I told him he should stop in here and say hi. He says he's retired now.
I may stop by and see him in the mid later winter. Looking at doing a Caribbean cruise with my wife for our 25th. Probably launch out a port in his home state rather than freeze our tushies off sailing down the eastern seaboard.
Bob, Well be sure to tell "him" I said Hi as well. Better if "he" would show up here as you said.
Enjoy your trip to the Caribbean. The last few times my wife and I were there we would plan each day to go off ship first thing in the morning, walk to the end of the pier, find a taxi, tell the driver to go to a specific beach on the other side of the island, tell the driver to be back at 12:30pm and pic us up, snorkel until about 12:00pm, taxi back to the ship, shower and dress, get something to eat, leave the ship and go to the tourist traps just to say we were there and to to look, back to the ship before departure.
Next day, new port, different island, different beach and got to see parts of the island that nobody else on board had seen.
Later,
Les
On Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 7:23:05 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:
I've traveled the Caribbean for many many years. Starting back in the 60's right up through the 2000's. We bare boat chartered at least 25/30 times. ( for the non-sailors out there that means we rented a big sail boat and sai led it ourselves without a captain) Most of our sailing was done in the Bri tish Virgin Islands but we also sailed from St Vincent to Granada and back on a 10 day excursion, stopping at dozens of islands on the way. We sailed St Martin and surrounding waters. US Virgin Islands, Honduras Bay Islands a nd many other places to numerous to remember now. Now days we just fly to a n Island and rent a car. We always make it a point to go on a sail with a p rivate captain as a reminisce of our sailing days. Our sailing days are ove r now. I don't have the speed, agility or stamina any longer and my navigat ion skills are slowly slipping from memory. It sure was a great run though. Memories and stories up the yazoo. I also was stationed on an Island in th e Bahamas when I was in the US Navy back in the 50's and did a tremendous a mount of scuba diving, so that always was a side adventure on all of our sa iling trips. I was on the Navy spearfishing diving team competing on Grand Bahama. Diving in the Bay Island off of Honduras and in the Caymans is just indescribable.
People keep telling me that ship cruses are fun but needless to say, after sailing a 60 foot yawl with 4 to 6 sailors for all those years, I think tha t ship cruising is for landlubbers and I just can't bring myself to go on a boat trip with 5000 of my closest friends. I just have this feeling that t here is at least one out of those 5000 people that would get in my face and either he or I would go overboard.
Don't mean to belittle your trip Bob ?? just story telling.
The best Islands as far a people go are Grand Cayman and Barbados. The peop le are just great. They know that tourism is their source of income and tre at it accordingly with respect. They are helpful, pleasant and want you to enjoy their beautiful islands. St Thomas has turned into strictly a tourist trap. We used to stop in Charlotte Amali to pick up water and supplies. A couple of times we went down to where the cruse ships come in and it was al most a mob scene when the tourists cam off the boat. All the natives trying to sell their overprice cheap crap souvenirs. And that was 20 years ago. C an't imagine what it's like now. I understand that the Rastafarians have ju st about taken over the whole Island. I had some friends go there to rent a villa and one night they witnessed a gun fight with cars racing around the town. Not just hand guns but machine guns. St Martin is pretty good. The D utch side is where all the shops are but the French side has the great rest aurants. St Johns in the British Virgin Islands is pretty good too but I do n't think cruise ships stop there. As a matter of fact all the islands in t he BVI are pretty good. Went to Puerto Rico once and would never go back ag ain. St Croix is good too but kind of small and out of the way for cruise s hips. St Vincent has a volcano on it and not too much else. The Yucatan Pen insula has some good places. Cozumel was OK but it's a popular place for th e college kids. Oh Yeah, make sure you don't time your trip during college break. First of all the prices skyrocket and the kids will get on your nerv es pretty quick. As much as it's advertised, Aruba and Curacao have got no sights to see. Barren Island with hardly any tropical looking areas. Mostly bare coral and cactus and lots of goats, gambling, shopping, restaurants a nd condos
That's about all I can think of right now. If you have an specific question s let me know.
