Pickel Meadows Alum

[MountainMan1978]

Looking to reconnect with instructors from MWTC from the years 1978/79.

[Dan Galt]

I was stationed at Pickle Meadows in 79, probably the same time you were there.

[ameriken]

Hey Galt!! Long time no see!!

[MountainMan1978]

Hey Dan, your name is familiar to me, but my mind might take more jostling before I can put a face to it. I was there from October 77 to Aug 79 under Col Guy and Capt Nick Allen. Hung out at The Tules. JW Foster

[ameriken]

I ran the base theater from June 79 to June 80 under Guy. I hooched with Dan Galt.

[MountainMan1978]

Hey Ameriken, I'm sure we crossed paths then - how could we not?! I was sad to leave the place, but I'd extended three times and had my TAD extended as much as they would do it. It was either re-enlist and head back to WestPac or get out.

[TexasDvlDog]

I was there from 85-87. Where the hell was the base theater!?!? lol

[ameriken]

Hey Ameriken, I'm sure we crossed paths then - how could we not?! I was sad to leave the place, but I'd extended three times and had my TAD extended as much as they would do it. It was either re-enlist and head back to WestPac or get out.
We must have. With only 130 people there, it's hard not to! I was TAD'd from Pendelton and was glad to be there, I hated SoCal with a passion. I extended my TAD too, so I spent most of my last year there.

I've seen pics of it, it's totally different now, looks like a college campus.

Devil Dog....were you there when they had the old green tin buildings and quonset huts, or when they built the new buildings? The base theater was the big tin building that housed the barber shop (and I think the PX).

[Alisium]

Fvuuuuuuuuck you guys are old.


:p













J/K:banana:

[Dan Galt]

Hey all,

Great to hear form you all after 30 years.

I worked in Supply back in the day. I was the jerk who hassled everyone about returning gear when they left our fair haven.

I visited the place in 1991, and it sure has changed form the days of the tent city.

I see Bridgeport on specials on the Military Channel and on their website.
I think they even have a rifle range now and land helicopters there. WOW.

Ken, I tried to email you but could not get through to your address.

Can you send me an email at Dangalt@aol.com that I can respond to?

Thanks, it is great talking with you all. Check out the Facebook group Pickle Meadow Memories.

[Dan Galt]

Ken

Yes the base theater was in the same building with the PX and the one chair barber shop. Do you remember Erick the old barber who would tell stories of how he fought with the resistance in WWII?

[ameriken]

Sent you an email Dan. Yeah, I remember Erik. I think after a while he started getting on my nerves. Remember that Gunny that shot and killed SSgt Easter at the Pickel Barrel?

Col Guy just passed away in December. He was a great CO. Pretty much left everyone to their own. That was a great base, I loved my time there.

[TexasDvlDog]

I've seen pics of it, it's totally different now, looks like a college campus.

Devil Dog....were you there when they had the old green tin buildings and quonset huts, or when they built the new buildings? The base theater was the big tin building that housed the barber shop (and I think the PX).

I got there June of 85. I spent that winter living in the Quanson huts. It was cold! Never mind if the heaters went out in the middle of the night which they always did! By the spring of 86 we moved in to the new BEQ's.

I remember where the PX was and the barber shop but by 85 the base theater was long gone. I tried and tried to get back to Pickle Meadows for the next 18 yrs after that! Allot of good times and great memories in that place.

[ameriken]

I got there June of 85. I spent that winter living in the Quanson huts. It was cold! Never mind if the heaters went out in the middle of the night which they always did! By the spring of 86 we moved in to the new BEQ's.

I remember where the PX was and the barber shop but by 85 the base theater was long gone. I tried and tried to get back to Pickle Meadows for the next 18 yrs after that! Allot of good times and great memories in that place.

That was a great place, what a beautiful setting to wake up to every morning. It was the kind of place where you really loved it or really hated it.

[Dan Galt]

Ken,

I don't know if you remember, but I used to work at the club as a short order cook.

The night of the shooting I was off. I missed all the excitement and didn't know about it until the formation the following morning. How you could sleep through something like that, I don't know.

I remember that the instructors would go up in the hills in the winter and were supposed to survive off what they carried up, and some of them would sneak down at night.

I would hear a knock on the back door of the club with a secret order for burgers and fries. The instructor would come back in 10 minutes and pick up the order at the back door and be gone back to the mountains.

[ameriken]

Ken,

I don't know if you remember, but I used to work at the club as a short order cook.

The night of the shooting I was off. I missed all the excitement and didn't know about it until the formation the following morning. How you could sleep through something like that, I don't know.

I remember that the instructors would go up in the hills in the winter and were supposed to survive off what they carried up, and some of them would sneak down at night.

I would hear a knock on the back door of the club with a secret order for burgers and fries. The instructor would come back in 10 minutes and pick up the order at the back door and be gone back to the mountains.Ha ha, funny story. Perhaps you and MountainMan1978 did meet on occasion!

I was trying to remember what you did. For some reason I dont remember you working there.

As for the shooting, I remember SSgt Easter as being a pretty cool guy that everyone liked, and that Gunny was pretty much a total a**hole that no one liked. Such a shocking thing to happen on such a small and tight base. :(

[Dan Galt]

Texas,

Can you tell us about the new BEQ's that were errected in 85?

On the picture, it looked like they were build on the area that used to be occupied by the Supply warehouses up towards the boneyard.

If you have more info on what the area was like when you were there, it would be nice, i.e. any new building between Pickle Meadows and the town or Bridgeport or Walker.

Thanks.

Dan

[MountainMan1978]

I've been back a few times since then -I actually lived in Walker for a few years after getting out working for Mono County Paramedic Rescue. Married a local girl at Cloudburst Meadow (just below the training site). We go back for the 4th of July celebration every few years to catch up with folks. The base is completely different now from when I got there in 77. Colonel Knutson was 'running' the place, though we all knew that Sir John Marjanov was the real authority. We had dogs running around the place, and as Instructors we had pretty liberal rules about our uniforms, facial hair and such. Then Colonel Guy arrived and squared us away, along with 1st Sgt David and Gunny Logan. Best job I ever had!

[Dan Galt]

Mountain Man, <br />
<br />
I remember the 1SG David was in charge of the softball team summer of 79. <br />
<br />
Who was the 1LT that was in charge of the instructors corps during that time? <br />
<br />
Whenever we had guard...

[MountainMan1978]

Lt. Chapman was assistant to Capt. Allen. He was a pretty good guy, as was the Capt. after he got things organized the way he wanted them.

[keecher]

To Dan Galt and ameriken.

