Okay, so I promised a couple of yas I’d write a sea story bout the P.I… There’ve been many a tale told and there’s always a familiarity in each of them but I’m gonna give you my side of the story as I’d seen it back on the ol’ Baglady FF 1069 during WESTPAC 1989-90!!!
As many of you know Subic Naval Base has been closed down for some 17 years or more… Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of around 92-93 when President Aquino forced us out! However, way back when, it was the legendary Adult Disney World that every sailor on a Westpac Cruise would unavoidably become acquainted with. This was the home base for all ships once in the 7th fleet rather heading out to the Persian Gulf or sailing from port to port in the South Pacific.
I had joined the ol’ Canoe Club to see the world but never in my wildest dreams did I even think I’d have a run in with a place like this. I don’t remember if it was told to me or if it was just overheard,
“Hitting the streets in Olongapo is like a first grade kid being let out of class for recess….always running to be the first guy in your favorite roadside bar!”
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up as I remember it while leaving the ship and head’n out with 21 peso to the dollar in hand taking a walk across the infamous shit river! By the time I had made it there the bridge had been fenced in with corrugated metal keeping sailors from throwing pesos into the sewage below for kids to dive for!!!
Once in town you could hear the raucous of music and people emanating from the carnal celebration of vendors, discos, bars, and massage parlors that lined Magsaysay as far as the eye could see. As with most liberty ports the aroma of shit lined with a hint of barbeque and jeepney exhaust exuded through the air. Every jeepney driver, salesman and whore on the street would hound you for your services. You had to be careful and make sure you had a tight hold on your wallet as those little shits were masters at the game of pick-pocket.
Yes, from there a cluster fuck of sailors managed their way to their favorite bars. For the cherry boys, it was an opportunity to experience what was renowned throughout the fleet. For the fleet returnees it was reunification with their honey koe or a chance to butterfly with a new set of girls. Yes these were the infamous bar girls who catered to the fleet. For roughly 300 pesos a bar fine could be paid to show Joe long-time or short-time pucky sucky no shit!! Of course a meager tip for her services was usually expected in the end.
Yes these were days cataloged in my journals of long winded debauchery and immoral decadence. In a time when I was young, dumb and full of sexual angst. But I ain’t alone dancing with those memories… rest assured 99.9% of the squids and jarheads that hit the streets of Olongapo know exactly where I’m taking you. He,He,He… There was The Top Gun, Florida Club, Sierra Club, or if you dared to venture into Barrio Baretto or Subic City you might find the Hard Rock or the Rock Lobster to your liking... Whatever your tastes there were plenty of spirits and ladies for everyone!!!
Speaking of Barrio and Subic, there was a game the ol’ salts use to enjoy playing out there. Something called smiles, from under the table….you know what I’m talking about! The first one to crack a smile had to buy the next round!! Yeah, but that game was much too slow for a young lad like myself. But I knew many who looked upon it as sport!!!
Rather you enjoyed the taste of San Migoo, Mojo, or Bullfrog the results were always the same, a full night of unadulterated drunkenness and sexual debauchery! Yes Sir, many a ‘Crackerjack had been dragged back to the ship and put on a drunk watch so as he wouldn’t pass out in his own vomit. It was a menacing proposition that many a sailor would delve into blind and head first. Hahaha!!! And if your ship was import for a few days, weeks or in some cases months, well….sailors were known to go days without sleep just to do it again and again. It's a gaudamned wonder we even survived!!!
I remember a particular night at the Top Gun try’n my hand at “Balut!” Yes, if you’re a Sailor who can stomach this crap than you’ve been in the P.I. for far too long my friend. I could get past the smell but the dead chick inside was just too much. But sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do to impress your honey koe..ha,ha!! But it’s nothing a little Sam Migoo couldn’t wash down! That would be San Miguel for all you landlubbers out there… the particular beer of choice when in the P.I.!! Then maybe a little monkey meat from the street vender. Not sure what kind of vittles those really were but it hit the spot when wandering the streets while in euphoric inebriation!!!
