The Wildman's Life Stories

This one takes place while stationed at Lowry AFB Colo. 1977 or 1978 time frame.

We were living in an apartment complex off base, and my daughter was in the first grade. We lived approximately in the middle of this rather large complex. Now any one who has lived in the Denver area knows that it can get cold, windy and it can snow. This one time it was snowing, so my wife had my daughter bundled up from head to toe, and in the car they go off to her school, which really wasn't that far away. On the way they were to stop at the front of the complex, pick up one of my daughters friends and take her to school with them also. My wife stopped the car in the space, my daughter got out, and was immediately picked up by a gust of wind and blown into the fence. My wife had to get out of the car and utterly pull her off that fence, my daughter could not move, needless to say my daughter was not a happy camper.

Thanks
Wildman

 

I think that the story of Sambo, post#72, was nice but sad in the end
like many other good dog stories....a "mutt" you said? lol, we say a
Heinz 57 In Quebec! ...that driver must have learned his lesson well, I think.

From # post 76,...I know those gusts of wind, they can be terrible at times.

 

This one takes place at Lowry also.

Now when one got promoted or received orders to a new location or heck just about for any reason, Air Force people would throw a party. Now when I received my orders to Germany, the people I worked for and with threw me a bash. The Wildman should have know that something was up when one of the dishes was not touched by anyone, but they all insisted that the Wildman have a bite. O.k., the Wildman will try almost anything in the way of the food department, and this was no exception, so the Wildman took a bite. I must admit it was rather spicy, but they forgot that the Wildman had handled the curry of India, and this while hot did not come close. The expressions on their faces were one of my gawd I don't believe he just took a bite of that and isn't screaming at us. Some of the people there were of Hispanic heritage, and they remarked, hell even we can't eat it that hot.

Thanks
Wildman

 

It's been a while. I was reminded of this one while watching the CMT network on TV last night.

The Wildman was stationed at Reese AFB (Lubbock Texas) from 1980 till 1988 (the year I retired). I don't remember the exact year, but it isn't important. Each year the entire base would under go an Air Force I.G. inspection. Now any one who has been in the service can tell you that an I.G. is a big deal. Well this year we did exceptionally well, so our wing commander decided to throw a big bash. The Miller beer truck sowed up, local merchants brought copious amounts of food and Bar-B-Q, but the biggest cheer of all was when on to the parade field marched the Dallas Cowboy's cheer leaders.

Thanks
Wildman

 

I just wanted to thank you for all these stories..I promised myself I would just be reading them and not post..yet wanted you to know it was a great project to put them here at Wilders.

Regards,
John

 

Thank you, and please all of you feel free to post. When I started I was not sure that any of this would be excepted, and I sort of stepped on another's thread, so I am very happy to see they are being read and enjoyed. I try and tell them as they come to mind, and hope that I don't repeat any, if I do perchance, please let me know.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Some where on one of the threads I know I have told the story about one young lady "Misha" being cold and about the cop taking us home, post #21. Well after a very extended period of time, today I received an email from this "young" lady. This is not the end however, I also today received an email from one of the instructors at Canberra Grammar. Needless to say the Wildman today is a very happy camper.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Yea Wildman,

What Primmy said!!

Write on, ed

 

The Internet truly makes it a small world. How exciting for you Wildman.

 

O.k., this one is as a request from my young grandson, and takes place in Australia. Now as I think I may have told the Wildman loved to go fishing and did so at every available opportunity. Each Saturday dad and I would head for the river and off we would go. Well it was getting to the place where the job was almost at the end point and my dad was now putting in the extra hours, but what did I care, I wanted to still go fishing every Saturday. This one Saturday dad walked by my room and whispered "do you want to go fishing?", up and out of bed was yours truly. I asked dad what part of the river were we going to try this day and his reply was that we were going to try the other side of the damn. Now to get to the other side of the damn by any known road was about a 175 mile trip, so I told my dad that he had rocks in his head, he just smiled. When we arrived at the foot of the damn, I made the remark, hay I thought we were going to fish on the other side, dad just smiled. Dad went into this little shack and picked up a phone, he dialed and then went back outside. From the top of the damn I saw the cement bucket being lowered, into this thing we get and straight up into the atmosphere we go and then back down the other side. I think dad wore my finger prints on his ribs for about a week, that was how tight I was holding on.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Thanks to a friend for reminding me about this one. This one takes place in Richland Wash.

