Post Navy Retirement Trip

[bloodhoundbob]

I would love to do something like this for my dad before he passes. However, his health is deteriorating rather quickly that I do not think he has neither the strength nor desire to do something like this. My hope is to get with my wife and record something for my daughters sometime after I retire and share the few stories I know that they would enjoy for future listening. My 5 yr old isn't as interested now and our second ne is still baking in the oven until June this year........arriving just before my terminal leave.

R/
Dave

Dave, we always gave WWII veterans highest priority, of course. One of my favorite memories is when I observed the interview of a gentleman who had been a top turret gunner in a B-17. The VA at Prescott would travel to the home of a veteran if they were unable to come to us for the interview. We tried to encourage veterans to do an interview, but always took no for an answer, of course. This was the case with several Vietnam veterans who for whatever reason, declined to participate.

[HMG]

Thank you HT Finley. It has been a fun ride to date and I will be sad to see it close later this year. Many things motivate others to join. For me personally, I wanted to not get stuck in the daily grind of doing assembly line work day in and day out. Before joining, I worked odds and ends jobs in a machine shop, construction and as a temp worker at a plastics plant assembling Ford truck vent louvers. I went to the temp agency rep one day and asked if there was anything else that I could go and work at. Her comment to me paraphrased was that the only thing I was good for was to work on a production line (I am not dissing production work, just at the time, it wasn't for me nor the answer I wanted to hear). After that conversation, I quit the company, talked to the Navy recruiter and the rest is 20 years of history and countless adventures. College incentives helped but what has kept me in longer were the friendships I made. The thing I will miss the most when I leave is camaraderie within the military.

R/
Dave

The good thing about hearing someone tell you "the only thing you're good for" is that you know you don't have to bother to listen to anything they say.

[Jac@stafford.net]

seabee1999, I deeply appreciate your service. My father was WWII and Korea USN. I was Vietnam (64-70).

No matter where you travel please share the fact that our country is so vast and diversified that no citizens of other countries can possibly understand. Enjoy and best of luck.

Take the Blue Roads!

Best,
Jac

[HT Finley]

Man. Viet Nam from 1964 to 1970--hell on earth. I am so glad I was born a year or 2 too late to have been drafted into that horrible ordeal. Imagine being drafted into a war where the enemy was a total ruthless inhuman animal, and getting absolutely no thanks when you got home, if you got home. You guys are something. I feel honored to post whatever 2 cents worth I have to say on a forum with you men.

[Jeff Donald]

Just an FYI, Yellowstone is closed from early November to mid December, except the North entrance (Gardiner, MT/Mammouth Hot Springs). The Mammouth Hotel is scheduled to be closed at that time for renovation, so best to stay in Gardiner. The road is open to Tower Junction (closed below Tower) but is open to the Northeast Entrance to Silver Gate and Cooke City, just outside the park. Beyond Cooke City the road is closed (Beartooth Highway) until sometime in May.

[seabee1999]

The good thing about hearing someone tell you "the only thing you're good for" is that you know you don't have to bother to listen to anything they say.

Absolutely true.

seabee1999, I deeply appreciate your service. My father was WWII and Korea USN. I was Vietnam (64-70).

No matter where you travel please share the fact that our country is so vast and diversified that no citizens of other countries can possibly understand. Enjoy and best of luck.

Take the Blue Roads!

Best,
Jac

Thank you for your book suggestion. I'll have to pick it up and give it a read over the summer. My hope is to just enjoy the road and anyone i meet along the way.

Man. Viet Nam from 1964 to 1970--hell on earth. I am so glad I was born a year or 2 too late to have been drafted into that horrible ordeal. Imagine being drafted into a war where the enemy was a total ruthless inhuman animal, and getting absolutely no thanks when you got home, if you got home. You guys are something. I feel honored to post whatever 2 cents worth I have to say on a forum with you men.

Well I wasn't drafted but I did volunteer to join and stay in longer. Thank you for supporting all of us who have served.

Just an FYI, Yellowstone is closed from early November to mid December, except the North entrance (Gardiner, MT/Mammouth Hot Springs). The Mammouth Hotel is scheduled to be closed at that time for renovation, so best to stay in Gardiner. The road is open to Tower Junction (closed below Tower) but is open to the Northeast Entrance to Silver Gate and Cooke City, just outside the park. Beyond Cooke City the road is closed (Beartooth Highway) until sometime in May.

