Sleep Deprived Marines and Our Mission

From my Triond page: "The longest period I ever went without sleep was fifty six hours when I in the Marine Corp stationed at Marine Corp Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan in 1989. I was assigned to a squadron where we worked on KC-130 F/R cargo transport and refueling aircraft. I was an aircraft hydraulic mechanic.

The coup d’etat against the government of Philippine President Corazon Aquino began on December 1, 1989 by “members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines belonging to the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) and soldiers loyal to former President Ferdinand Marcos”. The palace of the President was almost seized. It was defeated by the Philippine government with assistance of the United States by December 9, 1989.

On November 30, 1989, I was awakened from my rack in the barracks by several Sergeants banging on my door. “Get Up! Get Up! You have 10 minutes to get dressed and out on the front walk in formation!” This instruction was given up and down the hallway as they pounded on every marine’s door. Usually when your door gets pounded on at 0300, there is something serious happening or about to happen. I jumped out of my rack, threw on my green tee shirt, camouflaged trousers, blouse (shirt) and cover (hat) and combat boots and ran out the door so fast that my boot laces were dragging behind.


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