One night while in a drunken stupor I had my fill of liquor and could barely hold myself up but managed to make it to the ramparts of the shit river bridge when this Filipino approaches me in very good English I might ad and says,
“I know you prom on de chip!” Are you going back so soon? I got pamily here. You like to meet dem?
Well we had many a Filipino onboard and quite a few new faces had shown up recently so I figured he must be one of our new shipmates! So I start walking my drunk ass with him down Magsaysay when we veer off into a side road and down a few blocks. He’s telling me about his family and how he can get me things for cheap, cheap here, no worries. Then he sits me down in front of this house and asks me if I want a beer and I said sure. While he went in to get me a beer this ol’ lady takes my hand and puts it in a warm cup of soapy water. Not thinking anything of it, I thought maybe it was cultural or something, I look around and there are quite a few Filipinos standing around looking at me funny. My shipmate comes out and hands me my beer then he says…
“You pay her now! You pay her it not por pree!”
As many of you know Subic Naval Base has been closed down for some 17 years or more… Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of around 92-93 when President Aquino forced us out! However, way back when, it was the legendary Adult Disney World that every sailor on a Westpac Cruise would unavoidably become acquainted with. This was the home base for all ships once in the 7th fleet rather heading out to the Persian Gulf or sailing from port to port in the South Pacific.
I had joined the ol’ Canoe Club to see the world but never in my wildest dreams did I even think I’d have a run in with a place like this. I don’t remember if it was told to me or if it was just overheard,
“Hitting the streets in Olongapo is like a first grade kid being let out of class for recess….always running to be the first guy in your favorite roadside bar!”
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up as I remember it while leaving the ship and head’n out with 21 peso to the dollar in hand taking a walk across the infamous shit river! By the time I had made it there the bridge had been fenced in with corrugated metal keeping sailors from throwing pesos into the sewage below for kids to dive for!!!
Once in town you could hear the raucous of music and people emanating from the carnal celebration of vendors, discos, bars, and massage parlors that lined Magsaysay as far as the eye could see. As with most liberty ports the aroma of shit lined with a hint of barbeque and jeepney exhaust exuded through the air. Every jeepney driver, salesman and whore on the street would hound you for your services. You had to be careful and make sure you had a tight hold on your wallet as those little shits were masters at the game of pick-pocket.
Yes, from there a cluster fuck of sailors managed their way to their favorite bars. For the cherry boys, it was an opportunity to experience what was renowned throughout the fleet. For the fleet returnees it was reunification with their honey koe or a chance to butterfly with a new set of girls. Yes these were the infamous bar girls who catered to the fleet. For roughly 300 pesos a bar fine could be paid to show Joe long-time or short-time pucky sucky no shit!! Of course a meager tip for her services was usually expected in the end.
Yes these were days cataloged in my journals of long winded debauchery and immoral decadence. In a time when I was young, dumb and full of sexual angst. But I ain’t alone dancing with those memories… rest assured 99.9% of the squids and jarheads that hit the streets of Olongapo know exactly where I’m taking you. He,He,He… There was The Top Gun, Florida Club, Sierra Club, or if you dared to venture into Barrio Baretto or Subic City you might find the Hard Rock or the Rock Lobster to your liking... Whatever your tastes there were plenty of spirits and ladies for everyone!!!
Speaking of Barrio and Subic, there was a game the ol’ salts use to enjoy playing out there. Something called smiles, from under the table….you know what I’m talking about! The first one to crack a smile had to buy the next round!! Yeah, but that game was much too slow for a young lad like myself. But I knew many who looked upon it as sport!!!
Rather you enjoyed the taste of San Migoo, Mojo, or Bullfrog the results were always the same, a full night of unadulterated drunkenness and sexual debauchery! Yes Sir, many a ‘Crackerjack had been dragged back to the ship and put on a drunk watch so as he wouldn’t pass out in his own vomit. It was a menacing proposition that many a sailor would delve into blind and head first. Hahaha!!! And if your ship was import for a few days, weeks or in some cases months, well….sailors were known to go days without sleep just to do it again and again. It's a gaudamned wonder we even survived!!!
