Looking for anyone in C Co. 1st Tks. 85-91

I was in C Company, 1st Tank Btn., 1st Marine Division but first I'll tell you how I got there.

I went to Boot Camp at Paris Island on July, 2 1984 and graduated on September 21. I was in 1st Btn. B. Co., Platoon 1090. My Drill Instructors were Sgt. Brooks, Sgt. Bowman, Sgt. Evans, and Senior Drill Instructor Sgt. Wheeler.

I took two weeks leave and reported to Tank School in Ft. Knox in October and graduated on December 21, 1984. There was something like 37 of us going to Okinawa but then they said that only 5 of us could go. The rest were going to 29 Palms. We put all of our names in a hat and I was the second name called!

Mclain, Slagle, Jackson, myself and one other Marine went to Pendleton for a few days of briefing and processing and then got to Okinawa in the first week of January, 1985.

I joined Delta Company, 1st Tracked Vehicle Btn., 3rd Marine Division. Within 3 weeks I was sent to Naha port to work with the NTPF. Most people probably know all about it but in case you don't I'll explain it in the simplistic way that I remember it.

The program might be the same or it may have changed and others might know more about it than I do but here it is. There are ships floating all around the world with enough equiptment to supply a large Marine Unit. They had Tanks, Amtracs, Artillery, Jeeps, and all the nescessary equiptment. This was called the Near Term Prepositioned Force.

All that equiptment had to be taken off the ships and serviced periodically. People from every pertinent MOS on Okinawa converged on Naha Port. I'm not sure about everyone but us tankers stayed on Camp Kinser and either drove or rode the bus every day to the port. I had a good friend with a car and about 5 of us rode with him everyday.

There were 5 of us tank crewman there and a bunch of tank mechanics. I forget how many but I think there were more mechanics than crewmen. We basically had to unload the tanks off the ship (they were packed in there like sardines, seperated by a half inch on either side), take them apart, pull the engines, drain the oil, drain the fuel, clean the main guns, lube the up, clean them up, refuel them etc. and put them back together and back on the ships.

I think there were like 17-20 tanks on each ship and we did 5 ships in 5 months. We worked a lot of Saturdays to meet our deadlines and worked one 17 day stretch. I definitely learned a lot there. It was some of the hardest work that I've ever done in my life but we loved it and we thrived very well there. It was one of the most highly motivated units I've ever seen. We worke very hard and we partied even harder.

I went back up to Camp Schwab in July. Back then Mrine Corps Tankers were serving tours as individuals. I had planned to do two years there. But that was not to be and they started company rotations. I got put into Charlie Company 1st Tracked Vehicle Btn. I had an ex-DI for a platoon Sgt. He was a good guy but man! He needed to just chill out a bit.

I rotated to Camp Pendleton with C. Company in August of 1985. Since there was already a Charlie Company at 1st Tank Btn., we were distinguished as Charlie Company Tracks. We were very motivated and we tried our absolute best to show everyone on Los Flores.

I heard that A Company was going on a West Pac float so I voluntered to join them. I was just about to go to their Co. when instead I was put in Charlie Company, 1st Tank Btn. so they could fill the slots they needed to go to the Cax. (When I tell that to others I just say desert training.)

I think I joined Charlie Company in early Sept. of 85. We were doing a lot of field training. It quickly became apparent that all that fantastic experience and knowledge that I gained at Naha Port was totally different then the skills I needed to be a good tanker in the field. For example when a tortion bar broke I had no experience fixing stuff like that. So I had to start another intensive experience of learning to become a good field tanker.

I went on the advance party to the desert, picked up the tanks at mainside and helped set up the tents, dig trenches, set up the wire etc. If I remember right we got there in late Oct. and stayed for the better part of November. When it was over the Company Co. asked me if I wanted to stay with them and go to Camp Fuji Japan for 6 months or would I like tto go back to Charlie Co. Tracks. I said that I would go with them to Fuji. That's when I became a permanent member of Charlie Company Tanks.

