More Massanutten

Here are a few more pictures of our trip to Massanutten.

 

I’m showing this picture for Heidi over at Hick Chic. Honestly, when I climbed on the beast, I though I would need oxygen from being so high up and from hyperventilating from fear of not having on a seatbelt or a safety net under me.

I did find out that it takes a whole new set of muscles to ride a horse, and a strong back. I felt like I had an ice pick sticking in my lower back and at the juncture of my right leg and hip. But the ride was fun. I just wonder how long I would have to hurt just to be able to ride without pain.

 

The next day we toured Washington, DC and Arlington Cemetery. Did you know that perform over 20 military funerals there every day? You could hear weapons going off every few minuets. This is one for, I assume, an old veteran because of the age and number of attendees. But it was still very moving.

Directly across from this funeral is the place we place in honor of the 74 lost when my ship went down. The tree behind me was also planted in their honor and it was just a sprig when it was planted.

The strange thing is…I found out I am becoming a pussy in my old age. Just after the picture was made I looked down and had a flashback to my days at sea. I saw the mess decks above where I use to sleep. I saw her lean heavily to Starboard and I could hear the noise of grinding metal and the cries of confusion and fear coming from my compartment plus the guys on the mess deck swilling the ever present cup of coffee. I imagined quiet a bit and before I knew it I was crying. I don’t know why. I never have before. My grandson came over and hugged me and said, “It’s okay, Paw Paw, it is sad.” God I love that boy.

When I kind of got myself under control, the burial guard was beginning to load their bus to go to the next funeral or to the barracks or where ever. So I walked over to them and shook a couple of the men’s hand and thanked them for what they do for the boys, and the tears started again. They understood and patted me on the back and thanked me for my service and for acknowledging them. As a rule they go unnoticed until the fire the salute.

My grandson walked with his arm around me for over half a mile, till I could get a look at Arlington House, where Robert E. Lee lived. He only spent a total of around 5 years there, as he was stationed all over the country. How he fathered all his daughters, I’ll never know. Well…I do know, but how he had the time is the question. It was being renovated so I couldn’t go inside.

 

I took this for America’s 1st Sergeant, Mike. I was amazed at how big the thing is, but then it would have to be to fit the Marine ego. I just found out a few weeks ago, while googling military stuff, that he doesn’t call himself America’s 1st Sgt. because he thinks of himself as that (then maybe he does). But it is because he is with the 3 Marines, 3 Division which is nicknamed “America’s Division.” Live and learn.

I’ll try to show some more pictures later…I heard that. Stop yawning and moaning. Until then, this is the newly realized pussy turning control back over to you. Sniff, sniff.

 

Save The Memorial

THE AMERICAN CRIMINAL LIBERTIES UNION AT WORK…

TO THINK ONE INDIVIDUAL, JUST ONE, CAN TAKE A CASE LIKE THIS TO THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT AND GET A HEARING.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY? WE, THE PEOPLE ARE LOSING OUR RIGHTS A LITTLE AT A TIME, AND WE ARE LETTING THESE SO CALLED CONGRESSMAN STICK IT TO US. THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN. THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT THEIR OWN WELFARE AND POWER.

IT'S TIME WE ALL WAKE UP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. WE'LL LOOK OUT OUR WINDOW SOME DAY AND SEE A DIFFERENT FLAG WAVING OVER OUR SOIL.

WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT THIS MEMORIAL FROM BEING TORN DOWN.

Why I Don't Sing In The Chorus Anymore

I was emailing with one of my peeps about the video on my last post and it was suggested that I follow up with this story . I mentioned in my last post that I miss being in a choir and, already having confessed to a couple of incidences in my somewhat sordid past, I figured I would tell you why I’m not in a chorus anymore. So this is the email I sent to my friend:

You didn't say if you like the video or not. I sang in the church and school choir when I was in my teens. I went to All State Chorus, but got kicked out for drinking. I was a 17 year old senior and the selected members met at the University of Georgia to perform before the masses.

A dude name Mike Holston was a football player there and had graduated form my high school the year before. We played together in my junior year. Anyway, a fellow singer and football player, Leon Walters, and I met up with Mike during one of our afternoon breaks. We never went back. Instead Mike and a few of the freshmen football players took Leon and me out on the town. Athens is a college town with sports bars where the players could drink. No one ask for our id's or anything, and it was my first time drinking all I wanted. We played drinking games and just got shit-faced.

The concert was over around 10:30 but we didn't make it back to the bus until midnight. Mr. Blum, our gay music teacher, was beside himself. After he found out we were not dead in a ditch somewhere off campus, he wanted to kill us. Leon threw up on the bus tires and started crying because Mr. Blum was going to tell his mama. I didn't care. I stayed in trouble with my parents all the time anyway. Thus why I joined the Navy as soon as I graduated high school.

Anyway, the kids on the bus kept asking us what we did and was it fun. Shit like that. But, Mr. Blum didn't tell the principal, so we didn't get kicked out of school. I think, to this day, that it was because Leon had a football scholarship to Duke and he didn't want to mess up Leon’s chances. My school wasn't the most successful in developing leaders of the 21 century. Most were doing good to stay out of prison. So Mr. Blum didn't want to mess up an opportunity for Leon to make good. But we were kicked out of the chorus.

