San Miguel, Philippines - 1959

Image and narrative from   Gerald (Sam) Hill CTRC USN (Ret)

Please scroll-down for photo and narrative.

RUN, RUN, RUN. Place: NAVRADTAPHIL, San Miguel, P.I. Time: Late 1959 I had recently been promoted to CTR2, and for lack of anything better to put me in charge of, the section Chief, put me in charge of the cattle car(Personnel transportation) to and from watches. For those who never knew or forgot, a cattle car was a tractor trailer rig with bench seats in the trailer and slats in the side for ventilation. My job, was to make sure that everyone going on our watch made in on the trailer and to/from the watch site, which was out the main gate and about a mile down the road. On this particular eve watch, I waited for all hands to come out of the chow hall or barracks and board the trailer. We departed the chow hall and went the regular route to the main gate, which took us past some dependent housing. While in the housing area, there were two young dependent ladies walking next to the road. As we passed, 2 or 3 of the watch standers gave them the wolf whistle. Unfortunately, the OOD, a Marine captain, heard the whistles and chased us down. Stopped the cattle car, offloaded everyone, and began a salty ass chewing. Of course it didn’t bother him, that we were still in the housing area for everyone to hear. Having us stand in formation for his tirade, he finally asked who was in charge. I replied, that I was. He informed me that I was on report. I reminded him that we were due on watch and he said he would make sure we got there. He sent the cattle car on to the site and marched/ran us out to the site. When we related the incident to the watch Chief, he said he would take care of it. I never heard anymore about the report, but they said the C.O. called the Marine in and talked to him. One of the fellows in the section drew the cartoon. It kind of tickles me now, but I don’t remember laughing at the time. G.M. (SAM) HILL

Home

|

Back