I remember a particular night at the Top Gun try’n my hand at “Balut!” Yes, if you’re a Sailor who can stomach this crap than you’ve been in the P.I. for far too long my friend. I could get past the smell but the dead chick inside was just too much. But sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do to impress your honey koe..ha,ha!! But it’s nothing a little Sam Migoo couldn’t wash down! That would be San Miguel for all you landlubbers out there… the particular beer of choice when in the P.I.!! Then maybe a little monkey meat from the street vender. Not sure what kind of vittles those really were but it hit the spot when wandering the streets while in euphoric inebriation!!!
One night while in a drunken stupor I had my fill of liquor and could barely hold myself up but managed to make it to the ramparts of the shit river bridge when this Filipino approaches me in very good English I might ad and says,
“I know you prom on de chip!” Are you going back so soon? I got pamily here. You like to meet dem?
Well we had many a Filipino onboard and quite a few new faces had shown up recently so I figured he must be one of our new shipmates! So I start walking my drunk ass with him down Magsaysay when we veer off into a side road and down a few blocks. He’s telling me about his family and how he can get me things for cheap, cheap here, no worries. Then he sits me down in front of this house and asks me if I want a beer and I said sure. While he went in to get me a beer this ol’ lady takes my hand and puts it in a warm cup of soapy water. Not thinking anything of it, I thought maybe it was cultural or something, I look around and there are quite a few Filipinos standing around looking at me funny. My shipmate comes out and hands me my beer then he says…
“You pay her now! You pay her it not por pree!”
“What are you talking about man?”
“You pay her our I kick your ass!”
By this time I look around and notice that I’m surrounded by about ten or twelve Filipinos and my ass is sobering up real quick! I thought to myself…
“Oh Shit, I’m about to get my ass PUMMELED!!”
So I reached in my pocket and pulled out a few pesos and some centavos… threw them all up in the air as every one of those little bastards looked up… and as soon as they did I charged right through the weakest hole I could find between them and kept running my ass as fast as I could til’ I got to Magsaysay!! There I saw some Shore Patrol and explained what had happened. They ultimately told me to go back to the ship and consider myself lucky I didn’t get my ass kicked!!!
Yes that my friends was “TRULY” a sobering experience. I may have lost a few peso….but I got away with my life…and learned a lesson about street smarts as well!!
But you can bet your Candy Asses I was out there doin it again the next night!!!
HELL YEAH!!!!
The first time I was in subic was in mar 72 I was in the USAF. my best friend in Nam was in the navy. he told me about the filipines so I go we take our 6 month EML(Enviromental Morale Leave). so we took a flight from danang, cam rhan bay, To Cubi Point. we were on 30 days eml. after we got a hotel room as we were walking down the street I go man we have fallen into sexual disneyland. I go these filipina women are fine. so we did our thing over there. it was the first time in 6 months that I was able to sleep on clean dry sheets with a beautiful women next to me. so we went back to Danang(while there my friend frank toro was about to be hit in the head with san miguel beer bottle. so I hit the guy with a pool cue. frank was bleeding out of the left side of his head so I wrapped my white t-shirt around his head. we got to the hospitial and none of the dr's would touch him this black LCDR about 28 years old. goes I will well he went into the left side of his head right next to his eye he got all the glass out) well what we did not know is the hospitial sent a message to the navy command and my air force command. when we arrived in Danang my Msgt was waiting when I execited the air craft he goes you know who you have to see. I go do not tell me they sent a message he goes yes. so I go back to the quancit hut put on my greens and went to his headquarters. this man was Major General Chappied James. I walk in and go I am A1C He'bert the general is expecting me. as I say that I hear A1C He'bert get your butt in my office now. I run in there at attention. I am 5'9" this man is 6'4". he goes I should bust you but since you helped your friend I am going to give you extra duty from 0900-1100. in Nam at 0900 it is steaming hot. so For 2 weeks I was out there picking weeds out of the garden. )
ReplyDeleteI left Nam went to thailand, Taiwan, then texas. Got out of the air force 11 months laster I went into the navy after osvet school, RM"A" School. I got orders to COMSEVENTHFLT Embarked onboard USS OKLAHOMA CITY CLG-5. after being in the radio shaq for going on 3 months we went to subic. I put in for leave. my ops boss calls me to his state room he goes RMSN He'bert who do you know in subic you neve have been there. I laugh and go sir when most of these guys in radio were in Jr High with the exception of both RM1's and one RM2 I was take eml leave from nam to subic in 1972. so I know where I am going. it had been 6 years since I had been there. well after 2 and half years on the staff I reenlisted for RMC-7, School, IMCO Morse code school, and follow on orders to USNS PASSUMPSIC-T-AO-107(which was homeported in subic). I met my wife over there we have been together coming up on 31 years.
