the night they gunned down Santa Claus...

Marine Corps Lore ^ | 1967 | Chet lynn

[RaceBannon]

The Night They Gunned Down Santa Claus by Chet Lynn

There's strange things done 'neath the Vietnamese sun but the thing that locked my jaws was the night 'neath the moon, the third platoon gunned down Santa Claus.

It started off right just another night, you had to spend in the dirt, security was out, .360 about with fifty percent alert.

We had 81s and naval guns our tanks were track to track, an ontos or so an arty FO with barrages back to back.

I froze where I stood 'cause out of the wood eight horses came charging along, this may sound scary those mustangs were hairy, "Oh no," I moaned," mounted Viet Cong."

They were coming our way pulling what looked like a sleigh you never knew what they'd use, our flares were tripped our SIDs had flipped Our tipsy blew a fuse.

We let them close then we yelled "who goes" like they do in the movie show, the answer we got, believe it or not, was a hearty," Ho Ho Ho."

Now these troops of mine have seen some time they've done some things back-assward, they may be thick but I'll tell you a trick they knew that wasn't the password.

The nineties roared, the 81's soared, the naval guns raised hell, a bright red flare flew through the air, as we fired our FPL.

I'll grant him guts but that man was nuts or I'm a no good liar, he dropped like a stone in our killing zone I passed the word, "cease fire".

I went out and took a real good look, my memory started to race, my mind plays games when it comes to names but I never forget a face.

He was dressed in red and he looked well fed older than most I'd seen, he looked right weird with that long white beard and stumps where his legs had been.

He hadn't quite died when I reached his side but the end was clearly in sight, I knelt down low and he said real slow, "Merry Christmas...and to all, a good night..."

Now we should have known our cools were blown when that light in the East we seen. I thought it was flares and it had to be theirs or the damned things would have been green.

I picked up the hook with a voice that shook said "Gimme the Six and quick." "Colonel," I said, "hang on to your head, we just greased old St. Nick."

Now the old man's cool. He's nobody's fool, right off he knew the word. If This got out, there'd be no doubt, he wouldn't be making his bird.

"Just get him up here and we'll play it by ear, make sure he's got a tag, dismantle the sleigh, drive those reindeer away and bury that damned old bag."

Now by and by the kiddies may cry 'cause nothings under the tree, but the word came back from FMFPac that Santa had gone VC.

There's strange things done 'neath the Vietnamese sun but the time that locked my jaws, was the night 'neath the moon, 'When the third platoon gunned down Santa Claus.

~*~ And a Merry Christmas to all...~*~ http://rescueattempt.tripod.com/the_night_they_gunned_down_santa_clause.wav

[BwanaNdege]

Amazing that an 88,000 pound armored vehicle could swim so well.

We loaded up in a P5 in the well deck of a 'Gator Navy' ship (USS Alamo?) off the coast of Vietnam back in '69 for an amphibious assault. The Navy only flooded the well deck about 4 feet deep. Amtracs draw about 7 feet or more of water.

We went roaring off the stern and promptly dove about 10+ feet deep. The P5 had small slit windows up high in the troop compartment. We could see the surface of the ocean sparkling WAAAAY up there. Naturally, the gaskets on the front hatch/ramp were leaking and water was pouring in.

"I'm in a 45 ton steel box, 10 or 15 feet under water and it's leaking to beat the band!"

We finally popped to the surface and churned our way in to crawl up the beach. One on the other Amtracs sunk just before the beach in about 8 feet of water. Thankfully, the P5 had long overhead hatches, so everyone climbed out the top, safely.

Fun times!

;-)

[Rockpile]

Great anecdote. The P5s you had may have ended up in Taiwan since that is where a bunch of 3rd Amtracs vehicles went. I got detailed to strip commo gear out of them which I thought was just stupid.

Saw a P7 have an adventure one day at Camp Lejeune. He had launched ——— off the Portland if IIRC—— and had hydraulic trouble and the steering was screwed up. After the launch completed they tried to get back on the ship. Heavy swell and the ship was rising and falling. He ended up half on and half off the port side of the ramp and flipped over sideways and went completely under. About gave those of us watching heart attacks since it looked like they were going to be smashed by the ship’s ramp. Luckily they popped back up and eventually managed to get back on the boat. Good thing there were no grunts inside.

Another P7 did a test run in Courthouse Bay and sank. Even four bilge pumps can’t keep up when yoou forget to dog down the door in the ramp. Some asses got chewed over that :<{

[BwanaNdege]

Yeah, it’s scary cruisin’ around in metal boxes THAT heavy with that little free-board!

[onedoug]

Gator Navy ping....

[Seruzawa]

You forgot apologies to Robert Service.