Every place we were to live, quiet a few as you have now gathered, mom wanted her yard and fence, Richland Wash. was no different. Dad had obtained some scrap wood and off to building he went. At this time the Wildman was just a young pub and really not that much of a help, but help he wanted to do. Apparently on the day dad was building the fence he was not in the best of moods, and my wanting to help was the last thing he needed, so he told me go play elsewhere. Apparently this upset the Wildman and he decided to run away from home. I remember that I took off with a hammer in my hand (I had my own self defense), and down the street I went. Now at the end of the block was a rather busy cross street, and dad and mom had put the fear of parents in me about even thinking of crossing it. I remember sitting on the curb and thinking that my idea to run away from home had just come to an end.

P.S. To this day the Wildman does not care for yard work in any way shape form or fashion. Pour gravel and spray it green is fine by me.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Hey Wildman,

Have you ever been back to Richland? You wouldn't hardly recognise it any more. The whole Tri-Cities area has grown and changed so much from what it was in the nineteen fifties and sixties.
Whenever my husband and I go back for a visit, we feel kind of lost.

greyfox

 

The last time I have been in the Great North West, was the year President Kennedy was assassinated. Have never had a reason to get back to that part of the country. My relatives on my mothers side are all from that area however, and my great-great aunt's house I think is a historical land mark in Wallah Wallah Wash. My grandmother on my dad's side is buried in The Dalles Ore. My grandparents on my mother's side as well as aunts and uncles and my mother's ashes are buried in Silverton Ore. My grandparents on mom's side, were some of the original settlers in Portland Ore.

Thanks
Wildman

 

This one take place tonight, close to home.

Mrs. Wildman did not feel like fixing dinner as she had been Christmas shopping all day and was tired. She popped a Stouffer's in the oven for her and the mother-in-law, and told the Wildman he could treat himself to dinner out.

The Soup Plantation (chain restaurant that caters to soup and salad) is about a half mile form our house and it was to there that I headed. Each time I go to that place, I usually run into families and their young children, tonight was no exception. Two table down from me was a young mother and her two daughters, about ages 6 and 8, I would guess. The younger of the two had the giggles, so the "Wildman" blurted out, hay sweet heart if you keep giggling I most likely will start also. The mother said she was excited because after dinner they were going to see Santa. The "Wildman" said hay have you heard the song, I ain't getting nothing for Christmas?, well that is me. Hay would you put in a good work with Nick for me, tell him to have pity on me, tell him to go easy on the guy that wants the case of German beer for Christmas. The little girl turned to her mother and asked, "Mommy what's German beer"?

Thanks
Wildman

 

I love all your stories but one is missing can you guess?

 

Now I am good at some things, but sweet heart, I have not a clue as to which story you would like me to tell. If you can give me a little more of a hint, I would be more than happy to write it up and post it out here.

Thanks
Wildman a.k.a. Grandpa

 

O.k., this one takes place at the hotel in Saigon Vietnam.

The hotel's entrance was down an alley and about one hundred to a hundred and fifty feet from a major boulevard. It was part of our job to stop and check anyone coming down that alley. During this time period we also had with us a rather large German Shepard puppy that had washed out of the K9 program, none of us would hear about having this dog put away, and we had named him Kai after the hotel (not sure of the spelling any more). On either side of the alley we had concrete bunkers and Kai would usually lie at our feet in one of these. This one day it was rather busy and down the alley came this old man with a bamboo pole slung across his shoulders and two clay pots hanging on each end. I yelled out for the old man to halt but he just kept on coming, I yelled out again but no response, now it was authorized to shoot anyone at this point, but the "Wildman" said hay he is an old man. Lying at my feet was none other than Kai, and I slapped him on the rump and said Kai go play. Well when the old man came to after having fainted, standing in the middle of his chest was Kai. The old man was covered in cow manure, this was what was in the pots. Cow manure when dried is used like coal for many a heating tasks.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Nice one Wildguy!!