My married life is going on 34 years and going with 2 great kids. my wife is a genuine beautiful Filipina, inside and out. lucky to have met her there..
DeleteI spent a lot of time in Subic. I was in and out during 69-74 on an ammo ship, and then stationed there from 74-76. It was 81 before I made it back again, and then my final trips were on another ship between 86-89. In 73 I got stationed during a westpac as shore patrol. We would go out from about 1700 until curfew (martial law) in town, and watch over the ships shore patrol. After we had done a sweep of the streets to make sure everyone was back on base the S.P. truck would go back into town and drop us off at our sweethearts for the night. There were a lot of fringe benefits that came with that job.
ReplyDeleteret GMGC here and i also was going to tlak about the SP and cinderalla liberity my mentor GMGC Rogers told me to awayls take SP and well that is waht i did and that was the frist place i had SP duity in 75 and well it is disney for adults. at least for navy of old. for i belive todays canoe club would not have liberty call just read navy dans last letter every one would be going to CO mast. I liked the avey ducey club there the 21 club and the play boy club. well it was a great fun
ReplyDeletezlposeidon0623@gmail.com
When I went there, I knew immediately that it was the kind of place I enlisted for. That place made for the best stories, especially when you talk to other squids. Civilians just couldn't wrap their heads around it.
ReplyDeleteRet CWO2. First time in 'Po was '71. What an "E" ticket ride
ReplyDeletespent my 21st birthday there with best friends
ReplyDeleteRet. LIC. First trip over shit river was in 1976. On the USS Chicago CG-11. Flag ship. We spent over 100 days in and out of Subic during our 6 month PAC. The number one band was the Frictions band out of the Sierra Club. The exchange rate was 7.30 PHP to a dollar.
ReplyDeleteThe Florida Club was the next best club for the music and bands playing. Would hop from club to club as they were across from each other when the bands would take breaks.
I consider myself one of the lucky few to be able to get two shore tours in Subic. 1982-1986 and 1990-1992. Departed a few months before base was shut down.
Second tour was only two years, despite the bull shit with the local politics and then living through MT. PINATUBO blowing its top, I had a few goods days, but was never the same as it was on my first tour.
Hope to visit the old town in the bear future as I will be wintering in PU and summers here.
I remember the Top Gun, shit river and all. I spent X-mas and New Years there in '85 when I was on the Chuckie V. The Best plac for me. Balut was not bad. My daughter loves eatint balut.
ReplyDeleteGREAT TIMES THERE ON HE USS MARVIN SHIELDS FF-1066
ReplyDeleteGreat time in the PI in the 80's. As a twiget on a distroyer (DD-964), my duty day was always shore patrol while in PI. We would wonder Magsaysay from 5pm to 11pm, pointing the drunks back to the base, or to the nearest jeepney. Then at 11 we would turn in our nightsticks and have until 6am to be back onboard. There was so much more to PI, but that city was one experiance we will never forget.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where to start?! First night I learned that in the Jolo's club that the lights were turned down so low you could almost make out porn movies and the red horse beer in front of you. when the movie hit the end of the reel and the screen when white. OMG somebodys Great geandma had a hand full of my junk. Never, Ever go in to JOLO'S when the lights were down. I never went back in there. I heard it burned down a few years after that. Must have been a suprised sailor knocking over a candle when the reel ended LOL. SM1(SW) LEVI, JT RETIRED.
