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 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.
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.
In NYC for Tall Ships - unforgettable.
I was shuttling a Ryder truck back to San Francisco. Ryder rents them out and they end up in little towns all over the country. It’d take forever to rent them out again in a small market, so they hire “shuttle drivers” to fly out and bring them back to the city.
They flew about 20 of us to this little town in southern Colorado. They pay for the airfare, gas, oil for the trucks, etc. Otherwise, you’re on your own. Some guys actually make a living doing it. I took the job just for kicks. Spent more than I made. Never did it again.
Cruising up and down South Main street on a borrowed skateboard in Swanton, Ohio, with 2 beers in each hand waiting for the Bicentennial parade to start. I was 20 @ the time... Har!
10 years old at beach watching fireworks. I distinctly remember talk of the blak pampers starting a riot/war.
I was 17 years old on the Bicentennial. I remember watching on TV President Ford ring the Liberty Bell that day. Later that night, a bunch of us got together at a friend’s house, where we ate hamburgers and hot dogs and shot off fireworks. Back then, we had a lot more choices on the type of fireworks to buy.
I was 28 years old and working at McClellan Field in Sacramento. I came down to LA to visit my folks, who had invited all their friends to a big backyard BBQ celebration. Lots of flags, bunting, beer & BBQ. My Mom commissioned me to paint up a poster of the Statue of Liberty - “1776 to 1976” for the party. Both my folks had served overseas in the Army during WW2 and many of the neighbors in attendance had also served. They all thought America was the greatest thing this side of the Pearly Gates. With the Cold War still on, they all hated Commies. My folks have since passed on, but I know that if they were still alive today they would be totally disgusted with the idiots in DC.
Was out of the Corps for three years at that time.
Had to work, 12 on 12 off for JPL.