We drove down out of the hills to the main road there and pulled into the PX parking lot. For those unfamiliar with the Marine Air Wing and Crew Chiefs in particular… we did not wear normal Marine Corps sateen green utilities. We wore green Nomex Flight suites, no starch in our Covers (flammable), brown Leather Flight Jackets, black steel toed Flight Boots, no polish (flammable) and no blouse on the pant legs, and we had quite a bit of mud on us from four wheeling. For you East coast Marines San Onofre was part of MCRD Recruit Training and was used for (ITS) Infantry Training School.
Not really thinking about it as we were hungry, we exited the jeeps and walked across the parking lot headed for the PX lunch room and there in the parking lot, was a platoon of recruits in the usual 4 squad formation. A sharp as a tack Senior Drill Instructor (black belt) in his Smokey, between the platoon and us, rapidly pacing back and forth, and while pointing at us, at the top of his lungs, “DO YOU SEE THAT”… “Sir Yes Sir” came the answer, “THOSE ARE AIRWINGERS!”… “YOU WILL NOT!…BE!…AIRWINGERS!!!” “Sir No Sir”.
Proudest moment of my career.
YEAH ,YOU WILL NOT BE BUT WHEN THE SH## IS IN THE WIND & THE GUY’S ACROSS THE ROAD ARE SHOOTING AT YOU BIG TIME. WHO DO YOU CALL LOUDLY ??? ” IT AN’T THE PIZZA GUY ” IT IS THE AIR WING. LOL LOL
And Rodney Dangerfield thought he never got any respect! First in, Last out during Nam!