Wow it's been 3 years since I've been in this site but all these stories about the meadows makes me have flashbacks to the old base.
First off...A-hole 1st Sgt that shot SSgt Easter in the Pickel Barrrel was NOT 1stSgt David. He had nothing to do with it. The shooter was a instructor who was a sniper in Nam, a citizen of Guam I was told who the Corps would never let go home on leave cause he told them many of times if they let him home he wasnt coming back. Does that refreshen your minds any? His name is SSgt Hetzman.
As far as Ssgt Easter being well liked? It sure wasnt any of us down in motor T that liked him. He was the real A hole of the base. And though tragic as it was that he was killed inside the club, sympathy did have to go out to his wife and young son who lived on the base. Easter's own mouth got himself shot and killed that night.
Dan Galt, there's a name I haven't heard in years , but I do remember you my friend. Been many years. Your right in the fact that you were off duty in the kitchen that night, but Cpl Chuck Arnonne? was. Memory off on the spelling of Chuck's last name. I was in the club that night when Easter got killed. Hetzman and Easter were drinking bottles of Ouzo at the bar and the subject got on to " you go across the Walker river to the mountain on the left and I'll go to the mountain on the right. Whoever shoots the biggest deer wins"..Then as more drinks were consumed and the words got heavier it changed to " you go on the left, I'll go on the right, and who ever shoots the other first wins." And then there where the words of coward, and F you and Chuck then told Easter to shut the hell up. Hetzman was told to go back to his hootch and not return the rest of the night. As he was walking out Easter ran his mouth again. Hetzman left but returned with his M-14 match rifle. If you remember right Staff and above could keep weapons in their lockers instead of locked up at the Cp. Chuck cleared the bar and stood between Hetzman and Easter demanding that 1st of all Easter was told to shut the **** up and for Hetzman to clear his weapon. Clear it, remove and hand over to him the magazine and the bullet in the chamber. He ( hetzman) was told to return to his hootch, secure his weapon and do not return the rest of the night and nothing would be reported to the Colonel. As Hetzman was leaving Easter ran his mouth with " you didn't have the balls to shoot me anyways" Hetzman took a L step and inserted his hand in his R pocket, grabbing a fully loaded spare magazine, R step pulled it out, L step locked and loaded, R step spun and fired hitting Easter squarely in the chin with a M-14 match shell, picking Easter up off the stool, spinning him around a few times and slamming him face first into the corner of the wall minus the back of his head.
The officer of the day which I believe was the gunny that night ran up to the club without even taking his .45 with him. This is what I remember to that incident. The following morning we all had to fall in in front of the CP and were told" Last night in the club there was a shooting. SSgt Hetzman is in jail, SSgt Easter is dead". Have heard 2 reports of this incident. The first was that Hetzman did 20 years and was paroled, the 2nd was that he was killed in prison..Don't know which is right.
I was originally sent up there to run the movie theater but lacked a license to run the projector and would have been sent back to Pendleton. Only in the Corps do you need a license to show a movie. Seeing as I was with 7th Motors down at Pendleton I walked over to see Sgt Cathie and when he saw me asked me to stay there instead of going back down since he had a guy rotating out. So until May of '80 when I got out, I was the trailer driver doing the runs out to get the troops at Fallon Air Station in Nevada.
Yes the movie theater was in the green building which also housed the px and the barber shop. Erik the barber,,,use to bring him once a month up to Reno in that little white chevy Luv truck we had to buy supplies. And to play the dollar slots at Circus Circus lmao!.
Hope this clears up the incident at the club.
Long live the memory of Col Guy and Sir John..
Ameriken you wouldn't happen to be Sgt Jones of motor T would you?

[ameriken]

To Dan Galt and ameriken.

Wow it's been 3 years since I've been in this site but all these stories about the meadows makes me have flashbacks to the old base.
First off...A-hole 1st Sgt that shot SSgt Easter in the Pickel Barrrel was NOT 1stSgt David. He had nothing to do with it. The shooter was a instructor who was a sniper in Nam, a citizen of Guam I was told who the Corps would never let go home on leave cause he told them many of times if they let him home he wasnt coming back. Does that refreshen your minds any? His name is SSgt Hetzman.
As far as Ssgt Easter being well liked? It sure wasnt any of us down in motor T that liked him. He was the real A hole of the base. And though tragic as it was that he was killed inside the club, sympathy did have to go out to his wife and young son who lived on the base. Easter's own mouth got himself shot and killed that night.
Dan Galt, there's a name I haven't heard in years , but I do remember you my friend. Been many years. Your right in the fact that you were off duty in the kitchen that night, but Cpl Chuck Arnonne? was. Memory off on the spelling of Chuck's last name. I was in the club that night when Easter got killed. Hetzman and Easter were drinking bottles of Ouzo at the bar and the subject got on to " you go across the Walker river to the mountain on the left and I'll go to the mountain on the right. Whoever shoots the biggest deer wins"..Then as more drinks were consumed and the words got heavier it changed to " you go on the left, I'll go on the right, and who ever shoots the other first wins." And then there where the words of coward, and F you and Chuck then told Easter to shut the hell up. Hetzman was told to go back to his hootch and not return the rest of the night. As he was walking out Easter ran his mouth again. Hetzman left but returned with his M-14 match rifle. If you remember right Staff and above could keep weapons in their lockers instead of locked up at the Cp. Chuck cleared the bar and stood between Hetzman and Easter demanding that 1st of all Easter was told to shut the **** up and for Hetzman to clear his weapon. Clear it, remove and hand over to him the magazine and the bullet in the chamber. He ( hetzman) was told to return to his hootch, secure his weapon and do not return the rest of the night and nothing would be reported to the Colonel. As Hetzman was leaving Easter ran his mouth with " you didn't have the balls to shoot me anyways" Hetzman took a L step and inserted his hand in his R pocket, grabbing a fully loaded spare magazine, R step pulled it out, L step locked and loaded, R step spun and fired hitting Easter squarely in the chin with a M-14 match shell, picking Easter up off the stool, spinning him around a few times and slamming him face first into the corner of the wall minus the back of his head.
The officer of the day which I believe was the gunny that night ran up to the club without even taking his .45 with him. This is what I remember to that incident. The following morning we all had to fall in in front of the CP and were told" Last night in the club there was a shooting. SSgt Hetzman is in jail, SSgt Easter is dead". Have heard 2 reports of this incident. The first was that Hetzman did 20 years and was paroled, the 2nd was that he was killed in prison..Don't know which is right.
I was originally sent up there to run the movie theater but lacked a license to run the projector and would have been sent back to Pendleton. Only in the Corps do you need a license to show a movie. Seeing as I was with 7th Motors down at Pendleton I walked over to see Sgt Cathie and when he saw me asked me to stay there instead of going back down since he had a guy rotating out. So until May of '80 when I got out, I was the trailer driver doing the runs out to get the troops at Fallon Air Station in Nevada.
Yes the movie theater was in the green building which also housed the px and the barber shop. Erik the barber,,,use to bring him once a month up to Reno in that little white chevy Luv truck we had to buy supplies. And to play the dollar slots at Circus Circus lmao!.
Hope this clears up the incident at the club.
Long live the memory of Col Guy and Sir John..
Ameriken you wouldn't happen to be Sgt Jones of motor T would you?
Hey, thanks for clearing up the story.....yeah, Hetzman was the fvcker. I couldnt stand the b*stard. I wouldnt be a bit suprised if he was killed in prison, in fact the story ends better that way.