On 10/18/2018 9:29 PM, Jim Davis wrote: > On Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 7:23:05 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote: >> I told him he should stop in here and say hi. He says he's retired now. >> >> I may stop by and see him in the mid later winter. Looking at doing a >> Caribbean cruise with my wife for our 25th. Probably launch out a port >> in his home state rather than freeze our tushies off sailing down the >> eastern seaboard. > > I've traveled the Caribbean for many many years. Starting back in the
60's right up through the 2000's. We bare boat chartered at least 25/30 times. ( for the non-sailors out there that means we rented a big sail boat and sailed it ourselves without a captain) Most of our sailing was done in the British Virgin Islands but we also sailed from St Vincent to Granada and back on a 10 day excursion, stopping at dozens of islands on the way. We sailed St Martin and surrounding waters. US Virgin Islands, Honduras Bay Islands and many other places to numerous to remember now. Now days we just fly to an Island and rent a car. We always make it a point to go on a sail with a private captain as a reminisce of our sailing days. Our sailing days are over now. I don't have the speed, agility or stamina any longer and my navigation skills are slowly slipping from memory. It sure was a great run though. Memories and stories up the yazoo. I also was stationed on an Island in the Bahamas when I was in the US Navy back in the 50's and did a tremendous amount of scuba diving, so that always was a side adventure on all of our sailing trips. I was on the Navy spearfishing diving team competing on Grand Bahama. Diving in the Bay Island off of Honduras and in the Caymans is just indescribable. > > People keep telling me that ship cruses are fun but needless to say, after sailing a 60 foot yawl with 4 to 6 sailors for all those years, I think that ship cruising is for landlubbers and I just can't bring myself to go on a boat trip with 5000 of my closest friends. I just have this feeling that there is at least one out of those 5000 people that would get in my face and either he or I would go overboard. > > Don't mean to belittle your trip Bob ?? just story telling. > > The best Islands as far a people go are Grand Cayman and Barbados. The people are just great. They know that tourism is their source of income and treat it accordingly with respect. They are helpful, pleasant and want you to enjoy their beautiful islands. St Thomas has turned into strictly a tourist trap. We used to stop in Charlotte Amali to pick up water and supplies. A couple of times we went down to where the cruse ships come in and it was almost a mob scene when the tourists cam off the boat. All the natives trying to sell their overprice cheap crap souvenirs. And that was 20 years ago. Can't imagine what it's like now. I understand that the Rastafarians have just about taken over the whole Island. I had some friends go there to rent a villa and one night they witnessed a gun fight with cars racing around the town. Not just hand guns but machine guns. St Martin is pretty good. The Dutch side is where all the shops are but the French side has the great restaurants. St Johns in the British Virgin Islands is pretty good too but I don't think cruise ships stop there. As a matter of fact all the islands in the BVI are pretty good. Went to Puerto Rico once and would never go back again. St Croix is good too but kind of small and out of the way for cruise ships. St Vincent has a volcano on it and not too much else. The Yucatan Peninsula has some good places. Cozumel was OK but it's a popular place for the college kids. Oh Yeah, make sure you don't time your trip during college break. First of all the prices skyrocket and the kids will get on your nerves pretty quick. As much as it's advertised, Aruba and Curacao have got no sights to see. Barren Island with hardly any tropical looking areas. Mostly bare coral and cactus and lots of goats, gambling, shopping, restaurants and condos > > That's about all I can think of right now. If you have an specific questions let me know. >I was to the Bahamas when I was about 3 years old. I've got some interesting memories.
Bumming around the docks with my mom talking to fishermen.
Looking off the Queen's tower and wanting to play with all the toy cars and toy houses in the neighborhood below.
Playing on a log with another kid pretending it was our ship and getting
3 stitches in my forehead when he wanted me to get off his ship and he busted me in the head with a rock.Scalded my arm with hot coffee.
Overall it was an adventure. Oh, and we weren't "tourists" persay. We were there with the carnival working.
I'd like to look off the Queen's tower again with an adult perspective. Most of the rest of that adventure I see no need to duplicate. LOL.
