The Disappearing Rifle

The Disappearing Rifle

Before my arrival to NSGA Misawa there was an incident between the Air Force protection force and the Navy HFDF shop.  The incident started in this way.

The shop called AF security to tell them that they were ready to commence field day, and would need to open the double doors in the rear of the shop, as was the normal procedure.  I don't know if they really got their wires crossed, but I tend to believe they tried to pull a  practical joke, Air Force against Navy.

One of the matmen was on the deck outside of the doors when he hears, "Hold it right there. DO NOT MOVE!"  He stood there with his arms raised, looking at two of the Air Force guards, on the roof, with M16s trained on him.

As he stood there one of the guards walked to the overhang, under which the sailor stood.  The guard lay his rifle, with the barrel hanging over, down on the roof.  He then dropped down to the ground. 

On the spur of the moment, the sailor grabbed the gun, and jumped back inside, locking the door behind him.  The panicked airman,  began beating on the door, screaming, "Give back my rifle!"

The seaman looked down at the rifle in his hands and thought, "Holy crap, what did I just do?"

Unable to think of anything else he lay the gun down and called the officer of the day, a Marine, and explained what he had just done.  The lieutenant came to the mat shop, cleared the rifle, then called his Air Force equivalent.

What saved the seaman is, when they checked the logs to verify the phone call requesting permission to open the door, the page had been neatly cut out.  The whole affair could have had serious repercussions for both the Navy and Air Force personnel involved.  Both sides decided to drop the matter.  The Air Force guards played no more practical jokes on the Navy, and the Navy personnel where instructed to take no more Air Force weapons.