Christmas as a sailor was always a great time for me. Many fond memories. I had a complete Santa outfit and on Christmas Eve I would make the rounds to the homes of my shipmates with young children and bring them candy canes. The smiles and excitement were great and I will cherish them forever. With the help of my loving bride (she did all the baking) I would don my Santa garb and deliver homemade cookies and breads to those shipmates on the mid watch. I remember one time in Hawaii the marine guard at the gate for the Ford Island Ferry wanted to see my ID and I told him it was pretty obvious who I was and he waved me through. Every now and then I think that if I were a terrorist I knew the perfect time and way to get through security. Who remembers the RM's with their holiday (and other) teletype art? There were some that were pretty amazing. Also, how about the OT version of the night before Christmas? "Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Fac, not a target was tracking, not even the Jack................" Deb and I send our very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Healthy New Year to all those still serving and to our many great friends during our time in the Navy and best community there was.
I'll take this blame. Anytime one of my favorite contributors posts on the site, I consider it a blame worth taking.
It is fun to think back over the Christmases and other holidays that we spent god knows where. Every now and again, we would certainly catch the watch but normally, since there was a section of us in that predicament, it generally didn't matter. I recall some wonderful meals spliced together from individual contributions. And yes, even though we were smart about it, there may have been a nip or two to get through the night.
And Nick, its really easy to get nostalgic this time of year and as those years march on, the feelings become more intense. I have wondered about a "bunch" of Shipmates with whom I have lost contact and I am equally aware of good friends and family that have been lost this past year.
But...., I woke up this morning to the prodding of my Grandson (Will, age 10) saying, "Get up Pop Pop. Its time to go shopping." a tradition we started when he was 2. On his first day of Christmas break, we go shopping and that make me realize that he is building his own memories that will one day be his nostalgia. In the meantime, he's keeping me feeling young and helps Pat and I to better enjoy the season.
Will, Pat and I sincerely wish all of our friends around the world a very Merry Christmas and the happiest, healthiest and safest of the New Year. We will be remembering and thinking about each and everyone of you.
And......., My new Years wish is that the community, that I enjoy so much, will return to posting their "goings on" on our web site as we once did. I, for one, want to hear from all of you, especially you Nick.
Happy Holidays,
John, Pat and Will
I have always been a sentimental fool but as times passes nostalgia also settles in, especially during the holidays. There are many great memories involving Christmas at work and being among such fine people but I have to save the 1969 Christmas as the most memorable. I was in the middle of O school in Keywest and we all got a one week leave for Christmas, which I was using to go home to Columbus, Ohio to marry my high school sweetheart. A friend and I hitch hiked to my second cousin's house in Miami and got pretty
poop faced before going to the airport and as we left her home she put a bottle of gin in my gym bag. Bad idea. Got to the airport and checked in with my $19 military standby ticket, at which point I was told the plane was full. I got pretty worked up as young drunken sailors do, another bad idea. Just before they started to grow very tired of me I told them I was getting married the next day, which was a lie. They huddled up and decided I was pretty pathetic and decided there was indeed a seat on the plane.
Sat down next to a lady who was flying for the first time and was nervous
already and now she has a less than cognitive sailor next to her. I told her I was pretty tired and she jumped at the chance to ask the stewardess to get this poor, tired (drunk) young man a bigger seat. She put me in first class with my $19 ticket and a bottle of gin in my bag. Another bad idea. Once airborne they served up food and out came the bottle of gin. Man, the stewardess got ****** at first and lectured me about regulations and other things I didn`t care about at the moment. Explained to her I was getting married the NEXT DAY and she too must have seen me as pathetic because she brought me an empty glass with tonic water and told me to not let anybody else see the bottle. Whew! I eventually passed out and they had to shake me hard to wake up me up at Columbus, approximately 2 AM.
2 more cousins met me, one a sailor himself, and they were both drunk.
I ended up getting home at noon or so. I think by todays standards I wouldnt have made it past security, let alone board a plane.
The end of the story and most memorable part is that I got married the day after Christmas. And as I have been told many times over the years I significantly OVER-MARRIED with Chris. Next Tuesday will be 48 years, three kids and seven grandkids later. Quite the bargain for 19 bucks :)
Merry Christmas to all and count your blessings!
First Christmas NavFac was at Coos Head,Oregon. We had the mid watch that night,and upon taking over the watch, the Mendocino Fracture Zone gave us a pleasant Christmas gift by wiping out all 40 for the entire 8 hour watch. To make it even better, our XO brought a slab of smoked salmon to the TE building which was given to him from the Charleston fishing village just down the road. Our XO at the time was pretty cool guy who used to hang out with the locals at Red's Tavern in the fishing village.
Merry Christmas to everyone, especially those who can't be at home this time of year.
And we had a darn good time in '71-'72 didn't we Nick.
That we did, Rick....that we did.