Kinda like 10F.....manure everywhere!!

Shoveling in Excrecia, Dung ed

 

Wildman,
I just wanted to let you know how far reaching your stories are getting. First, I always relay your stories to my wife, she loves them too.

Now, about 2 months ago we had a new supervisor start. You can't miss here is from down south, because of his accent, and no one really talks like that here in Canada. He has told me he is from Alabama. Hes 55, and his mom was from Canada and he came back a few years ago to live here.

Enough preamble. Anyways we got talking the other day, and he served in Vietnam in 67, 68(Somewhere in there). He was telling me some stuff about over there (funny stuff). Being younger, I was not born yet. So, I start telling him about this Wildman guy who was posting at a Security Forum I go to. I talked about the Hotel you were a guard at, and he got a big laugh out of the Water Buffalo story. He remebered that Water Buffalos were more important than people over there. So see where your stories end up.

Keep them coming,

Best Regards,
Mikel

 

Mikel108:

Dang what a coincidence, I served in Vietnam from July 1967 to July 1968.

I am happy and surprised that any of you seem to enjoy these stories. I write them in no particular order and as they come to memory. As you see sometimes the grandkids remind me to write about particular stories that I have told them. Seeing as how there have been no objections, I will try and keep them coming.

It is Christmas Eve here now.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Thanks
Wildman

 

This one also takes place in Vietnam.

Around Christmas time of 1967 I was tasked to provide security at a warehouse that held quiet a bit of supplies coming into country off ships and planes from the U.S.A. and other parts of the world.

I remember that there were huge pallets of boxed oranges that were destined for various mess halls throughout Saigon. Well somehow not all of these oranges made it to the mess halls.

The local orphan home had a huge pallet of oranges show up at it's doors.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Wow Wildman,

It must have been a miracle!!

 

This one takes place in Richland Wash. Thanks to my friend, ref. post #21, for the trigger to remember this one.

Now the Haywards lived behind us, and as I remember there was a slight hill between them and us. They also as I remember owned a couple of (for the times) unusual breed dogs, the dogs as I remember were a fairly good size. Now Cliff would on occasion come down the hill and shoot the breeze with my dad and mom. I remember this one night Pat his wife calling out "Cliff dinner is ready", Cliff said "O.k. I'll be right there". I remember Pat calling to him three times. The last time I remember her saying "Cliff if you don't get up here now I am going to throw your dinner out to the dogs". I remember Cliff starting to say "you wouldn't dare". He did not get the entire sentence out before plates were seen being hurled by Pat out their back door. I think the dogs enjoyed a good meal that night, I am not so sure about Cliff however.

Thanks
Wildman

Addendum: I humbly apologize, the last name of this family has now been corrected to the correct one. The dogs I am told were Hungarian something or other. I wonder if what Pat threw out that night was goulash?

 

O.k. the first one for 2006, and takes place while stationed at Sembach AB Germany.

As most people know Germany is perhaps well known for it's "bier" (beer). The "Wildman" sure got a education the two years he was there, and studied at every available opportunity. The food in Germany is in my opinion not to shabby either, and the "Wildman" loves a good Yeager Schnitzel.

Not to very far away from the base was wine country, and on the weekend, one of my friends who had his car over there, invited me to go with him and a few other people to the wine country.

The place we went I think was called Mulshime (not sure of the spelling), and the guys and gals went to tasting the wine. The "Wildman" stayed with tasting the "bier". There was also a rather large Gast House (restaurant), that was supposed to be very well known for it's "chicken", the "Wildman" ordered his Yeager Schnitzel. At this stage all of the guys and gals were a slight upset with the "Wildman", and said words to the effect of, we have put up with you drinking "bier" in wine country, we have put up with you ordering Schnitzel when this place is famous for it's chicken, now try the wine and chicken or it's a long walk back to the base. Well seeing as how they put it that way, I ordered a 1/4 chicken, after taking one bite, I reordered a whole chicken. The guys and gals went on to tasting more wine, and to make a short story long, the "Wildman" wound up taking two cases of wine back to the base and his room. The "Wildman" found out that Germany has some good wine also.

Thanks
Wildman