#176—Dear Mom & Dad

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) June 1977 Somewhere off the Coast of Southern California Dear Mom & Dad: Can you believe it? I’ll be home for good in less than a month. It seems like only yesterday that I joined… Read more#176—Dear Mom & Dad

#171—My First… Overseas Liberty Call

Thanks to those who commented on my previous blog, #170—An Honor & a Privilege.” Several comments were spot on and reminded me of things I’d forgotten. Here’s a few more shared “memories:” June 1975 – Somewhere in the Middle of… Read more#171—My First… Overseas Liberty Call

#162—My Best Day(s) in the Navy

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) I’ve been slacking a bit in my blog writing over the past few months. There’s really not a good excuse, except… as my dad used to say… “I’ve been busier than a one-armed paperhanger working… Read more#162—My Best Day(s) in the Navy

#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…

#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

#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.

#124—Nighttime on the Flight Deck, Part 1: Launch

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) “What the hell took you so long, Chet?” Borne was his usual self—always smiling, cracking a joke, and making light of the moment. He knew the chow lines were often long enough to finish a… Read more#124—Nighttime on the Flight Deck, Part 1: Launch

#120—Merging the Past with the Present

There are times in our lives when the past seems to merge with the present. For me, this was one of them. I recently returned from a reunion of USS Kitty Hawk veterans, held in San Diego. Many of these… Read more#120—Merging the Past with the Present

#90—Are We There Yet?

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) Who said, “The greatest part of a trip isn’t arriving at your destination; it’s all the wild stuff that happens along the way.”? In what movie (and who said it) did we hear, “Carpe diem…. Read more#90—Are We There Yet?

#75—Work Hard, Play Hard: Liberty Call

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) Who said, “Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world. A veteran doesn’t have that problem.”? In what movie (series) did we hear (and who… Read more#75—Work Hard, Play Hard: Liberty Call