Chapter V
Chief Murray and I stood, looking at the specially equipped and painted Boeing 707, with a big American flag painted brilliantly on the vertical part of its tail, until Kissinger, Haldeman, and Ehrlichman disappeared into its side door. The plane was called Air Force One when Nixon was aboard, but usually, he flew the newer 707. The crew on the tarmac called the plane”SAM two-six-thousand”, for unknown reasons.
“Henceforth, whenever Kissinger needs to be driven somewhere, you get to do the driving,” Murray said to me while his cigarette lay burning itself out on the hot concrete under our feet.
I spoke before that I am almost certain I must have met some of the SS agents and WH staff you saw at some point a couple years later. I am reminded of my time in Army EOD, who provided all the Bomb Disposal support to TSD of the SS. I spent the 1972 campaign year supporting the SS at events in the Midwest from Minnesota, St. Louis, Omaha, and several others I no longer remember. I was a silly looking kid in coke bottle glasses, a bad suit & haircut and It culminated in Nixon’s inauguration. We were threatened with jail if we told we were active duty Army due to the paranoia of the time. What agency the press or Senator McGovern’s Staff thought the goofy looking kid was with strains my imagination. I had no idea of what I was witnessing.
Amazing, SSG, and I mean you own experience in this milieu. Thanks for adding to the story with your own stuff.
Much enjoy reading what you write and also accepting the compliment of you writing it on this site.
Semper fi,
Jim
Please don’t notify me of every comment.
Thank you.
Please unsubscribe from the comments. Should be on each notification.
Sorry about that
Excellent. It helps when I’ve actually been inside the compound although only at the house & outside grounds. I remember looking down towards that beach & noticing a Destroyer anchored offshore. Was that because Nixon was on board? That was a time I was enamored with the honor of being there but now that I read of what our government was doing behind the scenes I’m not so impressed.
Keep the good stuff coming Sir.
Thanks for the personal addition Laddie. All governments play games behind the scenes. Nixon never arrived by ship, left by ship or went aboard any Naval vessel offshore.
The first layer of presidential security is the Secret Service. The second layer further out responsible for grounds and surrounding area around the president is the
U.S. Marshals. The third layer, further out is the combined and appointed special forces of all the nation’s military. You were looking at part of the most distant security.
I should have technically been under the authority and auspices of the Marshals but Haldeman had other purposes for my existence.
Semper fi, and thanks for the interesting comment.
Jim
I’m sorry I guess I did make that sound like he might be on the Destroyer. I actually meant he was in the house. Man could I tell you a funny story about Nixon & his Secret Service during that debacle but I won’t now. It was hilarious the way it happened.
Great reading this one James!! Damn flashbacks come when least expected….
SEMPER Fi
Thanks SgtBob, and yes, flashbacks are that way, although it’s been a long time since I’ve had one.
Appreciate the long time reading and support.
Semper fi,
Jim
Great to see you cranking out more of you intriguing saga.
Always makes my day to read another episode and what you mananage to get yourself into and what comes flying up unexpectedly for you to deal with. Did you ever find out the who, how, why behind your landing this job?
Thank you Walter for the short but interesting comment. I did find out, much later on about how I got the job, but that will have to
wait. Appreciate the intelligent question, however.
Semper fi,
Jim
Pleased to see you coming back so strong, LT. Keep ‘er coming. We are all enthralled.
Thanks for the great ‘enthralled’ comment and compliment Chris. Means a lot to me.
Semper fi, and I am hard at it right now, just as soon as I get finished answering comments.
Jim
Thanks James-really enjoy your writtings…….
Thanks a lot for that laconic compliment Richard. Keeps me going…
Semper fi,
Jim
James LT Junior God Bless Stay Safe FLASHBACKS I did not go through the HELL You did. But suffer the same issue. I know I always start my messages with You using the same 3 names I’ve come to know You by though Your writing. If You would desire for me to drop any part of that greeting, please tell me. I do not need to dredge up old wounds. You are a survivor. God Bless Stay Safe Sergeant G Pappa Smurf
Pappa, I don’t mind the nicknames, although LT had not been invented back then. Some people refer to me by that nickname today though and I don’t mind.
In the CIA I became ‘The Cherub.’ Nicknames are seldom assigned to make the people so graced happy with the name.
Semper fi,
Jim
Really enjoyed the read, Jim, and very happy to see you “back in the saddle”.
You have a unique ability to rapidly size someone up, and do it well and quickly.
Did a good bit of beach patrol as a State LEO in both Panhandle Florida and on some of the south-eastern beaches. Always interesting. Made me glad several times that I had paid attention to my CPR classes.
Envy a bit the varied terrain that you worked in – Florida is pretty much a flat, sandy topography. Heck, you had rocks and railroad tracks to play in.
