Another 50th Anniversary Dinner (From New Jersey, via Texas)

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Bearcarver

Gone but not forgotten RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
Group Lead
Sep 12, 2009
45,279
18,182
Macungie, PA
Another 50th Anniversary Dinner (From New Jersey via Texas)


The Best 3 days of My Life:
#1. The Best Day of my Life was December 27, 1968, when I married Mrs Bear.

#2. The Second Best Day of my Life was January 31, 1972, when Our Son, Bear Jr was Born.

#3. The Third Best Day of my Life was August 19, 1969, the Day I left Vietnam!

August 19, 1969 was a Long Day, and this looks like another good place for another “Bear Story”:

This story actually begins near the end of July, 1969, when we were first informed that My 9th Infantry Division was pulling out of Vietnam “In Strength”. It was set for 2 of the 3 brigades of the 9th Div were to leave Vietnam on August 19. Anybody from the 1st & 2nd Brigades who wished to extend their tour to get a “Early Out” should transfer to the 3rd Brigade, and the 3rd Brigade would stay in Vietnam, while the 1st & 2nd would be leaving. The way they did it during the Vietnam War was for every month you extend past your initial 12 months tour counts as 2 months. So if you had 3 months left of your 12 month tour, and you would have 6 months left of your enlistment, you could finish the 3 months of your tour, and you would only have to extend 3 of the 6 months, and you could get out of the Army 3 months early.

Now Here’s the scoop, At that time I had about 5 months left of my Vietnam Tour, and after that I’d have 16 months left in the Army. That would mean I would have to finish those 5 months in Vietnam, and extend 8 months in Vietnam to get out of the Army 8 months early.

So here were my two choices:
#1 Leave Vietnam on August 19, 1969, and spend my last 21 months in the Army, Stateside.

#2. Stay in Vietnam for another 13 months, and get out of the Army 8 months early.

I found the decision to be Quite Easy!! “Good-Bye Vietnam!!”

So anyway, on August 16 we moved to what was called “Reliable Academy Replacement Center”.
This was where new guys came in for 3 days of Vietnam Orientation, and guys that were leaving went there for their last 3 days to process out. Most of us snuck back to our old hooch to sleep, because that replacement center was not a good place to sleep. It was the Viet Cong’s #1 target on all of Dong Tam, because their favorite Americans to Kill were the ones who just got there & the ones who were ready to leave. Nothing hurts the morale of the troops more than hearing about a New Guy or a Short Timer who just got Smoked!!

Then finally on August 19, my Company loaded up on 3 Chinooks (CH-47), with a Door Gunner in each, and we had an escort of 1 "Cobra Attack Chopper". That Cobra stayed by our side from Dong Tam all the way to the Airport at Bien Hoa (Saigon). I think the Jet powered Cobra Pilot was bored, because he would drift back to the last Chinook, and then hit the burners and go from the back one to the front one in about 3 seconds. However I felt quite safe with a Cobra for an escort. They were some Awesome Machines!!

Then it was onto the Air Force Jet from there to Honolulu. The only problem we had there was the fact that two planes went to Hawaii, and the Short timers went to California on a third plane, and ALL of the Duffle Bags were in the Plane that went to California. Typical Army Screw-up!!! So we had to survive 4 days in Hawaii with nothing but the clothes on our backs. LOL



NOW TO THE FOOD for My 50th Anniversary

My Texas Buddy Gary, you all know as “GaryS” was on a long distance drive with his Lovely Wife. They drove from East Texas to New Jersey to visit their Son Brian, who is currently working in New Jersey. So after their visit with their Son, they swung by & visited the Bear Den on their way back to Texas.
WE had a Great time, and I posted the Pork Roll Sammies we had while they were here, but another thing is that Gary brought me a bunch of frozen Flounder Fillets straight from a boat off the Jersey Coast. I appreciated that very much, and my Thanks Go to Gary & Brian for my favorite Ocean Fish.

