A Veteran's Journey

This will be a short(er) blog post than my usual. I’m out west traveling and with family.

Actually… two families.

I’m visiting with my son & his family who live in San Diego. It just so happens that I also got to meet several members of a much bigger family. Stay with me here… I may get a little nostalgic.

Like many of you, I follow several Navy-oriented Facebook Groups. Through these groups, I’ve not reconnected with many other shipmates & crewmembers I served with, but also others who either served at the same time aboard USS Kitty Hawk, or served before or after. We are all one big family.

And believe it or not, there are a few Kitty Hawk Vets older than me.

Over the past few weeks, there’s been a discussion in several of the Kitty Hawk FB Groups about a mini reunion; like, you know, “Whoever Shows Up.” It so happens that it was at the same time I was out in San Diego visiting family.

How could I not go?

Like others in the FB Groups, I said “yes” knowing I’d be out here: right time, right place. I doubt I would have made it otherwise—I live in Florida.

Sunday, August 8, we met at Kansas City BBQ, had a few beers, wings & rings, BBQ, and a ton of great stories. That’s what reunions are all about, right?

“You drove Crash trucks?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Well I repaired ‘em when you broke ‘em.”

“Uh, thanks… I think?”

“You guys wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without us Snipes, right?”

“That was you? No shit.”

And so it began…

While we may have been aboard at different times, worked in different divisions, and worked under different circumstances… we all shared two things. First, we all served aboard Kitty Hawk. Second, at one point or another, we all hit many of the same ports.

After the first round or two (thank you, Dave), we got a little more serious and talked about the real important stuff: PI.

Yeah, the Philippines.  

And the funny thing is, we all went to many of the same ports, visited the same sites, frequented the same bars and, dare I say, probably “knew” the same women.

I won’t go into details here, but the stories about PI, our port calls, and the general Navy routines and operations brought back a slew of memories; memories we all shared through some good times as well as the not-so-good times.

We tend to try to forget the bad ones, but you can’t. Some days those images are at the very forefront of my mind, and I take a moment or two to reflect, then move on. I don’t think I’m the only one here…

Those are things we will all take to the grave with us.

Yearbooks, Photos—Seems Like Only Yesterday

I was aboard Kitty Hawk from ’75-77 and made the Westpac ’75 cruise—my one and only Navy cruise. Several of these guys didn’t know it at the time, but they reenlisted and made the Navy a career.

From what I heard, while they may have served aboard other ships & carriers, the Kitty Hawk was the best.

I mean, when you think about it, were there any other US Navy aircraft carriers that ran over a Russian sub?

Carl brought his cruise book; he came aboard Kitty Hawk while we were still in the Bremerton Shipyards and made the ‘77/78 Westpac. I’m glad he brought his cruise book with him because while he looked somewhat familiar at the reunion, I just couldn’t remember; it had only been 40+ years. But seeing his photo in the cruise book, along with several others, I instantly recognized him.

Now I know I haven’t changed… well, at least in my own mind.

Looking through his cruise book, specifically at the V-1 Division, I suddenly remembered so many more of my shipmates who also made his ’77-78 cruise. Wow, a flood of memories.

Birds of a Feather

“We all have different mothers, but we were raised by the same great mother—USS Kitty Hawk.”

It’s been more than 44 years since I disembarked Kitty Hawk for the last time in July 1977, saluting the watch (“Permission to go ashore, sir?” “Permission granted”), saluting the flag, climbing down the after brow, saying my final goodbyes, then driving back to Florida.

But getting together with this great guys—my “other” family—made me realize that while I left the Navy, the Navy never left me. I think that many Navy veterans feel that way.

Heck, not just the Navy, but probably all military veterans.

Hanging out with these guys, listening to many of the same stories I’ve told my wife and my own kids multiple times (at least those I could remember), it transported me back to a time when I was younger and definitely more agile. I won’t mention my eyesight or my hearing…

I’m probably not the only one here, either.

I had such a great time hanging out with this classy (yes, now we are “classy,” not necessarily “classic”) group that I totally forgot to go inside the Kansas City BBQ joint. You know… the scene from the movie Top Gun where “Goose” plays the piano and the gang sings, “Great Balls of Fire”?

Yeah, that one.

And it’s a good thing I didn’t go in. I might’ve picked up a guitar (if they had one) and belted out a few lines from… NOT Great Balls of Fire, but Rednecks, White Socks, and Blue Ribbon Beer.

Thanks to all our veterans… and to Gordon Shaw and David Gross for making this mini Kitty Hawk reunion happen.

One more thing…

The USS Kitty Hawk Veterans Association will hold next year’s reunion in San Diego. I don’t have the details yet, but when I do, I’ll post them in this blog as I know the Kitty Hawk Veterans Association will keep everyone posted. I plan to be out here again and I hope to meet more of my extended “family.”

Until we meet again,
Andy

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Andy Adkins is a US Navy veteran (’73-77) and the author of several books. His newest novel, NEVER FORGET, is the story of A Vietnam Veteran’s Journey for Redemption & Forgiveness. NEVER FORGET is FREE (eBook, PDF) for all veterans. Download your FREE copy HERE.