So Leon goes off to Duke, gets kicked off the team and out of school for drinking and fighting. He didn't stand much of a chance as his two older brothers and his dad were in prison for various reasons. So the last time I saw Leon was in 1968. He was working for Larry Flynt, the porn king who started Hustler Magazine. Larry was shot and paralyzed about that time and Leon took off for places unknown and no one has seen or heard from him since. Me...I didn't amount to much either.

Perpetuum Jazzile - AFRICA

I stole this from Brother Dave's site because it is too unique and beautiful not to pass along and see and be heard by as many people as possible. It is just a feel good video and it makes me wish I were in a chorus again. Maybe a chorus for the hearing impaired, but a chorus just the same.

I recomend you plug in your earhopnes, watch it first then play it again and close your eyes. Enjoy!

Too Old - A RePost

 

My hot blogging buddy Hope, of Hope Radio, accused me in the comments of my last post of being a big kid. When it comes to my grandkids, I guess I can be a little eccentric. But her comment did remind me of a post I did when I first started blogging. I believe it was my second post in August of 2006. So I thought I would post it again so you can see, as in the movie theater incident, how I get myself into stuff. We were at the Burger King (by the way, isn’t the burger king the scariest looking thing ever that could send kids into therapy before they are 10?) for breakfast. So here goes:

Marni keeps telling me to start putting things on this post. She says to put stuff on here about my Navy experiences, what life was like in the 60’s and 70’s (probably before most of the people she blogs with were born – I know they now teach part of my experiences in history class) and things the grandkids do and say. First of all I can’t think of anything that would interest any of you. If you have questions, ask. But most of all I cannot imagine anyone even reading this. Other than Marni, Beth and Page (my nieces,) I do not know anyone who even knows how to turn a computer on, much less blog.

I’ll start out by telling you about an experience I had with the J-Man and Bug. Judy, the kids and I went to Burger King this past Sunday for a gourmet breakfast. The kids went into the play room to climb through the huge tunnels and slides that are there for the kids. After we ate, the kids went back into the maze to play some more. They made it sound to fun – J-Man was in one orb on springs and moved as he did, and Bug was in the other orb. It looked like so much fun I decided to join them.

Well, going through the opening with the different levels to crawl up through to get to the top was out. I can’t even turn sideways anymore without stiffness. And to have to do all the serpentine twisting and climbing to get to the top was out of the question - maybe even out of reality. So, instead, I went up through the slide. OMG! It had to take five minuets to get to the top. It’s hard to my 62 year old, 6’3’, 210 pound body to climb up that hole – and on my knees, too.

I finally made it to the top. Thank God there was a place to stretch out. I was breathing hard, my knees and upper shins were scrapped, peeling and bleeding and all I could do was lean back against the top of the slide and stick my legs though the approach tunnel. Bug was laughing and calling J-Man to come look at Paw Paw. I had intended to crawl though the tunnels and visit each of the orbs, but… there isn’t anything in this world that could have gotten me though those tunnels. If the store was on fire and that was the only way out, I would definitely be a crispy critter. I tired, but after several attempts, I had to give up and go back down.

Yea, right! It took another five minutes of twisting and pulling my legs up under my chin before I was able to get turned around and go back down the slide – which isn’t easy either. The turns are leveled so that the kids and adult idiots won’t pickup speed when they exit at the bottom.

I finally got out into the open world, and I walked, stooped over, to Me Maw, who was just looking at me like I’m nuts, shaking her head and laughing. I’m luck she didn’t leave in the car and make me walk home. If it hadn’t been for the kids laughing and jumping around me, she probably would have.

But they were having so much fun. Whey didn’t they have shit like that when I was a kid. All I had was tire-swings and rope swings out over the Chattahoochee River.

Massanutten The First Couple of Days

The first couple of day of our vacation to Massanutten, VA, was spent at the water park and going to Mt. Vernon, VA, the home of George Washington.

 

The above is the outside of the water park. Those tubes are water slides that you ride down on in inner tubes and one was painted black on the inside. You can’t see you hand in front of your face. There wasn’t a sense of speed as you were going down the shoot, but you could feel the side to side swaying as you go through the turns. Then you see a speck of light and you think, ‘It’s almost over.’ Not! That speck of light comes from a downward fall before sliding out into the pool.

The other slides are lit and you feel the vibration one feels in a jet before it breaks mach 1. Your ears are slapping together in back of your head and your cheeks are blown back over your ear holes. Your tongue is rolled back in your throat and the waistband of your trunks is under your arm pits; everyone knows what your religion is when you come out of the shoot into the pool. I love it and rode it several times.

The small tubes are for going down on your back without an inner tube. They are fast, too, but the water really sloshes in your face. I got a nose-enema several times going down, but it was great.

The whole park is great with a river ride on tubes, a wave pool for those who love the ocean, a three or four story water slide that goes over a couple of bumps. It is a great way to spend time with the kiddies.

 

This is Mt Vernon. We were there on Sunday, Fathers Day, and George was there to greet us – all 5,000 of us. We got there early and had to wait in line to tour the house for about an hour. When we came out the line was winding all the way down the side of the plantation out to the parking lot.

