemen returning with it from Vietnam.
Wishing all a merry Christmas, happy holidays, and happy new year!