Christmas-Eve Pie Story

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   It was
Christmas Eve 1972. I was at Ubon Air Base in Thailand fixing fighter jets. I
repaired the ECM (electronic counter measures) equipment on Phantom jets that
were bombing the Ho-Chee-Minn trail. One of my other jobs was to drive to the
chow hall and pick up the box lunches that we would then distribute to  all
the Avionics Maintenance personnel on the flight line and then to the shops. It
was over 100 lunches that were packed in North Hollywood, CA, about two miles from
where I am right now. A staff sergeant and myself picked up the lunches when a
grizzly cook came over to us. He said, "MEN, come with me." He took
us to a room the size of a basketball court with three long tables running the
length of the room covered with pies. He pointed to the tables saying that one
table held apple pies, the second held cherry pies and the third table held
pumpkin pies. Why are you showing us this my partner asked. The cook said that
the damn officers had him make up these pies for their Christmas party. He said
he had three men working for two days to make up the pies and there were three
times more pies then they needed. Again my partner asked the cook why he was
telling us this. He replied that he was going on break, and if he returned and
found so much as one pie missing, there would be HELL to pay. When we got back
into the truck, sarge said let's wait a few minutes. Why I asked. Sarge told
me, I know you listened to the cook but you didn't hear what he was saying. We
walked back in and took a pie to go with every box lunch. As we drove by the
bunkers that held the Phantoms we would pass out the lunches and a pie of your
choice with each lunch. When we got to the end of the flight-line all work had
stopped as all the squadrons were sharing in the pies along with the Thai
guards. It was a beautiful silence. Everyone thought it was a kind gesture of
the Air Force on Christmas Eve. We never heard another word about it.  
(A true story)

 By Bruce Stark

8 April
07’

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Dances with AutoMags Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 13 Oct 2011 Location: Valley Glen Status: Offline Points: 613	Post Options Post Reply Quote Dances with AutoMags Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Christmas-Eve Pie Story Posted: 22 Dec 2024 at 4:06pm
	It was Christmas Eve 1972. I was at Ubon Air Base in Thailand fixing fighter jets. I repaired the ECM (electronic counter measures) equipment on Phantom jets that were bombing the Ho-Chee-Minn trail. One of my other jobs was to drive to the chow hall and pick up the box lunches that we would then distribute to all the Avionics Maintenance personnel on the flight line and then to the shops. It was over 100 lunches that were packed in North Hollywood, CA, about two miles from where I am right now. A staff sergeant and myself picked up the lunches when a grizzly cook came over to us. He said, "MEN, come with me." He took us to a room the size of a basketball court with three long tables running the length of the room covered with pies. He pointed to the tables saying that one table held apple pies, the second held cherry pies and the third table held pumpkin pies. Why are you showing us this my partner asked. The cook said that the damn officers had him make up these pies for their Christmas party. He said he had three men working for two days to make up the pies and there were three times more pies then they needed. Again my partner asked the cook why he was telling us this. He replied that he was going on break, and if he returned and found so much as one pie missing, there would be HELL to pay. When we got back into the truck, sarge said let's wait a few minutes. Why I asked. Sarge told me, I know you listened to the cook but you didn't hear what he was saying. We walked back in and took a pie to go with every box lunch. As we drove by the bunkers that held the Phantoms we would pass out the lunches and a pie of your choice with each lunch. When we got to the end of the flight-line all work had stopped as all the squadrons were sharing in the pies along with the Thai guards. It was a beautiful silence. Everyone thought it was a kind gesture of the Air Force on Christmas Eve. We never heard another word about it. (A true story) By Bruce Stark 8 April 07’
	An armed society is a polite society.

golden24 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 15 Feb 2019 Status: Offline Points: 505	Post Options Post Reply Quote golden24 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 Dec 2024 at 4:31pm
	As always, bitchen story Bruce ! It was Christmas Eve 1972. I was at Ubon Air Base in Thailand fixing fighter jets. I repaired the ECM (electronic counter measures) equipment on Phantom jets that were bombing the Ho-Chee-Minn trail. One of my other jobs was to drive to the chow hall and pick up the box lunches that we would then distribute to all the Avionics Maintenance personnel on the flight line and then to the shops. It was over 100 lunches that were packed in North Hollywood, CA, about two miles from where I am right now. A staff sergeant and myself picked up the lunches when a grizzly cook came over to us. He said, "MEN, come with me." He took us to a room the size of a basketball court with three long tables running the length of the room covered with pies. He pointed to the tables saying that one table held apple pies, the second held cherry pies and the third table held pumpkin pies. Why are you showing us this my partner asked. The cook said that the damn officers had him make up these pies for their Christmas party. He said he had three men working for two days to make up the pies and there were three times more pies then they needed. Again my partner asked the cook why he was telling us this. He replied that he was going on break, and if he returned and found so much as one pie missing, there would be HELL to pay. When we got back into the truck, sarge said let's wait a few minutes. Why I asked. Sarge told me, I know you listened to the cook but you didn't hear what he was saying. We walked back in and took a pie to go with every box lunch. As we drove by the bunkers that held the Phantoms we would pass out the lunches and a pie of your choice with each lunch. When we got to the end of the flight-line all work had stopped as all the squadrons were sharing in the pies along with the Thai guards. It was a beautiful silence. Everyone thought it was a kind gesture of the Air Force on Christmas Eve. We never heard another word about it. (A true story) By Bruce Stark 8 April 07’ [/QUOTE]