On 10/19/2018 12:29 AM, Jim Davis wrote:
, October 16, 2018 at 7:23:05 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe w rote:
. He says he's retired now.
see him in the mid later winter. Looking at doing a
bly launch out a port
n freeze our tushies off sailing down the
seaboard.
many years. Starting back in the 60's right up through the 2000's. We bare boat chartered at least 25/30 tim es. ( for the non-sailors out there that means we rent ed a big sail boat and sailed it ourselves without a c aptain) Most of our sailing was done in the British Vi rgin Islands but we also sailed from St Vincent to Gra nada and back on a 10 day excursion, stopping at dozen s of islands on the way. We sailed St Martin and surro unding waters. US Virgin Islands, Honduras Bay Islands and many other places to numerous to remember now. No w days we just fly to an Island and rent a car. We alw ays make it a point to go on a sail with a private cap tain as a reminisce of our sailing days. Our sailing d ays are over now. I don't have the speed, agility or s tamina any longer and my navigation skills are slowly slipping from memory. It sure was a great run though. Memories and stories up the yazoo. I also was statione d on an Island in the Bahamas when I was in the US Nav y back in the 50's and did a tremendous amount of scub a diving, so that always was a side adventure on all o f our sailing trips. I was on the Navy spearfishing di ving team competing on Grand Bahama. Diving in the Bay Island off of Honduras and in the Caymans is just ind escribable.
uses are fun but needless to say, after sailing a 60 f oot yawl with 4 to 6 sailors for all those years, I th ink that ship cruising is for landlubbers and I just c an't bring myself to go on a boat trip with 5000 of my closest friends. I just have this feeling that there is at least one out of those 5000 people that would ge t in my face and either he or I would go overboard.
story telling.
go are Grand Cayman and Barbados. The people are just great. They know that tourism is their source of inco me and treat it accordingly with respect. They are hel pful, pleasant and want you to enjoy their beautiful i slands. St Thomas has turned into strictly a tourist t rap. We used to stop in Charlotte Amali to pick up wat er and supplies. A couple of times we went down to whe re the cruse ships come in and it was almost a mob sce ne when the tourists cam off the boat. All the natives trying to sell their overprice cheap crap souvenirs. And that was 20 years ago. Can't imagine what it's lik e now. I understand that the Rastafarians have just ab out taken over the whole Island. I had some friends go there to rent a villa and one night they witnessed a gun fight with cars racing around the town. Not just h and guns but machine guns. St Martin is pretty good. T he Dutch side is where all the shops are but the Frenc h side has the great restaurants. St Johns in the Brit ish Virgin Islands is pretty good too but I don't thin k cruise ships stop there. As a matter of fact all the islands in the BVI are pretty good. Went to Puerto Ri co once and would never go back again. St Croix is goo d too but kind of small and out of the way for cruise ships. St Vincent has a volcano on it and not too much else. The Yucatan Peninsula has some good places. Coz umel was OK but it's a popular place for the college k ids. Oh Yeah, make sure you don't time your trip durin g college break. First of all the prices skyrocket and the kids will get on your nerves pretty quick. As muc h as it's advertised, Aruba and Curacao have got no si ghts to see. Barren Island with hardly any tropical lo oking areas. Mostly bare coral and cactus and lots of goats, gambling, shopping, restaurants and condos
ave an specific questions let me know.
Jim,
That is very impressive and congrats to you for the ex periences and adventures you have enjoyed. I too am former US Navy in the mid 60's, half way around the globe, Shellback and other experiences, and I had sim ilar thoughts quite some time ago about renting a sail boat as you have done. Ahhhh the ADVENTURES I would have had..............
When I brought the "thought" up to my wife, it all ended in a couple of micro sec onds...........................
Thanks for typing w hat might have been my experiences as well. I might s hare with my wife.................... or not.......... ......
Have a good weekend.
Les
Carnival? What Carnival? Sounds interesting?
Care to expand on that?
"Jim Davis" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com...
On Friday, October 19, 2018 at 4:17:28 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:
Carnival? What Carnival? Sounds interesting?
Care to expand on that?
