{"id":6958,"date":"2023-11-21T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=6958"},"modified":"2023-11-16T12:36:45","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T17:36:45","slug":"157-oh-the-places-youll-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/157-oh-the-places-youll-go\/","title":{"rendered":"#157\u2014Oh, the Places You\u2019ll Go\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Who said, \u201cDon\u2019t cry because it\u2019s over. Smile because it happened.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. In what movie (and who said it) did we hear the following (this one may land me in hot water, but what the heck) \u2026 \u201cFighter pukes make movies. Bomber pilots make\u2026 history!\u201d?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. In what song (and who sang it) did we hear the following:
    Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’<\/em>
    Into the future<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n
    <\/div>
    Blog #157 (Audio)<\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    Published: <\/span>November 16, 2023<\/span><\/div>
    <\/div>Audio by Andy Adkins<\/a><\/div><\/form><\/span>1<\/span> Download<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    What my Recruiter Said<\/em> \u2013 \u201cOh, the Places You\u2019ll Go!\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s been over 50 years since I walked into the Navy recruiter\u2019s office in Tallahassee, Florida. At the tender young age of 18, I was spinning my wheels, working at a scuba dive shop, trying to figure out my next move (I\u2019d later call them \u201cjourneys\u201d) after I\u2019d flunked out of college<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I doubt my recruiter quoted Dr. Seuss, but I\u2019m sure he paraphrased what to expect when I joined the navy. Back then (1973), the Navy recruiting slogan was: \u201cBe Someone Special<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On the other hand, the draft had ended in 1973, and the military became an \u201call-volunteer force.\u201d So, the Navy, like the other military branches, needed a little pizzaz<\/em> to attract new sailors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While we\u2019re talking about Navy slogans, my favorite, introduced in 1976, was, \u201cIt\u2019s Not Just a Job, It\u2019s an Adventure<\/em>.\u201d And they typically change from year to year, but this post is not about slogans.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"Navy<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    But the places I\u2019d go? They\u2019re places I\u2019ll probably never return to, but oh, what great memories each had.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My first duty station was NAS Agana, Guam<\/a><\/strong>. I was there for 15 months, spent one Thanksgiving and two Christmases on the island. While Guam is not<\/em> that big\u201432 miles top to bottom by 4-8 miles wide\u2014I explored a lot of great places. Some were WWII sites, others were jungle boonie stomps. And I met other military personnel from other bases in Guam. One extensive family. And, since I was into scuba diving, it was <\/em>a diver\u2019s paradise.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"NAS<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    After Guam, I transferred to an aircraft carrier, USS Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong> (CV-63)<\/a>. I\u2019d be aboard the Hawk<\/em> for 2\u00bd years. But we did a lot\u2026 well, except for that one year in the Bremerton Shipyards<\/a><\/strong>. But even there, I took advantage of the area to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Westpac \u201875<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    I made only one cruise while aboard Kitty Hawk<\/em>. Westpac \u201975<\/a>, leaving the states in May 1975 and returning 6 months later in December. I worked on the flight deck in V-1 Division<\/strong> (Air Department) and assigned to the Crash & Salvage<\/a><\/strong> crew\u2014there were only 14 of us. We had one MB-5 Oshkosh fire truck (3-4 man crew) and two, MD-3 crash tractors (2-man crew).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"USS
    USS Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong> CV-63 underway Western Pacific 29 November 1970.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Our overseas home port (forward deployment) was the Philippine Islands<\/a><\/strong> (\u201cPI\u201d). We were in and out of PI seven times. Most of the time, we\u2019d be somewhere in the South China Sea for anywhere from one to three weeks at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Flight ops would usually start mid-morning and continue throughout the day until midnight or so. I\u2019ve written about life on the flight deck many times. It still brings a flood of memories and chills to remember so many great things about being on a ship at sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Both on the way over and on the way back, we stopped and spent a couple days in Hawaii<\/a><\/strong>. Even though I\u2019d been in Guam, Hawaii was totally different\u2014especially since we had limited time off duty. But we made the most of it. I\u2019ve been back to Hawaii since leaving the Navy. Somehow, it looked \u201cdifferent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Periodically, we\u2019d stop at an overseas port for liberty. For Westpac \u201975 outside of PI, that was Hong Kong<\/a> (6 days) and Japan <\/a>(6 days). <\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"Westpac
