Hikes: Blisters, No Water, Heat Prostration, Sweat, and Cheating
Have you ever made a hike in un-broken-in boots? I have, and I'll never do it again.... It was 1967 and I was an ROTC college boy. Right outside the gate of Fort Sam Houston there was a military shop that had new commercially made jungle boots. To me, these really looked like the stuff! Just like the guys in combat wore, and light weight, too. And the heck with those bulky wool GI socks. I'll just buy THESE nifty nylon socks to wick away the sweat! We started at the Camp Bullis main base. I believe the mileage was 12 miles straight up the middle of Bullis. It was an evening hike and it did not take too long before several other people besides myself began to figure out that non-broken-in boots were a bad idea, also, we were out of water. We camped in a lovely stream-bed area and drank the cool water under the Texas moonlight. The next morning when we got up, we thanked the Lord for our WW2 halizone tablets as the water was full of cow paddies. Basically at this point we had at least four or five people who could NOT walk the 12 miles back, so two guys who were athletes ran back to camp. Despite the stern signs "NO POVs PAST THIS POINT" they didn't bother to ask the Army; just drove two cars back and rescued us.
My next memorable hike was at Fort Sill in 1970. I learned there, don't carry the M-60. Moskowitz did, and he had heat prostration. It was only 10 clicks, but 110 in the shade. Ahhh, clorox-flavored water!
I was with 1st Bn 4th Marines in 1975 at the MAU CAMP in Subic Bay as their Navy dentist. The Battalion is taking a hike, and the Lt. Col. tells me I am expected to walk it with him. I inform him, just in case he does not know, that I have patients on Saturday and he will, I am sure, want me to stay and fix those Marines' teeth. The Lieutenant-Colonel, who had just relieved our Vietnam Evac CO who was sent home in glory, reminds me that I had gone to Baguio with the Chaplain, Father Mattie, and had not let my weekend dental case load bother me then. So at that point I was pretty much sunk.
As we left the NEW ORLEANS the Lt. Col. set a really fast pace with a really long stride. I started about the mid-point of the Battalion and I just could not keep the speed, which was about like the Grambling Tiger Band's. So I'm falling further and further back. Had a couple of LATE Marines just in from the 'Po run past me... no pistol belts, no water. Right, I figured (accurately) I would see them again, later. After a while I had drifted all the way back to the very end of the column.
At the end was HM-2 Havens, driving a gray Navy IH Scout in low gear. It was already full to bursting with flaked-out Marines, some of whom were the late arrivals I had seen trying to catch up with their companies. So... allright. Fat boy Navy dental LT gets into that Scout. At one point Havens had to run back to the ship and let some of the seriously non-walking wounded out. We caught back up with the Battalion as it finished going through Calliyagaan (I'm spelling phonetically, maybe some old Subic hand can correct me), the family housing area. It's all just steep hills. Very steep. The entire Battalion, at that point, is on the ground gasping for air. The XO, Major "Iron" Mike McGowan, strides up and orders everyone in the Scout out, saying "YOU PEOPLE GET OUTTA THAT VEHICLE! WE HAVE SOME REALLY BAD PEOPLE HERE - we NEED THAT VEHICLE." So having been kicked out of my wheels I start wandering up fo the front of the column. I had only missed about 3 miles of the hike, but it was THE WORST part of the hike. One of the Company Commanders saw me, and ignorant of my motorization in the hilly area, complimented me, citing "...all these non-hackers, yet here YOU are, Doc!" I didn't correct him.
I found the command group. The MAU commander, similar in status to a BG, was an older white-haired full Colonel, and he was sitting on the ground, in pretty rough shape. The Lt. Col, turned away from him and muttered to another officer, "Here's where I could make a name for myself and walk the MAU's ass into the ground!"
"There's water! WATER at the rear of the column!" cried out a corporal. "Thank GOD!" the MAU cried, and dumped his 2 or three swallows of water on his head, handing his canteen to the corporal. At this point I had about 1/3 a canteen or less left, myself. Then, my Army ROTC training kicked in and I decided to hold onto what I had.
"I'm sorry, Sirs!" said the corporal as he returned gloomily, empty canteens dangling lightly from his fingers, "they were already all out..." Saw THAT coming a mile off. I offered the MAU my canteen and of course he wouldn't accept. So the BN CO Lt. Col. starts us up again only this time he had apparently thought matters over and the pace was a bit more genteel. As we approach the ship this same Company Commander comes up and cautions me to get behind the MAU. Not good for the Battalion Navy Dentist to lead the hike in, you know (Ok yeah, well, I had cheated, but HE didn't know that).
There was a screech of tires and a man in immaculate whites jumped out of his car. It was LT Craig Wright, a "brother" from College Army ROTC Pershing Rifles who had been on the 1967 hike, also now a Navy dental officer. Small world, and matters had come full circle! "Bye Craig, gotta keep up!"
I'm gonna say it was a 15 mile hike, of which I had done the 12 easy miles. I have never been so sore in all my life. My fatigues (utilities, as the Gyrenes say) were wet like you stopped the washing machine and took them out during the rinse cycle! I have never worn clothes that wet in my entire life.
If I am going on too much please let me know. I just noticed there has not been much written lately and thought this topic might be interesting. Anyone else, please add your hike stories!
