Hong Kong

Thayer Ward

Backstory. As the BMD platform, we were actually listed as an Air Force asset, under the command of the MDA (Missile Defense Agency), and when we weren’t doing BMD stuff, we were under MIDPAC (neither 3rd nor 7th fleets). This, in turn, meant we almost always were independent steaming (no attachment to any BG or ESG).

2 weeks after the war games with Japan and Korea had started, we got into the middle of the games (see the previous story). During that second part of the games, we were attached to a BG (can’t remember which carrier). After the games, we stayed with them. They were slated to pull into Hong Kong. However, operational requirements changed, and we detached from them and pulled in 4 days early, for 3 nights.

So now, we pull in. As stated in the previous story, my liberty partner and I had no duty, no liberty restrictions, overnight liberty authorized, all through our stay in Hong Kong. We also got first off the ship for liberty call.

My buddy, Cam, had been there before, but it was my first time. I told him I didn’t want to spend too much money, and didn’t want to pay for a woman, wanted to pick one up in a bar. He agreed. He had a twinkle in his eye and said he had a plan.

We get out of the pier area and start heading into town. Cam took me to the Wan Chai district. He said we could drink for free, then we would head over to Banana Joe’s. I liked the sound of that!

We started walking, and something immediately struck me. On the left side of the road were legitimate businesses: bars, clubs, restaurants, etc. On the right side, the side we were walking, were buildings with curtains covering everything on the first floor. No windows or doors were visible, just curtains.

I was thinking about the oddity of this when, from behind some curtains, a girl comes out and latches onto me, basically dragging me in behind the curtains. I look at Cam, and he smiles at me, nods his head and waves his hand at me to go in. We get in, and it’s a sailor’s paradise. Naked girls dancing on a small stage, girls singing karaoke, girls playing darts, girls drinking. I felt like a kid in Toys ‘R Us (my first time going to a place like this).

The girl immediately brings me to the bar, sets me down, and asks if I want a drink (Jack and Coke) or a shot of Tequila. Took the shot, start it off right! So Cam and I get our drinks. Mama-san immediately comes over and tries to get us to buy a girl a drink or take one to a hotel. We decline and head out. Not there even 5 minutes.

So we start walking, and the next place, the same thing. Girls grabbing us and taking us in, a free drink (sometimes shots, sometimes mixed drinks), mama-san trying to squeeze money out of us, we leave. This went on for a while.

After a number of places, even though I didn’t want to look a gift-horse in the mouth, I had to know, so I asked Cam why we were getting free drinks. He said “They think we’re part of the carrier group that is scheduled to pull in. They’re trying to get us drunk and get us to spend money quickly, in and out so that they can get through as many guys as possible and make the most money.” Well, that made sense. And they were all empty because the BG didn’t pull in.

We continued on, and after a bit, we were feeling really good, not having spent a dime, having some nice stripper dances and managing to cop a little more than a feel. Finally, Cam said, “Okay, I think we’re good, lets head over to Banana Joe’s.” I agreed. But Hong Kong girls were having none of that.

We started walking, and the very next place, a gorgeous 5’1″ Thai girl comes out, most beautiful Asian girl I had ever seen (lived in Hawai’i, so that’s saying something). She latches on, and I look at Cam, and he immediately starts ranting. “No, forget it! We are going to Banana Joe’s! No more of this!”. Immediately after saying that, a gorgeous 5’4″ Vietnamese girl latches onto him and looks with a puppy-dog look. He caved, and we went in.

The girls sat us at the bar, but this one was different. It was a crescent shape, with bar stools, no backing underneath. The girls give us each two drinks, a shot, and a mixed drink. After serving us, they glanced at each other, then dropped down. We unknowingly began to play smiles. Very very nice.

After the girls finish, mama-san comes over and starts talking. “$90 each for the girl and the room for 2 hrs.” I thought this wasn’t a bad deal, but Cam wasn’t having any of that. “No, forget that…” He haggled with mama-san, and talked her down to $90 total for the girls and 2 rooms ALL NIGHT, until noon the next day. Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.

Cam pays (we had an agreement not to pay for girls, so the cost was on him he said), we leave. The girl I have is having trouble keeping up because she didn’t change her shoes, and she was tired from dancing and whatnot. So I lift her up and put her on my shoulders.

We’re walking along, and I look across the 4 lane road. What do I see? My CO, XO, and almost all the Dept Heads (including my own) sitting at a table outside of a restaurant. So, I walk across two lanes, over the median, and across the other two lanes, with my girl on my shoulders. I grab her legs and walking up to them, start shaking her legs and said, “El Capitan-O, what’s going on-o?”

My DH looks like he was dying of a heart attack, but everyone else, including the CO, was laughing. “Petty Officer Ward, how are you doing?”, he said in his deep, James Earl Jones voice. “I’m doing great sir,” I said, and patting my girl’s legs, I said, “I will be doing a whole lot better real soon!” They all laughed again (even my DH, who now knows he isn’t going to be chewed for this).

The CO said, “Do you have protection Petty Officer Ward?” Now, one of the rules when going on liberty there was that we had to grab condoms. We had a very large, deep box, full of condoms on the Quarterdeck, and the rule to leave was that we had to grab two handfuls. A handful was two hands scooping them up and filling our two front pockets. So I replied to the CO by reaching into my pocket and pulling out a handful. They just laughed again and sent me on my way.

So I get back over to my liberty partner, who is incredulous that I didn’t get chewed right there and then. We walk to the hotel. Getting up to our rooms, they are side-by-side, with my door immediately next to Cam’s.

We get inside, I go in to use the bathroom, and when I come out, she’s watching tv! I think, “My friend did not pay $45 for you so that you can watch tv!” I see what she’s watching, and quickly change my tune. Full, complimentary, unblurred, XXX porn. She flips a channel or two and says “I want to try that!”, and “Ooh, this looks fun!” “And we should do this!” YESSSSSS!!!!

So we’re watching, “warming” each other up, when there was a knock at the door. I go over, naked with the TeePee pole raised fully, and open the door. It’s Cam’s girl. “Umm, your friend fell asleep…”. I peek in, and sure enough, he’s passed out, face-down, wallet still in his pants.

“I got $20 if you want to come join us.” “Sure!” She comes in and starts making out with the other girl. There was a song, “Oh what a night!” Every time I hear it, I am taken back to that night in Hong Kong. The rest of the time there was definitely fun, but not like that night, and no other port has beaten it.