 

Here is George worrying with one of the staff people over the number of guest. He said he thought the larders had enough food to feed us all, but he didn’t think he had enough room to accommodate everyone. As he was walking off he passed us and stopped. He looked down at my granddaughter, Bug, and said to her, “Young lady, a little girl without freckles on her face is like a night time sky without stars.” Then he walked off. Bug, who is very shy around strangers, had her chest out and the biggest smile on her face. She told me as we moved with the line, “Paw Paw, he is the best President ev’ah.”

Later he talked to a throng of about thirty people about his parents and his childhood, about being President and about his step-family. Martha buried all four of her kids. The oldest boy, who adored George, begged to go with him to fight the battle of Saratoga, but he died of a fever just after George rushed to his bedside. It was his kids that kept the Washington/Custis (Martha’s maiden name) alive through history. Robert E Lee was married to a Mary Anna Rudolph Custis Lee, the granddaughter.

That’s all for today. I’ll post some more later about horse back riding and Washington, DC.

TMI The Movie Post Rerun

My blog buddy, Cooper Green, reminded me of this post from two years ago and I though, since I have some peeps that joined me after this was published, they might be interested in reading about how I can get involved in some crazy shit without even trying.

It was a week night back in the summer of 1980 and I was bored. There was nothing on television but re-runs, and I was newly divorced and didn’t really have a girlfriend to pal around with. So I started out to get something to eat. On the way I passed the neighborhood theater and decided to check out a movie that was playing. It wasn’t a first run type movie, just one that had been out for a while. The theater was air-conditioned and it was something to do, so I went in.

I was enjoying my popcorn and coke when a couple came in and sit down a couple of rows in front of me. There weren’t many people in the theater because it was a week-night, and because it wasn’t a first run movie. After the movie began they started looking around and talking to themselves. Then they go up and came back to my row and sit down next to me; she was between us. She had on a skirt that buttoned up the front and a low cut blouse – for convenience I soon found out. Anyway, he put his arm around her shoulder and started massaging and rubbing her boob. So I watched.

She was sitting with her legs crossed and her foot was next to my leg. When she came she stiffened and kind of kicked me. Kind of like trying to get my attention – which they had from the moment he put his arm around her. Anyway, soon he got up and left to get a soft drink. She looked at me and said she was sorry for kicking me. I ask her if they did stuff like that all the time and she said that she and her boyfriend did. So I ask her if I could join them, too, and she said yes. It was about this time in my life that I realized prayer actually does work.

He came back a few minuets later and unzipped his pants. Then, as fast as a New York Pickpocket in Times Square on New Years Eve, she had done the same thing to me. Then she unbuttoned her skirt part way down. Seems she had came commando. So she started to work on both of us and we took turns playing with her.

It was amazing how active she could be without moving her shoulders and head. No one in the theater knew what was going on, and believe me, she could have been a one armed jack-man on a NASCAR pit crew. And she did it all with her eyes closed – not that she needed them.

Anyway, she (we) enjoyed it so much that she did it again. Twice in one movie! I was so proud.

Afterward we were standing out front of the movie and they told me they lived on the South-side of Atlanta. I was on the North West side. If they had been caught they didn’t want to be in their area. They wanted to get together and do it again sometime and asked for my telephone number. I gave them a fake number. I really didn’t want to get involved with something like that on a regular bases, so I lied. Just adding the episode to my list of life experiences was enough.

And I also didn’t go back to that theater again for almost a year. Just in case. But I must admit that there have been times I wish I could bump into them again. For the life experience, you know.

A New Icecream

From my beautiful friend, Laura, I give you this new flavor of icecream.

 

In honor of the 44th President of the United States, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream has introduced a new flavor: "Barocky Road."

Barocky Road is a blend of half vanilla, half chocolate, and surrounded by nuts and flakes. The vanilla portion of the mix is not openly advertised and usually denied as an ingredient. The nuts and flakes are all very bitter and hard to swallow. The cost is $100.00 per scoop. When purchased it will be presented to you in a large beautiful cone, but then the ice cream is taken away and given to the person in line behind you.

You are left with an empty wallet and no change, holding an empty cone with no hope of getting any ice cream.

Are you stimulated, yet?

Been Gone

 

Judy, J-Man, Bug and I have been in the mountains of Massanutten, VA, and surrounding areas such as Washington, DC and Mt. Vernon, VA and this water park - The Massanutten Water Park - since last Friday. We will be heading home tomorrow, Friday. That's the good news for us. The bad news is that I will be leaving Sunday night for NY on another dog transport.

The point is, I won't be around much untill next Tuesday. What do you mean you didn't even know I was gone? I have been checking in as time would permit, but, honestly, I have been going to bed way much earlier than I am use too. Saying we were tired from all the activities would be an understatement. My legs may never be the same again. But it is a good hurt and the sore body is worth every minute we spent with the kiddies.

I'll have pics and a few stories when I get back.

'Nite, all!

The Females In My Life

The females in my life have all had an effect on me and how I am today.

This is my first wife. She cured me from drinking. Imagine, if you can, waking up one morning with a head-splitting, sick as a dog hangover and rolling over and seeing her laying next to you.