I was Cpl Maddis at the time, and I actually came in Jun 79 and ran the base theater until Jun 80. Yeah, I had to get a license to run those 16mm projectors. My sidekick was LCpl Lozano. We were in the same hooch with Galt, Reininger, Miller, Keiser, and Stone.

[ameriken]

BTW, Dan has a facebook page for MWTC: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118631393131

[Dan Galt]

Thanks for the detailed story of the shooting at the club.

This is the first time I had heard some of those details and it has been 30 years ago.

The item about having to have a license to run the projectors at the base theater made me chuckle. What would have happened to the world if someone unlicensed would have run the show. LOL.

I had to take the projectors down to Pendleton in a van one time and the guy that worked at the base theater in Pendleton kept asking me questions about the use or abuse of those projectors. This was one of the many times while at Bridgeport that I was caught between the "truth" and the "TRUTH". You see shortly after I arrived at MCMWTC we had off on the Good Friday weekend. One of the guys brought the base theater projectors up to the hotch and we put up a sheet and showed movies in the hotch.

One time we had an inpection down at the warehouse and me being the senior man as a LCP had to go around with the 1SGT and the LTC had to answer questions.

We had one of those old field cooler in the office at the warehouse that was not used for anything. We also had a nice refriderator behind the office that guys would like to put beer in from time to time. I saw a six pack in there and told the guys to get rid of it before the LTC came so as not to get caught with it.

Unbeknownst to me the guys had simply moved the beer from the fridge to that cooler. When the LTC saw the cooler, he asked me what was in it. I did not know, so I opened the lid, and there was a loaf of bread, and under the loaf of bread was the six pack. My reply to the LTC was "some bread and stuff." Fortuneately he did not bother to look for himself.

What fun times. Thanks for the sharing, please feel free to share any other stories you remember about being there, as a lot of times what is old hap to you brings back memories for the rest of us.

[webberjay]

Hello and Semper Fi, I was at MWTC from 9-78 to 3-80. I am new to this site and am happy to see others here that remember those days! Would love to chat with any one who would like to about our time there. Just seeing some of the names of the people that I was there with bring back great memories. I can be reached at:
jswebb58@yahoo.com
Thanks, Jimmy Webb

[Dan Galt]

Jimmy,

Thanks for visiting this thread and posting something.

You can share old memories here, or you can join our group on Facebook.

Just type in Pickle Meadow Memories and you will find our group.

I admit I spelled the name wrong, but thats ok.

I have enjoyed the posts on this site as well as Facebook, learning new things about Marines that were up there at MWTC throughout the years.

It would be cool to get some post from some Marines that were there when they tore down the quansit hut BEQ and put up the new barracks.

If you google Marine Corps Mountain Warefare Training Center you can see the lay of the land today, which is a lot different than when we were there before 1980.

Thanks again for the post Jimmy hope to hear more from you.

Dan

[ameriken]

Here's the best pic I could find of the base today. It is more like a college campus, all the quonset huts are gone.

http://www.schweich.com/images/IMG_0453sm.jpg

[Dan Galt]

Ken,

Thanks for posting the great picture of the base.

I remember the 3 mile PFT run we had on March 15, 1980 there on Hwy 108 up towards the falls.

The Hwy was covered with patches of snow and trying to make time was not fun. Also, I had gone to Carson City the night before, my 21st birthday, to eat in the casino legally for the first time.

I don't know why, but I was by myself as Bill, Stoney and everyone else were doing something else that night.

I would like to go back to the base sometime to see what everything looks like up close. I think I could still make my way along 395 to 108 and back to the base.

[stewburner]

Hey guys-I was at MCMWTC from 77-81. I actually came across this site by accident,boy the stories you guys tell,just like yesterday.If one wasn't there they would not believe it!! But,I know they are true.MCMWTC was my only duty station. I was there TAD,Camp Pen sorta forgot about me-LOL.It took a lot of paper work to get your food at the old club where we would allow the officers to drink with us! My name is Smitty,worked in mess hall.I liked that base,lot's of fun,little off the wall how we did thing but we rarely got inspected,Coy Guy didn't like them. The only bad egg up there was Maj. Heck,he was out to get me but,he never could make anything stick. Col Guy was always on my side!!! Does anyone remember Sgt Jone from the motor pool,he blind sided Col Guy right off his stool,OPPS he was then sedated for the night,went to see the old man the next morning Col ask him if he had a prob with booze he said no"Only when I can't get it"!!! Haircuts,ya right,shop was open when Erick could make it and might be 4 weeks befor you could get on.
PK and Sandi did finally get married Gunny Logan retired in Bridgeport.
You can contact me at dick_smith88@yahoo.com

Carry on
Smitty

[stewburner]

I've been back a few times since then -I actually lived in Walker for a few years after getting out working for Mono County Paramedic Rescue. Married a local girl at Cloudburst Meadow (just below the training site). We go back for the 4th of July celebration every few years to catch up with folks. The base is completely different now from when I got there in 77. Colonel Knutson was 'running' the place, though we all knew that Sir John Marjanov was the real authority. We had dogs running around the place, and as Instructors we had pretty liberal rules about our uniforms, facial hair and such. Then Colonel Guy arrived and squared us away, along with 1st Sgt David and Gunny Logan. Best job I ever had!
Gunny Logan was my boss,that old Col reminded me of Col Klink!! 77-81 was a riot up there.

[Old Marine]

On my way to Korea in 1953 I had to take a side trip to Cold Weather Training at Pickle Meadows. Was not my most favorite place at the time. I was an 18 year old and still wet behind the ears.

Since my retirement I not live in Nevada and have been back to Pickle Meadows numerous times when I have been trout fishing in the area. The place has really changed since my 1st time there. I have a friend who worked there many years as a Civil Service Worker. His name is Leonard Jones and he went by the name Jonesy.

[stewburner]

On my way to Korea in 1953 I had to take a side trip to Cold Weather Training at Pickle Meadows. Was not my most favorite place at the time. I was an 18 year old and still wet behind the ears.

Since my retirement I not live in Nevada and have been back to Pickle Meadows numerous times when I have been trout fishing in the area. The place has really changed since my 1st time there. I have a friend who worked there many years as a Civil Service Worker. His name is Leonard Jones and he went by the name Jonesy.
I think we all woke up when we went to that base,but sounds like you,lucky you a short time!!!

[stewburner]

I've been back a few times since then -I actually lived in Walker for a few years after getting out working for Mono County Paramedic Rescue. Married a local girl at Cloudburst Meadow (just below the training site). We go back for the 4th of July celebration every few years to catch up with folks. The base is completely different now from when I got there in 77. Colonel Knutson was 'running' the place, though we all knew that Sir John Marjanov was the real authority. We had dogs running around the place, and as Instructors we had pretty liberal rules about our uniforms, facial hair and such. Then Colonel Guy arrived and squared us away, along with 1st Sgt David and Gunny Logan. Best job I ever had!
I remember the Col change of command speach,WELCOME BACK TO THE MARINE CORPS!!!Who was his first sarg,that muscle bound gorilla!!!

