Retired here for the last 8 plus years. Spent so many Holidays on duty that I cannot count them. But there were some memorable ones and here is one I'll share:
During the first Gulf War, I was a Loadmaster on the flying Lizard/C-141B and was awaiting release to head back from Germany to the States for rotation. We were at Ramstein AB Germany. Destination was McGuire AFB NJ. Due to the amount of air traffic flying over the then NATS Tracks we were unable to get a slot time so they routed us further South to cross the Atlantic. This was Christmas Eve. So off we go. We were an empty plane with just 7 crew members. But because of the different routing we were unable to fly any higher than FL 280 or 28000 ft for you non-aviators. Fuel was critical and after the Engineer figured out our remaining fuel would not get us to even Charleston AFB SC we began to look for an alternative landing spot. We look down and there just beneath us was the NAS Air Station on the Island of Grand Bahama. You know the place I'm sure...Tucker Town. Anyway we land...it's about Midnight Christmas Eve and we cannot get fuel till in the morning. Bummer you might say but the best is yet to come. We get the C-141 all buttoned up and get transportation to the Hyatt Hotel over in Tucker Town as it is the only place open to get a bed for the evening. So off we go with our tankered German Beer...Always dragged cases of Beer from Germany back to the States...and get into our rooms. We rally back at one of the Pilots room for a little Christmas Celebration and De-brief while conversing with TACC on what time to get the bird in the air Christmas day of which it was already only in the early am. Takeoff later was at 1700/5:00 pm so we at least got the minimum sleep. I got up around 10:00 in the morning Christmas day to a bright sunny beautiful day. My room over looked the 13th hole of the Golf Course and of course room service delivered some much needed coffee and juice. I was able to call to the States and wish my Dad and Brother a Merry Christmas and then get in touch with my Brother Jon/aka 69a100 who at the time was stationed at Castle AFB CA back home in CA. He was by himself at the house having come up to Travis AFB to share Christmas with me. After the calls I got dressed and headed down to the Hotel restaurant for a full buffet brunch and chowed down. We took our alert and hit the jet taking off and heading back to McGuire AFB NJ and arrived at O-Dark-30 the 26th. So all in all, it was a really special Christmas that year during the first Gulf War. I would go on to many more Holidays on the road, But that is what I signed up to do so there were never any guarantees of Holidays off and when they did come about they were always appreciated. As a Bachelor and single troop, I would often trade with those with Families so that they could be with them. It was tough to work those Holidays but I would do it all over again in a New York Minute...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...cr8crshr/Tuck
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