#158—My Favorite Navy Jets (70s version)

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) Someone recently asked me what my favorite plane was when I was in the Navy. Not an unusual question for a Navy veteran, but it came from a young’un, probably not yet a teen. She… Read more#158—My Favorite Navy Jets (70s version)

#157—Oh, the Places You’ll Go…

Andy Adkins: Boot Camp, Retired

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) What my Recruiter Said – “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” It’s been over 50 years since I walked into the Navy recruiter’s office in Tallahassee, Florida. At the tender young age of 18, I was… Read more#157—Oh, the Places You’ll Go…

#153—The “Dream Sheet”

USS Kitty Hawk CV-63 underway Western Pacific 29 November 1970

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) Your airman will make requests for their first duty station selection while at Basic Military Training (BMT). They will fill out a form, known as a “dream sheet,” to list their assignment preferences. They will… Read more#153—The “Dream Sheet”

#149—Short? “Five Days and a Wake-up”

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) In my last post I wrote two weeks ago was my “Anniversary” of joining Uncle Sam’s Canoe Club 50 years ago. That post got me to thinking about those last few days aboard USS Kitty… Read more#149—Short? “Five Days and a Wake-up”

Blog #146—Flight Ops: Another Fine Day in the Navy!

Since I’m out on vacation this week, I thought I’d repost one of my favorite blogs. During my short Three Years, Eleven Months, and 29 Days (But Who’s Counting) career in the Navy, my rating was an ABH (Aviation Boatswain’s… Read moreBlog #146—Flight Ops: Another Fine Day in the Navy!

#143—Flight Ops… Around the Clock

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) We weren’t at war… The “official” end of the Vietnam War was April 30, 1975. I’d reported aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), just thirty days prior. She was moored at North Island,… Read more#143—Flight Ops… Around the Clock

#142—An Unexpected Delight

This past week, my wife and I had the pleasure to attend a reception for local authors and artists. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but since one of my simple “prose” writings had been accepted, I thought it would… Read more#142—An Unexpected Delight

#141—Letter Writing: A Different Generation

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) In one of my earliest blogs, I wrote about letter writing, asking the question, “Does anybody write letters anymore?” Back in the ‘70s (I’m a “child of the ‘60s”), there was no e-mail and there… Read more#141—Letter Writing: A Different Generation

#139—Is This What I Signed Up For?

Carrier Sunset

A Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet takes off from the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Atlantic Ocean. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Cameron Pinske.

#137—Hookers…

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) This past weekend, I took part in the Sunshine State Book Festival, an annual event for authors and publishers. Over 150 authors were there, including me. Like many others, I had several stacks of my… Read more#137—Hookers…