a memorial day story

[Michael Prahm]

I met Joe Doskus while we were on our annual military training(war games with the Marines) At China lake in Cal. He and about 30 other Seabee's had been mergeg into Naval Mobile Construction Battlion Three, from NMCB-10, when they had disbanded the outfit. It was shortly after Vietnam, and every unit in all the armed forces were cutting back, but this was not the case with NMCB-10.Joe had been a driver for a commander in Vietnam. The commander liked to drink, and Joe was his driver, and they were in Sagion. They got popped up one night, and some Viet Cong decided this commander would make a great prisoner. They both had side arms and shot there way out, and kept on celebrating. The commander by the time Joe was in NMCB-10 had made the rank of Admiral. Joe is on Guam. He and some of the boys decide to steal a Jap submarine, mounted on a pedastal at the Naval station Guam. They get a crane, and a truck, and a diversion, and get the sub on the truck.(it was one of those two man jobs, small) But where do you hide a sub? Within hours they are caught, thrown into the brig. There is brass(high ranking officers) pissed from one end of Guam to the other. Stealing government property with stolen government property. When Joe gets his phone call, He calls this Admiral. Joe and his buddies are released, no charges were filed. Once at a full blues dress inspection, with medals this Admiral is one of the inspecting officers, He gets to Joe and ask what he thinks, Joe replies in front of our brass, "is it too early to open the enlisted mens club" The admiral got the bar opened for us at 9:30 in the morning. That was the end of the inspection. But I digress. back to Guam.One payday one of the members of NMCB-10, was shot and robbed outside a typical dive bar along the ocean. He bled to death. The next evening a group of gentlemen from NMCB-10 Loaded two bulldozers on lowboys and drove over to the bar and pushed it into the ocean while it was open. The only injuries sustained by the patrons of the establishment were from the beatings administered by the Seabees. I guess the guy who owned the bar was related to some influential people. pressure was applied to the situation that a congressional hearing was called. Members of 10 were interviewed one by one by congressmen, and the horde of lawyers that follow such an affair. No one talked. Master chiefs were forced to retire. Officers were sent off to the best hell holes the navy brass could find. Naval Mobile Construction battlion 10 was disbanded. The boys who defended the honor of a comrade were dispensed into the remaining Battlions, The boys that did not buckle under to pressure from Congress. But that's the way it was for servicemen during this time. The uniform of this country was not esteemed at home or abroad.Years later, I'm living in Minnesota, 10th corps, cleaning windows, and I am working with a believer who is going through a distressful time. His wife has a brain tumor. He has three children. Over lunch I noticed he had a Navy ring on. I asked him if he had been in the service. he said no. "It was my best friends, he was shot and killed on Guam". "Was he a Seabee"? I asked. "Yes, his mother gave me the ring at the funeral". "Did you know what happened afterwards"? "No". I recounted the story, the details, and I as I drove home that evening I was amazed at what comfort that had brought to his heart. he did not know that men cared for his friend as much as he had.About three years ago I ran into a member of NMCB-10, asked him if he knew Joe Doskus. He said yes. I bought him a beer and asked about that night. he would not answer. I told him about the friend of the fallen Seabee I met.I told him what I knew, and Joe ran one of the bulldozer's. he confirmed it.Remember our men and women in the service this memorial day, and each day and pray for their safetyCmcn Michael H. Prahm 3rd rifleman, 2nd squad, third platoon, alpha co. NMCB-3

[dick michaud]

Crazy SeaBees, ya gotta love'em. My bunk mate was murdered in Guam. His name was Rick Bush. talk about a shocker

[Michael Prahm]

They got caught with it on a Semi. I think there is another incident with the fake missile from the sub base that got dumped in the pool.


Mike

[dick michaud]

hey Mike, I remember hearing that story when I was in Guam in with NMCB 62, which by the way, no longer is.
There is a seabee web site that you might enjoy checking out. let me know if you have heard of it. About four years ago I went to Mo. to a seabee reunion. About 20 guys from our company showed up. What a blast.
Thanks for sharing that story. Hey didn't they dump that sub in a swimming pool?

Dick

[Kevin Nye]

Nice Mike, real nice. Thanks for that. My Dad's doing his last tour of duty at Arlington, takin that long sleep. He was honored to buried there for deeds done during the Battle Of Attu in the Aleutians up here in Alaska. But he'll get up again one Sweet Day. God bless our military God bless you Mike and thanks for Serving...

Kevin