[keecher]

Have tried to find pickel meadow memories on facebook with no luck :-(
Will keep trying..
Jimmy Webb that name sounds familiar to me..I know you but can't picture you..old age clouds the memory..We over at motor t had a great bunch of guys there, to bad the equipment wasn't..Starkey, Stansberry, Chuck Noftsker from colorado, the 2 brain dead half brothers Harry Lauderdale and Paul Wubbles. Wonder what ever happened to them..Loved each other but had no respect for each other..Anyone remember the night they rolled the pickup truck up on 395 in the Minden area into the river? Sgt Jones...Who's favorite saying was " Happy Trails putt putt mother*******"
Sgt.Cline and his wife Terri ( beaner)...Heard Herbie died not sure if its true or from what..
Sgt Cat lives out in Nevada now lost track of him a few years back.
Tom Rodgers one of the dispatchers, I was the other one.
Got a pic of alot of us at Clines house for a party..Cant remember everyone..
When your young you think you can remember who's who forever so you don't put their name on the picture backing.
L/Cpl Lazano..name sounds familiar..
What was the name of the shell gas station/resturaunt about 1/2 - 1 mile past the base camp on hwy 108 on the left hand side?
Have a pic of 2 guys hanging over the railing but again no names..maybe Lazano was one of them..
Supply we had Dan and Gryzlak..Anyone remember him? Lived about 10 miles from me here in Mass and have never seen nor found him. If there was beer in the cooler it was probably him.
Broke down ( I know it's hard to believe that our lovely International loadstar we had would ever break down) but it did one day on the way to Pendleton..1StSgt was on his way to Pendleton and gave us a ride to a auto parts store..Owner refused to take a goverment credit card.
Our great equipment..Oldazz International Loadstar Tractor couldn't get out of it's own way empty.
school buses with coffee cans on firewall, filled up with dry ice to keep them from vapor locking,
M116's to use up in the moutain,,cold and noisy as hell..
Couple of trash trucks and a honey wagon for the sani cans. If you were lucky you could leave base top go to B'port to empty it..Got to see real folks for a while.
Supply even threw out ski repair kits one time..Grabbed about 50 of them..Small straight and philips screw drivers,+ combo pliers, wire cutters, adjustable wrench type tool...still have a couple around here. Had to fight the Pyutes for them.
Thinks this posts as keecher my nickname but real names Mike Redfern if any of you remember me from motor T
usmc7280@yahoo.com

Ken thanks for that pic of the base camp..looks like a resort area

[stewburner]

Have tried to find pickel meadow memories on facebook with no luck :-(
Will keep trying..
Jimmy Webb that name sounds familiar to me..I know you but can't picture you..old age clouds the memory..We over at motor t had a great bunch of guys there, to bad the equipment wasn't..Starkey, Stansberry, Chuck Noftsker from colorado, the 2 brain dead half brothers Harry Lauderdale and Paul Wubbles. Wonder what ever happened to them..Loved each other but had no respect for each other..Anyone remember the night they rolled the pickup truck up on 395 in the Minden area into the river? Sgt Jones...Who's favorite saying was " Happy Trails putt putt mother*******"
Sgt.Cline and his wife Terri ( beaner)...Heard Herbie died not sure if its true or from what..
Sgt Cat lives out in Nevada now lost track of him a few years back.
Tom Rodgers one of the dispatchers, I was the other one.
Got a pic of alot of us at Clines house for a party..Cant remember everyone..
When your young you think you can remember who's who forever so you don't put their name on the picture backing.
L/Cpl Lazano..name sounds familiar..
What was the name of the shell gas station/resturaunt about 1/2 - 1 mile past the base camp on hwy 108 on the left hand side?
Have a pic of 2 guys hanging over the railing but again no names..maybe Lazano was one of them..
Supply we had Dan and Gryzlak..Anyone remember him? Lived about 10 miles from me here in Mass and have never seen nor found him. If there was beer in the cooler it was probably him.
Broke down ( I know it's hard to believe that our lovely International loadstar we had would ever break down) but it did one day on the way to Pendleton..1StSgt was on his way to Pendleton and gave us a ride to a auto parts store..Owner refused to take a goverment credit card.
Our great equipment..Oldazz International Loadstar Tractor couldn't get out of it's own way empty.
school buses with coffee cans on firewall, filled up with dry ice to keep them from vapor locking,
M116's to use up in the moutain,,cold and noisy as hell..
Couple of trash trucks and a honey wagon for the sani cans. If you were lucky you could leave base top go to B'port to empty it..Got to see real folks for a while.
Supply even threw out ski repair kits one time..Grabbed about 50 of them..Small straight and philips screw drivers,+ combo pliers, wire cutters, adjustable wrench type tool...still have a couple around here. Had to fight the Pyutes for them.
Thinks this posts as keecher my nickname but real names Mike Redfern if any of you remember me from motor T
usmc7280@yahoo.com

Ken thanks for that pic of the base camp..looks like a resort area
Those 2 guys were just tawsing they're cookies off that bridge!!That was pretty common-lol. Ah,your right,the dump run,we gave up on M T AND just took our own car in,stopped at the bar and when we got back we got back. Maj Heck could never find us, He was looking for a motor pooj truck=DUMMY!!!

[Quinbo]

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=226&pictureid=7993

To the left of this picture was the head and the chow hall. Up the hill was brick BEQ's and a head quarters building. Permanate personnel lived up there. It looked like a luxery hotel. We were lucky to stay in the hard back tents as other units had shelter halves on the ground. This picture was taken in 93

[Dan Galt]

Our Facebook group is hard to find because this old Marine who set it up forgot that it should be spelled Pickel Meadows not Pickle Meadows.
Anyways if you type in the wrong spelling you should find it under Pickle Meadow Memories.
Thanks for this post it was good. I do remember Gyzlak from Mass. He worked down at the warehouse with me.

[ameriken]

@ keecher, here's Dan's facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118631393131&ref=mf

You've got quite a memory, I remember Gryzlak, Lozano. I think I hooched with both of them. Lozano was my assistant at running the base theater. Lozano had a 1979 black and red camaro. I always tried to borrow it from him so I could run up to Reno, but he would never let it go.

Wasnt Gryzlak from Maine?

I remember the accident too...I think it was an old Willies. The two in it were Miller and Keiser...Keisers head was all fvcked up, I think he had a couple hundred stitches or something like that. He hit the windshield which was made of regular glass, there was no safety glass in that old thing.

Then there were two country boys....Ryder and Bartlow, I think they were from North or South Carolina or some southern state like that. They both had older Camaros and Bartlow used to take the 30 mph turns on 395 near Walker at 55 mph. The outsides of his tires were all worn out.

Anyone remember Gunny Ferris?