Did you ever make Captain while you were in the Corps? Sure had an interesting service period.
Never got those captains bars, but did serve at other ranks while working for the Agency. Miliary cover is
great cover abroad and also can enlist allies with relative ease.
Semper fi,
Jim
A lot going on in this great chapter! You handled your first flashback with grace, considering. Glad you’re healthy and writing James. Looking forward to the next one as always! Semper Fi!
I didn’t think I handled it with grace, except for externally. Inside I was a roiling mess.
It was so hard to come back and have to put up with shit that was so seemingly threatening and unacceptable.
Back here…I was becoming the Cowardly Lion, and I didn’t want to be that.
Semper fi,
Jim
glad your back LT, was starting to wonder if you were going to leave us hanging. good read as always
Saturday. Chapter VI will go up on that day, as I am fully underway and working again after the COVID.
A few people have been so helpful…including the people writing on here, as well as Chuck Bartok, Dan C. and Jim Flynn.
I cannot thank you or them enough. I can only do so by continuing on at a now more consistent pace.
Semper fi, and thanks for the comment.
Jim
I’ll be looking forward to the next installment. Glad you are well.
Hoping to have the next installment up by Saturday.
Thanks for the asking and the compliment in your asking.
Semper fi,
Jim
interesting
Interesting one word critique. Maybe you are British Harold. When I visited the British Royal Marines and excelled at
training with them physically the captain of the detail said my performance was ‘more than adequate.’ I was a bit miffed.
Later, at a Pub, I remarked about the rather weak compliment. The guys laughed. “This is Great Britain,” they all chimed,
“what he said is the highest compliment in this culture.”
Semper fi,
Jim
Thanks Jack. Yes, I was lucky to get through the first, but not he last of the rather more dangerous flashbacks.
I didn’t dream of the Nam much at all though, and that was a benefit…but in the early days out of the hospital I
didn’t sleep much either.
Semper fi,
Jim
Good one James,
Some minor editing suggestions follow:
Some history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VC-137C_SAM_26000
SAM 26000 was the first of two Boeing VC-137C United States Air Force aircraft specifically configured and maintained for use by the president of the United States. It used the callsign Air Force One when the president was on board, otherwise SAM 26000 (spoken as ‘SAM two-six-thousand’), with SAM indicating Special Air Mission.
A VC-137C with Air Force serial number 62-6000,[a] SAM 26000 was a customized Boeing 707.
It is USAF practice to truncate the serial number as presented on the tail to five-figures, the last figure of the fiscal year and the last four of the serial, hence 26000
To be more correct could spell “Sam” as “SAM”
his cigarette lay burning itself out on hot the concrete
Put “hot” before “concrete”
his cigarette lay burning itself out on the hot concrete
‘the three pee job,’
Can I assume there is sarcasm when the ‘three ‘P’ job’ becomes the ‘the three pee job,’??
chase border crossers further North
Lower case for “North”
chase border crossers further north
A rough mesh-lined the bottom
Seems the hyphen is extra
A rough mesh lined the bottom
“Your part of that new contingent out there,”
“You’re” instead of “Your”
“You’re part of that new contingent out there,”
You’re correct, nobody knows
Open quotes
“You’re correct, nobody knows
with the yellow SCLG initials emblazoned on their chests as Bob Elwell wore.
Maybe add “same” before “yellow”
with the same yellow SCLG initials emblazoned on their chests as Bob Elwell wore.
“Ah, I’m Billy,” he said softly, and then went on. “We’re just messing with you. Welcome to the lifeguard Headquarters.” He held out his hand for a second time. I took his hand in mine, guardedly, but the handshake was real this time.
IIRC You only shook hands with Charlie – not Billy.
as the fear that had come visiting once again began to tamp itself down.
After saying “I felt like I’d been in a firefight”
Somehow “fear” doesn’t seem to be inclusive enough of a word.
Maybe “adrenaline surge”
as the adrenaline surge that had come visiting once again began to tamp itself down.
Blessings & Be Well
Corrected as suggested.
Thank you, Dan
Good one LT. I bet those three shit when you unsnapped the cannon
I don’t think they really got it, maybe only a whiff. Civilians many times have no clue about potential
devastation standing right in front of them, although admittedly I didn’t look like what I was.
Semper fi,
Jim
Hello James,
I missed a detail regarding lifeguard clothing. There is a mismatch in the descriptions.
Historical pictures are not much help. There are several different colored tops. For consistency Let’s just give them all yellow “T” shirts and state the lettering as red (or white).
Describing Bob Elwell’s clothes – “normal red lifeguard swimming trunks
and yellow “T” shirt.”
