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The Good Ship Lollipop

The Good Ship Lollipop

I don’t like to swim in the ocean. Sand gets in places it was never meant to be. That may be ironic since I wound up in the Marines. I had never been on any water craft bigger than a 15-foot fishing boat when I joined the Corps in 1958, so I had never experienced sailing on the deep blue. By the time I shipped over to Okinawa I had only flown commercial a couple times on Bonanza Airlines between San Diego and Phoenix – the first time on a DC-3, the second on a small turbo-prop. I hadn’t experienced air sickness either time so I was unprepared for what was ahead.

In late 1959, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, under command of then Lt. Col. Kenneth J. Houghton, departed California on the good ship USS Breckenridge, a WWII single screw troop ship. We immediately hit heavy seas which lasted the entire journey to Japan. We even took our brig-rats. They were simply transferred from the Camp Pendleton brig to the Breckenridge brig to the Okinawa brig to finish their sentences before returning to the battalion. By the second day out we were told that the brig was in ankle deep water, something about a split seam due to heavy weather was how the swabbies explained it. As miserable as I was, I couldn’t help feeling a little pity for those guys.

It wasn’t just the disconcerting feeling of having to look up to see the tops of the 40 foot swells we wallowed through for the entire journey that was bothersome. As the old tub would crest a swell and dive into the next trough, the single prop would come part way out of the water, slapping at it and sending a shudder through the ship. Very few of us weren’t seasick from the start. Even old salt sailors were getting sick. I lived on cr-p from the geedunk for most of the first week because I couldn’t stand in a chow line below decks without throwing up. The routine in chow line, as it stretched out of the mess hall was to stay alert for anyone making a mad dash from their table in an ill-fated attempt to make it topside before giving up whatever food they had managed to swallow. At the cry of “SICK MAN COMING THROUGH” everyone would flatten themselves against the bulkhead and hope the unfortunate soul made it past them before ejection. I was seasick to some degree the entire trip. One of my buddies commented that I really had a weak stomach. “Not so,” I replied. “I can chuck it out there as far as anyone on board.”

Adding to our grief was that the front half of the ship was off limits due to the foul sea conditions for fear of a man being washed over the side. That meant the entire battalion had just half the deck space to attempt to stay out of the stinking below-decks. It didn’t help to see senior staff NCO’s, officers and military family members promenading around an upper deck.

One particular E-4 Sergeant was obnoxious to all us greenies. He was on his second tour and bragged about being a Sea-Marine, having a Med cruise under his belt. He wouldn’t admit that he wasn’t all that unaffected by the rough voyage, but one evening he got his comeuppance. It happened in the heads, which were located under the fantail. He was leaning forward, one hand on the sink, combing his hair when the kid next to him suddenly threw up all over ol’ Salt’s hand. He took one look at his hand, dashed to the closest GI can and puked. Unfortunately for him – and hilarious to all of us who had suffered his taunts – he wore false teeth. Out they popped with dinner, into the can along with the former contents of other stomachs. We heard no more old-salt-talk from him for the rest of the voyage.

What was truly perplexing about the Breckenridge was the design of the toilet system. There were urinals on the wall, yes. But for taking care of the bowels there were long troughs with dual boards spaced down their length for sitting to take care of business. Being a WWII troop ship, I assumed she had been designed by the enemy. Instead of the troughs running port to starboard, they ran fore and aft. The constant flow of sea water used to flush the trough rushed in a wave from one end to the other as the old ship climbed and dived over the sea swells. On the worst days an unthinking Marine who took position on an end seat was most likely to get his butt drenched by the dung-filled sea water as it splashed against the end of the trough. On the best days some wise yahoo might float a ball of toilet paper in the rushing water and set it afire, causing mayhem as it floated down the line of bare butts, causing guys to jump up while still in the process of relieving themselves. Pretty funny – if you didn’t happen to be on one of the seats.

As a note of interest, 3/5 settled in at the brand new base, Camp Schwab, on arrival at Okinawa. Schwab may now become the new home of MCAS Futenma and the shanty village outside the base has apparently become a thriving city.

The old Breckenridge was commissioned in 1945, too late to participate in WWII but was in the mix for both Korean and Vietnam wars. She was decommissioned and sold to a Japanese firm for scrap in 1987. During 3/5’s voyage, I wasn’t sure which of us would be decommissioned first, her or me.

Jim Barber
Mar. 1958-Mar 1962
Semper Fi

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Comments

Mike LaBozzetta 3rd FSR ’65-67 - June 23, 2020

We went from San Diego to Naha on the Gaffey in late 1965. Same type of troop carrier I believe. I remember those troughs in the head. Good as memories, not so much at the time. Good story Marine!

Michael McManus - June 23, 2020

Was stationed at Camp Schwab in ’65 with 1st Recon Bn. the “thriving metropolis” you mentioned was called Henoko. I also remember the holes in the fence for unauthorized liberty. Sailed from SanDiego to White Beach on the APA US Paul Revere (aka Peter Rabbit). Good times on Oki in the 60’s! Semper Fi! Michael McManus, Sgt. 64′-69′

CPL Tim Donovan - June 23, 2020

Truly a well written story, and funny. Thanks Marine.

john vonderhaar - June 23, 2020

In 1966 I was a L/CPL serving in Gitmo with Lima Battery 10th Marines. We boarded an LST for training for training around PR and Veagues Island. This particular troopship did not have NCO quarters and so the Sergeants and Corporals bunked with the troops. The bunks were 10 high and the NCOS fought to get to the top rows. I did not know why but understood they knew something I did not so I climbed as fast and high as I could. Once out from the breakwater I knew why. It was difficult to get out of the racks because they were so close together, so if someone puked it hit the deck and splashed at least 4 rows up. I was high enough not to get splashed but after the first night I took the passenger side seat out of my Mighty Mite and slept on my air mattress for the rest of the cruise.

Robert Smith - June 23, 2020

My first ship was APA 195, USS Lenaway (Lean Weenie) We went over starting Oct 61 with a 3 week layover at Pearl Harbor before heading to Okinawa. We docked a few hundred yards out and had to go down the cargo nets in our Greens into Mike boats, then wade ashore thru the surf the last few feet.. Some dick officer had us in Greens so we would report in “looking sharp”. My sea bag got lost for a week but I was able to borrow utilities and skivvies from guys in my new unit at ammo Plt, 2d light support co, 3d Service Bn

Dennis Warn - June 23, 2020

Small world: I took my first “cruise” on the Breckenridge December 1955 to Okinawa. We settled in at Camp Napunja.(a condemned Army base) Probably condemned the day after WWII was over! 6-8 months later we moved to Sukiran (1st Cavalry moved.out.we moved in. Absolute paradise; we had our own mess hall and a head to accommodate more than 2 at a time. We had more sick Marines BEFORE we left San Diego go figure. Dennis Warn Sgt. E4 F/2/9 3rd Marine Division 1955-1959

james norton - June 23, 2020

Good yarn! laughed out loud twice. Came back from Nam on the USS Juneau, LPD 10. more modern, but flat bottomed. She is now decommissioned. I think every returning Marine, was sick for at least a week, and that was with a fairly calm sea. Recovering Marine, Jim Norton, 2377865, 8-67- 4-71.

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