[ameriken]

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=226&pictureid=7993

To the left of this picture was the head and the chow hall. Up the hill was brick BEQ's and a head quarters building. Permanate personnel lived up there. It looked like a luxery hotel. We were lucky to stay in the hard back tents as other units had shelter halves on the ground. This picture was taken in 93

Wow, thats a familiar view. The base is like a frigging college campus now.
Back in the day it was all quonset huts, mud, and green tin buildings.

[Dan Galt]

Thanks for this picture. The infrastructure changes, but the landscape stays the same. I used to love to watch the storms roll in over those mountains.
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=226&pictureid=7993

To the left of this picture was the head and the chow hall. Up the hill was brick BEQ's and a head quarters building. Permanate personnel lived up there. It looked like a luxery hotel. We were lucky to stay in the hard back tents as other units had shelter halves on the ground. This picture was taken in 93

[Dan Galt]

Ken, <br />
<br />
I remember Ferris, but he was a Master Sgt (Top) worked in charge of Supply. <br />
<br />
The accident involving the two guys I remember well. Keiser put his face into the windshield of the jeep. I...

[ameriken]

I remember that fire. I dont think I was with you guys, I was with another group as we climbed about 1000 ft to the top of a hill, the grade got too steep for us and it was impossible to move around,...

[Dan Galt]

Ken,

That fire is something I will always remember. We had scaled up the gully with the fire being to our left side. We were supposed to keep it from jumping across the gully.

We had stopped to rest, and a boulder came out of the burned area above us and was rolling down the gully with all of us in its path. I don't think to this day I ever moved so fast to get out of the way of being crushed.

We all got out of the way except Keiser. His leg was really bad and we had to wait to get a basket up to evacuate him. Meanwhile they were dropping the slimy purple stuff to help put out the fire on top of our area. This made the rock slippery when we climbed down to get him down.

I guess this why when we were in the hotches after work we kept the door locked so as to make people wanting us to go fight fires think we were not home. LOL.

[ameriken]

Ken,

That fire is something I will always remember. We had scaled up the gully with the fire being to our left side. We were supposed to keep it from jumping across the gully.

We had stopped to rest, and a boulder came out of the burned area above us and was rolling down the gully with all of us in its path. I don't think to this day I ever moved so fast to get out of the way of being crushed.

We all got out of the way except Keiser. His leg was really bad and we had to wait to get a basket up to evacuate him. Meanwhile they were dropping the slimy purple stuff to help put out the fire on top of our area. This made the rock slippery when we climbed down to get him down.

I guess this why when we were in the hotches after work we kept the door locked so as to make people wanting us to go fight fires think we were not home. LOL.

I am surprised I dont remember that story, but I do think I remember him in a cast. Poor kid.

After that accident in the willies, his head looked like a football. With luck like that I hope he made it through life ok.

[stewburner]

@ keecher, here's Dan's facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118631393131&ref=mf

You've got quite a memory, I remember Gryzlak, Lozano. I think I hooched with both of them. Lozano was my assistant at running the base theater. Lozano had a 1979 black and red camaro. I always tried to borrow it from him so I could run up to Reno, but he would never let it go.

Wasnt Gryzlak from Maine?

I remember the accident too...I think it was an old Willies. The two in it were Miller and Keiser...Keisers head was all fvcked up, I think he had a couple hundred stitches or something like that. He hit the windshield which was made of regular glass, there was no safety glass in that old thing.

Then there were two country boys....Ryder and Bartlow, I think they were from North or South Carolina or some southern state like that. They both had older Camaros and Bartlow used to take the 30 mph turns on 395 near Walker at 55 mph. The outsides of his tires were all worn out.

Anyone remember Gunny Ferris?
Everyones tires were worn out,we was just trying to get back to base on time-LOL. You could make lots of time in Walker Caynon,even the cops couldn't catch you,I know!!!

[stewburner]

Everyones tires were worn out,we was just trying to get back to base on time-LOL. You could make lots of time in Walker Caynon,even the cops couldn't catch you,I know!!!
Gunny ferris was pretty cool,just do your job and thats all he wanted

[webberjay]

Mike Redfern that name is familiar to me also. Didn't you replace me in the dispatchers job when I started driving that old loadstar you mentioned? Man that tractor was lame! Drove that piece of crap all over hell up there. Also made many dump runs to B'port in the pac-mor garbage truck! about the truck rolling incident on 395, the truck belonged to Harry Lauderdale but he wasn't in it that night. A guy named Gene Colter was driving and a Sgt. named Mark Wolford was in the middle,and I was riding "shotgun". We had borrowed Harry's truck to go to Reno and on the way back at about 0430 Colter falls asleep at the wheel and runs off the left side of the road, we went airborne for about 100 feet before hitting a boulder head-on and flipping the truck end over end. HELL of a wreck! Took me what seemed like an hour to figure out which way was up! At least no-one seriously hurt ( I got a bloody nose)
WE caught a ride back to base and got the wrecker from the motorpool and went and drug the truck back on it's wheels then towed it straight to the junk yard. Harry took the news pretty well, all things considered. He had good insurance since the truck was practically brand-new. I have pics somewhere of the truck still upside down and me sitting on it. I'll try to find them and scan/post them if I can. Got a million memories of my time @ Pickle Meadows, loved that place.

[ameriken]

Mike Redfern that name is familiar to me also. Didn't you replace me in the dispatchers job when I started driving that old loadstar you mentioned? Man that tractor was lame! Drove that piece of crap all over hell up there. Also made many dump runs to B'port in the pac-mor garbage truck! about the truck rolling incident on 395, the truck belonged to Harry Lauderdale but he wasn't in it that night. A guy named Gene Colter was driving and a Sgt. named Mark Wolford was in the middle,and I was riding "shotgun". We had borrowed Harry's truck to go to Reno and on the way back at about 0430 Colter falls asleep at the wheel and runs off the left side of the road, we went airborne for about 100 feet before hitting a boulder head-on and flipping the truck end over end. HELL of a wreck! Took me what seemed like an hour to figure out which way was up! At least no-one seriously hurt ( I got a bloody nose)
WE caught a ride back to base and got the wrecker from the motorpool and went and drug the truck back on it's wheels then towed it straight to the junk yard. Harry took the news pretty well, all things considered. He had good insurance since the truck was practically brand-new. I have pics somewhere of the truck still upside down and me sitting on it. I'll try to find them and scan/post them if I can. Got a million memories of my time @ Pickle Meadows, loved that place.

I dont remember that accident. Thats a separate incident from the one I was thinking about where that dude Keiser got his head all torn and busted up.

On another issue, another name came to mind....anyone remember a black guy named Sgt Dickerson? He was a pretty cool dude from what I remember.

