thedrifter
10-08-07, 07:51 AM
There’s no sense in hiding the fact that most service members had one thing on their minds Sept. 30: drinking beer. No doubt it was a mission accomplished, but the fact remains it was also a downright good time and a unique opportunity to wallow in the same camaraderie and Esprit de Corps our forefathers shared at Tun Tavern (the pub our Corps was founded at) nearly 232 years ago.
Following a retrograde operation from Al Anbar Province to the ships of Bonhomme Richard Strike Group, which lasted nearly one month, unit commanders planned the port visit into a tight schedule, allowing only a few short hours to jump ship and knock back a few cold beverages. Not only were beer and concessions sold at discount prices, proceeds from sales were donated to unit funds in order to pay for end-of-tour “Cruisebooks.” At the end of the night, nearly $28,000 was raised.
In an effort to bring you, the reader, into the party atmosphere of the event, the following is a first-hand account of the night pieced together by transcribed voice recordings. Some of the quotes are attributed appropriately; others remain anonymous due to unclear introductions on tape. When scripts appear, the writer is attributed as “SH” (Sgt. Hurt).
The Beginning
After a day of port delays, Marines and Sailors were more than anxious to change clothes and get down to the matter at hand – party. Though the ships were scheduled to dock in the early afternoon, after port delays it was more or less early evening when liberty call was finally sounded. Thankfully, the afternoon heat had subsided and it was only 100 or so degrees in “The Sandbox.” The Sandbox is a small area on the pier, barricaded off with sea containers and hosting local vendors along with USO novelties such as a library and lounge. A stage flanked the concession stand and the center was a mass of tables and chairs beneath a large vinyl canopy. To get an idea of the size, imagine more than 3,000 Marines and Sailors partying with plenty of elbow room. It was probably about the size of a city block.
By 6 p.m., Marines were enjoying their first real beers in four months. The sun was setting and the mood blossomed from anxiety to pure relaxation, thoughtfulness and reflection.
“It’s good to get out here while we’re still together as a unit, share stories and ‘BS’ with each other before the long trip home when we’re all separated on different ships,” said Sgt. Sam Severtsgaard, a squad leader from Lima Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/1.
In addition to the relaxed mood, Marines were also starting to joke around as the first rising vibes of a beer buzz took hold. Standing in line for a “Shwarma”, a Middle-Eastern gordita …
SH: What do you think about the beer on the pier?
Capt. Marshall (13th MEU Public Affairs Officer): I think it’s kind of like a prison yard.
SH: I’ve never been to prison.
CM: It’s a small space, surrounded by barbed wire, people are doing curls (motions with hand drinking beer) …
SH: And what is a ‘shwarma’ exactly?
CM: It’s a combination of the finest cat meat around.
An hour later
Marines party hard, and it didn’t take long for this shindig to get into full swing. By 7 p.m., the music was loud, the sky was dark and the beer was flowing. Civilians would be lucky to get an invite to this party. After nearly four months of combat operations, Marines and Sailors were really starting to unwind. Staff Sgt. Jeremy Sherman, a platoon sergeant from Lima Company, had refrained from drinking up until this point but said he was more than happy to be out of the combat zone. While conducting a patrol in Al Anbar province July 6, Sherman stepped on a pressure-plate Improvised Explosive Device. By all scientific theory he is lucky to be alive. He received shrapnel in his hand and buttocks, and has since earned the nickname “shrapnel ass.” What’s interesting in this environment is Marines’ willingness to share war stories and emotions, regardless of alcohol consumption.
SH: Do you feel lucky to be alive?
Sherman: I feel very lucky.
SH: After you got blown up, were you thinking about beer?
Sherman: Actually, I was thinking ‘What the (expletive) just happened?’ (laughs)
Beer on the pier was not just a junior Marine opportunity. Members of the MEU senior staff made a great presence, and the approachability of superiors at such events is never an opportunity to be missed. The following is a concession-line conversation with 13th MEU Operations officer Lt. Col. Justice Chambers and MEU Logistics officer Maj. Ed Esposito.
JC: Beer on the pier is a top-notch idea. Major Esposito and I are enjoying ourselves tremendously and I wish we had more - as opposed to fewer - of these opportunities.
EE: If you’re not having fun at beer on the pier, it’s your fault.
SH: What is fun at the beer on the pier?
EE: It’s a chance to let your hair down with fellow marines, not talk about work, have a few beers and be off the ship.
SH: Ironically, you are bald.
EE: Yeah, but …
Chaos ensues
By 8 p.m., things were getting crazy. The following conversation with Staff Sgt. DJ Podwalny, a Command Element Intelligence Marine, tells all.
SH: … You said borderline chaos?
DJ: Yes, as I walked near the stage, I noticed Marines running full-fledged off the stage at maximum speed.
Voice in background: Woah, that thing’s recording!
A few minutes later, a conversation with a young platoon commander proves the ‘Chaos Theory.”