*************** Rides & Games. Just like carnivals here in the US. Well maybe a little more crooked back in 1969I also spent two seasons on the road with the carnival here in the US in the mid 1980s before I went back to college. I worked the carnival all season and then I was a press operator in a cotton gin in the winter time for a couple years. To be honest most of my time with the carnival as an adult was just about survival. I've got a few stories, but they are mostly not pleasant ones. I did have a boss give me an 1969 Thunderbird with the 429 interceptor engine when he couldn't afford to pay me. Another gave me a nice 500 Mossberg 12ga when he came up a little short when it was time to settle up. Carnival life is a constant hustle to survive. One lady who was a traveling companion found herself on the street when I found a needle in the bathroom. We weren't that kind of companions so I wasn't worried about catching anything. We just traveled together for a while and saved on expenses. I taught her how to hustle a mark and use her assets to the best ability when she first joined up. Pretty seedy lifestyle. Pretty hard to avoid meth users and abusers. Probably more on a carnival lot than any other place I've been. Even slum streets of a big city. I remember running some locals off our lot a couple hours after closing one night in Las Vegas. When they left I went back to sleep, but some other guys followed them. The next day I heard one of the followers bragging how they think they broke one of their backs later. Not a life style or way to survive I would recommend to anybody.
On Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 8:45:55 AM UTC-4, ABLE1 wrote:
Would you believe that I never was stationed on a ship?
This was back in the 50's. I was in communications and when I got out of tr aining school at Bainbridge, myself and 4 other buddies I'd hooked up with and became friends with in boot training all coincidently got billeted to g o to cryptography school in Norfolk Va. We passed top secret clearance and then surprisingly we were put in for Atomic top secret clearance. We didn't have a clue where they were going to send us. We wound up on an Island in the Bahamas where there was a submarine tracking station set up using hydro phones laid off the continental shelf of the island. Sonar men could pick u p and translate ships propeller signatures off the coast of Portugal and Af rica. The premise was ?. with visual sightings and commercial shipp ing schedules, which ships and their whereabouts in that area could be know n and assigned prop signatures. Anything that didn't coincide with known in tel was considered a Soviet Atomic submarine and tracked and eventually ide ntified. Both the east and west coast of the US had total coverage with bas es from Nova Scotia to Grand Turks Island on the east coast. It's all been disbanded now and I just can't imagine what they have implemented now days. We were all armed and had regular arms practice. Was pretty serious busine ss for a 17 year old kid.
On the UP side however. I was stationed on a tropical paradise. Took up scu ba diving before Jacques Cousteau was a known celebrity. Spearfishing was a llowed anywhere. I've speared 7foot sting ray, numerous shark, barracuda ab out 6 foot long. Our watch schedule was just super. We had 5 day watches, 2
4 hours off, 5 eve watches, 24 hours off and 5 mid watches. Then 7 days off . We'd either get a MAPS flight to Florida or we would get the mechanic to lay up a jeep "waiting for repair parts" and sneak a jeep out of the motor pool and drive down the beach for a week. We'd load up the jeep with a coup le of "shitcans" of ice, beer and food and all our diving gear. Live on the beach for a week. There were old abandoned plantations where we could pick pineapples, mangoes, bananas, and of course coconuts to supplement the foo d we brought and what we could spear and we cooked eveything in wash pails and campfires on the beach. It's amazing how you can get used to the no-see-ums and the land crabs when you're sleeping on the beach. Whenever the Cap tain of the base had visits from Command, he would "authorize" a "island ar ea surveillance boat trip" in the base LST (small landing boat). The "crew" coincidently consisted of the best enlisted men scuba divers. We'd get a b ushel of Longusta (clawless lobster) and red snapper and other popular eat ing fish as we could find, to feed the dignitaries plus get a day off of wo rk.
I also played guitar back in those days and got a little rock and roll band together. It was encouraged by the Captain for the "moral of the troops" B ut we were occasionally "conscripted" to play in the officers club when vis itors came. We would also play in the local town tavern for the men and the ir families who lived off base. No money involved. We'd do it just for the fun of it. OH and there was also a big corporate RCA and Other Government C ontractors base on another part of the island. After a very successful rock et launch from Cape Canaveral (now Cape Kennedy) they had a big celebration . Brought in a 28 piece band from the Fort Montigue hotel in Nassau. Since there were only men on the bases they shipped in a couple of hundred girls from Nassau and surrounding islands for the celebration. Since the big band was going to take an hour break half way though the night they asked us (m y little R&R band) if we wanted to play during the break. Well, up till tha t point the big band was playing all the Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey typ e music and the (about) 1000 people were hardly mixing or dancing at all. M y band consisted of Saxophone player who also sang, drums, base and guitar and Rock and Roll was at a peak of popularity with the younger crowd. We go t up and the first song we played was Rock around the Clock. The place went crazy. We only had about 15 songs at the time. We played 3 sets of the sam e songs and they still didn't want us to get off the stage. The leader of t he big band was a little pissed to say the least. That's something I'll nev er, ever forget.