[stewburner]

Mike Redfern that name is familiar to me also. Didn't you replace me in the dispatchers job when I started driving that old loadstar you mentioned? Man that tractor was lame! Drove that piece of crap all over hell up there. Also made many dump runs to B'port in the pac-mor garbage truck! about the truck rolling incident on 395, the truck belonged to Harry Lauderdale but he wasn't in it that night. A guy named Gene Colter was driving and a Sgt. named Mark Wolford was in the middle,and I was riding "shotgun". We had borrowed Harry's truck to go to Reno and on the way back at about 0430 Colter falls asleep at the wheel and runs off the left side of the road, we went airborne for about 100 feet before hitting a boulder head-on and flipping the truck end over end. HELL of a wreck! Took me what seemed like an hour to figure out which way was up! At least no-one seriously hurt ( I got a bloody nose)
WE caught a ride back to base and got the wrecker from the motorpool and went and drug the truck back on it's wheels then towed it straight to the junk yard. Harry took the news pretty well, all things considered. He had good insurance since the truck was practically brand-new. I have pics somewhere of the truck still upside down and me sitting on it. I'll try to find them and scan/post them if I can. Got a million memories of my time @ Pickle Meadows, loved that place.
Did you fill out the paper work for the wrecker or just BORROW it!!!!

[stewburner]

On another issue, another name came to mind....anyone remember a black guy named Sgt Dickerson? He was a pretty cool dude from what I remember

Dickerson was a cool dude as was Sgt Cathy!!!
Remember Sgt Jones,he was a riot.

[Dan Galt]

On another issue, another name came to mind....anyone remember a black guy named Sgt Dickerson? He was a pretty cool dude from what I remember

Dickerson was a cool dude as was Sgt Cathy!!!
Remember Sgt Jones,he was a riot.

Sgt Dickerson was in our hotch. He had a TV that would come on in the morning as an alarm clock and it would always come on to the beginning of the rerun of Mr. Ed, so we would hear as we woke up "A horse is a horse of course of course....."

[ameriken]

The military channel (195 on Dish) has a show called "Mountain Marines" this Friday morning (3am Mtn time) about a ''training facility in California that exposes Marines to an environment similar to that of Afghanistan and northern Iraq".

Obviously about MWTC. :thumbup::flag:

[stewburner]

The military channel (195 on Dish) has a show called "Mountain Marines" this Friday morning (3am Mtn time) about a ''training facility in California that exposes Marines to an environment similar to that of Afghanistan and northern Iraq".

Obviously about MWTC. :thumbup::flag:
Thanks fot the info,will have to set the recorder for show!!!!:iwo:

[ameriken]

You're welcome. Another thread said Jan 28 starts 'Marine month' and that's when I looked it up and found it

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=92931

[ameriken]

Thanks fot the info,will have to set the recorder for show!!!!:iwo:

I was just perusing the channels and realized that Mountain Marines is on Thursday at 6 and 9 pm Mtn time. Dont have to wait till 3 am!

[stewburner]

I was just perusing the channels and realized that Mountain Marines is on Thursday at 6 and 9 pm Mtn time. Dont have to wait till 3 am!
Should be interesting to see how much it has CHANGED!!!

[ameriken]

Should be interesting to see how much it has CHANGED!!!

Oh for sure. I dont think there is much of anything left that is recognizable from the original base. I'm sure most of the show will be shot in the mountains to display the Marine training, but I am hoping to get some good views of the base.

[stewburner]

Gunny Logan retired and moved into Bridgeport. We all knew that town well!!!

[ameriken]

I am looking at the guide again and there is another MWTC at 6pm Saturday (Mtn time), again on the military channel. "Marine Corps Survival School" is the title. There is a part 2 at 7 but I am not sure if that is MWTC or not.

[Dan Galt]

I remember they had a small airport in Bridgeport, but the sign off the main drag pointing to the airport had a picture of a 747 on it. I don't think they landed many of those there.

[John Foster]

you had that yellow TA lmao ....
I got there June of 85. I spent that winter living in the Quanson huts. It was cold! Never mind if the heaters went out in the middle of the night which they always did! By the spring of 86 we moved in to the new BEQ's.

I remember where the PX was and the barber shop but by 85 the base theater was long gone. I tried and tried to get back to Pickle Meadows for the next 18 yrs after that! Allot of good times and great memories in that place.

[stewburner]

you had that yellow TA lmao ....
The trick on the heaters was to tie that mercury switch with a little fishing line, in the wide open positition!!

[John Foster]

so long ago wasnt it :) semper fi brother

[ET Hoffman]

Wan't Guy replaced by Osgood? A religious freak. Shame his dughter wasn't. How did that song go? What do you do with the Col. daughter? Take her to the hot spring and pop..... What about Sir John Marjonoff? (SPL)

erictodhoffman@hotmail.com

[stewburner]

Sir fohn died died in.or about 2003,wasnt really that old.

[stewburner]

You are old J W-LOL!!

[ET Hoffman]

Sir fohn died died in.or about 2003,wasnt really that old.

Shame. Sir John was a legend. Thanks

[ameriken]

Wan't Guy replaced by Osgood? A religious freak. Shame his dughter wasn't. How did that song go? What do you do with the Col. daughter? Take her to the hot spring and pop..... What about Sir John Marjonoff? (SPL)

erictodhoffman@hotmail.com

Speaking of Col Guy, he passed away in Dec 2008. :iwo:

[ET Hoffman]

Big John... Hey since you are up on everyone else do you know anything about Dean & Mary Jane David? The couple that ran the Lodge. I stayed in touch with them unitl about 87.

[FoxtrotOscar]

Big John... Hey since you are up on everyone else do you know anything about Dean & Mary Jane David? The couple that ran the Lodge. I stayed in touch with them unitl about 87.

Oh No..!!! This can't be "The Sgt Hoffman" of Cucumber Flats... is it...???:beer:

Mountain Man 78.. I live in Washington also...

MWTC 75 - 77 and 83-85..

SF..

[Waveslide]

I had a chance to take orders to work in the BAS there and I passed them to go green side. Not that going "green" was a bad thing, but I kick myself everyday for not taking those orders! I love that place!

[ET Hoffman]

Oh No..!!! This can't be "The Sgt Hoffman" of Cucumber Flats... is it...???:beer:

Mountain Man 78.. I live in Washington also...

MWTC 75 - 77 and 83-85..

SF..
The one and only. Now which rumor do you remeber? The one with me and a young Bridgeport girl? The fight in the club? The temperary duty to Camp Pend? A scream match with Big John Hopkins? Or one of the other stories with no evidence that plagued me? Remember... Admit nothing, deny everything and questions the photos because the can be altered. lol Speaking of photos I am going to have to locate one I have of you and two fine young Marines.

[John Foster]

I remember sgt Hoffman.. Nice guy solid marine ... kept my ass out of trouble after a certain cpl and i drove threw a few goat gate shat housed :P

[ET Hoffman]

I remember sgt Hoffman.. Nice guy solid marine ... kept my ass out of trouble after a certain cpl and i drove threw a few goat gate shat housed :P
Hey Marine! I appreciate that but you and I know that that couldn't have happened. We never did anything wrong~ lol

[FoxtrotOscar]

I remember sgt Hoffman.. Nice guy solid marine ... kept my ass out of trouble after a certain cpl and i drove threw a few goat gate shat housed :P

GOATS.. no goats up there.. they were sheep..!!!