ReplyDeleteMy fourth time in PI I hooked up with a pretty young thing who was kind of aloof about the entire olongapo scene....even insisting that I meet her after work and not pay her "bar fine". Being a frugal squid, I went along... Our fourth or fifth time out, she said that she wanted to show me "The REAL P.I.", and I went along with it... we took a ride WAY out past the Barrio- I had no idea whatsoever where we were... we stop in this little bar, and the looks I got when I walked in made me think, "Oh shit, I'm dead"... She went around telling everybody, "No, No, He OK! He is FRIEND!". I calmed down a little, but after talking to these poeple for a while I came to realize- They were insurgents! COMMUNIST insurgents! (This is back in the Marcos days).. Fortunate for me, she was true to her word and nobody threatened me or anything- they were actually pretty friendly, and I had a good time. I had to listen to allot of political tirades, but just nodded in the right places and smiled allot.
ReplyDeleteWhen I got back to the base, I decided not to press my luck though, and never set foot off the base again.
Glad you are still alive!!
DeleteNew Peoples Army....had a few run ins with them as well in 83-84 I think. Great stories by the way! There is no place like the PO, NO WHERE! Visited PI on the LPD8& LHA3 with 1st Battlion 3rd Marines. Had just as much fun in the field!
ReplyDeleteFirst time to PI "77" on CV-64, then 78 also CV-64, 79 CG-32, "Station Ditto" May 80-Feb 85 NTCC Subic Bay, then 85-88 LPD 8, 88-Nov 92 NCS San Miguel/NCSTA Cubi Pt RP. I can neither confirm nor deny of the 40K registered hostesses, I knew more than my share. Gates were closed on Nov 92.. Went back in 1995 and 1996, Fields Ave in Angeles City still going strong. Olongapo was pretty much a ghost town except for duty free shops on base. Barrio Baretto had a few bars along the way still running strong. Nothing like the good ole days.
ReplyDeleteI joined out of Subic Bay! Left PI December 89 for bootcamp and was back there Nov 90 on the way to the Gulf onboard the USS Missouri. The first day, liberty was on base only, the second day though, the Navy opened the gates and away we went. Having been to Subic when I had no money prior to joining, then being back as a Sailor with money to spend, were two different things! Good times indeed!
ReplyDeleteGot my brown wings in '77 from the White House Club (my first 3 holer). Remember going into Jolo's on SP and also through the Jungle (had a shore patrol partner of the right ethnicity to keep safe). Saw some Gyrine catching an LBFM being thrown down the stairs during a girl fight in Cobo Hall.
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't recognize Gapo these days. Big mall near the main gate. The bars are now department stores or internet cafes.
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ReplyDeleteMy first time to PI I'll never forget , I made 2 west pacs on the USS Enterprise. 1975 and 1976. Thanks for the memories..... Mojo and Monkey meat...
ReplyDeleteGot tired of the bar girls and found a little bar off Magsaysay. Fat Freddie's. Owned by a retired Chief. He made sure his girls didn't pressure you if you weren't interested. Played a ton of dice games and won quite a bit. Mt. Pinatubo did a real job on the base and the city. I didn't see my SK1 for 3 days. He was trapped in a collapsed house in town. Also had a detachment up at Clark. AF asked if they would stay with the AF security force after the evacuation. The Chief with that detachment told them Adios.
ReplyDeleteI was there in '91 during Desert Storm. Loved that place. Especially this place off Magsaysay called Summer's Place !!!
ReplyDeleteI was there in 80 & 82 onboard FF 1048 USS Sample. Summer’s place was our bar, we called it the Sample place - all of B division headed there when we got off the boat.
DeleteWe were supposed to tip them ?
ReplyDeletewas therei 1965 66 67coral sea and oriskany what a place meet momand dad beer then upstairs with daughter
ReplyDeleteI was there 1966 then late 67 till May 68.USS DALE DLG19.
DeleteShore Patrol there was an education, different being sober and "hands off". It did make for nice window shopping so to speak. "Hey what that SP ? Short time patrol ? You see me later..."
ReplyDeleteHomeported in yokosuka from 78 to 81 so we spent alot of time in PI..Hole in the Wall was my hangout alot. We also spent bunch of time in Chinhae Korea.. Oh the memories of both places...
ReplyDelete