You try to remember who and how…when you left the bar you were with this beautiful chick who looked like Dana Delaney.

Now…How?

So you try to ease out of the bed and notice on your left hand a new wedding band. I haven’t been drunk since.

This is one of our more happy moments…before I gave up on drugs.

 

This is me and Judy. She changed my life in that she calmed me down. She taught me patience and how to look at things in a different light. She is brilliant, too. (She married me, didn’t she?) She had a full scholarship to Princeton in math. Later changed her major to Chemistry so she could be with her husband who was a Chemistry major, too. But she can also do dumb stuff (she married me, didn’t she.) We make each other laugh and we have accomplished a lot by giving total support to each other. She’s my best friend.

 

This is my mistress. She can be anyone I want her to be. Dana Delaney, Catherine Bell, Olive Oil, anyone! And she isn't jealous. Sometimes she even allows other femals to join in our fun and games.

 

I’ve been a blessed man because of these females. Who are the ones who helped you through life? Any stories or photoes?

King & Country

 

A photo like this doesn't come along every day!

My New Magazine Subscription

 

She said I could subscribe. She's sweet to me like that.

Gone Again

 

On the road again hauling a load of these in one of those to New York.

I'll wave at you peeps as I go by in SC, NC, VA, PA, WVA, ME (is that Maryland's initials?,) PA and NJ. But you may have to stay up all night to wave back as that is when I do most of the driving.

See y'all on Saturday night or Sunday.

Know Your Place

Women seem to have forgotten their place. It's because they don't teach Home Ec 101 anymore in high school. Therefore it's time for a refresher course. So all you gals read carefully and take notes. If you have to quit work and stay home to make life better for your man, then so be it. You will be much happier knowing you are contributing to the wellbeing of the family. Also, wearing a dress with high heels and a pearl necklace and no panties will be a nice touch, too.
(You can click on it to bigger size)

 

Got It?

Children and the Ocean

 

You know, I don’t know if these are actual quotes from real school kids or made up by someone with nothing else to do, but they are cute.

Children Writing About the Ocean

1) - This is a picture of an octopus. It has eight testicles. (Kelly, age 6)

2) - Oysters' balls are called pearls. (Jerry, age 6)

3) - If you are surrounded by ocean, you are an island. If you don't have ocean all round you, you are incontinent. (Vicky, age 7)

4) - Sharks are ugly and mean, and have big teeth, just like Emily Richardson. She's not my friend any more. (Kylie, age 6)

5) - A dolphin breaths through an asshole on the top of its head. (Billy, age 8)

6) - My uncle goes out in his boat with 2 other men and a woman and pots and comes back with crabs. (Millie, age 6)

7) - When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross the ocean. Sometimes when the wind didn't blow the sailors would whistle to make the wind come. My brother said they would have been better off eating beans. (William, age 7)

8) - Mermaids live in the ocean. I like mermaids. They are beautiful and I like their shiny tails, but how on earth do mermaids get pregnant? Like, really? (Helen, age 6)

9) - I'm not going to write about the ocean. My baby brother is always crying, my Dad keeps yelling at my Mom, and my big sister has just got pregnant, so I can't think what to write. (Amy, age 6)

10) - Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to plug themselves in to chargers. (Christopher, age 7)

11) - When you go swimming in the ocean, it is very cold, and it makes my willy small. (Kevin, age 6)

12) - Divers have to be safe when they go under the water. Divers can't go down alone, so they have to go down on each other. (Becky, age 8)

13) - On vacation my Mom went water skiing. She fell off when she was going very fast. She says she won't do it again because water fired right up her big fat ass. (Julie, age 7)

14) - The ocean is made up of water and fish. Why the fish don't drown I don't know. (Bobby, age 6)

15) - My dad was a sailor on the ocean. He knows all about the ocean. What he doesn't know is why he quit being a sailor and married my mom. (James, age 7)

We are all part and partial of our experiences as children. The Bee Gees sang:

"Gone, gone childhood days...
Gone in so many ways.
In all my children you can see
What old acquaintance means to me.
Dream is mine and here it stays
All wrapped up in my childhood days.
And it echoes down the mountainside
People live and people die.
Though I love you for always
I lost you in my childhood days..."

"Childhood days"
Bee Gees

Friday Funny

 

How about a weekend joke for you golfers out there.

One day John (no kin) thought he would get in a few rounds of golf alone. After a few holes he saw, just up ahead, a man playing alone, too. He thought he would ask the man if he would mind joining up and playing through together. When John ask the man, the man said in a very raspy low volume voice, “Sure! I would love the company.”

John knew his curiosity would hinder his play so he asked the man about his voice.

The man rasped out, “It happened a couple of days ago. I was playing by myself that day, too. I sliced a ball into the trees and went in there looking for the ball. Just inside the tree line was a fence with a few cows in a field and a woman waving her club back and forth in the grass looking for her ball, too. I thought with both of us looking one of us was sure to fine one or both balls much faster.”

“Makes since.” John said. “Did you find your ball?”

“Well,” the man rasped, “I did see a ball on the ground next to a cow. Just as I was walking over to check to see who’s ball it was, the cow laid down with her rump covering the ball. I didn’t know what to do. I’ve never been around cows before, so I did the only thing I could think to do. I grabbed the cow’s tail and lifted up the rump as high as I could and looked at the ball. It wasn’t mine, so I called over to the woman and asked, ‘Say lady, does this look like yours?’”