I think the biggest event was that we were involved with was the splashdown of one of the first US unmanned satellites. I forget which one now but we were able to pick up the landing with the hydrophones and direct the ships to it's location.
Lot's of other adventures too like ?.Getting MAPS flight to Patrick Air Force base and trips to Miami Beach, Getting drunk, Boat trips to Nas sau, getting drunk, meeting very friendly native girls, getting drunk, exp loring caves, getting drunk, falling off a cliff and braking my leg, gettin g drunk, water skiing, getting drunk, getting ??.. well you get the idea.
I have to say though that probably that experience is what has made me alm ost a complete tea toatler today.
All I can say at this point in my life is that it's a good thing that 17 ye ar old's are invulnerable
On 10/22/2018 3:35 PM, Jim Davis wrote:
, October 20, 2018 at 8:45:55 AM UTC-4, ABLE1 wrote:
ongrats to you for the experiences and
you have enjoyed. I too am former US Navy in the mid
60's,er experiences, and I had
ome time ago about renting a sailboat as you
done. Ahhhh the ADVENTURES I would have had.......... ....
e, it all ended in a couple of
.....................
ight have been my experiences as well.
re with my wife.................... or not............ ....
ould you believe that I never was stationed on a ship?
ions and when I got out of training school at Bainbrid ge, myself and 4 other buddies I'd hooked up with and became friends with in boot training all coincidently got billeted to go to cryptography school in Norfolk V a. We passed top secret clearance and then surprisingl y we were put in for Atomic top secret clearance. We d idn't have a clue where they were going to send us. We wound up on an Island in the Bahamas where there was a submarine tracking station set up using hydrophones laid off the continental shelf of the island. Sonar me n could pick up and translate ships propeller signatur es off the coast of Portugal and Africa. The premise w as ?. with visual sightings and commercial shipping schedules, which ships and their whereabouts in that a rea could be known and assigned prop signatures. Anyth ing that didn't coincide with known intel was consider ed a Soviet Atomic submarine and tracked and eventuall y identified. Both the east and west coast of the US h ad total coverage with bases from Nova Scotia to Grand Turks Island on the east coast. It's all been disband ed now and I just can't imagine what they have impleme nted now days. We were all armed and had regular arms practice. Was pretty serious business for a 17 year ol d kid.
on a tropical paradise. Took up scuba diving before Ja cques Cousteau was a known celebrity. Spearfishing was allowed anywhere. I've speared 7foot sting ray, numer ous shark, barracuda about 6 foot long. Our watch sche dule was just super. We had 5 day watches, 24 hours of f, 5 eve watches, 24 hours off and 5 mid watches. Then 7 days off. We'd either get a MAPS flight to Florida or we would get the mechanic to lay up a jeep "waiting for repair parts" and sneak a jeep out of the motor p ool and drive down the beach for a week. We'd load up the jeep with a couple of "shitcans" of ice, beer and food and all our diving gear. Live on the beach for a week. There were old abandoned plantations where we co uld pick pineapples, mangoes, bananas, and of course c oconuts to supplement the food we brought and what we could spear and we cooked eveything in wash pails and campfires on the beach. It's amazing how you can get u sed to the no-see-ums and the land crabs when you're s leeping on the beach. Whenever the Captain of the base had visits from Command, he would "authorize" a "isla nd area surveillance boat trip" in the base LST (small landing boat). The "crew" coincidently consisted of t he best enlisted men scuba divers. We'd get a bushel o f Longusta (clawless lobster) and red snapper and oth er popular eating fish as we could find, to feed the d ignitaries plus get a day off of work.
