[R-390] Off topic to W. Li in an unheated Quonset hut

[Roger Ruszkowski]

W. Li

So it was the winter of 70 - 71 and a group of us traveling maintenance men 
were visiting a DMZ site for some special monthly maintenance activities.
Along with these activities were a bunch of brass. The brass filled up the
good bunks and us maintenance people were relegated to a termite infested
Quonset hut. It was February 71 and about 15 below zero that night. No termites
in site. The "space heater" was fueled from a 5 gallon Jerry can of diesel that
hung on the side of the heater. We had a second Jerry can in the Quonset with us.

We pulled our steel cots up around the space heater in a star pattern.
The heater glowed a bright cherry red in the dark. Diesel fumes were drifting
out of the Jerry can hanging on the heaters side. Our feet next to the heater
were overly hot and hanging out of the covers. The covers were pulled up around our
head. Our pillows and covers frozen in frost from our breath. Over a span of less
than 8 feet that area went from a bright cherry red to well below zero. 
There was one thin sheet of Quonset hut metal between that heater and the infinity
cold reaches of the universe that night. No lights up on the DMZ and on cold nights
no moisture in the air. You can see stars like almost no where else in the world.

Every hour or so you got up and moved your bunk back away from the heater
flopped the hot end away from the heater and crawled back into your rack.

Eventually the hot covers cooled off and your feet were freezing.
The pillow thawed out and was first soggy cold then steaming hot. The
wool blankets defrosted and began to steam. A towel over you head warmed
through and you had to move again. 

Half way through the night I had to change the Jerry can as I was the only
one there that even knew how to operate the heater.

Awe the memories of youth.

Roger.