[ET Hoffman]

GOATS.. no goats up there.. they were sheep..!!!
Pickle Meadows, where the women are scarce and the sheep run scared! Gunny liked it so much he served there twice if I recal correctly. Had one up there that could "bah" his name. The only way I could tel his apart from mine were the ribbins around the neck. Mine had a scarlet ribbin, his had a gold one.

[John Foster]

GOATS.. no goats up there.. they were sheep..!!!
I was being nice Gunny Campbell cooked most of them dont know how many times I towed hoffman up that hill but i remember he got ****y when we flagged down some pizza scraps from that navy chopper on survival :cool:

[ET Hoffman]

I was being nice Gunny Campbell cooked most of them dont know how many times I towed hoffman up that hill but i remember he got ****y when we flagged down some pizza scraps from that navy chopper on survival :cool:
Darn stories! Oh well, all is well that ends well. What ever happened to Gunny Canmbell?

[Dan Galt]

Hey Mountain Man,

I guess you know about our group on Facebook, I don't remember if we have any former instructors.

They are probably too busy doing mean things to the neighborhood cats. LOL.

[John Foster]

Darn stories! Oh well, all is well that ends well. What ever happened to Gunny Canmbell? They sent him to okinowa I think and put Gysgt Palmeroy in his place... he was a good egg

[FoxtrotOscar]

Big John... Hey since you are up on everyone else do you know anything about Dean & Mary Jane David? The couple that ran the Lodge. I stayed in touch with them unitl about 87.

That's a good question, what ever happened to Levitts Lodge.. Dean and MaryJane..??

I've attempted to Google a few times and come up with Zero...!!!

Good to hear from you again Hoffman, I'll get back to you as soon as possible...:banana:

[ET Hoffman]

What is the group listed under?

[Dan Galt]

The name of the Facebook group is "Pickle Meadows Memories"

I know I misspelled Pickel, but what do you expect from an old jarhead?

Let me know if you cannot find it. My facebook name is Dan Galt.

You can send me an email at dangalt@aol.com.

Thanks.


What is the group listed under?

[ameriken]

Here's the facebook link:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...1393131&ref=mf (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118631393131&ref=mf)

[Dan Galt]

Ken,

Thanks for the help. I am not the most techno inclined sometimes.

[MountainMan1978]

Hey Dan, thanks for keeping these postings going. I WAS on Facebook but got in trouble with my wife of 26 years when she saw messages from my girlfriend of 27 years - freakin' technology will kill you. So I don't do Facebook (or the girlfriend) anymore.
Just went back to Bridgeport in June - was going to stop by the base but they had guards with weapons locked and loaded and lookin' kind of nervous at every gate - don't know WHAT was up with that! The base has changed, but the town and the mountains are the same.
Hey Foxtrot Oscar - what was your job at PM and where are you now in WA state? If you're going to be in the Olympia area we should do a beer or three and shoot bulls.
As an instructor we were kind of isolated and didn't get to know many of the rest of the guys on base- except at the club. but one thing I did want to clear up - Hetzman was NOT an instructor. He was a douche bag and honestly, so was Easter, but he didn't deserve to get shot like that.
Colonel Guy was my XO at Pendleton before I TAD'd up to Pickel Meadows; when I heard he was coming I warned everybody - but they still had no idea what was coming. I loved that guy - almost married his daughter Tammy actually.
Anyway. Long time ago, but great memories.
JW

[Piton]

JW and the rest,
I just stumbled upon this site while searching MWTC. Sure is great to see some familiar names and hear some recollections.
I was assigned to the Instructor Branch toward the end of the summer packagge in 1978. I was the replacement for Bob KenDoll Davidson. It was too late in the season to get CT'd so I didn't earn my summer Red Hat until the spring of 1979. I was up there two winters 78-79 and 79-80, as well as most of the summer of 1979.
I remember you movie projector operators helping me out every time I taught the cold weather clothing class. You would play a Korean era Army film for my intro showing a guy getting his frostbit toes peeled off. Great stuff.
JW are you still playing the guitar? I reember walking into hooch 1 and you and Muzzy were playing The Ballad of Jed Clampett.
I'll try and find some old pictures and check out the facebook page.
Ameriken, I'm just down the road in Parker. We'll have to figure out a way to link up sometime.
MWTC was a great place to be stationed. Ron Angle

[MountainMan1978]

Hey Ron - long time... I remember that frostbite video too; it really got their attention! Muzzy and I were great pals, but like with a lot of us, we haven't kept in touch. I did keep playing the guitar and got pretty good at it after a while, although I play for my own amuzement mostly. My first attempt at singing in public was when Muzzy and I sang "A Six-pack to Go" at the Pinenut Lodge with Dwayne and his wife playing background. It went downhill from there!

[Dan Galt]

The thing I remember about the instructors is how you all would sneak down from the mountain and knock on the back door of the club kitchen to order a to go meal when you were supposed to be eating off the land up in the hills.

I worked short order at the club and delivered the food out the back door without anyone being the wiser.

[stewburner]

Pickle Meadows, where the women are scarce and the sheep run scared! Gunny liked it so much he served there twice if I recal correctly. Had one up there that could "bah" his name. The only way I could tel his apart from mine were the ribbins around the neck. Mine had a scarlet ribbin, his had a gold one.
What do you think you ate from 77-81-lmao
What a bunch of misfits we were!!! Everyone TAD,ya over 3 years I was!!!!

[Redfern334]

Mike Redfern that name is familiar to me also. Didn't you replace me in the dispatchers job when I started driving that old loadstar you mentioned? Man that tractor was lame! Drove that piece of crap all over hell up there. Also made many dump runs to B'port in the pac-mor garbage truck! about the truck rolling incident on 395, the truck belonged to Harry Lauderdale but he wasn't in it that night. A guy named Gene Colter was driving and a Sgt. named Mark Wolford was in the middle,and I was riding "shotgun". We had borrowed Harry's truck to go to Reno and on the way back at about 0430 Colter falls asleep at the wheel and runs off the left side of the road, we went airborne for about 100 feet before hitting a boulder head-on and flipping the truck end over end. HELL of a wreck! Took me what seemed like an hour to figure out which way was up! At least no-one seriously hurt ( I got a bloody nose)
WE caught a ride back to base and got the wrecker from the motorpool and went and drug the truck back on it's wheels then towed it straight to the junk yard. Harry took the news pretty well, all things considered. He had good insurance since the truck was practically brand-new. I have pics somewhere of the truck still upside down and me sitting on it. I'll try to find them and scan/post them if I can. Got a million memories of my time @ Pickle Meadows, loved that place.

Harry wasnt in that wreck??? sorry brother didnt know this page existed and the last time I was on thois website was like 5 yrs ago..Yea myself and tom Rodgers were in dispatch

[Dan Galt]

If anyone would like to share more memories of the days at MCMWTC (Pickel Meadows) there is a group on Facebook called "Pickle Meadow Memories). I know I misspelled Pickel, but we are jarheads not authors.