We went to Fuji for 4 months, from Feb.1986-June. We lived in quonset huts and it snowed or rained almost every day. We even had a blizzard and a few sever snow storms. It was there in Fuji where I finally started to get the hang of becoming a good tanker. I visited the Phillipines in May for something like 15 days. When I got back we got orders to go to Schwab on Okinawa for the remaining 2 months. While I was there I saw my good friend Scott Slagle from tank school and Naha Port. He had got into Alpha Company and went on the West Pac. They were on a brief pit stop in Okinawa as part of the world tour. It was cool because they were staying in the old barracks that we had stayed in the year before. Now most people were living in BEQs.

Got back to Pendleton and trained for 5 more months. Then the staff sgt. asked me if I wanted to serve 6 months in special services so I did. I signed up for 3 years, something that seemed rare but that's what I asked for and that's what they gave me. So my last 6 months, from Jan. 1987- July 2, 1987 I helped to run the 41 area gymn with Rick Davis, and Lenny Jones, two great guys. Davis was the star of the 1st Tank Btn. football team and helped them to win the Camp Pendleton Championships. He benched 430 pounds and squatted 680! Lenny also got very strong and I won a couple of wrestling tournaments.

Anyway, that's a brief summary of my 3 year tour but it doesn't even begin to hint at all the adventures that happened along the way.

What Plt. in C Co - not Charlie Tracks, I was in 1st Plt with SSGT Brown and SSGT Jones

I forget what plt. I was in but my plt. leader was Staff Sgt. Delphin from Guam. Some of the names I remember were Egetoe, Grizzard, Kiefert, Albertson, Richards, Capitillo, King, Sgt. King, Lanford, Logsdon, Demiuga. If I sit here for another half hour I'm sure I'll remember more names with the faces.

By the way was Staff Sgt. Jones the former DI from San Diego MCRD?

Correct - SSGT Jones who later became SgtMaj Jones. I remember all those guys - remember Sgt. Root?

Remember Sgt. Borkowski?

Root was one of my best friends. He was my tank commander for a while in Fuji. He was the one who helped me become a good tanker. He was from Washington state. I contacted him about 13 or 14 years ago and he was in the Army, I think it was intelligence.

Sgt Borkowski- he and I and a bunch of Marines went to San Diego to see Alice Cooper and Megadeath. I remember him asking what our estimated time of arrival would be for the show. He was pretty gung ho, squared away and a good tanker.

I remember when Ssgt Jones came to our company. It was like 5:35 in the morning. I was looking out the windows with my hands in my pockets. He was standing up at the front of the squadbay with his hand on his hips like a DI and he Goes "Why do you have your hands in your pockets Marine?"

I told him my hands were cold. He got everyones attention and said "When I ask a question I don't want to hear oh it's cold or I was born that way. I might have been born a rapist, that doesn't meen I go around raping people." He was a good guy. Those ex-DIs though, it's tough for them to leave that stuff back in boot camp.

What's your name and do you remember me?

I'm Sgt. Cockrell, I'm from Arkansas - I was in 1st Plt with Arneson and Erskine. I was great friends with Erskine. Sgt. Borkowski is now Sgt 1st Class Borkowski in the Army. Not sure where he is at the moment but the last time I heard from him he was in a reserve unit in Iowa.

I was also in C co 1st tn btn the Co was Capt Wilkinson is this correct? I left and joined H&S the day before shipping over to Fuji. i was with Sgt Rush Tank and Edmonson i use to hang out with Elkins, Bowles,Andrusky,

Pedone, the name sounds familiar. Who was your platoon Sgt? I joined C Co. 1st Tanks in early Sept. so if you left the day before Fuji it means we served together for about 5 months. From when to when where did you serve?

(By the way there will be a new thread started soon in the Armor Forum for us old 1st Tank Bn. Tankers.)

I see this is your first and only post so far. Welcome aboard. Check out the Marine Corps Open Discussion Forum. Lots of great stuff on there everyday. Knock on the hatch three times, announce your presence and seek permission to come aboard. Lot of hard-chargers there. Ooh Rah!

Capt. Barnum was the C.O. of C Co. 1st TkBn. while at Fuji in 86.
1stSgt Yeater was the 1st shirt.

