What was your favorite Christmas/Holiday?

Here is mine:

It is the week of Christmas in 1985 and, for once, the Air Cavalry is not on deployment. This is unusual for us as we are a Rapid Deployment Unit and the Cold War is humming right along. We have really worked hard to get all of our helicopters on fully operational status. The Commander in Chief and the Brigade Commander have decided to reward the Brigade with something very rare for the time and that is a full week off without having to use leave! Before I go into detail any further I want to give you a little background on our unit, A TROOP 1/6th CAV ATTACK HELICOPTER “GUNFIGHTERS”, 6th AIR CAVALRY BRIGADE AIR COMBAT and it’s wonderful Commanding Officer.

Our C.O. (Commanding Officer) is a great one. He is the only U.S. Marine to be given full Command of a U.S. Army unit and he is a Captain (O-3)! He has been selected by his superiors to lead a program that closely co-ordinates Marine Corps and Army attack helicopter operations. He is evaluating the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter versus the then new AH-64A Apache attack helicopter for the United States Marine Corps. He is one of the finest pilots and, as you shall soon see, an officer and a gentleman of the highest caliber! Make no mistake though, he is 100% Marine. A real hard charger that openly declared that before he leaves this unit it will be the sharpest, best trained, most motivated and most physically fit unit in the whole U.S. Army! Now where was I?

Oh, Yes, I remember. We are standing muster in the last formation of the week prior to getting dismissed for our extended vacation. I am the “Guide On” (color) bearer for our troop so I am always front and center with the C.O. in front of the troops. As tough as he was on us he was never afraid to hand out praise where it is due and on this day he is beaming at us as he thanks us for the hard work. Then he does something that takes us a bit by surprise. He asks for a show of hands of the troops that will be staying “In Garrison”, not going home, for Christmas. Including my own there are about a half dozen hands that go up. The C.O. then announces that all of us will be at his home at 13:00 hours (1:00pm) sharp on Christmas day to have dinner with him and his family! “My troops do not eat in the mess hall on Christmas Day!”, he says! Wow, this is neat! There is just one problem.

I have volunteered to pull Squadron Duty Driver for one of our young troopers on Christmas Eve so he can be at home with his family. This is 24 hour stay awake duty. I don’t get relieved until 08:00 hours Christmas Morning. I am saving my leave to use as terminal leave in the spring and I really want this trooper to go home. I tell the C.O. this. I tell him that if I try to get to his house at 1300 hours I will be putting myself and everyone else on the highway at risk. He agrees that we cannot have this. Then he asks me what time I will be getting up. I tell him I will probably get up about 1500 hours (3:00pm). He says to me “You’ll be in your room at 1530 hours?”. I thought he was asking me so I tell him that I might be at chow by then as they will start serving Christmas Dinner at lunch. He says, “Bridges, that was not a request. YOU WILL BE IN YOUR ROOM AT 15:30 HOURS AND WAIT FOR ME THERE!”. I say the only thing I can say, “Yes Sir!”! Now I know my C.O. really well as I am his Color Bearer, Aerial Observer, driver and courier. When he gets agitated his left eyebrow starts to twitch as it is now doing. The only other time I recall getting him that excited was when I got arrested by the Military Police and he got called in front of our Post Commander, a Three Star General, to explain why I should not be tossed into the stockade! Boy did he take that one out of my hide but that, as they say, is another story.

It is now Christmas Day and I am alone in my three man room. I have just awakened when my buddy from Headquarters Troop knocks on the door. Dan asks if I am ready to go to chow. I glance at my watch, invite Dan in and tell him I have to wait until the C.O. shows up at 15:30 hours. When he asks why I tell him that I do not know. We are watching the tube when, at 15:30 sharp, someone pounds on my door. I open my door and there stands my C.O. with two big picnic baskets in his hands. He is grinning from ear to ear as I just stand there, speechless, dumbstruck, with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. As my Captain is handing me the food he says, “Merry Christmas, Bridges. I told you my troops do not eat in the mess hall on Christmas Day.”! I barely manage to croak out “Thank you, Sir. Won’t you please come in, Sir”? He politely declines then says he has to get home because he left his wife there with all of those G.I. Joes. I am overwhelmed with joy, appreciation and the brotherhood of comrades in arms. That was one of the warmest hand shakes ever and then I watched him walk away.

I closed the door and turned around to see my buddy sitting there with his jaw hanging open. He also has tears on his cheeks. Dan looks at me and says that he has never seen such a wonderful thing form a Commanding Officer. He tells me how lucky I am to have a C.O. like that and that he wouldn’t hesitate to take a bullet for him. I agree! The meal that my Captain and his wife had prepared was delicious. There was enough food in those baskets to feed several people so Dan and I feasted like kings that day! The love and compassion of that wonderful man will be an inspiration for me all the rest of the days of my life! My Captain is a Retired Lieutenant Colonel now but, to me, he will always be my Captain. I have been honored and privileged to serve with the best!