“That’s when she hit me in the throat with her nine iron.”

USS FRANK E EVANS - 40 Years Ago

Forty years ago today, 3 June, 1969, at a little past three in the morning seventy four lives were lost and thousands of lives were changed forever.

I first wrote about my experiences and the sinking of my ship back on October 13, 2007. I have updated a few things and corrected others. The comments from the first post were very good in that a couple of the Australian sailors involved that night commented. One said that the Capt. McLemore had a son go down. That is not true. Only Chief Riley lost his son.

This picture was made in 1963 while I was on board. You can see me. I'm the one smiling. See the white hat on top of the bridge, well that's not me. I'm standing next to him. This was just before I was transferred to Radar.

 

This is a drawing of the fighting lady and her logo (a fighting cock.) I know, I know.

 

This was just after dawn before the USS Everett F Larson, coming over on the right, lashed her to her side. There is a lot of ship missing.

 

The USS Frank E. Evans DD754 (DD is the designation for a Destroyer – the Greyhounds’ of the fleet and call a Tin Can) was launched and commissioned in 1944, and, after a shakedown cruse, set sail for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC in Navy terminology.) She arrived on station in time for the Okinawa invasion and earned her combat stars battling kamikazes, dueling with Japanese ships and doing shore bombardment in support of the ground troops. She was in combat until the end of the war. From there she did a stint in China and eventually ended up in mothballs.

When Korea broke out she was re-commissioned and sent back to WESTPAC to fight in that war. She was engaged in many shore bombardments and even received small arms and mortar fire because she was so close to the shore. Her nickname was “The Fighter,” and she earned the moniker. However, after Korea she was sent back to the mothball fleet in San Diego.

In the early 60’s she was brought back again and refitted in what was called FRAM II. Her WWII and Korea configuration was removed and she had a helicopter deck added to the same place her #3 gun mount was located. This was used, unsuccessfully, for an unmanned torpedo carrying drone. The Navy just couldn’t get it to work more than ONCE in a row. This is when I came on board, in 1962.

I was fresh out of boot camp and a leave from home, and I was looking forward to boarding a true fighting ship. I got off the pier bus and looked down the pier. There were four small ships on the left (port) side of the pier and the beautiful, huge, gray ship on the right (starboard) side. I walked down to the gangway and ask the Marine (this should have been my first hint, since Marines don’t guard the gangways of destroyers) if this was the Evans. He said that this was the USS Helena (CL 50 – C = Curser & L = Light), a light cruiser of great renown. He pointed across the pier to the four little ships and said the Evans was the one next to the pier. Man! Only a little over 300 feet long and I would be going to sea in THAT? Oh, well! I reported aboard. I was sent immediately to the deck force (boson mates who took care of all things outside – painting, chipping pain, painting, sweeping, swabbing (mopping) and painting, not to mention chipping and painting. My bunk was in the forward part of the ship two decks down from the main deck.

I spent two months there until one day while at sea, I was stuck painting a 3’ by 3’ by 3’ locker below the anchor chain locker without any ventilation, and getting sicker by the minute from the paint fumes. Just before I was about to pass out, one of the guys stuck his head in and said some lieutenant wanted to see me. I reported to his stateroom and was told that I had scored high enough on my battery of test to be considered for radar training, and did I want to give it a try. I was trying soooo damn hard to keep from puking on his shoes that I almost wasn’t able to get out my, “Hell, yeah… uh, Sir.” That night I had the mid-watch (midnight to four in the morning) as the outside lookout atop the bridge. This normally meant I would get to sleep in until eight a.m., but I was awaken at six a.m. and told to report to CIC (Combat Information Center or Combat for short.) I was then made a radar striker.

The first person I met was a gravely voiced, thick glasses wearing, lisp speaking first class petty officer by the name of Gary Hodgson RD1 (RD for Radarman and the 1 for first class.) He never combed his hair and it stuck out all over the place like a mad scientist and his laugh was as raspy as his voice – and he laughed often.

This is where I spent my tenure as a sailor in the Navy. I was able to visit the WESPAC (three ports in Japan and one in Hong Kong,) Hawaii, Midway Island, San Francisco and San Diego. Although we did operate with the USS Oriskiny (CVA 34 – C=Aircraft Carrier, V=All Weather & A=Attack,) an attack aircraft carrier with jets on board, we mostly operated with the USS Hornet (CVS 12 – the S=Anti-Submarine,) an anti-submarine aircraft carrier with propeller driven sonar equipped planes on board. We did do some early bombardment on Viet Nam in support of the advisors there at the time. But no real combat experience for me. I left the ship in 1964 and returned home to a relatively normal life. But the Evans kept on doing her thing.

After I got off she made five more trips to the WESTPACK and received another combat star for her experiences. In 1969, before she left for her next cruse to the Pacific, all the personal had to have urine test for drugs. Imagine that in the late 60’s – who would have thunk it? She set sail and during the cruse she pulled into Subic Bay, Philippines. She was immediately boarded by several government type agents and arrested several of the crew for failing the drug test. DUH!!!