I remember Capt. Barnum and 1Sgt. Yeater. I'm pretty sure my Lt.'s name was Mancini and I learn on another thread he became Colonel Mancini and the Battallion Commander. If I'm right that it's the same guy then it makes perfect sense to me. I wonder where he's at now.

Numbers, your profile says Army. Identify yourself, please. Could this be Root? Kieffert? Were you in Fuji with us?

All sounds familiar, I arrived in Los flores, August 1985 via NAHA port, way of Diego Garcia three month tour, prior to that I was with Ordance Maint. Co 3rd FSSG Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan 9 months. I read through the threads and names are coming back to me anyone remember Sgt. Autry

Sgt. Autry sounds familiar to me. Were you an 1811 or 1833? When did you work at Naha Port?

You mentioned Diego Garcia. My orders were originally to go to Camp Kinser and wait transportation to Diego Garcia. When we were there for about 5 days they told us no, we would be staying on Kinser and working at Naha Port for the next 5 months. This was from Feb-July of 1985.

Which platoon were you in, remember any names or good stories? Did you go to Fuji with us in 86?

This is another question I have for anyone who was overseas with us. I'm looking for the panoramic photograph of our company at the Tank Ramp at Camp Schwab in June or July of 86. That was one squared away Marine Corps Tank Company Anybody have that photo? I'll pay whatever it cost to reproduce it and ship it if anybody has it.

Hello Team,

Sorry taken so long to get back to all of you i have been taken care of business. I was a crewman under Lt Rice he was later transfered. I also was the Guy who was busted with having a girl in the bunk by a CPL i forget his name. he could have let me slide. I spent 2 tores of Mess duty in the POT SHACK. I only remember the Company picture at the tank ramp in Cali. if any one has that i would love to see it. i use to lift wts with Top, Stg Sabina. Funny storeis here is one during the CAX in 29 Stumps when we finaly got to go into base we overran the school like vikings drinking and carrying on. Remember Socky Joe and Tnk Bn football team.

Bump

Hempstone,

Was your DI, Sgt Brooks a dark-green Marine (about 6'1-or-2") from the Washington, DC area (who came from 8th&I/Pentagon duty -- you'd know because he would have had a round badge on his right pocket when in dress uniform)?

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Hey, you tankers ever consider attaching silencers to those guns of yours? At 29-Stumps a tank let one loose as I was ditty-boppin' by & I just about jumped out of my skin -- my ears are still ringing.

quote:

Hempstone,

Was your DI, Sgt Brooks a dark-green Marine (about 6'1-or-2") from the Washington, DC area (who came from 8th&I/Pentagon duty -- you'd know because he would have had a round badge on his right pocket when in dress uniform)?

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Hey, you tankers ever consider attaching silencers to those guns of yours? At 29-Stumps a tank let one loose as I was ditty-boppin' by & I just about jumped out of my skin -- my ears are still ringing.

Sgt. Brooks was a dark-green Marine about 6'1 or so but I don't know where he was from. I looked at my boot camp platoon picture and can't make out a round badge so I'm not sure if it's the same guy as you know or not. All I know is he never really gave a warm and friendly feeling. In fact, we were filled with dread whenever he was on duty. Very squared away, very professional, trained us VERY hard.

By the way, I know what you're talking about with the noise from those Tanks. Inside the turret with your CVC helmet on you don't hear much but I was standing on top of my Tank when the Tank next to me fired and it just floored me! The noise was actually painful to my ears!

WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SAY?

Hempstone,

Thanks. That Sgt Brooks could be the one I knew (I'm not certain if Pentagon-service personnel keep those badges after duty there or not -- I had assumed that they did). I picked up Sgt in '81 & Brooks got his 3d-stripe shortly after (if not at the same time); he was definitely A-J-Squared-Away (and I wouldn't want to ever be on his bad side either)... if you ever find a way to post his pic, then I'll see if I can recognize him.

Huh... did you say something?...

I'm glad to see that it wasn't just me who had that reaction to tanks firing... I imagine that if you folks were to shoot at a group of enemy combatants holed-up within a building, that those not killed by the shell would be scared-to-death by the gun's soundwave.

Any luck finding any more in C Co. 1st Tks. (esp. 85-91)?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING (hope your holiday plans stay on track)