I thought it might be interesting to hear from folks regarding their most memorable Thanksgivings while serving in the "System". I'll start. - Jim Donovan

OT2 Jim Donovan (that would be me) arrived in Keflavik Iceland in late September, 1976. Because housing was not yet approved, my wife and 1 year old son, Gary were not scheduled to arrive until early December when my off base apartment in Keflavik was available. When it came time for Thanksgiving I had planned to eat in the galley as I was living in Barracks #748 which was just across the street. I was not on watch or I would have enjoyed Thanksgiving "Chow Trays" with my watch section.

A few days before the holiday I received an invitation to have Thanksgiving dinner with CWO4 Dick Rentner and his wife Joanne at their house. Yikes; an officer; and a CWO at that!

I needed a quick lesson in etiquette. Unfortunately, the only friends I could ask were Randy Scott; Robin Hood; Rick Hoffman; Mike Christy and a few other shipmates who were of absolutely no help!

Dick and Joanne provided a very nice, relaxed and comfortable setting for a couple of "single" sailors that Thanksgiving and from what I hear they did the same on many a holiday in the Navy.

I was so impressed with their thoughtfulness and graciousness that I did the same at my house from that day forward. Throughout my Navy career I spent every Thanksgiving and Christmas with my own watch section or came in with other watch sections and I've had Sailors to my house for dinner every year. That tradition continues into retirement. This year we will host a Chief Petty Officer and his wife who are just back from duty in Seoul, South Korea.

Thank you CWO4 Dick Rentner for making a positive impression on a young Sailor back in 1976 in Keflavik Iceland.

My best “System” Thanksgiving memory was in 1955 while stationed at the Joint RCN/USN Oceanographic Research Station Shelburne, Nova Scotia Canada. Our Ops Officer “Mr. Fred Jones” (“God to us seaman”) invited (told) three of us “Yanks” to “report” to his home in Shelburne for Thanksgiving dinner. “We were scared to death about going to an officer’s home – let alone Mr. Jones. Mrs. Jones (Mona) put on a spread as you might imagine. We were treated like royalty and were even offered a glass of wine (we were all underage). When the meal was over we offered to help clean up and do the dishes. That is when I blew it! I threw out Mrs. Jones’s left-over gravy… I never heard the end of that. Even their children (who had yet to be born) knew of what I did. As evident in these e-mails:

Hello, Ed,
I hope all is well with you. I do not know if you were told that my mother, Mona Jones, died on Dec 19, 2010 on Salt Spring Island. She had a stroke in November, but held on for a month, passing away at the age of 91, one month short of her 92nd birthday. She always enjoyed the stories of your connection to both my parents in Shelburne. I still love hearing them!
Take care,
Linda Jones

Linda, (their daughter)
So sorry to hear of your Mom’s passing. I will always remember her as one “classy lady”. – But she did get “disturbed” when I threw out her turkey gravy – doing dish clean-up (Thanksgiving dinner Shelburne 1955. I was a young “seaman” and your Mom and Dad invited 3 of us young “yanks” to dinner – we were scared to death about going).
My thoughts and prayers are with the Jones family.
Always,
Ed

Hi, Ed,
Thanks for your thoughts about my mother. She will be in our hearts forever.
The gravy story is one of our family favorites.
I hope all is well with you for 2012.
Linda Jones

Mr. Jones was my mentor and my friend. - Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. - Ed Smock

Ed:
I never heard the "gravy story", but that helps explain a lot that followed. In trouble with the San Diego police, being a criminal fugitive from Bermuda, etc.

Our best to you on this fine day. That "ching-ching" sound we will hear in a few minutes will be kids and grand kids. For sure if "ole Mobe" came crashing through the pines (no oleanders here), we would happily set an extra place at the table.

If I ever loved an old shipmate......

WOW... George, "You are my Brother"...
I'm sure all of you out there have met someone in the "System" and share the closeness of family as George and I do. Let me tell you, never quit letting that person know how much they are remembered. I think the older we grow the more we realize how much these close bonds have meant and still mean to us. They are memories that will stay with us "beyond forever"... I guess this is why we Love the "System"... The "System" is its people. - Ed Smock