Now, lets here about your favorite Christmas or Holiday.

nighthawk,

Wrote a story for the Reader’s Cast section about my favorite Christmas holiday a little while back. Got a lot more back that day then I gave. Long time ago; but, was one of those always sticks with you moments. Not to belabor the item; but, here it is below.

Teddy
[i]By [b]Richard Taylor, (Grn Mt Man)

[/i][/b]
VERMONT!
Being born and raised in the fourteenth “admitted” state, at least in the 1940’s through the 50’s absolutely guaranteed you a cold and snowy holiday season.

On the morning after a fresh nighttime snowfall it was your duty; actually, a moral obligation, as the first kid to arrive at the empty neighborhood ball field lot to create the circle and bisecting lines that were used for the daily game of “fox and geese.” For the uninitiated, this was a wintertime version of “tag - you’re it;” but, you were restricted to running only around the circle and across the lines.

Making “snow angels” was another favorite pastime; but, not for the mom’s of the neighborhood! Upon re-entry to the house, you were met with the strictly enforced admonitions - “Take off those wet clothes -hang them on the radiator - knock the snow off those boots - you’ll catch your death of cold.” Subconsciously, that may be one of the reasons that I migrated South in later life - wasn’t about to let any “death by cold” be my final farewell.

The day after Christmas was reserved for playing with and/or bragging about all the presents Santa brought to your house and maybe left under gram and gramps tree, at their house as well, with your name on it. Never did figure out why Santa left unwrapped presents at my house and always wrapped ones, with our names on them, at gram and gramps!

Memory fades; but, I think it was the day after Christmas - about 1948, that “Teddy” was linked to this day and in my minds eye forever.

I don’t remember his last name, only that he was about two years older then me, taller by a head and what would be best described then as chubby. He was absolutely the happiest kid I ever knew. Always smiling and never complained; whether someone called him “fatso” or said he couldn’t play ball cause he was too slow or any of the myriad cruel tricks foisted on kids of his stature.

Several of us were playing on the snow covered ball field next to my house when Teddy came ambling up, that perpetual smile locked on his face, wearing what could only be described as a lightweight ball jacket, scarf around his neck; but, no hat or gloves. In other words; his usual mid-winter attire.

Insulated as we were in those times, not only from the cold; but, from the knowledge that many “Teddy’s” were much less fortunate then we, I asked him, "Aren’t you cold Teddy?

“Naw,” he said, “I just came from the house.”

As we were in the midst of comparing our Christmas loot, one of the other kids asked, “Teddy - what did you get for Christmas?”

His indefatigable smile brightening even more, Teddy said, “A pair of gloves, socks and an orange.”

Laughter immediately rang out and the kidding started in earnest; but, Teddy - smiling as always - insisted that the aforementioned presents were the sum total of his Christmas gifts.

I didn’t join in the laughter - I didn’t question the truthfulness of what he said - I was stunned and suddenly feeling very guilty. How could anyone receive those few simple gifts and be so happy about it?

I wanted to cry; but, when you’re a grown up eight year old that kind of reaction was reserved for falling off your bike, getting hit with a baseball or some other typical heroic deed.

The gang soon departed for other daily pursuits and I went into the house and told my mom about Teddy.

She explained to me that everybody doesn’t always get what they want - that sometimes it’s the littlest of presents or kindnesses that make you happiest - and especially, at this time of year, giving could make you feel better then receiving.

I went to the living room, picked one of my presents from under the tree, went out and gave it to Teddy. I told him it was left at my house by mistake.

Never saw Teddy much after that Christmas. Think his family moved soon after the holidays.

I often think of Teddy at Christmastime - can still see that wonderful smile on his face.

Learned a whole lot more, that day after my eighth Christmas, then I knew at the time.

Never forgot that day - never will. [b]~ Richard Taylor, (Grn Mt Man)[/b]
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Richard,
That was a wonderful thing you did! Thanks for sharing with us!:smiley:

I don’t write much so this will be fairly short and to the point. Besides I am at work right now and can?t spend a lot of time telling stories.

The most memorable Christmas for me happened when I was somewhere around 12 or 13 years old. It was a typical Christmas morning with the family gathered around the tree, the present had been distributed and we were following the tradition of either youngest to oldest or oldest to youngest taking turn opening presents. I think this year it was youngest to oldest so I was the first to open my presents being the youngest in the family. I can?t even remember what I had received.

My two older brothers had finished theirs and so had my older sister. Now it was mom?s turn. She had finished with all of her presents when my father handed her one more gift; a small box. She opened it and as she was finishing up my dad said ?When we got married I promised you one?. I could see tears starting to run down my mother?s cheeks as I strained to see what he had given her. Inside the small box was a small but very beautiful diamond ring. At that time they had been married somewhere around 20 years and I think their anniversary was Dec. 31st.

Kerry,
That is awesome! Thanks for sharing!:smiley: