I have posted my adventures on just how I got to the USS Hector (AR-7), and the ordeals I had to endure while aboard her. Getting back home again was almost as much "fun", to be sure.
I think someone out there had it "in" for me as I had to not only travel halfway around the world to get ON my ship, but I also had to once again travel halfway around the world to get back home again.
Hector had been in Guam for the first few months of 1975 having work done to her galleys, berthing compartments and other such areas, and the crew had to live in barracks on the Naval Base. Then, Vietnam fell to the communists and Guam was the staging area for processing thousands of refugees that were pouring in there via cargo ships and airplanes from that war torn little country. "Operation New Life" sent thousands of these homeless people all over the world to new homes in countries many of them had never heard of.
During this work, I saw many things that made me thank God I was an American. Many of these people were very thankful we there too.
Once USS Hector was released from its need to be in Guam, it steamed to an "R&R" port for a little fun, then up to Yokosuka, Japan. Across the bay was the large, grey form of the USS Midway (CVA 41) an Aircraft Carrier. Hector hadn't been in port very long, when a couple of Midway sailors came down to the foundry to ask if we had some ingot bronze we could spare. We gave them a couple of ingots and they said if we wanted to see the Midway, come on over. That night, I went over to see the Midway.
These guys had taken a "void" down below decks and had transformed it into a real little heaven for a sailor to live in. It was all painted black, had posters and black lights all over the place, TVs, stereos, couches and chairs...and a refrigerator. One guy asked me, and I quote, "Do you want a thirty-two-and-a-half degree soda?" Well, not one to deny a host from strutting his stuff, I accepted and sure enough that was one cold Coke! It had little bits of slush floating in it! We also went to chow and they had "all you can eat" shrimp that night. What was I doing on HECTOR???
My days on Hector were very, VERY limited now. I had put in for a thirty-day cut to my active duty time and got it. I had to start my checking out procedures. All the stuff I had bought over the last three and a half years I still had aboard, but could not take with me were put down in the metal stores hold under the foundry. My stereo and my "cruise box" all were put down out of harm's way. I gave Skip Carrington my address and he would let me know when Hector was back at Mare Island in a few months.
I had to go up to the Captain's cabin where he tried to get me to re-consider my tragic error to leave the wonderful world of Navy life. I politely replied I had already made other plans and the Navy was just going to have to get along somehow without me.
Time seemed to drag. Finally my last night aboard was here! As most can attest, I was all keyed up and couldn't sleep. I showered and went to my bunk for the last time. I laid there awake and was itching to go. Then this drunk bastard comes down. I recognized him and knew where he slept, but he got into the bunk next to mine. The remodel on the berthing areas was not yet done and there were no dividers between the bunks. This joker passed out in the wrong bunk. I try to sleep. Next thing I know, I am getting wet and it is very WARM! "WHAT THE FUCK????" This bastard is PISSING on me! I got out of bed, went around and just punched his ass out. Then up to the showers and some clean clothes.
My last night on Hector, I slept on the bearing bench in the upper foundry. I slept many times on that old bearing bench. I had done much work there as well.
Reveille sounded and I got up, put on my dungarees, went and ate breakfast then down for morning quarters. After that, I went down and stripped my bunk and turned in the soiled linen, got my orders from personnel, then back down to finish packing and changed into my traveling uniform. Out on the pier, I was picked up and driven to Yokota Air Base. Even though I had been here before a few years ago, it didn't look familiar. I was told to go out and get on this big friggin' grey airplane outside, a C-5 Galaxy.
I go out and climb up this short ladder to the inside of the back of the cargo bay...Damn that thing was bigger inside than it was outside! I ask an Airman where to put my bag. He says to just drop it where it was and then I noticed there were no seats. I say "Where do I sit?" He says "Up there", and points to this stair case going UP...Had to be twenty feet high.
I go UP and then I get into this compartment that is also very large, but is dark and has row upon row of seats facing backwards. I sit and strap in. We take off and I start to notice a few things, or LACK of them. No windows. No movies. No cute stewardess with snacks. Don't let it get out, but the Air Force is NOT one to provide many amenities...
A couple of hours later, we land at this place called "Elmendorf"..It is in Alaska...At this time, I would not yet know I would one day be living just a few miles from this very spot I was now at. I was told we would be here about four hours to get the plane serviced..."WHAT THE FUCK???" I asked if I had to stay on this plane, as the one at the head of the line had already been here for three and a half hours and was going to the same place I was. "No, go on ahead and get on that one if you like." ZZZZZIIIIIPPPP! I was on the one at the head of the line.
Same deal. Upstairs to NO windows, NO movies, and NO stewardess and facing BACKWARDS. Some airline!
We land in California, I spend a night in some place, get processed out the next day, get on the last airline flight in the Military I will ever need, and land at my home town of Portland, Oregon where I had left from just four years ago. A month or so later, I drive down to Vallejo Cal, and go to Mare Island to get my stuff off the ship. Some of the guys help me stuff it all into my little car and I am then fully out of the Navy. Been there ever since.
Comments