Text 4561, 44 rader
Skriven 2006-07-07 16:31:00 av Greg Sears
     Kommentar till en text av Brendon Thompson
Ärende: George's Jokers.........
================================
  Date: 27 Aug 99  17:05:00
  From: Tom Meyen

In the U S Navy SeaBees, battalions were sent to Marine bases
for infantry training before deployment to VietNam.  During the
last few weeks before we left for Camp Lejune North Carolina,
the guys who had been there before were telling those of us that
hadn't about the terrain we would be training in.

"When you get up in the morning and head to the mess hall,it is
uphill, and when you go back to the barracks for your gear, it
is uphill again.  From the barracks to the rifle range is uphill,
and it is uphill back from the range to the barracks."

This not only seemed strange, it seemed impossible.  Of course no
one would explain it.  They just kind'a grinned and nodded to each
other.  As we were all going to find out for ourselves, the mystery
was not revealed.

In June of 1967 my battalion and I boarded a military transport
aircraft and flew to Cherry Point, North Carolina, and from there
we were taken by "man haul" to Lejune.  "Man haul", otherwise known
as cattle cars to the troops are moving van like semi trailers with
hand rails inside to grip as you stand on your two hind legs and are
hauled to your destination.  Ventilation is poor, and air conditioning
unheard of.  Compared to "man haul" jeeps are luxury accommodations,
and military jeeps bear little resemblance to the comfortable Sport
Utility Vehicles of the same name we see today.

On arrival Lejune looked to be as flat as the surface of a pond on a
calm day, but the walk to the barracks was indeed uphill.  In fact
all the stories of roads being uphill in both directions were absolutely
true.  While veterans of Lejune would never reveal the secret to troops
about to experience the phenomenon themselves, as most of you will
never go there I'll let you in on it.  All the roads we marched on were
soft dry sand.  With each step you sank one to three inches into the
sand, then had to step up for the next pace, only to sink again as your
weight transferred to your other foot.  Stepping up with every step did
indeed make all roads uphill.

 * SLMR 2.1a * Cheers, I C E-man

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