{"id":7470,"date":"2024-10-01T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=7470"},"modified":"2024-09-30T21:22:19","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T01:22:19","slug":"176-dear-mom-dad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/176-dear-mom-dad\/","title":{"rendered":"#176\u2014Dear Mom &amp; Dad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><u>Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Who said, <em>\u201cAll dreams are within reach. All you have to do is keep moving towards them.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In what movie (and who said it), did we hear: <em>\u201cEvery man dies, but not every man really lives.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In what song (and who sang it), did we hear the following?<br><em>If you wake up and don&#8217;t want to smile<\/em><br><em>If it takes just a little while<\/em><br><em>Open your eyes and look at the day<\/em><br><em>You&#8217;ll see things in a different way<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>June 1977 <\/strong><br><strong><em>Somewhere off the Coast of Southern California<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Dear Mom &amp; Dad<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Can you believe it? I\u2019ll be home for good in less than a month. It seems like only yesterday that I joined the Navy, but my four years of enlistment will soon be over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m a <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/52-30-days-and-a-wake-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cshort timer<\/a>\u201d now. There are lots of jokes that float around \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I\u2019m too short for long conversations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I have to jump up to look down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I could jump off the edge of a quarter and scream, \u201cAAAHHH\u201d all the way down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I have to use a ladder to scratch a snake\u2019s belly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You asked me in an earlier letter if I was happy that I\u2019d joined the Navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s not an easy question to answer. Most days, I am. But there were some days that I\u2019d rather forget. And those aren\u2019t necessarily the ones where I <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/36-gone-in-an-instant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">witnessed a shipmate die<\/a>\u2014that was sad enough, knowing his wife and daughter will be without their father. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No, there are days when there\u2019s just too much\u2014pardon my French, mom\u2014bullshit flying about. But that\u2019s just my view. It seems like some of the chiefs just want to find stupid stuff for us to do\u2026 makes no sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was that time in the Shipyards where two CPOs got into it about the flooring tiles we laid down in the berthing compartment. We had to do it not once, but twice. What a waste. Of course, we all got paid the same, but it was just pure BS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m a second-class Petty Officer and have been for a year; I made <strong>ABH2<\/strong> in less than 3 years. I know part of that was because I had a year of college before enlisting. Boy, that seems like a lifetime ago. But <strong>Florida State University<\/strong> just wasn\u2019t meant to be; at least for a 17-year-old. <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/99-dismissed-for-academic-reasons\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">I just wasn\u2019t ready<\/a>. I know that now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But now that I\u2019ve got a couple of electronics courses under my belt, courtesy of <strong>Olympic Community College<\/strong> in Bremerton during our year in the Shipyards, I\u2019m better prepared to go back to school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oh, by the way. I forgot to tell you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our LCPO (Leading Chief Petty Officer) Chief Breig called me into the division office a few weeks ago. I kinda expected it. He asked if I\u2019d thought about reenlisting for another four years. I told him I\u2019d thought about it for two seconds. Before I could give him an answer, he told me that the Navy would give me a $1,200 bonus for reenlisting for six years\u2026 <em>six friggin years<\/em> for a measly $1,200 bucks? Can you believe it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That was an easy \u201cThanks, but no thanks.\u201d I\u2019d heard the nukes were getting a $20,000 bonus for reenlisting for four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No, I think four years is enough for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ll have to admit though, it\u2019s been quite an adventure. In fact, that\u2019s one of the Navy\u2019s recruiting posters: \u201cIt\u2019s not just a job, it\u2019s an adventure.\u201d Time sure does fly by, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After \u201cA\u201d school, I shipped out to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/53-you-always-remember-your-first\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NAS Agana, Guam<\/a><\/strong> for 15 months. It took a little getting used to, but I slipped right into the routine. I learned to drive all the fire trucks and, after I made third-class, I was a designated crew chief. And best\u2026 the clearest water I could ever hope to scuba dive in. Wow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Guam-from-air.jpg?resize=800%2C450&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Guam: south, looking north\" class=\"wp-image-2451\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Guam-from-air.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Guam-from-air.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Guam-from-air.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Guam-from-air.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Guam-from-air.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Guam-from-air.jpg?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Guam: south, looking north<br>Photo credit: Guam Office of Public Accountability<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also learned to fly airplanes and got my private pilot\u2019s license. Mom, I\u2019ll take you up when I get home; I know you used to fly, too. Pop\u2026 I know you wouldn\u2019t go, though I may ask. I know you saw enough over in Europe during WWII.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guam was a great place, by the way. I think I grew up a bunch over there. I mean, working one day on and one day off wasn\u2019t so bad. And I did take advantage of the <strong>USO \u201cboonie stomps.