Panama and the Military Tourist

SPC (P) DE'ON AUSTIN

Leaving Miraflores Locks

1992

FEMALE ON THE FLOOR: FUN FOTOS from Panama

Sgt. D sits in front of the average plate at Las Cascades in Panama City. 1990.
Austin and Sgt. D. outside Las Cascades. I used to be a Salem girl. Strictly reds now. 1990.

1. Aaron and Mickey Mouse in Aaron's bedroom. Those are mango trees you see through the window. Aaron's room is three stories up.

2. The field Aaron crossed to get to Headquarters Company when I was on duty. 1990 for both photos

FEMALE ON THE FLOOR! Fort Kobbe, Panama

This is the back view of the quarters that Aaron, Doug and I spent about 1-1/2 years together in. These are duplexes. Ours is the one further away. Where we lived had three levels, a maid's quarters on the ground level, then the 2nd floor had the one and only entryway to our home. On the 2nd floor was the livingroom and kitchen. Upstairs:two bedrooms and a bath (with a shower and no tub! ;( Ceramic tile covered the two upstairs levels. The maid's quarters, that we used for storage, was concrete, complete with toilet, lavatory and shower nozzle (no stall).
This is a field that 508th Airborne Infantry used to train in. Note the razor wire in the front of the picture. This field was right across the street from our quarters, then 508th set to the left, and 536th Engr. Bn., across the street to the right. You can see the basketball court at 536th in this photo. That's where all of our company formations were.
Another shot of the training field. This also shows the back of the 508th.
Wallaaahh.... The front view of our quarters. Our duplex is to the right. That's Doug's white Ford truck parked in our driveway. Our washer and dryer sat to the left of the truck. Panamanians would steal your laundry if you left it overnight. In this driveway is where I would stretch for PT in the mornings after putting on a gallon of bug juice to fight the sand fleas. Most soldiers used baby oil (where the creatures would drown) but I didn't like that oily feeling mixed with the humidity. So I just smelled! Of course, the bug juice didn't keep the bat away that was always flying at me in the dark-thirty mornings!

Again, note the sandbags on the training field. Aaron played over here some, but usually, he was out and about with his friends, playing Army closer to the jungle line, which was about 100 yds. or so from our house to the left. This part of the jungle was completely safe. Howard Air Force Base had a running track through it to their housing area. There was always a great deal of wildlife to see on the runs. Strange, strange animals there. Nothing like those you see here in the states. We'll take a look at some of them before Panama is put to rest.