The captain was furious and demanded more men to bring his crew back up to compliment. So he received around thirty new recruits fresh from boot camp – some of whom had not even had the opportunity to go home after their training. Also on board were three brothers from Niobrara, Nebraska (Gary, Gregory and Kelly Sage); Chief Larry Reilly had extended a year before retiring to serve with his son Larry Jr.; and my old friend Gary Hodgson was back on his request serving out his last year before retiring.

Anyway, there were a goodly number of untrained men on board. And she was heading to Viet Nam, this time with the USS Kearsarge CVS 33, to be on “the gun line.” This meant she would be doing close in bombardments to aide the men in the jungles.

She was there for about a two weeks when she (and when I say she I mean all four destroyers in the squadron and the Kearsarge) were ordered to head South out to the edge of the South China Sea and join up with the HMAS Melbourne and her task group of Australian and New Zeeland ships to practice a joint maneuver called Operation Sea Spirit.

One of the maneuvers that are done dozens of times when operating with a carrier is moving to the rear of the carrier. When aircraft are launching or retrieving planes there has to be a tin can 1,000 yards off the stern of the carrier in case something goes wrong. On June 3rd, just after three a.m., the Evans was order to go to plain guard. She had performed this operation three or four times that day and night. All she had to do was turn to port and circle around to fall onto station as the carrier went by. But the OD (Officer of the Deck), who had failed the qualification exam to stand sea watch and the other OD had only been at sea less than a year, got confused between our base course and the zig zag course and he turned to starboard (right) and headed on a collision course with the Melbourne.

Everything became confused then. Radar was telling them they were on a collision course. The Melbourne told him they were on a collision course, and finally, the OD ordered the rudder Hard Right. At the same time the Melbourne broke all the rules of the sea (the biggest ship has the right of way) and turned her rudder Hard Left and she rammed and cut the Evans in half at mid-ships – right between the two stacks. Everyone in the forward fire room was killed instantly by crushing metal or twelve hundred degree steam. Everyone in CIC was killed. All but five men below decks were drowned because the front half rolled over and sank in three minuets. Among the dead were all three Sage brothers, my friend Gary Hodgson and Chief Reilly watched his son go down (he was in the forward fire room – he had volunteered to help out that night because one of the regular guys was sick and, because of all the new men on duty, they need an experienced fireman blow.) In all, we lost 74 of Americas finest, and only one body was ever recovered and he was badly burnt.

There were many stories of heroics that night. Our guys were trying to keep the back half afloat while working with the wounded and burned while fighting shock. The Melbourne had helicopters in the air immediately and they saved many of your men. The group was actually hunting and chasing a real Russian sub at the time, and the Australian helicopters were ordered back to the carrier to aid in the rescue. There were men jumping OFF the Melbourne into the water to save some of our men and others were on the deck with rifles shooting at sharks. Many men on both ships earned commendations that night – especially those on the Melbourne. The other ships tried a search and rescue, but no more were found. The front half carried those inside and sucked a few in the water down to eternity. Seventy-four fine, brave young men were lost that night.

Afterward, the captain of the Melbourne’s (Capt. John Stevenson) 30+ years of service was ruined and he left the Australian Navy without his retirement. He was exonerated and was ‘Honorably Acquitted’ and offered a desk job, but it was, in effect, a demotion and he would never captain a ship again. The captain of the Evans (Commander Albert McLemore was found guilty and reprimanded for dereliction of duty and hazarding his ship – though he was asleep in his cabin at the time with orders to contact him of any changes in operation procedures.

As is the custom in the Navy, Cmdr. McLemore publicly claimed that the collision was his responsibility as he had left two inexperienced officers in command of his ship. The two Lt’s received letters of reprimand and dropped down on the promotion list assuring they would never command a naval vessel. Cmdr. McLemore retied with pretty much the same sentence. He never got over loosing his ship and so many men. He passed away a couple of years ago, but he wouldn’t attend any of our reunions. Not one survivor ever blamed him for anything, but Naval Command has is traditions, and he felt responsible.

In civilian life the two Lt’s would have been charged with 74 counts of manslaughter. But the Navy has her own rules and customs. The OD’s left the Navy and no one knows where either is – that I know of. I haven’t mentioned their names because it isn’t necessary. They have their crosses to bear and don’t need any help from others.

So now you know, or maybe you don’t because I can’t express the story in my limited vocabulary, why I feel so proud to be at the reunion with such distinguished and brave men. I don’t know how I would have reacted in their place, but being a radarman, I would have been bunking below the mess decks (three decks down) where only two radarmen made it out. In the bow, where I was first stationed, only three men made it out. So I might not have been here at all. As a radarman I have been involved in many plain guard situations and it could have happened at any time, especially at night. Not likely, but it could have.

The HMAS Melbourne had already sunk one Australian destroyer doing the same maneuver a couple of years before and had two close calls a few nights before the collision with a couple of our destroyers. I believe she was a jinxed ship, but that’s just me. If you want to read some first hand accounts Google USS FRAND E EVANS and look around. The association has a web site if you are interested. http://www.ussfrankeevansassociationdd754.org/index.html

I said that that night affected thousands. Close to a thousand men on the Melbourne were deeply affected, especially those who went into the sea to help our men. Also, and more importantly, the families of the 74 devastated. I have met many of them and they are still mourning. There are no headstones (except for the one body recovered and is buried in Missouri. We were able to get a bronze monument in Arlington but no names are on it – due to rules of internment.