SH: So you’re smoking a cigar that your squadleader gave you?
PC: That’s affirmative …
SH: Who is the squadleader?
PC: You know what? I’m not gonna talk about that right now. But you know what? You’re being really sly right now. I don’t even know what to say … (seconds pass with garbled voices and background noise)
PC: Don’t let your meat loaf!
Level heads
By 9 p.m., the spirit of the party had come to a plateau. The “light-weights” (Marines with low alcohol tolerance) had gone to bed, and only the serious animals remained on deck. Not surprisingly, the crowd was still amazingly large, and music was bumping louder than ever. A dance area formed near the stage and the latest hip-hop moves were debuted. In retrospect, the “latest” hip-hop moves are probably better choreographed and performed than what happened that night on the pier, but for people that hadn’t seen MTV since April, it seemed fashionable. Shwarma lines were still long, and a hookah smoking area set up by locals was packed with wannabe Persians sipping long-stemmed pipes and puffing strawberry smoke. One Marine had even borrowed a felt Shriner’s (fez) cap to add to the realism.
Around the tables were cooler minds, building “Beeramids” with spent cans. These were the seasoned vets … the gunnery sergeants.
SH: Beer on the pier, your thoughts?
(Gunnery Sgt. Gerald Foulis, MEU Intel Chief): Are you serious?
SH: Yeah.
GF: It’s a great chance for Marines to bond. We love each other and this is what the Marine Corps is all about. It’s about bonding. I think it is. Y’know? We’re all going to have a couple drinks together, no harm done. The point is camaraderie … I think so. If it wasn’t, I would’ve been gone a long time ago. Camaraderie.
SH: Staff Sgt. (Willy) Paris, camaraderie, your thoughts?
WP: Togetherness, you know? The brotherhood. That’s why I stay in the Marine Corps. (points at Gunnery Sgt. Foulis) I’m going to stay in, because I don’t want to disappoint him!
SH: Just to confirm, you pointed at Gunny Foulis, right?
GF: That thing’s not even on, he’s (expletive) with us!
The Next Day
Fortunately, the party didn’t end at 9 p.m. It raged on until 1 a.m. (for staff noncommissioned officers and higher) and what’s covered here is only a tiny taste of the experience. In the morning, more than 24,000 empty cans littered the grounds and clean-up crews went to work.
With any luck, there was a hint of sincerity among the confusion, and honesty behind good-natured jokes. There were plenty of toasts for our fallen brothers. There was intense focus on the present and little care of tomorrow. Tomorrow came however, and brought with it a stern reminder that hard nights aren’t without consequences- or great, fuzzy memories.
Following a retrograde operation from Al Anbar Province to the ships of Bonhomme Richard Strike Group, which lasted nearly one month, unit commanders planned the port visit into a tight schedule, allowing only a few short hours to jump ship and knock back a few cold beverages. Not only were beer and concessions sold at discount prices, proceeds from sales were donated to unit funds in order to pay for end-of-tour “Cruisebooks.” At the end of the night, nearly $28,000 was raised.
In an effort to bring you, the reader, into the party atmosphere of the event, the following is a first-hand account of the night pieced together by transcribed voice recordings. Some of the quotes are attributed appropriately; others remain anonymous due to unclear introductions on tape. When scripts appear, the writer is attributed as “SH” (Sgt. Hurt).
The Beginning
After a day of port delays, Marines and Sailors were more than anxious to change clothes and get down to the matter at hand – party. Though the ships were scheduled to dock in the early afternoon, after port delays it was more or less early evening when liberty call was finally sounded. Thankfully, the afternoon heat had subsided and it was only 100 or so degrees in “The Sandbox.” The Sandbox is a small area on the pier, barricaded off with sea containers and hosting local vendors along with USO novelties such as a library and lounge. A stage flanked the concession stand and the center was a mass of tables and chairs beneath a large vinyl canopy. To get an idea of the size, imagine more than 3,000 Marines and Sailors partying with plenty of elbow room. It was probably about the size of a city block.
By 6 p.m., Marines were enjoying their first real beers in four months. The sun was setting and the mood blossomed from anxiety to pure relaxation, thoughtfulness and reflection.
“It’s good to get out here while we’re still together as a unit, share stories and ‘BS’ with each other before the long trip home when we’re all separated on different ships,” said Sgt. Sam Severtsgaard, a squad leader from Lima Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/1.
In addition to the relaxed mood, Marines were also starting to joke around as the first rising vibes of a beer buzz took hold. Standing in line for a “Shwarma”, a Middle-Eastern gordita …
SH: What do you think about the beer on the pier?
Capt. Marshall (13th MEU Public Affairs Officer): I think it’s kind of like a prison yard.
SH: I’ve never been to prison.
CM: It’s a small space, surrounded by barbed wire, people are doing curls (motions with hand drinking beer) …
SH: And what is a ‘shwarma’ exactly?