\u201d<\/strong> Those were always fun, especially meeting other guys and girls from other bases on the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My best friend, Glenn, &amp; I flew out on the same \u201cFreedom Bird,\u201d when we left Guam to return to the states. I still remember touching down in San Francisco, though, and taking the bus to our hotel. There were a lot of angry Vietnam War protestors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/FreedomFlight.jpg?resize=800%2C570&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"NAS Agana, Guam &quot;Freedom Flight&quot; back to states (1975)\" class=\"wp-image-4042\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/FreedomFlight.jpg?resize=1024%2C730&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/FreedomFlight.jpg?resize=300%2C214&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/FreedomFlight.jpg?resize=768%2C548&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/FreedomFlight.jpg?resize=1536%2C1095&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/FreedomFlight.jpg?w=1959&amp;ssl=1 1959w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/FreedomFlight.jpg?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Freedom Flight&#8221; from Guam to USA. February 1975.<br>Photo credit: Andy Adkins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But after three weeks home on leave, I was ready for my next duty station, an aircraft carrier. I think I\u2019d mentioned earlier that I flew from Florida to San Diego, but I was too early. <strong><em>USS Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong> was out on a RIMPAC exercise when I arrived. I got assigned to a temporary company while waiting for the ship to return to its home port at North Island. God, that temporary duty was boring as hell. You can only go to the YMCA or SeaWorld so many times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But then, I finally got <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/25-living-the-dream-life-aboard-an-aircraft-carrier\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aboard the ship<\/a>, met with my good friends <strong>Glenn Law<\/strong> and <strong>Gary Borne<\/strong>. They were with me in Guam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It took a few weeks to get used to being on the flight deck, but since I\u2019d been in <strong>Crash<\/strong> on Guam, I was also in Crash on the ship. It\u2019s part of the <strong>V-1 Division<\/strong> in the Air Department. We have our own compartment on the island\u2014that\u2019s the superstructure on the starboard side of the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Westpac \u201975<\/strong> was quite an eye-opener for me. We stopped in <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/37-hawaii-one-word-beautiful\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Hawaii<\/strong> <\/a>for supplies &amp; fuel, then headed to PI (<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/20-port-call-philippines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Philippine Islands<\/a><\/strong>), our overseas home port. We were in and out of there seven times, while making our way through the South China Sea for flight operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along the way, we stopped at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/43-port-call-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hong Kong<\/a><\/strong> for six days\u2014that\u2019s where I got my tattoo. We also had a port call in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/23-rough-seas-sea-of-japan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Japan<\/a><\/strong>. After that, we circumnavigated the island, heading back to PI. Of course, wouldn\u2019t you know we\u2019d catch the tail end of a typhoon. That was fun. All the aircraft on the flight deck were chained down with 15 tie-down chains. We were told to stay off the flight deck unless absolutely necessary. And even then, we\u2019d venture out in pairs with a lifeline between us. Thank God, we didn\u2019t need to go out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We had Russian Bears, Russian Panthers (both aircraft), and Russian trawlers tracking us\u2014all usual and SOP. It was fun, though, when the Air Boss called over the 5MC, \u201c<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/33-launch-the-alert-5\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Launch the Alert 5!<\/a><\/strong>\u201d Talk about a bunch of sailors hopping to. But we were prepared, and we made it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"332\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/F4_Phantom_AfterburnerNight.jpg?resize=650%2C332&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"F-4 Phantom Afterburner Night Launch\" class=\"wp-image-6100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/F4_Phantom_AfterburnerNight.jpg?w=650&amp;ssl=1 650w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/F4_Phantom_AfterburnerNight.jpg?resize=300%2C153&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">F-4J (VF-74; CV@-8) Phantom Night Launch off USS America (CV-66) Westpac &#8217;72\/73.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was hard to leave PI, but we knew it was time to come home. After six months on a Westpac cruise, a lot of the guys had wives back home and some of them had new babies waiting for them when we arrived in San Diego in mid-December 1975\u2014the day <em>before<\/em> my birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And to think that I\u2019d been in the Navy for 2\u00bd years; I\u2019d been drinking like a sailor for most of that time. Yet, when we got back to San Diego, I was still only 20 years old and (legally) couldn\u2019t go to a bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sigh\u2013I took someone\u2019s duty so he could get off the ship to his awaiting family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I will admit, though, when those new dads got off the ship and ran to their wives\u2019 arms, holding their new baby boy or girl, it was quite a sight\u2014I shed a few tears\u2026 tears of pure joy &amp; happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/30-uss-kitty-hawk-bremerton-shipyards-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bremerton Shipyards<\/a><\/strong> was an awakening experience. I know some guys cross-decked to the <strong><em>Constellation<\/em><\/strong> to go on the next Westpac in 1976, but I decided I\u2019d venture to the Pacific Northwest. And was I rewarded\u2014I got to play in the snow for the first time in my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Bremerton-DryDockAnchor.jpg?resize=800%2C574&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-645\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Bremerton-DryDockAnchor.jpg?resize=1024%2C735&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Bremerton-DryDockAnchor.jpg?resize=300%2C215&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Bremerton-DryDockAnchor.jpg?resize=768%2C551&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Bremerton-DryDockAnchor.jpg?w=1132&amp;ssl=1 1132w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bremerton Shipyards, Dry Dock. Andy Adkins @ anchor. 