Posted on 07/04/2015 1:35:08 PM PDT by PROCON
Today, America celebrates it's 239th birthday, but do you remember our Bicentennial celebration, July 4, 1976?
Come on you older FReepers, and you know who you are.
Where were you and what did you do that day, 39 years ago.
I remember it well, as I was in Bamberg, Germany stationed with a Field Artillery Battalion.
I remember that day because my unit was picked to be munitions guard at our munitions storage facility, and I was one of the "lucky" soldiers picked for duty.
So, back and forth I marched with my M-16, (with real bullets!), around the perimeter, occasionally meeting up with another guard, 4 hours on, 4 hours off for 48 hours.
Meh, that's my Bicentennial story, pretty boring, I know, but memorable to me.
I think we drank a lot of German beer afterwards :-)
So, what did you do 39 years ago?
I was at Wildflecken, Germany, with the 2/12 Cavalry on my Brigade 76 deployment. I don’t believe that I actually had any duty that day ... but I do remember my times guarding the munitions storage facility. My best memory is being attacked by an owl while on night guard.
I was 10 years old. My father was an air squadron commander at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. The base held a big festival and air show, and the different units had food and beverage booths to raise money for ... I suppose the squadron relief fund. Ours was Pepsi products, very sticky. (All the officers’ kids had to help.)
When it got dark, we all went out on the golf course and watched the fireworks.
I was almost 14. It was summer, I had a bike, I had my first girlfriend, and kids were free to roam and have adventures in those days. I’m not sure what I did, but I’m sure it involved the girlfriend and the bike.
We painted all the fire plugs red, white, and blue that summer.
Watched the fireworks from Chautauqua Park, Boulder, CO
Was living in Plainfield, NJ. Would start college in the fall (nursing major).
I well remember the armada of ships in New York harbor. Too lazy to figure out how to post pictures but wish some other Freeper would of this pretty sight.
I remember seeing that on television!
I was in Philadelphia, marching in the Bicentennial Parade as part of my high school’s band.
I hated my high school, and will to my dying day.
I was 26 and just married. Went out that morning of the 4th target shooting with my Colt .44 black powder revolver, then went to a fireworks show with the wife.
College and part-time job. Summer session. Muggy weather that summer (every summer is muggy by the banks of the Burning River).
What I did that particular day? Don’t recall. Couldn’t have been anything too special.
Come to think of it — may have worked that day.
Not attending many high school reunions, huh Sarge?
I was five years old at the time. It’s one of my earliest memories. I feel like I was probably influenced significantly by the “sprit of ‘76”. .
I was a soldier on parade all day long marching with a thousand other soldiers in Korea, that evening the Koreans put on one hellava tear jerker display in honor of our country and our support.
I was running Lindy’s Cafe right across from the awesome Corkscrew roller coaster in Knott’s Berry Farm’s brand new Roaring Twenties area. I was sent to work there because I was getting married to one of the cashiers in the Steak House and they were afraid I would beat the life out of someone if they gave her a bad time. A peaceful, forgiving youth I was not. Funny 39 years later lindy’s and the Steak House are history, but I still have my wife.
Thank you!!!
It was called the Tall Ships.
In NYC for Tall Ships - unforgettable.
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