What was your greatest beer run and who did you do it for?

SPC David S. — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 17:16:37 -0500

I came across the story of Chick Donohue from a friend who was reading his book. If you don't know who this guy is I recommend the book. More or less Chick wanted to have a drink with his buddies. The only problem he was in New York and his friends were 8,000 miles away fighting a war in Vietnam. The article details what many have described as the greatest beer run every. As such what was your greatest beer run and who did you do it for?

https://taskandpurpose.com/history/chick-donohue-vietnam-greatest-beer-run-history/#:~:text=To%20set%20the%20record%20straight,warzone%20with%20beers%20in%20hand.

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Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Mar 2 at 2021 6:27 PM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 18:27:37 -0500

Not close to Donohue's story, but I once flew the headquarter's transport. It was primarily to fly VIPs, the inspection teams, my annual Christmas run where I'd fly it all over the states picking up anyone who wanted aboard, and the band. As things go, an argument started about what beer was the best. There were several of our people from out west who bragged about Coors. Since the majority of the people were east coasters, and Coors didn't ship east, they decided someone had to go get some. They found out it was available in Dallas and came to me to ask me to make the run. They took up a collection, we took some seats out of the aircraft and hauled two pallets of the stuff back from Dallas. Of course it wasn't unprecedented, a few tears earlier, there had been a trip west for bison meat for a barbeque.
Since this was the 70s and I've been retired since 89, I'll swear it didn't happen if the IG shows up at my front door!

Response by SCPO Morris Ramsey made Mar 2 at 2021 6:55 PM

SCPO Morris Ramsey — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 18:55:06 -0500

We carried spare parts to the Shah’s P3s at Bandar Abbas. Lockheed Martin provided the tech’s and engineers to maintain the planes. Along with spare parts we carried a large quantity of coors beer. This beer run was from Kadena AB, Okinawa to Bandar Abbas. That is about 4500 miles as the crow flies.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 2 at 2021 8:08 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 20:08:31 -0500

Not a beer run. As a young soldier at Chinook Maintenance AIT I had an old E-7 Vietnam veteran instructor. One time we were talking soldier to soldier. He talked about smoking pot and sitting an the rear cargo door and looking at Vietnam from the Chinook. I watched his face and he looked like he was deep in his thoughts as he described a spiritual moment. I liked him a lot because he was cool.

Response by SSG Paul Headlee made Mar 2 at 2021 8:51 PM

SSG Paul Headlee — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 20:51:24 -0500

That's my kind of battle buddy.

Response by SPC Joseph Kopac made Mar 2 at 2021 8:52 PM

SPC Joseph Kopac — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 20:52:18 -0500

The door gunner. Our squad would give him the cash and on resupply day he would return with beer and blocks of ice to roll it in to get cold. Two beers and I was tipsy. Then off on patrol again. A guy in our squad had his sister send whiskey in shampoo bottles. Lots of crazy stories.

Response by LTC John Griscom made Mar 2 at 2021 11:07 PM

LTC John Griscom — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 23:07:38 -0500

My wife would mail me Coors beer and after I drained the cans. I would fill them with whatever was available to make people jealous.

Response by SGT Lorenzo Nieto made Mar 3 at 2021 6:11 AM

SGT Lorenzo Nieto — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 06:11:26 -0500

There was nothing like a warm Budweiser, all I knew it was wet.