1976.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Shipyards weren\u2019t the best, but they weren\u2019t the worst. I found things to keep me busy, including finding a great place to hang out: Bill\u2019s Inn, great country music bands and a big dance floor. In fact, I don\u2019t know if I told you or not, but I met one of my \u201cidols\u201d there: Nokie Edwards, the lead guitar player for the group, <em>The Ventures<\/em>. I learned to play the guitar by listening to their album. That was cool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, after the Shipyards, we headed back to San Diego. I convinced the Division Officer, Lt. Lockram, to transfer me from Crash to <strong>Fly 3<\/strong>. I knew I wouldn\u2019t have much time on the deck, what with only a few months left, but I was bound and determined to be a <strong>Yellow Shirt Director<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My good friend from Texarkana, Smitty, took care of me, making sure I didn\u2019t make too many mistakes, and, after a few weeks, I took over on the angle to direct aircraft out of the recovery area after they landed. That was probably the most fun, the most challenging, and the closest I\u2019d come to meeting \u201cDavy Jones.\u201d Talk about being <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">between a rock and a hard place<\/a>. But that\u2019s another story for another time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, to answer your question\u2026 yeah, I\u2019m definitely happy I joined the Navy. I had two great tours (three if you count the Shipyards), but that\u2019s enough for me. I have several friends who reenlisted, and we certainly celebrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think I\u2019ll miss two things the most. The shipmates I\u2019ve grown close to: Glenn, Buddy, Gary, Dennis, Jack, Ed, Tony, Smitty, and Mac. And who can forget good ol\u2019 Charlie Brown?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More, though, I think I\u2019ll miss the excitement of the flight deck. Those 14-to-16-hour days were long, but they went by quick. Once you\u2019ve been at sea for extended periods of time, it kinda stays with you, even on dry land. When I feel a slight gust of wind, I sometimes close my eyes and imagine I\u2019m on the bow of <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em>, leaning over and looking 60 feet down at the ocean. I don\u2019t think that will ever go away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m not sure what I\u2019m going to do when I get home, but after four years in the Navy, I know I won\u2019t stay still very long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I love you both dearly and can\u2019t wait to see you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your son,<br>Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PS. Would I do it again? Ask me again in 47 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Previous Blogs mentioned in the Post:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/52-30-days-and-a-wake-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#52\u201430 Days and a Wake up!<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/36-gone-in-an-instant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#36\u2014Gone in an Instant<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/99-dismissed-for-academic-reasons\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#99\u2014Dismissed for Academic Reasons\u2026<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/53-you-always-remember-your-first\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#53\u2014You Always Remember Your First\u2026<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/25-living-the-dream-life-aboard-an-aircraft-carrier\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#25\u2014\u201cLivin\u2019 the Dream:\u201d Life Aboard an Aircraft Carrier<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/37-hawaii-one-word-beautiful\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#37\u2014Hawaii, One Word: Beautiful!<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/20-port-call-philippines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#20\u2014Port Call: Philippines<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/43-port-call-hong-kong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#43\u2014Port Call: Hong Kong<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/23-rough-seas-sea-of-japan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#23\u2014Rough Seas\u2014Sea of Japan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/33-launch-the-alert-5\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#33\u2014Launch the Alert 5!<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/30-uss-kitty-hawk-bremerton-shipyards-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#30\u2014USS Kitty Hawk @ Bremerton Shipyards, Part 1<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#3\u2014Between and Rock and a Hard Place<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><u>Answers<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Viola Davis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Braveheart <\/em><\/strong>(1995), William Wallace (Mel Gibson).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Don\u2019t Stop<\/em><\/strong> (1977), Fleetwood Mac; written by Christine McVie.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) June 1977 Somewhere off the Coast of Southern California Dear Mom &amp; Dad: Can you believe it? I\u2019ll be home for good in less than a month. It seems like only yesterday that I joined&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/176-dear-mom-dad\/\" class=\"readmore\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">#176\u2014Dear Mom &amp; Dad<\/span><span class=\"fa fa-angle-double-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[59],"tags":[106,74,151,123,83,17,105,95,122,142,112,120,7,146,84],"class_list":["post-7470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-navy","tag-abh","tag-agana-guam","tag-alert-5","tag-bremerton-shipyards","tag-crash-salvage","tag-flight-deck","tag-florida-state-university","tag-hong-kong","tag-japan","tag-olympic-community-college","tag-philippines","tag-uso","tag-uss-kitty-hawk","tag-v-1-division","tag-westpac","content-layout-excerpt-thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>#176\u2014Dear Mom &amp; Dad &#8212; A Veteran&#039;s Journey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Looking back over my short 4-year Navy career in the 70s, I experienced a lot of ups and downs, but was I happy I&#039;d served? 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