January 12, 2022
January 12, 2022
When you throw 5000 young men , most of whom are conscripts, into one big ass ship, things can be fairly unsettling. Its as if you are thrown into a giant mixing vat , and everything that you grew up with is being homogenized into into a new entity. Kinda like flour. Milk. Eggs .Baking powder. Beat well. Bake at 375. Voila. Biskits!
That was Jim And I. Even though we were total strangers until we became shipmates on the Coral Sea, one would never know that that afterwards. We had 5000 ship mates. But some of us were more like brothers than friends or shipmates.
Jim was lucky enough to have Pat. I reminded him often that i didn't know what he did to deserve her.
I guess it had to do with his heart. Cause he had a big one. We were always helping out our other friends like Sam Curtis , who got his wife to fly to meet Sam in Hong Kong. After Nanette got there , Sam had like three dollars to entertain her in Hong Kong. Jim and I raised enuf $ to allow Sam to show Nannette a good time. Even though neither of us had the money to do much else. Heart. Big heart. Friend. Brother. Shipmate.
He always kept up with as many shipmates as he could. He was like that.
After Hurricane Laura wiped out our retirement home in Grand Chenier, Jim sent assistance. Would not take no for an answer. He was bound and determined to help. Fifty years later he is still stepping up ! Jim is my friend. Thanks Buddy! Til we meet again.
Fair winds and following seas!!
That was Jim And I. Even though we were total strangers until we became shipmates on the Coral Sea, one would never know that that afterwards. We had 5000 ship mates. But some of us were more like brothers than friends or shipmates.
Jim was lucky enough to have Pat. I reminded him often that i didn't know what he did to deserve her.
I guess it had to do with his heart. Cause he had a big one. We were always helping out our other friends like Sam Curtis , who got his wife to fly to meet Sam in Hong Kong. After Nanette got there , Sam had like three dollars to entertain her in Hong Kong. Jim and I raised enuf $ to allow Sam to show Nannette a good time. Even though neither of us had the money to do much else. Heart. Big heart. Friend. Brother. Shipmate.
He always kept up with as many shipmates as he could. He was like that.
After Hurricane Laura wiped out our retirement home in Grand Chenier, Jim sent assistance. Would not take no for an answer. He was bound and determined to help. Fifty years later he is still stepping up ! Jim is my friend. Thanks Buddy! Til we meet again.
Fair winds and following seas!!