layed guitar back in those days and got a little rock and roll band together. It was encouraged by the Capta in for the "moral of the troops" But we were occasiona lly "conscripted" to play in the officers club when vi sitors came. We would also play in the local town tave rn for the men and their families who lived off base. No money involved. We'd do it just for the fun of it. OH and there was also a big corporate RCA and Other Go vernment Contractors base on another part of the islan d. After a very successful rocket launch from Cape Can averal (now Cape Kennedy) they had a big celebration. Brought in a 28 piece band from the Fort Montigue hote l in Nassau. Since there were only men on the bases th ey shipped in a couple of hundred girls from Nassau an d surrounding islands for the celebration. Since the b ig band was going to take an hour break half way thoug h the night they asked us (my little R&R band) if we w anted to play during the break. Well, up till that poi nt the big band was playing all the Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey type music and the (about) 1000 people we re hardly mixing or dancing at all. My band consisted of Saxophone player who also sang, drums, base and gui tar and Rock and Roll was at a peak of popularity with the younger crowd. We got up and the first song we pl ayed was Rock around the Clock. The place went crazy. We only had about 15 songs at the time. We played 3 se ts of the same songs and they still didn't want us to get off the stage. The leader of the big band was a li ttle pissed to say the least. That's something I'll ne ver, ever forget.
that we were involved with was the splashdown of one of the first US unmanned satellites. I forget which on e now but we were able to pick up the landing with the hydrophones and direct the ships to it's location.
PS flight to Patrick Air Force base and trips to Miami Beach, Getting drunk, Boat trips to Nassau, getting drunk, meeting very friendly native girls, getting dru nk, exploring caves, getting drunk, falling off a cli ff and braking my leg, getting drunk, water skiing, g etting drunk, getting ??.. well you get the idea .
rience is what has made me almost a complete tea toatl er today.
e is that it's a good thing that 17 year old's are inv ulnerable
Jim, Not even going to try an top th at. Not possible. My USN adventure was to be station ed on the 1st Fleet Flag ship out of San Diego. The deployed to the Yokosuka, Japan and took over the Flag
Ship for the 7th Fleet. USS Providence CLG-6 with a compliment of 1000 guys along with Marine Detachment for security. Where ever the Admiral wanted to go, we went. We went to ports in the Pacific that hadn't seen a US ship since WWII. We were off the coast of N am doing shore bombardment............... a lot. Onc e North of the DMZ we got into the cross hairs of a g un that rolled out on the beach. Got hit by one shell
that took out our surface radar scanner. One month we were on line lobbing shells until 4am on the 1st o f the month so that the whole crew could get Hazardou s Duty Pay for the month, because were were not sched uled back until the following month. A grand total of $60 extra for the months pay. Crossed the equator i n the South Pacific after a visit to Singapore and Ka wala Lumpor, Malaysa. Took a weeks leave with anothe r guy and went to Tokyo. Got lucky and took a tour of the Emperor's Palace.
About 2 years ago I request ed my Military Records. I read my medical records an d Evaluation Reports. Especially one that was dated M ay 1967. In it my Lieutenant that said that I had no initiative and lack of interest, etc., etc. Really a put down. I thought WTF?? Then I looked at the DAT E, I was discharged 3 weeks later from Japan and went home.
Well Duhhh!!! He thought I should have taken the $2000 bonus and shipped over for another 6 years ............ well NOOOOOOO!!!
Returned to Treasure Island, CA where I was discharged. I was given a che ck for $330 to buy a one-way plane ticket to Philadelp hia. I turned it into Travelers Checks and used my t humb to get hope to Pennsylvania. It took me 3 days a nd $20.75. Biggest mistake of my life. I got some r eally good long rides. I should have turned around an d made a left or a right turn along the way and made the trip last 30 days or so.
I have been kicking my self ever since. Even so it was quite the adventure. I would do it again if I was a lot younger........
Missed opportunities always hurt.
So that's my cond ensed story, and I am sticking to IT.
Have a good w eek.
Les
Even though I was on a three year holiday in paradise I always thought that I would have liked to do what you did. I'm thinking that if I had been sta tioned on a ship I just might have shipped over again.
Reading your adventure I remembered another stroke of luck I had. I slid th ough my enlistment right between Laos and Viet Nam. There were no conflicts going on while I was in. When my enlistment was up I checked in with the Executive Officer to see if I could ship over and stay on the island. With our specialized training we were entitled to stay in the Sub Sonar detectio n system but he said he could only guarantee 18 months. Knowing the Navy, I figured that some Yeoman up in COMSERVLANT would see where I was for the l ast 3 years and send me up to Nova Scotia for the rest of my tour. So, I op ted out.
