I am a veteran and I am writing this letter on Veteran’s day, and since Thanksgiving is not that far off, I decided to write about my best Thanksgiving dinner ever.
I was stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga. but was deployed to Egypt for a multi-national training exercise. This exercise took place over the Thanksgiving holiday period. We had been in the field for a couple of weeks by this time and the upcoming Thanksgiving meal was something everyone was looking forward to. FRESH turkey, real potatoes, real stuffing, nothing dehydrated, nothing reconstituted, and nothing from a MRE bag. The day’s mission went by as slow as molasses on a winter day in New England. Everyone was talking about how much food they were going to eat, if there was going to be enough for seconds, etc.
As dinner time became near, we were all wondering where the food was. No one had heard or seen any supply helicopters coming into the compound area. Words from the Chain of Command came down, the bird is going to be late, both of them (the helicopter and the guest of honor turkey). Not only was the chopper bringing us a feast but our regular meal supply as well as it was the end of the week.
Chow time, but no chow. Lines were forming around the mess hall anticipating the fresh hot chow coming over the horizon. Eyes were glued to the sky looking for those birds.
More news from the Chain of Command, the chopper is going to be delayed due to mechanical problems but should be fixed soon. Its chow time and the soldiers were hungry, bird or no bird, these soldiers wanted to eat. Giving credit to the Mess Sergeant, he did the best he could with what he had, which was not much, as our supplies were based on this re-supply run.
A couple of hours later the Chain of Command informed us of what we had already surmised. No turkey tonight.
The lower enlisted always eat first and ate what was available that night. I had some poggie bait in my tent so I was okay. Just so as the soldier got to eat something.
The camp retired for the night with very heavy hearts and unfulfilled bellies. Bedtime now, as me and my Platoon Leader settled in our perspective sleeping bags, we were discussing the day’s events and the disappointment of the troops as well as ourselves. I was so looking forward to chowing down just like everyone else.
At approximately 2200 hrs we finally heard the chopper at the far end of the compound. Well, it was way too late to even think about serving any turkey tonight, that will have to wait until tomorrow. We had a knock on our tent at about 2230 hrs, it was the Chaplain. The Chaplain asked if anyone was awake, we told him to come in. We asked him why he was moving about the compound so late at night. He stated that he was making deliveries. “What?” the Chaplain explained that the chopper did not bring the turkey but had brought some individual sandwich portion meat (like you find in local store, with enough meat to make a sandwich) along with some individual sliced cheese and he was passing these items out. Who could you trust more than the Chaplain to deliver real meat and cheese to a group of hungry soldiers?
So there I was, somewhere in Egypt, at 2300 hrs, sitting up in my sleeping bag, wrapping a real piece of cheese around a real piece of roast beef (we had no bread), laughing with my Platoon Leader and saying that this is best Thanksgiving ever.
I still this believes this to this very day and this happened some 20 years ago.
p.s. Could you please inform me if my letter is published?
M.R. Gonzales
Sergeant First Class
U.S. Army (Ret)
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