CM: It’s a combination of the finest cat meat around.
An hour later
Marines party hard, and it didn’t take long for this shindig to get into full swing. By 7 p.m., the music was loud, the sky was dark and the beer was flowing. Civilians would be lucky to get an invite to this party. After nearly four months of combat operations, Marines and Sailors were really starting to unwind. Staff Sgt. Jeremy Sherman, a platoon sergeant from Lima Company, had refrained from drinking up until this point but said he was more than happy to be out of the combat zone. While conducting a patrol in Al Anbar province July 6, Sherman stepped on a pressure-plate Improvised Explosive Device. By all scientific theory he is lucky to be alive. He received shrapnel in his hand and buttocks, and has since earned the nickname “shrapnel ass.” What’s interesting in this environment is Marines’ willingness to share war stories and emotions, regardless of alcohol consumption.
SH: Do you feel lucky to be alive?
Sherman: I feel very lucky.
SH: After you got blown up, were you thinking about beer?
Sherman: Actually, I was thinking ‘What the (expletive) just happened?’ (laughs)
Beer on the pier was not just a junior Marine opportunity. Members of the MEU senior staff made a great presence, and the approachability of superiors at such events is never an opportunity to be missed. The following is a concession-line conversation with 13th MEU Operations officer Lt. Col. Justice Chambers and MEU Logistics officer Maj. Ed Esposito.
JC: Beer on the pier is a top-notch idea. Major Esposito and I are enjoying ourselves tremendously and I wish we had more - as opposed to fewer - of these opportunities.
EE: If you’re not having fun at beer on the pier, it’s your fault.
SH: What is fun at the beer on the pier?
EE: It’s a chance to let your hair down with fellow marines, not talk about work, have a few beers and be off the ship.
SH: Ironically, you are bald.
EE: Yeah, but …
Chaos ensues
By 8 p.m., things were getting crazy. The following conversation with Staff Sgt. DJ Podwalny, a Command Element Intelligence Marine, tells all.
SH: … You said borderline chaos?
DJ: Yes, as I walked near the stage, I noticed Marines running full-fledged off the stage at maximum speed.
Voice in background: Woah, that thing’s recording!
A few minutes later, a conversation with a young platoon commander proves the ‘Chaos Theory.”
SH: So you’re smoking a cigar that your squadleader gave you?
PC: That’s affirmative …
SH: Who is the squadleader?
PC: You know what? I’m not gonna talk about that right now. But you know what? You’re being really sly right now. I don’t even know what to say … (seconds pass with garbled voices and background noise)
PC: Don’t let your meat loaf!
Level heads
By 9 p.m., the spirit of the party had come to a plateau. The “light-weights” (Marines with low alcohol tolerance) had gone to bed, and only the serious animals remained on deck. Not surprisingly, the crowd was still amazingly large, and music was bumping louder than ever. A dance area formed near the stage and the latest hip-hop moves were debuted. In retrospect, the “latest” hip-hop moves are probably better choreographed and performed than what happened that night on the pier, but for people that hadn’t seen MTV since April, it seemed fashionable. Shwarma lines were still long, and a hookah smoking area set up by locals was packed with wannabe Persians sipping long-stemmed pipes and puffing strawberry smoke. One Marine had even borrowed a felt Shriner’s (fez) cap to add to the realism.
Around the tables were cooler minds, building “Beeramids” with spent cans. These were the seasoned vets … the gunnery sergeants.
SH: Beer on the pier, your thoughts?
(Gunnery Sgt. Gerald Foulis, MEU Intel Chief): Are you serious?
SH: Yeah.
GF: It’s a great chance for Marines to bond. We love each other and this is what the Marine Corps is all about. It’s about bonding. I think it is. Y’know? We’re all going to have a couple drinks together, no harm done. The point is camaraderie … I think so. If it wasn’t, I would’ve been gone a long time ago. Camaraderie.
SH: Staff Sgt. (Willy) Paris, camaraderie, your thoughts?
WP: Togetherness, you know? The brotherhood. That’s why I stay in the Marine Corps. (points at Gunnery Sgt. Foulis) I’m going to stay in, because I don’t want to disappoint him!
SH: Just to confirm, you pointed at Gunny Foulis, right?
GF: That thing’s not even on, he’s (expletive) with us!
The Next Day
Fortunately, the party didn’t end at 9 p.m. It raged on until 1 a.m. (for staff noncommissioned officers and higher) and what’s covered here is only a tiny taste of the experience. In the morning, more than 24,000 empty cans littered the grounds and clean-up crews went to work.
With any luck, there was a hint of sincerity among the confusion, and honesty behind good-natured jokes. There were plenty of toasts for our fallen brothers. There was intense focus on the present and little care of tomorrow. Tomorrow came however, and brought with it a stern reminder that hard nights aren’t without consequences- or great, fuzzy memories.