On the way home on the plane I met a sweet young thing that was heading for Newark New Jersey. She was a recruiter for a brand new TV station that was just starting up and they needed people trained in communication electroni cs. I made a date to go and meet up with her and also apply for a job but s omehow, I never did. ( I guess it was more about the girl then the Job :-))
The kicker is ?. as it turned out, the TV station was WNET channel
13 that was just starting up as a public broadcasting station and which eve ntually became PBS. Who knows, I cuda been a contender !!! (to Quote Marlon Brando). or even a xekuative.
Well it seems that "we" have snagged Bob's post a bit. Sorry Bob!!
Shoulda Woulda Coulda as it's said "Hindsight is always 20/20".
If I woulda shipped over I woulda stayed on board and finished the cruise. And I coulda have been on the trip home adn I would have enjoyed New Zealand, Perth, Sydney, Tahiti, Tasmania,and Guam as well as some others. For those geo-challenged that would be cruise around Australia just to get home to San Diego, CA USA. I missed all of that. It might have be different if I could have shipped over till the end of the cruise. I would have made 2nd Class PO or maybe even 1st Class. And I might not have received a bad review by my Lieutenant. LOL I will never know.......................
Anyhow, all past memories. Thanks for bringing them back.
Les
Same here. I passed the test for 2nd Class PO but didn't stay in long enoug h to actually get the stripe.
A Couple of weeks ago, I was cleaning out some drawers and came across my b oot camp company picture. Lots of the guys wrote things on the back. I was surprised how many of them I remembered. I got a kick out of a lot of them calling me "Elvis". I was pretty popular with both the northerners and sout herners. Even though I was from NY and liked to play R&R, I had learned to play from someone who liked and played country western so I knew a lot of c ountry songs too. That was the age of Doo Wop so we did a lot of singing in the head to get the reverb. Boy what memories. Believe it or not, I still had my packed sea bag up in my parents attic until a couple of years ago. 1
3 button tailor mades and all. Of course the 32 inch waist line sort of pre vented any hope of ever wearing them again. I've got a stenciled white hat someone around too. I donate to the Navy Memorial down in DC every now and then too. Bought a bronze copy of the Lone Sailor statue which sits on my s helf. One of these days I'll get down to DC and see the real thing. They sa y the memorial records is a good place to see if you can get in touch with some of your shipmates.
Ah, heck. No worries on my part. This thread is pretty much off topic chat anyway.
post a bit. Sorry Bob!!
a as it's said "Hindsight is always 20/20".
I woulda shipped over I woulda stayed on board and fi nished the
trip home adn I would have
rth, Sydney, Tahiti, Tasmania,and Guam as well as
some others. For those geo-challenged that would be c ruise around
go, CA USA. I missed all of that.
e different if I could have shipped over till the end of
maybe even 1st Class. And
d a bad review by my Lieutenant. LOL
know.......................
memories. Thanks for bringing them back.
but didn't stay in long enough to actually get the str ipe.
some drawers and came across my boot camp company pict ure. Lots of the guys wrote things on the back. I was surprised how many of them I remembered. I got a kick out of a lot of them calling me "Elvis". I was pretty popular with both the northerners and southerners. Eve n though I was from NY and liked to play R&R, I had le arned to play from someone who liked and played countr y western so I knew a lot of country songs too. That w as the age of Doo Wop so we did a lot of singing in th e head to get the reverb. Boy what memories. Believe i t or not, I still had my packed sea bag up in my paren ts attic until a couple of years ago. 13 button tailor mades and all. Of course the 32 inch waist line sort of prevented any hope of ever wearing them again. I've got a stenciled white hat someone around too. I donat e to the Navy Memorial down in DC every now and then t oo. Bought a bronze copy of the Lone Sailor statue whi ch sits on my shelf. One of these days I'll get down t o DC and see the real thing. They say the memorial rec ords is a good place to see if you can get in touch wi th some of your shipmates.
