| We are a Navy retired family. My husband retired with | | | | waiting for the news. |
| 24 years in service. We lived on the base at | | | | We had outdoor lyceums (outdoor theaters) that we |
| Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from July 1974 through | | | | would go and watch the fairly new releases of |
| November 1977. | | | | movies. They were like stadium seats. The only down |
| Guantanamo Bay is a 45 square mile piece of land | | | | side was when the trucks came by and sprayed the |
| and water that the U.S. has occupied since 1903. It is | | | | mosquitoes and whatever else was outside during the |
| the only base in operation in a communist country. The | | | | movie (all of us). |
| base received their water from Cuba via of a pipeline | | | | If you loved being outdoors and on the water, this was |
| for a monthly fee since 1939. In 1964 the Cuban | | | | a great place to live. We had a barrel boat and went |
| government stopped supplying the water. The base | | | | out frequently fishing. We caught a lot of Red Snapper, |
| had a supply of water in storage and water | | | | Grouper, some langoustines (like lobster but with no |
| restrictions were put into effect. The U.S. imported | | | | claws) and assorted other fish. There were several |
| water from Jamaica via barges for a while, then built | | | | beaches that you could snorkel or scuba dive. We did |
| the desalination plants. These plants take the sea | | | | a lot of sea shelling and going to the beach. We had a |
| water, remove the salt so the water is fit for human | | | | bowling alley and did a lot of bowling. We had only one |
| consumption and then return the salt back to the sea. | | | | large athletic sports field at the time, so it was used |
| The phone system that we had when we lived there | | | | frequently. Other sports and activities that were |
| was reportedly old. Many said that it was the phone | | | | available at the time were: a golf course, the Sailing |
| system that came from Pearl Harbor when it was | | | | Club, a Hot Rod Association, a horse corral, as well as, |
| bombed. We don’t know if that was true but it | | | | motorcycle and drag races every other weekend at |
| worked sporadically. We were able to make calls to | | | | the old air strip on base. Gitmo also had hunting for |
| the U.S. via of a MARS station that was on base. We | | | | deer and guinea fowl. |
| were only able to talk for a few minutes (3-5), not | | | | Some of the eating establishments were the Enlisted |
| very long but it was great to be able to call home. | | | | Men’s Club, the Chief’s Club, the Blue Lagoon, |
| Food was shipped in to the people living on the base | | | | the Officer’s Club, the Enlisted Marine’s Club, |
| via of seatrain. These are large cargo containers that | | | | and also a restaurant that was run by the Jamaicans |
| brought supplies in once a month (such as groceries, | | | | living on the base that we all called the “Hey |
| toiletries, electronics etc.) via of a large cargo ship. | | | | Man” Shack. |
| When the seatrain arrived no time was wasted in | | | | I remember one Christmas season, the Christmas |
| getting to the commissary to purchase groceries. If | | | | trees were brought in by the Seatrain. They were all |
| something came in that you wanted to purchase, you | | | | frozen so that they would stay fresh until they arrived. |
| needed to purchase it when you saw it or the | | | | The trees were delivered to the baseball field. We |
| chances that it would be there when you got back | | | | went to the field to buy our tree. First we were given |
| were slim. We sometimes did without potatoes for the | | | | a number and, of course, had to wait our turn to select |
| month when the commissary ran out. | | | | a tree. We picked out the tree and took it home to set |
| We didn’t have American TV down during the | | | | up. As soon as the tree thawed out (which didn’t |
| period of time from 1974-1977, but we did have a small | | | | take long in the heat) all the pine needles fell off the |
| station that recorded live talent for us to watch and | | | | tree as a result of being frozen and quickly unthawed. |
| tapes that were sent from the States. We were | | | | Needless to say, the majority of residents had artificial |
| about six months behind on the soap operas. When | | | | trees. |
| mail was received at Gitmo, the TV would flash | | | | We hope that you enjoy our written personal tour of |
| “mail call”. We all loaded in the cars and went to | | | | Gitmo, as much as we enjoyed reliving some of the |
| get our mail. We didn’t get it daily so we were all | | | | time spent there. |