    Westpac ’75 (Tokyo, Japan)
    Gary Borne (R.I.P.), Tom Watson, Jim King, Buddy Laney, Gary DeSaulniers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    There were obvious cultural differences between PI, Hong Kong, Japan, and Hawaii. I won\u2019t go into details, but most of the comparisons I\u2019ve made over the years deal with food and beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In one letter home to my mom & dad, I compared the cost of beer (keep in mind this was 1975):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cThe exchange rate in Japan was 300 Yen for one US dollar. Japan was more expensive than PI and Hong Kong. A beer in Yokosuka cost 300 Yen ($1 USD), compared to three pisos ($.45 USD) in PI, compared to $4 HK (Hong Kong Dollars, about $.85 USD).\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If cost comparisons between countries could be so easy\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cOh, the Things You\u2019ll Do\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    At 18 years old, I was training to be an aircraft firefighter and aircraft director. I\u2019d eventually do both during my enlistment. But I began my short 4-year Navy \u201ccareer\u201d as a Crash & Rescue<\/strong> firefighter in Guam. Fortunately, for my entire 15-months there, the only fires we had were \u201chot drills.\u201d Constant training in the event we\u2019d need to put into practice what we trained for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I also learned to drive all the Crash fire trucks while on Guam. That was also part of everyone\u2019s training. That would come in handy when I reported aboard Kitty Hawk<\/em>. The major difference was in Guam, we had plenty of room to drive & maneuver. It was quite different on the flight deck\u2014only about 4 acres and that would be with no aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How many people do you know that can say with a straight face, \u201cI used to drive crash firefighting trucks\u2026 on the flight deck\u2026 of an aircraft carrier?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cOh yeah. The Recruiter Was Right\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Like many of my fellow airdales (those of us who worked on the flight deck), I\u2019m one of those who will audibly critique movies like The Final Countdown<\/em><\/strong> (1980), Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N.<\/em><\/strong> (1966), and the Top Gun<\/em><\/strong> series (1986, 2022).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cI used to do that.\u201d Or \u201cThat\u2019s not<\/em> really what I remember.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My wife usually rolls her eyes, but politely lets me yammer on about what looks right and what looks wrong. Such is the life of a Navy veteran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"US<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    When I look back over my time in the Navy (1973-1977), I\u2019m proud of most<\/em> of what I did. I made a few mistakes along the way, but that\u2019s how we learn. I enjoy reflecting on these times, writing about them, and sharing with other shipmates\u2014both old and new. After all, if we don\u2019t pass along these stories and experiences to our kids and their kids, who will?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And one more thing\u2026 the recruiter was right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Oh\u2026 The things I\u2019ve seen and the things I\u2019ve done!<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    And one more thing before I say adios… Happy Thanksgiving to all. I’m spending time with family in Cleveland this week. Blessings to you and to your families. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Until we meet again,
    Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Andy Adkins<\/strong> is a US Navy veteran (\u201973-77) and the author of several books, including You Can\u2019t Get Much Closer Than This-Combat with the 80th \u201cBlue Ridge\u201d Division in World War II Europe<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, published by Casemate Publishers (2005) and selected as the Book of the Month for the Military Book Club. Adkins also writes a weekly blog, \u201cA Veteran\u2019s Journey.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Answers<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Flight of the Intruder<\/em><\/strong> (1991), Lt. Jake \u2018Cool Hand\u2019 Grafton (Brad Johnson).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Fly Like an Eagle <\/em><\/strong>(1976), Steve Miller Band; written by Steven Haworth Miller.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Previous blogs mentioned in this post:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n