You Might be a Marine If.....

None | 24 April 03 | GySgt Mike White

[Texas_Jarhead]

ROFL! good one

[opbuzz]

A CUBI POINT UPDATE
by "The Bubman"


Since the Navy left in the early 90's, two factors have greatly influenced the area. First, the Taiwanese have invested heavily in the building of computer component manufacturing and production facilities in the Subic area. It has included factories, resorts with casinos, yacht club with condominiums, and improved recreational facilities. Second, FedEx has utilized the airport area as a major Far East Hub for time-definite delivery to that part of the world. As such, let's start at the airport.

The area, previously known as VC-5, VRC-50 and Flag spaces, is now all FedEx, which has numerous Airbus, DC-10 and MD-11 aircraft transiting Cubi on a daily/nightly basis. The runway is the same, and pilots have to be mindful of the mountain to the west and the terrain to the east. The area toward the bay, known as 'The Air Wing Maintenance Hangar' is now deserted. There is a small racetrack in the lower aircraft parking area and a restaurant adjacent to Leyte pier. Not much activity down in that area. Around to the south is the old ammo pier which is also deserted; however, the Dungaree Beach areas are still active for tourists, such as the Taiwanese. At the east side of the runway, there is now a commercial international airline terminal with 6 or so gates. That's about it for the airpatch.

Next, Cubi Point, and it's probably most fitting to start with the O Club. It is now an office building; no more club, however the Catapult room is still functioning and is now known as the 'Flight Deck' with a disco. I walked completely around the O Club and still marvel at the beautiful view of the bay and surrounding area. There are benches there for those inclined to rest and reminisce. Now, as I walked around the club, I did find a few old shoes, khaki shirts and smelly socks and if I was real quiet, I could here some sounds from the past -- like somebody calling "Main Gate" or something about a "Klondike" game. I also found an old pair of dogtags; but the name was hardly legible-there was a J, an e and a Sat or something. Anyway, it's not the same, boys.

OK...as you come out of the club, in your mind's eye and to the right would be the gym and bowling alley. There are now restaurants and stores. Facing up the hill toward the BOQ, you'll notice a new casino hotel and resort right in the area that used to be barracks. That is some of that Taiwanese $$. On up past the chapel, the BOQ is now a hotel with another across the street between the Q and the A-5 Viggie which is still there. I went into the Q and looked for a barber shop, and inquired about a Cubi Dog and San Miguel at the back bar. Also, wanted to buy some belt buckles and patches....(weep)...it's all gone. Listening real hard, I could hear some splashes out back, since the pool is now part of the resort and, well -- it's just not the same. By the way, the Cubi exchange with Martinez model shop is all closed and deserted. You can still, however, visit JEST; which still has a zoo, run by the Negritos including a camp-out, if you so desire.

Well, that's about it for Cubi. In many respects, it's a ghost town. Some activity; but most of the activity is down toward Subic side; which will be the subject of another story later. Hope you enjoyed the tour. I did. I still in my mind's eye see the carrier arriving pierside with transportation waiting, the exodus from the ship and the high speed pass to the Club and BOQ and the aviators blowing off some steam. Bodies crawlin' around the jungle, tomorrow's duty officer meandering back to the ship, the XO wanting to know where everybody is and has ANYBODY read the message board in the last week. And, of course, the Skipper's leading the charge. "Binictican - come in - Main Gate..."

[Nitro]

I was in the US Navy and I met some US Marines...

the answer is, you either are a United States Marine or you are not!

The reason we in the US Navy know about US Marines, is we pick them up in a safe place and then drop them off where they are getting shot at.

Marines are not happy with being shot at, they usually respond by killing everyone they see.

Then the Navy picks them up and takes them right back into the meat-grinder....

and now to all Marines... the Navy has to endure the meat-grinder just to get you there...

so who is the "First to Fight?"

It is the US Navy

[anymouse]

Marine humor ping

[Lancey Howard]

I was in around the time cammies were fairly new as standard issue (we still wore the sateen covers) and I seem to remember that we were not supposed to starch cammies.

Anyways, here's another:

121. You still open cans with a P-38 and stopped calling it a "John Wayne" three months after boot camp.

[JoeSixPack1]

Well, somebody has to chauffeur us around or we might get lost and kill all the wrong stuff! :-)

[RaceBannon]

Hey, at least you have something to do on that little ship, other than sleep, read, eat, and PT!! You actually have a job!

[RaceBannon]

MASS-2 DET-B still there? (LOL)

[RaceBannon]

Goodness!! We NEVER called it a P-38!! It was ALWAYS a John Wayne!! And it STILL is if you ask me!

[Poohbah]

It's somehow rather fitting that FedEx took over the VRC-50 spaces.

"When it absolutely positively has to be there overnight" is, after all, the civilian equivalent of "Green Sheet Triple-Nine Must Ride."

[JoeSixPack1]

Man, am I glad you said that. I was beginnin' to think I was still a boot!! :-)

[WhiskeyPapa]

Goodness!! We NEVER called it a P-38!! It was ALWAYS a John Wayne!! And it STILL is if you ask me!

The "P-38" is an Army term. It follows, I bet, from the very advanced looking fighter of WWII. If you see the 1940 P-38 prototype, it still looks very deadly and advanced, almost Sci-fi. The P-38 of course was designed by Kelly Johnson, who later designed the SR-71 Blackbird, another Sci-fi looking bird.

Walt

[JoeSixPack1]

HUH? a p-38, John Wayne is a can opener!

[WhiskeyPapa]

HUH? a p-38, John Wayne is a can opener!

Well, of course it is. But it is easy to imagine WWII GI's equating it to the P-38 fighter. We couldn't win the war without P-38's could we?

I never heard the term "P-38" (for the can opener) until I was around some army types @ 1980. I always heard it referred to as a John Wayne.

Walt

[JoeSixPack1]

P-38 is the part number for the 6 can openers that came in c-rat cases of 12. To get one you had to be fast.

But you didn't have to bring in the Army! :-(

[WhiskeyPapa]

P-38 is the part number for the 6 can openers that came in c-rat cases of 12. To get one you had to be fast.

How dare you shoot down my P-38 urban legend. :)

I ate a lot of C-rats and I never the can opener called a P-38 by any Marine.

Walt

[MudPuppy]

a female in my platoon in boot camp tried cutting her wrists with a John Wayne..didn't work but they confiscated all our John Wayne's and sent her to the brig :(
I got another one as soon as I left boot camp tho....it's still on my key chain.

[JoeSixPack1]

How dare you shoot down my P-38 urban legend. :)

Marines shoot things! OhhhhhhRRaahhhhhh :-)

Now what was that about airplanes, 1940, etc.,etc., ??(LOL!!)

[Dubya]

LOL

[Dubya]

15TH SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE MARINE CORPS NAMED
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Michael W. Hagee today announced that Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. John L. Estrada has been selected to be the 15th sergeant major of the Marine Corps.

Estrada is currently serving as sergeant major for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., and is forward-deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.