Anybody Ever Have to Buy the House a Round in a Military Club? Cubi Point?

[Griff Murphey]

Usually this is for walking in with your hat on. My first time into the side entrance of the little "side" bar at the Cubi Point Naval Air Station O Club, in 1975, I had the bell rung as I was taking off my pisscutter. The door opened right INTO the bar with no entryway as is normal. I'm sure the bartender kept an eagle eye on that "hatch" for Cubi first timers such as me.

We (BLT 1-4) were staying in the lovely unairconditioned Quonsets at the MAU camp... like McHale's Navy. Our temporarily-USMC-infantry-assigned-pilots (ALOs) all checked into the Cubi Point O club as transients.... not legal. Nothing said, but all pilots, pretty much, are primadonnas, so I guess that's expected.

General Houghton, CG 3rd MarDiv, and Col. Gray, 4th Regiment CO and future Commandant, came in to schmooze with us one Sunday morning and the Club had just had a champagne brunch. Many of our lieutenants were staggering around carrying champagne bottles. None of it seemed to bother the General or our regimental CO, they made brief speeches, schmoozed, and left. The drinking continued.


There was another bar deep inside the club that looked out over Subic Bay and that one has been moved and set up at the Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola.

[Michael Tompkins]

Never had to buy the House a round, but all of the guys I hung around with had what they called a "Pfennig check". The lowest unit of the W.German currency was the pfennig. It is a rather small copper coin, about the size of an American dime. When you were out in one of the local taverns and one of your buddies yelled "Pfennig check!", you had to be able to produce a one pfenning piece. If you could not, you had to buy the round of drinks. I was never without mine as I stashed it in my wallet. Funny thing is, even after 30 years, I STILL have mine in my wallet. Now, it's more of a good-luck piece, but hey, you never know! Mike

[Oyaji]

Never had to buy the House a round, but all of the guys I hung around with had what they called a "Pfennig check". The lowest unit of the W.German currency was the pfennig. It is a rather small copper coin, about the size of an American dime. When you were out in one of the local taverns and one of your buddies yelled "Pfennig check!", you had to be able to produce a one pfenning piece. If you could not, you had to buy the round of drinks. I was never without mine as I stashed it in my wallet. Funny thing is, even after 30 years, I STILL have mine in my wallet. Now, it's more of a good-luck piece, but hey, you never know! Mike

Kinda like today's challenge coins, eh?

[phil441]

I really kinda hate that the challenge coins came after my service time. Since I refused to buy the few medals I was entitled to, I ended up with no trinkets as mementos.

[Randy A]

I'm a retired First Sergeant now and I not only carry one pfenning, but also a backup. I saw that backfire on a soldier once,, I think it broke him, he called the pfenning check,, and didn't have his (Mannheim). I used to carry the backup in case one of my ranger buddies was in a bind.

[30shtur]

WOW, that brought back memories. I was at Cubi Point in late 1973 with BLT 3-4. I had a few free beers at Henderson Hall from bell ringing in 1975.

[Griff Murphey]

To sleep properly in those unairconditioned MAU camp Quonsets, you needed to get a load on that evening before turning in.

[Doug Douglass]

Bought only once, when I made E5 and everyone knew it and showed up. At that time on Governers Island NY PO's were allowed in the CPO club because there were not enough CPO's to support the club. On the plus side beer was .10, mixed .25 and a steak dinner was $1.25. (1966)