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In Vietnam we Marines used to come out of the bush for a week or two of rest. We'd hitchhike to DaNang to hit the Freedom Hill PX, then head for the Air Force messhall. Individual plates, salads set out on chrushed ice, fountain drinks. Whole time (first time - enlisted) I was in the USMC, we ate off of tin trays and drank milk or “bug juice” (cool aid).

If we'd end up at a firebase like Hill 55, we'd go through the messhall like army ants, cleaning out the ketchup, Tobasco sauce, jam & jelly, etc.

One trip to the Air Force messhall at DaNang we found it all locked up. We went around back and found a messman sitting on the loading dock.

“Why aren't you open?” we asked.

“Oh, the water is off” he replied. “But that's great, since we get to eat C-rats!” he said with genuine delight.

It was with great effort that we refrained from beating him to a pulp.