Skip to content
FREE STANDARD SHIPPING! Use code SHIPNOW at checkout
FREE STANDARD SHIPPING! Use code SHIPNOW at checkout
October 7, 2016 Grunt.com Admin

The Beer Run

By: Sidney Crews

This incident took place after an all-nighter around the spring of “68” We had set in around a small bridge north east of the village of Dia Loc and hill 37 about 20 miles southwest of Da Nang. We stayed there for a couple of hours then started trekking through the rice paddles heading south. Around daybreak we headed back toward the road we started from a little east of the bridge so we could meet up with some trucks to take us back to the hill. We had some time on our hands so we found some shade and set in. Now the road was built up about 15 to 20 ft with a nice little embankment on the side. If you weren’t right on the side of the road you couldn’t see us and we couldn’t see the top of the road. There was a little traffic but not much Now these roads are not paved and can be quite bumpy. A vehicle was approaching and as it went by I heard a thumping sound followed abruptly by a crashing sound. You could hear a noise that sounded like air spewing out of something. There was about eight to ten of us down on the embankment and we were pretty tired so nobody jumped up to see what was going on. I heard the vehicle coming to a stop. So I crawled up to the top and it was like a “Holy S**t” moment. There in the middle of the road were about 6 cases of beer. A couple of cases had broken open and a few cans were spinning around spewing beer all over. The rest remained intact. I gave a yell about this time and the rest of the Marines start to see what’s going on and it’s a mad dash for the golden brew. The vehicle that had lost its cargo (a mighty mite jeep with a trailer) had stopped about 30 meters down the road and a second lieutenant had jumped out. What’s funny about this is he started yelling for us to stand down and started to take his 45 out of his holster. I’ve often wondered what in the hell he was thinking. Here he is looking at some pretty crazed Marines who haven’t enjoyed a beer in quite some time, and we’re armed to the teeth. The driver yelled something to the second lieutenant causing him to stop and get back into the jeep. After he got back in the jeep hauled a** and drove off. Of course the beer is warm but who cares it was a nice day.

Sgt Grit wants to hear from you! Leave your comments below or submit your own story!

Previous article Lineage of the USMC Eagle, Globe and Anchor

Comments

Steve Barbarick - June 21, 2020

Some month during the first half of ’69, we were at either Hill 37 or maybe Hill 55 ( not sure as we were all over that part of I Corp ) we were running platoon patrols during the day, resting a few hours then running platoon ambushes at night. This went on for several weeks then we were finally given a couple days break to rest up. During the two day break I was Diddy boppin’ on the hill when I noticed pallets of cases of beer sitting inside the barbed wire surrounding the officers club. Adapt, improvise, overcome time. I went back to our tent, got three volunteers and we went and over run the officers club area. While we were tossing cases “outside the wire” I noticed two officers approaching and we ” slowly ” reversed the process acting like we were loading beer ” inside the wire “. They passed by, not suspecting anything and when out of sight we simply reversed the process again taking the beer back out of the wire. Needless to say, my platoon drank free officer club beer that night. I always considered that as a sort of payment for the supposed payment of 2 beers a day we were told we would get courtesy of the Commandant.

Larry…0331-’65-’69 - June 21, 2020

One day I was walking through Dog Patch and observed a kid jump on the back of a slow moving 6X. A few seconds later, I saw two cardboard boxes come flying off the back of the truck, followed by the kid. I started running toward the boxes while yelling at the little thief. The kid took a di-di, and I collected the two boxes. The truck driver kept on going, so I felt responsible for the return of the property to American hands. When I walked into the Company area with a case of San Miguel Beer under each arm was the only time i was considered a hero during my two tours in the “Nam.

Larry…0331-’65-’69 - June 21, 2020

Steve M, it was probably San Miguel. You could always count on that stuff to clean you out!

l tokach Former S/Sgt. USMC - June 21, 2020

During TET at DaNang we didn’t have any ice or beer to drink for 30 days only Johnny Walker Red and Johnny Walker Black Scotch Whiskey which I consumed when ever I could . Until today I can’t stand to even look at that stuff.

Steve M - June 21, 2020

We were at Camlo a firebase, just south of Contien. When we got our beer, or Shasta ration it was always warm .A driver came by with some ice that he bought from the Vietnamese. We were so excited that we didn’t care that it was brown, in color, or had straw, and twigs, in it. We put it in one of those green containers, that they heleolifted hot (warm) food on occasion. We added the beer and waited. I don’t remember what off brand the beer was, but having a cold beer, after such a long time was heaven ! That was before we got the runs. Luckily we were in camp, and could run to the shitters. Looking back it would have made sense to at least wipe off the can before we drank from it. Steve M. Taskforce Mike/Task force Robbie

Harry - June 21, 2020

Hey !! I always wondered what happened to our beer rats!!

Leave a comment

* Required fields