In the winter of 78, about 500 sailors ambushed a column of of about 100 U.S. Marines, outside of Memphis, Tenn., in the parking lot of the Naval Air Training School barracks. Marines were brave but the weight of snowballs was too great and they broke and ran. Their wool green uniforms covered in white, many lost their covers. Later that night, a marine recon force snuck into our barracks complex and to revenge by attacking sailors in their skivvies as they were readying themselves for bed with handfuls of snowballs and ice. The winter fighting continued the next day. It was such a problem and danger the base commander ordered a cease-fire and doubled security to halt the attacks. The tradition continues.