Mike Redfern that name is familiar to me also. Didn't you replace me in the dispatchers job when I started driving that old loadstar you mentioned? Man that tractor was lame! Drove that piece of crap all over hell up there. Also made many dump runs to B'port in the pac-mor garbage truck! about the truck rolling incident on 395, the truck belonged to Harry Lauderdale but he wasn't in it that night. A guy named Gene Colter was driving and a Sgt. named Mark Wolford was in the middle,and I was riding "shotgun". We had borrowed Harry's truck to go to Reno and on the way back at about 0430 Colter falls asleep at the wheel and runs off the left side of the road, we went airborne for about 100 feet before hitting a boulder head-on and flipping the truck end over end. HELL of a wreck! Took me what seemed like an hour to figure out which way was up! At least no-one seriously hurt ( I got a bloody nose)
WE caught a ride back to base and got the wrecker from the motorpool and went and drug the truck back on it's wheels then towed it straight to the junk yard. Harry took the news pretty well, all things considered. He had good insurance since the truck was practically brand-new. I have pics somewhere of the truck still upside down and me sitting on it. I'll try to find them and scan/post them if I can. Got a million memories of my time @ Pickle Meadows, loved that place.

[John Foster]

always likes lt chapman 1sgt david ended up as Smaj david in like wanna say he came back up in 88 or late of 87... great guy...mt man who the heck are you ....

[MountainMan1978]

Hey there John - great name by the way, we must be brothers by different mothers or something. I was at Pickel Meadows in '78-79, TAD from Pendleton. I was an E5, instructor and served under Captain Nick Allen and Lt. Chapman, and of course, the great Lt.Col John Guy. I went by JW though Colonel Guy called me Moose. The base was a lot different then, with Quonset huts for us and GP tents down below for the troops. It was great duty. They let me extend 3 times up there but in the end I couldn't get permanent orders so I got out in August of '79, lived in the Bridgeport/Walker communites for a few years, married a local girl and then moved up to Nevada and then to the Northwest...

[John Foster]

lmao you were a clamper wernt ya??? eclampervitas...

[MountainMan1978]

I was indeed a proud member of the Clampers (insert donkey bray here).
I don't remember meeting you - but I fried a lot of brain cells at the Tules, the Sportsman, The Pinenut Lodge and of course at the E-club on base, so you can forgive me...

[Flameforged1]

Friend of mine from Okinawa, a Scout Sniper. Thanks!

[John Foster]

you owned one smelly stinky azz goose egg and Im claustrophobic that will give ya a hint! lmao! semper fi bro!

[John Foster]

yeah moose i know you!@

[Sgtfixit3521721]

Was there late 1979 from 8th Mt Bn CLNC cold weather training and back again around 1983 still in those wooden frames with old tent covers on them. Rember the most walking to the chow hall and not being able to breath for a while before eating.

[BRoubal]

That would be 1stSgt Daniels, Lloyd G I think. He sure loved to go to Bishop. How about them Mule Days.

Best deal there was the blood drive.. bus trip to Carson City or Reno, give blood, get all the bowling, and booze you could drink. Bus would take you back that night or the next day, depending on how much fun you were having.

[BRoubal]

Geez you can never forget the elevation, you could always tell the newbies at pickel meadows you'd be out of breath just going up the stairs from the PX to the head shed. Remember you even got an extra minute or two on your 3 mile run time. I worked in the S-1 from Jan 80 to Spring of 81.

Great place, great stories, how about getting out of your quonset hut and fighting 3 feet of snow to go take a **** or shave in the morning!:scared:

Hetzman and Easter yup that was a bad story, Sure never seen any official reports on that one. Has anyone heard from Chuck Arnone, PA boy I think, quite the characher along with his friend John Clark (wasn't it).

The names are nice to see I think I was in the quonset hut with Dan Guthrie. I can't remember others, I hung around with Jamie Perna he was a corpsman, we headed off to Topaz Lodge and what was the name of the bar that Carol Baker had just north of Topaz lodge?

Wow what memories, I'll have to look for that facebook page.

[ameriken]

Wow what memories, I'll have to look for that facebook page.
Heres the webpage:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/325313670832298/#!/groups/118631393131/

Your name rings some bells!

[ameriken]

Just got home from our road trip to CA. First time in 32 years that I've seen this place. I'll post more.

2198421985219862198721988

[FoxtrotOscar]

WOW, great pics, it looks like Bridgeport is frozen in time, nothing looks changed..

[ameriken]

The only thing not frozen in time was gas prices, I was shocked at $5.29, which was 50 to 80 cents higher than the rest of the state. Lee Vining was about as bad.

However I was surprised to see Kens Tackle shop still there.


21990

[ameriken]

Next stop:


21991

21992

[ameriken]

First look of Pickel Meadow and the old main gate and shack.


22000

22001

[ameriken]

More pics of the base on Facebook group "Pickel Meadows Memories".

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3187568413440.2125336.1392704587&type=1#!/groups/118631393131/

[mcsgt3522]

hey fellow Marines i'm trying to get into the pickle meadows memories fb page i was sgt smith/smitty from mt from 80 to 84 do i need to be recommended by someone to become a member?i rememeber a lot of names on the fb sight let me know if anyone can help

[grantsydow]

Gentlemen, I will make you all feel young. I was one of the Recon Marines that went to Pickel Meadows when there were just a few Quonset huts to live in and no base at all. 1973-1975, 30-90 days TAD and no personal vehicles. 23 miles to town. MSgt G.L Sydow.

[BADGER58]

...I was at Pickle Meadows 79-80 Tad ...and remember many many names and situations of those days as if it were only a month ago or so ..(Iwish) right?! ..please let me in on our Alum via Facebook Twitter or Leatherneck etc. ...where are u all?

[BADGER58]

...I think I know u from Pickle Meadows

[BADGER58]

Ameriken r u really online here ?

[BertB]

I was a dispatcher when Cat Man was there.

[BertB]

Hellooooo! I was there from 79 to 80 IN THE MOTOR POOL with Cat Man, Starkey, Wubbels, Lauderdale, Kline, Jones, etc.

[BertB]

Are you sure? I thought Dave Starkey was diving.

[BertB]

Remember Butch McKiver?

[rlbarry]

On my way to Japan I went to Pickel Meadow, never been so cold in my life. First night there 25 below 0 sleeping on the ground under a shelter half, never saw snow in my life. Next morning broke off all shelter pegs even with the ground, never saw frozen ground either, had no shelter from there till done, had to improvise. canteen stayed frozen the whole time as were the rations. Carried everything in a rubberized bag on a packboard.Mickeymouse boots worked well, using the slit trench was a pain, a cold pain in the ass, lots guys had a big scab for a nose, had to drag the guy that was supposed to relieve me on guard out of his sleeping bag. Those are a few of the memories of 1955 at Pickel Meadow

[Old Marine]

Made a stop at Pickle Meadows on way to Korea in 1953.