Philippines: Prior to its closing, Subic Bay Naval Base was
a frequent and much-appreciated port visit. During the visit,
the Navy would perform ship maintenance, while the Marines
trained across the bay at Red and Green Beach (image left). Live-fire
training would often be conducted. Vendors selling knives,
swords and hot chow (image below) could always be found nearby.
At night, "bush bunnies" (prostitutes from nearby Olongapo
City), could be heard rustling around outside of camp.
Below:
Filipinos would scavenge everything Marines would leave behind,
including pallets, shell casings, and MRE boxes, for their very
humble abodes.
JEST:
At Jungle Environment Survival Training school at Cubi Point,
Negrito guides (image left) taught how to survive in the jungle
with nothing else needed than a Bolo knife. Skills taught at
JEST included making eating utensils out of bamboo, boiling rice
inside bamboo, and finding food and medicinal plants in the
jungle. Participants could not bring food to the course.
Instead, bats, ants, and snails were eaten for sustenance. A zoo
at the JEST base camp featured pythons, monkeys and other
critters native to the nearby jungle.
Weapons
proficiency: MEUSOC Marines are proficient in a number of
weapons, including M-16s, SAWs (Squad Automatic Weapons), SMAWs,
.50 cal machine guns, MK19 (Mark 19) automatic grenade
launchers, Dragons and TOWs (anti-tank missiles), mortars and
more. Image right: M-203 40mm grenade launcher mounted on M-16.
MEUSOC
