Being Camp Pendleton Marines, we were used to being refused service in California restaurants ("We don't serve your kind here", "We don't serve baby killers") in the late 70s-early 80s. Back then, Marines were easily recognizable, we were the only ones running around with very short hair, the other services all looked pretty shaggy. Some of our guys even wore long-hair wigs when they were off base.
Norway was an eye opener - again we were recognizable by being the only short-haired people around, but Norwegians would come up and thank us for being there to help them protect their country. In 1980, they were only 35 years on from being occupied by the Germans, and their northern border is with Russia. The Cold War was quite hot then, so they were a little nervous.
After the big NATO exercise Teamwork 80 was over, which for us Infantry types had meant 4 weeks in the field, eating cold c-rats and bathing in mountain streams, several of us went to a nice restaurant in Trondheim for a well-deserved fancy meal. Not a cheap place at all. The waiter told us mid-meal that one of the other patrons, who did not want to be identified, had paid our rather prodigious bill, and wanted to thank us for our service. First time that ever happened to us, but not the last.
Never happened in the US until after 9/11. It did please me to see how my two Marine sons were treated during their service time.
Sorry for the post hijack. To bring it back to MVs, attached is a picture from my album of a nice Norwegian CCKW, and a Volvo.
The white X indicates they were umpires. And me in my 60-gunner role doing road guard near Rindal.
Cheers
