Airman J.B. Jones and I decided to walk over to Đà Nẵng's USAF Enlisted Men's Club. Only
Air Force warriors were allowed in the Cantina. Non-USAF puke-types
were not allowed unless (they were buying) sponsored by an Airman.
Being your basic tea-tottler, I was the designated walker to
guide the group back to our tent.
We strolled into the jammed-pack club
and waited for our eyes to adjust to the red-lighting and heavy cigarette
smoke. A Vietnamese singer was doing a fair job of lip-singing Margarita.
Sprawled at a table in a corner was a scruffy looking marine. A dozen
plus bottles were grouped in squad formation in front of him. J.B. and
I sat at a table nearby: and the other guys went scouting for chairs.
If you were ever inside such a Club in Vietnam, you probably remember
those common floor-stand fans as pictured above.
Every couple of minutes the Marine would
look up and loudly announce, "It ain't fairrrrrr ...." His 
apparent
meaning referred to Air Force's position on the food-chain verses Marines.
Finally, the Marine stood up and bellowed the "F" word (fiddle-faddel?),
turned to a nearby floor-fan (without a front safety screen) and punched
it a solid blow, KO-ing the fan.
The marine had an idiot grin as he looked
at his blooded mangled hand. Two designated marine-assistants escorted
him across the street to medics.
Eleven dollars worth of near-beer and J.B. was near the floor and we were out the door. So . .
. I don't really know what it sounds like when the crap hits the fan--but
I know what happens when a Marine hits the fan: Marines-one ... fan
zero!
Subject: Airman's
Club Marine hitting fan
Date : Sun, 18 May 1997
From : JBaker
Enjoyed your story of Đà Nẵng. I was in
Đà Nẵng, 1967-1968, or three miles away at an area called MASS-2. I was
a Marine assigned to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
But I have to tell you, that on a convoy
up to Đông Hà once, I stumbled into the Air Force mess hall. I was greeted
with respect and air conditioning. I remember thinking to myself, boy
did I join the wrong force. Later I found an Air Force EM Club and was
allowed in and also showed a great deal of respect. To this day, 30
yrs later, I can't tell you how much at the time, that small bit of
courtesy meant. When I was dirty, tired and home sick, it was some Air
Force people, that made me feel somewhat human. So 30 years later I'd
like to say again, THANK YOU BRO! And welcome home. JBaker
Response: JBaker, I remember many occasions
in which marines and soldiers came to the Đà Nẵng Enlisted Men's Club.
Every single time they were treated with great respect because the Airmen
realized they had earned it in the field. I don't know of a single Airmen
today that has had cause to change his mind. Don Poss
Subject: Permission to use the Airman's
Club as a monologue?
From : Matt McCabe
Organization: Woodberry Forest School
Hi -- My name is Matthew McCabe, and I'm
a senior at Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia. This coming
Tuesday our advanced drama class has its final exam ... this will
be my last piece of theater work here at school before I go off to college
next year, and I'd like to convert your story Airman's
Club into a monologue to use for my exam. It's a fascinating story,
and has the dramatic element I've been looking for. The exam should
contain elements of all the techniques we've learned over the year,
and I'm certain I can turn your story into a wonderful piece of theater.
Would you be opposed to letting me use it? It wouldn't be publicly performed,
the only people who would see it would be the two teachers of our class
and the other members (3 boys).
We chose a war-type theme because our
headmaster, Gen. John Grinalds, is leaving Woodberry at the end of this
year to be the president of the Citadel. Please let me know :) --
Matt
Response: Matt: Yes, you may use Airman's
Club for your project. Good luck with it. I've added a comment I
recently received from a Marine that visited Đà Nẵng and his treatment
by Air Force Airmen, so, you might take a look at it once more. I don't
want to throw a damper on your project, but you should know that J.B.
(James Bruce Jones), my friend that was with me, was killed a few days
later in a rocket and mortar attack against the base. Don't let that
discourage you, because I remember Jim, and that visit to the Airmen's
Club, as a funny guy--always joking and happy! Don Poss
Don't remember the red lights at the Đà Nẵng Airman's Club, but do know the best place to watch a show there. Outside the screened windows of the club on the theater side. You couldn't get a beer out there, but it was cooler and much safer if a rocket was incoming. (Easier access to a bunker)
Thanks for the story.
Dan Bellew,
366 CES, Đà Nẵng