I guess this is way too long for a blog, but I couldn’t stop typing. But she also deserves to have her story told. I just wish there was some wordsmith who could do her justice. I hope you remember the 74 amd their families in your prayers. I do!

Illegal Immigrants

 

Have you ever noticed…

...that if you rearrange the letters in the words “illegal immigrants” and add a few more letters, it spells out:

“What the hell are you doing here? Go back to wherever you came from and don’t come back until you’re legal.”

How weird is that?

For The Citizen Soldiers

This is actually 3 Doors Down but someone stopped the enbeding of their video. The title says Kid Rock, but it's the real 3DD's video. The Kid Rock video "Warrior" (with Dale Earnhart) is below.




I posted this for the Citizen Warriors like CI-Roller Dude who are as tought and brave as the "regular" forces but don't get all the press and respect. They have mine!

I Told You So

I copied this from Sargent Charlie.

 

The sad thing is the Democrats do not realize this. I believe that most Democrats love their country and want a better world. We all do. But the world of Big Government and Government controlled programs, higher taxes and loss of individual and business freedoms will not make it happen. We need to take back the control and give it to the people. The ONLY ones who prosper are the ones in charge in a Socialist (Liberal) society.

I looked this up in Snopes and the validity of the comment is under investigation.

Service Announcement

It is my duty to pass this along to you men out there.
You're Welcome!

Till The Last Shots Fired by Trace Atkins

I cannot add anything to this. It speaks for itself.

Frogmen Are Smart Sailors

 

I was watching an old Navy movie today and there was a scene where these frogmen were on a rubber boat all geared up. They were rechecking their gear, listening to last minute instructions from their leader and waiting on the command to enter the sea. The command was given and each of them fell backwards into the water.

I though about this for a long time. Why did they all fall backward into the sea? Then it dawned on me, if the had fallen forward they would have all fallen to the bottom of the boat.

Smart, these frogmen.

Memorial Day 2009

 

 

 

It’s not about the parades, folks. It’s not about the picnics and the watermelons and all the speeches.

It’s about the men and women lying in hallowed ground all over the world, laid to rest from the Revolutionary War to today. It is because of these people that we are able to have the parades and picnics and speeches without fear of reprisals. They gave their all and deserve to be remembered.

So enjoy your Memorial Day and the festivities, but keep it in the back of your mind what it is really all about.

Lest We Forget

Tuesday Humor (Of Sorts)

 

Here are some well worn jokes for your Tuesday. Old but good enought to be passed around again.

A filthy rich Florida man decided that he wanted to throw a party and invited all of his buddies and neighbors.

He also invited Leroy, the only Redneck in the neighborhood. He held the party around the pool in the backyard of his mansion.

Leroy was having a good time drinking, dancing, eating shrimp, oysters and BBQ while flirting with all the women.

At the height of the party, the host said, “I have a 10 foot man-eating gator in my pool and I’ll give a million dollars to anyone who has the nerve to jump in.”

The words were barely out of his mouth when there was a loud splash. Everyone turned around and saw Leroy in the pool!

Leroy was fighting the gator and kicking its ass! He was jabbing the gator in the eyes with his thumbs, throwing punches, head butts and choke holds, biting the gator on the tail and flipping it through the air like some kind of Judo Instructor.

The water was churning and splashing everywhere. Both Leroy and the gator were screaming and raising hell.

Finally Leroy strangled the gator and let it float to the top like a dime store goldfish.

Leroy then slowly climbed out of the pool. Everybody was just staring at him in disbelief.

Finally the host says, ‘Well, Leroy, I reckon I owe you a million dollars.”

“No, that’s okay. I don’t want it,” said Leroy.

The rich man said, “Man, I have to give you something. You won the bet. How about half a million bucks, then?”

“No thanks, I don’t want it,” answered Leroy.

The host said, “Come on, I insist on giving you something. That was amazing. How about a new Porsche and a Rolex and some stock options?”

Again Leroy said no.

Confused, the rich man asked, ‘Well, Leroy, then what do you want?”

Leroy said, “I want the name of the Sumbitch who pushed me in the
Pool.”
***

Saudi Arabia held its first beauty pageant over the weekend and already they’re embroiled in their own scandal.

Topless photos of Miss Saudi Arabia have surfaced.

You can see her entire forehead.
***

A crusty old biker out on a long summer ride in the country pulls up to a tavern in the middle of nowhere , parks his bike and walks inside.

As he passes thru the swingin’ doors, he sees a sign hanging over the bar:

COLD BEER: $2.00

HAMBURGER: $2.25

CHEESEBURGER: $2.50

CHICKEN SANDWICH: $3.50

HAND JOB: $50.00

Checking his wallet to be sure he has the necessary payment, the ole’ biker walks up to the bar and beckons to the exceptionally attractive female bartender serving drinks to a couple of sun-wrinkled farmers.

She glides down behind the bar to the ole biker.

“Yes?” she inquires with a wide, knowing smile, “May I help you?”

