Bruce (VA)
Well-known Member
First, a big thank you to my fellow vets. I figure you guys, as well as the non-vets might get a chuckle out of a “war story” for Veterans Day.
A bit of background for the non-vets.
“Scrounging” or “GI requisitioning” is more commonly known in the civilian world as theft or fraud. But, as long as the goods procured aren’t for personal use, and they come from another unit (another branch of service is even better) then all is well. Any subterfuge is acceptable.
Our “club” in V-N was a GP medium tent. (In the picture) A Viet-Cong flag was hanging behind the bar. It had bullet holes in it & blood stains on it.
Invariably, about once a month, some guy passing through would offer to buy or trade something for the flag. After much haggling, it was always sold. And, the next day, one of us would head into the vill & pay Mama-san to sew up another one. We’d shot a few holes in it, put some chicken blood on it & hang it back behind the bar.
Well, I told this story a few years ago at the local VFW & a WWII USMC vet about died laughing. Seems that they did the very same thing! They’d make Jap flags & sell them to the sailors. Because none of them spoke Japanese, they just copied the Jap characters from whatever they had handy, like ammo cans & ration boxes. Meaning that 65+ years later, a bunch of Navy vets have Jap flags w/ characters they say “This end up”!
A bit of background for the non-vets.
“Scrounging” or “GI requisitioning” is more commonly known in the civilian world as theft or fraud. But, as long as the goods procured aren’t for personal use, and they come from another unit (another branch of service is even better) then all is well. Any subterfuge is acceptable.
Our “club” in V-N was a GP medium tent. (In the picture) A Viet-Cong flag was hanging behind the bar. It had bullet holes in it & blood stains on it.
Invariably, about once a month, some guy passing through would offer to buy or trade something for the flag. After much haggling, it was always sold. And, the next day, one of us would head into the vill & pay Mama-san to sew up another one. We’d shot a few holes in it, put some chicken blood on it & hang it back behind the bar.
Well, I told this story a few years ago at the local VFW & a WWII USMC vet about died laughing. Seems that they did the very same thing! They’d make Jap flags & sell them to the sailors. Because none of them spoke Japanese, they just copied the Jap characters from whatever they had handy, like ammo cans & ration boxes. Meaning that 65+ years later, a bunch of Navy vets have Jap flags w/ characters they say “This end up”!