Good to know Jeff. I heard this before but thought it was a rumor to a certain extent. Even if I cannot get into the park, to see the area will be good enough for me.

R/
Dave

[Leszek Vogt]

Dave, if you are taking off in Nov....some of the areas can get icy or snowy. Hmm, Tioga Pass will likely be closed. Dang, Jim beat me to it - Bristlecone is superb. I've taken a night shot there, using a flashlight and it came out v. nice. You could venture to Bodie too. Also, I echo what Vaughn said: Oregon Coast is superb, tho I normally used that route when I descended to CA and escaped the Summer and overheated I-5. Enjoy the trip.

Les

[HT Finley]

Thank you seabee. You actually volunteered. I hope I might be allowed to relay my story about willingness. I had some of that--a wee tiny bit. Maybe not enough, but I did try. ON 12/31/74 I turned 18. A few months later I went down the the USMC recruiter and took home my papers for my Dad to sign. My parents were shocked in a way I would never have wanted them to be. I saw "estrangement" on their faces and things were never the same again. That upset me. shortly thereafter, the 1975 embassy thing happened, and it was finally over. I dreaded going there when I was a kid and "Keep on Dancing" was playing by the Gentrys. I grew up scared to death of the idea of going there. And there you were. I wonder if you were one of the guys getting the kool-aid packages and letters we were sending in school. I've heard that you guys came back to ambivalence. I don't know--I was just a youngster. Just know that there WERE school children who were thinking of you, and worried for your well being. Regards. PS: Live for photography, you deserve every happy minute of it.

Absolutely true.



Thank you for your book suggestion. I'll have to pick it up and give it a read over the summer. My hope is to just enjoy the road and anyone i meet along the way.



Well I wasn't drafted but I did volunteer to join and stay in longer. Thank you for supporting all of us who have served.



Good to know Jeff. I heard this before but thought it was a rumor to a certain extent. Even if I cannot get into the park, to see the area will be good enough for me.

R/
Dave

[seabee1999]

Dave, if you are taking off in Nov....some of the areas can get icy or snowy. Hmm, Tioga Pass will likely be closed. Dang, Jim beat me to it - Bristlecone is superb. I've taken a night shot there, using a flashlight and it came out v. nice. You could venture to Bodie too. Also, I echo what Vaughn said: Oregon Coast is superb, tho I normally used that route when I descended to CA and escaped the Summer and overheated I-5. Enjoy the trip.

Les

Thank you Les. I was planning to head up through Bridgeport to Lake Tahoe for one last venture through there. But, you never know. Maybe, just maybe the Tioga Pass could be open during that time.

Thank you seabee. You actually volunteered. I hope I might be allowed to relay my story about willingness. I had some of that--a wee tiny bit. Maybe not enough, but I did try. ON 12/31/74 I turned 18. A few months later I went down the the USMC recruiter and took home my papers for my Dad to sign. My parents were shocked in a way I would never have wanted them to be. I saw "estrangement" on their faces and things were never the same again. That upset me. shortly thereafter, the 1975 embassy thing happened, and it was finally over. I dreaded going there when I was a kid and "Keep on Dancing" was playing by the Gentrys. I grew up scared to death of the idea of going there. And there you were. I wonder if you were one of the guys getting the kool-aid packages and letters we were sending in school. I've heard that you guys came back to ambivalence. I don't know--I was just a youngster. Just know that there WERE school children who were thinking of you, and worried for your well being. Regards. PS: Live for photography, you deserve every happy minute of it.

Nope, never a Kool-Aid kid. I heard my dad's stories of Vietnam and grew up with an appreciation for the military. I wanted to do my part as well. Nothing special but thankful to be in for 20 years and now it's coming to an end.

R/
Dave

[HT Finley]

Actually seabee, I had misaddressed you and was thinking of the Viet Nam vet from the 60's. Though misaddressed, the same regards may go just as well to any of you. With that, I'll cease posting here, as I have nothing other to add. I got to speak a few times with some American service people and they answered me back kindly. That's neat as heck. I still owe this forum a layout on a non-destructive, reversable Super Graphic solenoid power supply conversion.