The ole biker leans over the bar, “I was wondering young lady,” he whispers, “are you the one who gives the hand-jobs?”

She looks into his eyes with that wide smile and purrs “Why yes! Yes, I sure am.”

The ole’ biker leans closer and into her left ear whispers softly, “Well, wash your hands real good, ‘cause I want a cheeseburger.”
***

When a lonely frog consults a fortune-teller, he's told not to worry. "You are going to meet a beautiful young girl," she says, "and she will want to know everything about you."

"That's great!" says the excited frog. "When will I meet her?"

"Next semester," says the psychic, "in biology class."
***

And Finally, A Different Ways Of Looking At Things:

A little boy went up to his father and asked: "Dad, where did my intelligence come from?"

The father replied, "Well, son, you must have got it from your mother, cause I still have mine."
---------------------------------------------------------
"Mr. Clark, I have reviewed this case very carefully," the divorce court Judge said, "and I've decided to give your wife $775 a week."

"That's very fair, your honor," the husband said. "And every now and then I'll try to send her a few bucks myself."
---------------------------------------------------------
A doctor examining a woman who had been rushed to the Emergency Room, took the husband aside, and said, "I don't like the looks of your wife at all."

"Me neither doc," said the husband, "but she's a great cook and really good with the kids."
-----------------------------------
An old man goes to the Wizard to ask him if he can remove a curse he has been living with for the last 40 years.

The Wizard says, "Maybe, but you will have to tell me the exact words that were used to put the curse on you."

The old man says without hesitation, "I now pronounce you man and wife."
-----------------------------------
Two Reasons Why It's So Hard To Solve A Redneck Murder:
1. The DNA all matches.
2. There are no dental records.
-----------------------------------
A blonde calls Delta Airlines and asks, "Can you tell me how long it'll take to fly from San Francisco to New York City?"

The agent replies, "Just a minute."

"Thank you," the blonde says and hangs up.
-----------------------------------
Two Mexican detectives were investigating the murder of Juan Gonzalez.
"How was he killed?" asked one detective.

"With a golf gun," the other detective replied.

"A golf gun! What is a golf gun?"

"I don't know. But it sure made a hole in Juan." (Okay, I hear the moaning)
-----------------------------------
Moe: "My wife got me to believe in religion."

Joe: "Really?"

Moe: "Yeah. Until I married her I didn't believe in Hell."
-----------------------------------
A man is recovering from surgery when the surgical nurse appears and asks him how he is feeling.

"I'm OK but I didn't like the four letter-words the doctor used in surgery," he answered.

"What did he say?" asked the nurse.

"Oops!"
-----------------------------------
While shopping for vacation clothes, my husband and I passed a display of bathing suits. It had been at least ten years and twenty pounds since I had even considered buying a bathing suit, so I sought my husband's advice.

"What do you think?" I asked. "Should I get a bikini or an all-in-one?"

"Better get a bikini," he replied "You'd never get it all in one."

He's still in intensive care.
-----------------------------------
The graveside service just barely finished, when there was massive clap of thunder, followed by a tremendous bolt of lightning, accompanied by even more thunder rumbling in the distance.

The little old man looked at the preacher and calmly said, "Well, she's there."

Have a great Tuesday (and the rest of the week.)

The Accident

To my darling husband,

Before you return from your overseas trip I just want to let you know about the small accident I had with the pick up truck when I turned into the driveway.

Fortunately not too bad and I really didn't get hurt, so please don't worry too much about me. I was coming home from Wal-Mart, and when I turned into the driveway I accidentally pushed down on the accelerator instead of the brake.

The garage door is slightly bent but the pick up fortunately came to a halt when it bumped into your beloved Ferrari.

I am really sorry, but I know with your kind-hearted personality you will forgive me.

You know how much I love you and care for you my sweetheart.

I am enclosing a picture for you. I cannot wait to hold you in my arms again.

Your loving wife.
XXX

 

P.S. Your girlfriend called.

From my Ausie buddy, Scarlet, thanks!

Armed Forces Day

 

I will be leaving for another dog transport on Thursday and I will not be back until late Saturday, so I want to take this time to remind you that Saturday, May 16th, is Armed Forces Day.

The day was created by President Harry S. Truman in 1949, as a result of the consolidation of the military services into the Department of Defense. The resolution was intended to have one day each year to celebrate those past and present in the service of their country and to replace the separate Army (June 14, 1775), Navy (Oct 13, 1775), Air Force (Sept 18, 1947), Marine Corps (Nov 10, 1775), and Coast Guard (Aug 4, 1790) Days. However, observance of these days continues within each of the particular services.

So in honor of this day, if you see a veteran, women give him some, men buy him a beer or coke or a cup of coffee or give him/her a slap on the back. Or just tell him/her thanks. You know which one I prefer.

The First Celebrity To Go

The First Celebrity To Die Of The Swine Flu

 

And we all know who the carrier is.
Brought to you by my friend, Cindy.

**UPDATE
You know, I’ve been wondering what form of Swine Flu Kermit contacted. Miss Piggy is so much bigger than him and he is so small; I was wondering if he succumbed from some form of Swine Spelunking. Maybe he died from Swine Phew.