Thread: I was a Sailor
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Old 02-13-2016, 12:51 PM
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Boats Boats is offline
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Location: Sauk Village, IL
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This old sea dog also has many memories that I retain and think about often. I told my Grandson that the star's in the sky we see stateside can not compare to the stars at night on a clam sea and no moon.

I would lay on my back on the deck and look up at the night sky. I could see darkness from horizon to horizon but the stars were so vivid and so many of them from horizon to horizon. It was something I will never forget nor can I actually explain - you have to be there - far out to sea on a moonless night see God's greatest works.

I recall trying to outrun a hurricane one night the sea's were swelling over the brow and the water would slam into the hull with such force you just knew things were getting rough. We would go into the catwalks and watch mother nature do her thing. We lost one of our guys on the forward cat walk the water sheared off the catwalk and took him along. On another ship I saw a kid on the deck get blown over the side and another walk into a prop. I saw pilots land with their canopy's blown off by SAM's - many wounded - and all they would bring that craft back to ship if at all possible. They would fly the wounded in from VN for our surgeons to operated on them.

In 65 I was in Da Nang caught a supply ship out and was transferred at sea about mid-night (black as hell out there). Was in the forward gun tub - put on the harness and air lifted hanging by the cable to another ship and dropped off. That was a little weird but I never forgot it. Got a twenty minute training on a 50 caliber while in Da Nang harbor off-loading supplies was told to watch the shore lines for movement - if anything moved to just open up as needed. It's these little thing you sorta forget and it comes back every now and then. Two tours - I was on supply ships and carrier's.

The bravery of my shipmates I would not trade those experiences for all the tea in china.
Mr. Mc Goo beers in PI and the live shows at Clark AFB I recall. Liberties in HK and Japan can't forget those liberties we had - I don't know how I got back to the ship most of the time - let alone these tattoos I got?

I have many more but that's for later. I have a Bud I served with and we often talk about the sea as though it beckons us to come back to her. Someday I might just have my ashes turned over to her.
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O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
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