Describing the Rowdy young lifeguards clothes – “They wore red lifeguard
swimsuits and matching “T” shirts, with the same yellow SCLG initials emblazoned on their chests as Bob Elwell wore.”
Maybe
“They wore red lifeguard swimsuits and yellow “T” shirts, with the same red SCLG initials emblazoned on their chests as Bob Elwell wore.”
______
Additional history:
https://scljgfoundation.com/in-the-beginning/
Towers on the South Side were odd numbered and North Side were even.
/ So the midpoint is zero?? /
A caption on an older picture contains …
“Note on the pier on the far left is the “white box” lifeguard tower which is the first 56-Zero tower on the pier. 56-Zero is still the first tower opened in the morning and the last to close at night.”
Further on there is a picture of the Zero Tower which you describe:
“By mid 60’s the Lifeguard Department had built a new zero tower which
still stands today.”
Blessings & Be Well
SAM = Special Air Missions, if you didn’t already know. I found out when I had to deliver CNG(compressed natural gas) to their hangar at Andrews Air Force Base because the driver neglected to refuel the dedicated CNG fueled van.
You are certainly meeting a cast of characters during your duty of the San Clemente beach patrol!
No, Leo, I didn’t know until now. Thanks so much for filling that gap in my memory…or maybe nobody at the time ever said anything.
Thanks for the compliment too.
Semper fi,
Jim
Leo is correct about the SAM part. The 26000 is the aircraft serial number, also painted on the tail-thrust the “tail number”. Incidentally that aircraft was the same one that carried JFK’s body back to Washington.
You guys can be so informative. I had no idea what the aircraft designation was but on this site I get to learn it all, and then some.
JFK’s body plane. Wow. Thanks a lot for this information and Leo too….
Semper fi,
Jim
James, Riveting, as usual. BZ
Jim
Thank you Jim. Your opinion, and motivation, help make it all work and keep me going. Half way through Chapter VI
and that should go up by next Saturday.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
I have had two Broncos in my life and enjoyed them both. Almost birthed my son in one of them.
That had to be something, a Marine, officer or not, facing insolent life guards, who showed no respect, and then you having the flashback. I believe in the second amendment and enjoy my guns, but even amid random shootings in our state and country, my legislature just passed an open carry law. I am permitted, but I don’t carry a gun for just that reason. It is too easy to get pissed off and pull it. It took a lot for you not to.
I am glad you got over the virus and are still writing. I enjoy it.
Thanks H. Kemp, for the comment and the understanding written into it. I wasn’t sure that I should write about the indident, as I do get concerned
that people might think I am unstable to this very day. I was unstable back then, and I’m not hiding that, but I somehow worked and muddled on through.
With help of many around me. I love the Bronco in retrospect much more than I cared for it when I drove it. It was a cantankerous machine. The one’s they rebuild now
have little in common with the roughness of the 72 model. The paint looked like it was applied with spray cans! The heater had one vent in the dash that worked from
the factory. The hubs were always a problem when needed. And so on.
Thanks again,
Semper fi,
Jim
Very interesting ….hung out at the beaches in San Clemente during my time at Pendleton- 68-69. Also at the San Onefere beach.
Did beach patrol in LA County – 73-80
Good memories.
Funny how riding up and own that windy surf beach area didn’t strike me as a great gift at the time.
Now, wow, what a time indeed.
You understand the vagaries of beach patrol like few possibly can.
Thanks for the comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Scary moments there. I sense changing coming. Thanks for the chapter.
Thanks for following so closely and thanks for trying to make a prediction…and your prediction is pretty damned accurate.
There was nothing accidental about why selection and I was anything but truly ignored, as I believed at the time.
Semper fi,
Jim
Very well. Like I’m getting a glimpse into a mans head when he isn’t fully aware of his own thoughts.
Strange penetrating comment. I had to read it a few times.
Yes, that’s a very apt description of how some readers of intellect and deep thought must feel upon the reading.
I’m never sure how the writing is taken, except for the comments I get on here that help me comprehend.
I get it only in reverie though, as when I write it just seems to come out on its own.
Semper fi,
Jim
Well you have done it again LT! Awesome chapter, but I sure it was a tough one to write, bring the past back to you. You’re a strong man Sir. Can’t wait to see what HRH wants of you. Your writing is so descriptive I saw all these people and could see the whole scene in my mind. Keep up the great work! Semper Fi Lt!!
Thanks Bob for that great comment and the huge compliment in it. I live the scenes all over again.
I don’t know why God gave me this memory but it sure helps in the writing. It just all comes back
the more that I write. Thanks again.
Semper fi,
Jim
chilling
yet simple
Thanks Rich, appreciate the analysis and the compliment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Another great chapter, James. Thanks and Semper Fi!
Thank you Michael. Great compliment…and well received at this time.
Semper fi,
Jim