A Thanksgiving from a different time and I wasn't even there!

My Shipmate and Dear Friend Donald L. Locke had this on the Argonaut page at Facebook today. 

I miss that little blue D50 that is mentioned in the story.............It was one helluva good little four wheel drive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember Donald's CJ as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VA 147 Work Center 230 Thanksgiving
This is a no Shitter it was November 1987 in June we returned from the taking the USS Kitty Hawk on her World Cruise, more recently returned from a short det to Luke AFB playing war games with the Air Force (that is a another story). Now we wanted some fun, Thanksgiving was just around the corner my guys and I were debating what we were going to do for the holiday. We were the Night Check Ordnance shop and Ordies always know how to have fun. So AO3 Goldstrom (Goldie), AOAN Adams (Booger), Radar from the AE shop two others and myself AO1 Locke ( my old timers is kicking in and I can not remember the name of the others sorry) after some brain storming we decided we would go camping and cook our Thanksgiving dinner on a camp fire. I had a 350 cid powered 76 CJ5, Booger had a full time four wheel drive CJ7 let’s go four wheeling. Three hours south on Interstate 5 is Frazier Park just west of there is Mt Pinos ORV Park this is the place. So for the next couple of weeks we gather our gear and planned the menu things were looking good. That is until I was showing off in my CJ and twisted the out put shaft off flush with the transfer case. The really bad news it would not be ready before our trip. My good buddy AMH1 Glenn Cassel comes to the rescue. He let me loaned me his Dodge D50 Ram with a few do’s and don’ts. Last night of work I let Chief Rhodes night check Maintenance Chief where we were going he wasn’t sure the woods would be safe with that many AO’s on the loose. We had all better be back to work Monday night in one piece. The next morning we were loaded . Goldie was riding with me the others with Booger. The camp site I was headed to was 30 minutes of easy four wheeling from the main entrance. About 20 minutes later Booger was falling behind finding a spot I pulled over. About this time Booger CJ started bouncing down the trail out of control slamming into the side of the mountain. Doors flew open bodies came flying out Booger had passed gas everyone was dying. After this Booger was no longer allowed to drive. We made to the campsite without any more trouble. Setting up the campsite was going along fine when Radar tells me Goldie had cut his finger really bad. The OD rag wrapped around his finger was now becoming bright red. With Goldie in the Ram Frazier Park was the next stop. I was hoping there would be a Clinic open that took Champus or Bakersfield would be the next stop. To our luck we found a Clinic open. Walking up the window I explained to the nurse we were sailors from NAS Lemoore and my friend had almost cut his finger off. One look at Goldie’s finger we were in the back I was filling out the paperwork Goldie getting 20 plus stitches. When we returned the guys had the camp up and the mess deck was open. The rest of the weekend was spent four wheel’n just having fun with shipmates. We headed back on Saturday. 10 miles from the base I got pulled over for doing 60 in a 55 zone so I figured coming back with a ticket, Goldie’s 20 plus stitches the woods had survived the AO invasion. This Holiday will always rate one of the very best for me.