Fish Fry:
So for the first 4 Flounder Fillets, I decided on the KISS method. All I did was sprinkle both sides with Old Bay, and fry them in Butter in a Pan. Then I had some Deviled Eggs & some Baked Beans that were left over from when Gary & his Wife ate with us. I had all 4 Fillets on my plate, because it seems my Eyes were bigger than my Belly, and I could only eat 2 of them.!!

Then the next night I had the two leftover Fillets, and leftover Deviled Eggs & Baked Beans.

Oh Yeah, I had some Blueberry Zucchini Bread too, left over from the big batch Mrs Bear had made.

That’s about it—Hope I didn’t Bore Everyone too much!!

Check the Pics out!

Bear

4 Nice New Jersey Flounder Fillets:
IMG_3846.jpg


Seasoning with Old Bay:
IMG_3847.jpg


More Seasoning:
IMG_3848.jpg


Into the Buttery Pan they go:
IMG_3849.jpg


Nearly Done:
IMG_3850.jpg


Bear's first Flounder Meal----Includes too much Flounder:
IMG_3851.jpg


Second night, includes the Flounder I couldn't eat the first night:
IMG_3852.jpg

 
Last edited:
Should I stay or should I go ? LOL , don't block the door . Great story .
Meal looks great .
 
They would not let me extend my tour.:emoji_confused: I even promised I would try to behave.
Meal looks great how are you getting away with cooking all those fish dishes lately. LIKES
Richie
 
  • Like
Reactions: chopsaw
Now that's a good looking meal, I probably caught some of that Flounder , we caught a lot. And we had a great time at the Bear's den as well.
Great Post I "LIKE" it

Gary
 
  • Like
Reactions: Central PA Cowboy
Thanks for your service and the story!

Thank You Big W.

Fish looks great Bear! I would have been impressed if you had put down that entire first plate!

Thank You John!
Years ago that plate would have been just a Warm-up!!
I managed to shrink my Stomach in the last few years.

Bear
 
Wonderful story, and would like to "Thank You" and all servicemen and women for the freedoms you gave us.
That looks like a delicious plate. Have never tasted flounder but sure hope to sometime.
Like...
 
Great story, excellent meal bear. I can't remember every eating flounder, but it sure looks good.

Point for sure
Chris
 
They would not let me extend my tour.:emoji_confused: I even promised I would try to behave.
Meal looks great how are you getting away with cooking all those fish dishes lately. LIKES
Richie

Thank You Brother Richie!!
Well, I found the trick is to have Fish in the freezer, and I have to get rid of it. LOL
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear

Great story, Bear!

Thank You Derek!!
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear
 
  • Like
Reactions: Central PA Cowboy
Nice looking plate - Like!

I love military stories, I too have quite a few :emoji_laughing:

Thank You!!
I try to only tell the Nice Stories.

Bear


Now that's a good looking meal, I probably caught some of that Flounder , we caught a lot. And we had a great time at the Bear's den as well.
Great Post I "LIKE" it

Gary

Thank You Gary!!
As you know, Flounder is my favorite Ocean caught Fish!!
I still have a couple of yours left---I think I'll put my Breading Machine on them soon.
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear
 
Wonderful story, and would like to "Thank You" and all servicemen and women for the freedoms you gave us.
That looks like a delicious plate. Have never tasted flounder but sure hope to sometime.
Like...


Thank You Rider!!
I rate a lot of Freshwater fish above it, but Flounder is my Favorite Saltwater Fish to eat.

Bear
 
Great story, excellent meal bear. I can't remember every eating flounder, but it sure looks good.

Point for sure
Chris


Thank You Chris!!
They don't have big Fillets, because they're very flat fish, but they're very tasty.
Around here it's often one of the fish in the Restaurants' "Broiled Seafood Sampler", one of my favorite orders.
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear
 
Never a boring story Bear, and as has been said above, THANK YOU for your service. This looks great but....
....never, never, simply NEVER!
Great post sir.
Don


Thank You Much, Doc!!
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky