Mike Enos

BORN: June 28, 1946

BRANCH: Navy

DIED: January 13, 2011

Some veterans discover Camp Hamilton via friends and family. Some accidentally find the hidden memorial park when they go dove hunting. I saw “some,” but I mean TWO people - Mike “Squidley” Enos and Dennis Hodge.  

The two men have traveled from the Bay Area to dove hunt in the orchards off Lerdo Highway. A Marine Inspector & Instructor duty assigned to the Bakersfield Reserve Unit saw them hunting. SSgt Chris Gomes approached them to verify that they had permission to hunt on the land. A conversation ensued. Chris learned that Mike had served in the Navy and Dennis was a Machine Gunner in the Marine Corps. Both veterans had served during Vietnam.  

Of course, this conversation led to the topic of Camp Hamilton, which was within walking distance from Squidley and Dennis’s camper. (Mike had been renamed Squidley on his first day at Camp Hamilton).  

But this is not the end of the day nor the story. Chris, Squidley, Dennis, Glenn Denton, and Doc Howard immediately hit it off. They were laughing and talking and enjoying themselves until Squidley and Dennis decided to go to a bar in town. But before they left, Dennis and Squidley moved their camper closer to Camp Hamilton.  

Leaving a camper alone was fair game. Doc Howard eyed some camouflage leftover from Memorial Day Service and used it to cover the camper. When Squidley and Dennis returned, they searched and searched for their camper. In looking for Camp Hamilton and their trailer, they ran over one of the camp’s signs. True to form, when Squidley discovered the prank, he laughed and laughed. In fact, Squidley laughed so hard that he fell out of the truck.  

Shortly after the first visit to Camp Hamilton, Dennis retired and moved back to Bakersfield. Dennis’ move gave Squidley even more reason to travel to his “home away from home.” He dressed in “get-ups” and provided entertainment and friendship. He camped 10-days at a time and provided both financial and physical support.  

Squidley was the life of any conversation. This sailor convinced the 1st Marine Division Association to accept him into their organization. He was even allowed to join the Bodfish Chapter of the 1st Marine Division Association AFTER World War II veteran John Loomis properly initiated him. John told Squidley, “If you look real hard, you will find the grave of Homer Bodfish.” Of course, Squidley laughed and laughed about the prank after his futile search. Squidley found out the hard way that there was no such thing.   

But this time, Squidley joined in the game. At the next Bodfish meeting, Squidley made a wooden coffin and placed a skeleton in it. The skeleton wore a uniform and had a working water pump. When he opened the coffin, the water pump activated, making it look like the skeleton was peeing. There is so much more to this story, including the Marines using the skeleton-water-coffin-stream to brush their teeth.  

As for the name “Squidley,” Mike earned that name at Camp Hamilton. Marines from the 1960s like to call sailors squids. It is not a compliment but a healthy spirit of insults between military branches. His dove hunting friend Dennis was a Marine, and Camp Hamilton was his adopted family, so Mike accepted the nickname.  

When Squidley died too young, his nameplate was added to the family coastal redwood, including his grandfather, who served in World War I, and his father, who served in World War II.   

We invite you to visit his tree at Camp Hamilton and have a good laugh. Squidley would have loved to hear your laughter, especially if you pranked him.