Yes, Lots of memories. I was DC Damage Control, Firefighter, Wood Shop, R-Di vision (Repair). While in the Wood Shop I got constan t request for Cruise Boxes for Officers leaving the s hip for other duties. Cruise Boxes were a 1/2" plyw ood boxes about 32"L x 18"W x 18"H, Piano Hinge top with Handles on the end and Hasp & Hinge for locking. I would flame burn the surfaces to make the grain po p and the shellac the whole thing. It was primarily f or Officers, except the "special" one that I had shi pped home to Pennsylvania from Japan.
I also, made plaques with various plaster and bronze plates of the ships seal and Etched labels that were given to vari ous visiting dignitaries and guest. The plaster cas t of the ships seal had to be hand painted. I also ca me up with my own plaque design that got approved by t he Captain for production.
Then I became the Supp ly Petty Officer for the Division since the previous guy got discharged. His books were terrible. Was an absolute challenge trying to keep thing right. Thin gs showed up with no paper trail. It was very frustr ating trying to figure it all out. Then one morning I went to my office and the books were gone. I looked
everywhere. I was pissed. Finally had to go and mak e a report to the Lieutenant. I explained that all the books were gone, and I looked ever where. He sa id, "Well you will have to start over, go Supply Dept. and requisition a new set." That is when it hit me !! I could start FRESH!! Clean Slate!! Lay out t he books my way, like they should be... COOL!!! I was very HAPPY!! And it showed with the smile on my face :-)
About two weeks later I woke up in the more an d got dressed. When I put my shoes on some thing did not feel right. I pulled my foot out and somebody "literally" had S**T in my shoes. Aghhhhhhhh!!!! Str ipped down and took another shower. Put on my Dress "Spit Shined" Shoes. The old shoes will sleep with t he fishes in the South China Sea. Went to my office and requisitioned a new pair of shoes. Had no clue wh o had done this.
About a month later I found out. Another guy in the Division was discharged and went home. That is when the other guys told me what was
going on. Apparently, this guy did not like me for s ome reason and wanted to make my days a pure hell. S o he threw my books over the side one night while he was on the 12-4 watch. When he realized that the pla n backfired when I became very happy by ordered new bo oks he had to some something different. That is when on the next 12-4 watch while I was sleep in my rack he took my shoes and...................
Ahhhhhhhhh The US Navy........... Yes, I have lots of memories.
Les
Off Topic....................... Really?? I hadn't noticed. Bob it 2018 USENET.......... Nothing is Off Topic anymore. LOL :-)
LOL
ROFL
*Rocky T. Squirrel, esq.*On Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at 6:43:22 PM UTC-4, ABLE1 wrote: .
That story reminded me of another.
As you can tell from my other story, there was a lot of drinking going on o n that island I was stationed. Main reason was, you could get a quart of vo dka from the ships store for $3.50.
Anyway, people were always doing bizarre things. We slept in cubicles with four bunks. One night I wake up with yelling going on in the cubicle. There 's a sailor standing over a bunk taking a leak on the guy in the bunk. The guy in the bunk wakes up yelling "Hey What the hell are you doing?" The guy taking a leak says "OH I'm shrorry. I tho eyoo were shomone else" and stag gers out of the cubicle.
We never figured out who he thought he was pissing on.
Off Topic....................... Really?? I hadn't noticed. Bob it 2018 USENET.......... Nothing is Off Topic anymore. LOL :-)
*************************You've been hanging out in RCM a little bit to much I think. Gotta love me that 'K' key.
Off Topic....................... Really?? I hadn't noticed. Bob it 2018 USENET.......... Nothing is Off Topic anymore. LOL :-)
*************************You've been hanging out in RCM a little bit to much I think. Gotta love me that 'K' key.
*************************P.S. Saw your pinhole post. Don't have much else to add. My experience with such is the same as others. Once it starts to go its pretty much done.
Thanks!! Yes, but my friend (customer) has too much money and far too much time and likes to tinker in order to save money. LOL.
To which I had to explain to him about a "Tinkers Dam" and how it might be used to fix his hole. Which now has created a whole other Off Topic thingie.........................
I was think about suggesting to him to try a sheet metal screw with an amount of PC-7 Epoxy. Can't be any worse than other suggested fixes.
Later,
Les
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