View Full Version : Swooping
How often did you "swoop" home on a 72-96 pass ? Did anyone ever swoop from Pendleton to midwest/eastcoast ? I did twice San Diego to Cleveland Ohio. Never got caught either !:yes::D Oh Yeah ! Swooped home with a Navy Corpsman/Marines from Lejuene once in November of 68 from the base Hospital. boy thats alot of riding !
Zulu 36
06-25-10, 01:10 PM
How often did you "swoop" home on a 72-96 pass ? Did anyone ever swoop from Pendleton to midwest/eastcoast ? I did twice San Diego to Cleveland Ohio. Never got caught either !:yes::D Oh Yeah ! Swooped home with a Navy Corpsman/Marines from Lejuene once in November of 68 from the base Hospital. boy thats alot of riding !
Maybe I wasn't paying attention at the time, but I rarely heard the term "swoop" when I was at Pendleton. At Lejuene it was commonly heard and didn't just mean going home on a long liberty, it meant getting out of the Lejuene/Jacksonville area, period, for any liberty length.
Pendleton had access to much better public transportation so Marines could go to L.A., San Diego, even Vegas, quite easily on a 48-hour liberty. At Lejuene, if you didn't own a car or have a good buddy who did, you were pretty much limited. Of course there was "swoop circle" on Mainside where you could hook rides from car-owning Marines if you shared the gas expenses.
I used to "swoop" from MCAS Beaufort, SC to Darien, CT.
Havent heard the term swoop in 30 odd years....:p
I used to "swoop" from MCAS Beaufort, SC to Darien, CT.
Havent heard the term swoop in 30 odd years....:p
Yepper ! I thought it might bring some memories ! Good times indeed ! :)
Danny C Smith
06-25-10, 02:04 PM
This is wild!
besides myself I haven't heard the term
used in 20 years. I still say it when I'm in
the get the hell outa dodge mode.
Tell the Wife, "I gotta swoop".
She got used to it.
Actually said it when I was leaving work today.
Later guys I'm gonna swoop.
thewookie
06-25-10, 02:12 PM
When I was stationed in VA I used to swoop home for quite a few 96's -- especially as I was about to EAS.
From VA to Boston it takes about 10hrs (the way I drive)
Going back to base/work it always took at least 11hrs.
The time it took all really depended on how easy/fast I could get through NY. I used to plan my trips around the NY rush hour traffic -- what a freeking nightmare.
:banana: Swoopin on a 96 -- yes, siiiir
Rocky C
06-25-10, 04:06 PM
Every 96 hour pass Swoop from Camp Lejeune to Rhode Island in my 68' Camaro 327, 4 speed. 12 Hours Non-Stop except for Gas and a Quick Pizz.
Sometimes had to Stop at Swoop Circle in New York for a Quick Drop off or a Pickup on the way back for My Brothers with no car.
20 Bucks a Head. Paid for the Gas Everytime.
I Miss those days.......
Semper Fi,
Rocky
hbharrison
06-25-10, 04:21 PM
Had a Doc I knew Swoop home one time to Colorado in his car on a 72 he almost made back to Camp Pen but the car broke down about 80 miles from base so me and another Marine drove to where he was picked him and his car up with a tow bar and just made it back to base in time. Top knew what we did but never said sh*t too the Ol'Man. Those were good times.
Camp Lejeune to Tulsa once. Camp Lejeune to Memphis and back on a 96. Hell of a ride.
Semper Fi, Tom