Western Pacific Deployment - 1979 Port of call: Diego Garcia - Mike Leary at the Donkey Gate
The Diego Garcia atoll was separated by a gate known to the locals as "Donkey Gate".
The gate and fence were there to keep the wild asses from infiltrating the Seabee base. Too bad, the Submariners got in anyway!
We rode in an old Seabee pickup truck on the way to and from the old plantation liberty area. On the way out, one of the local donkey's took a liking to Mike Leary. It ran as fast as it could behind the pickup, braying his name "LEAR-EEEEE, LEAR-EEEE." We had to hold Mike to keep him from jumping out of the truck. It had been a very, very long time at sea for Mike.
The Diego Garcia atoll was separated by a gate known to the locals as "Donkey Gate".
The gate and fence were there to keep the wild asses from infiltrating the Seabee base. Too bad, the Submariners got in anyway!