Comments

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  Donald H Nelson January 6, 2013 at 2:36pm

  Thanks for the invite ...I will check out USS Vesuvius on Facebook. I was aboard her in Jan. 1972 just as she was leaving for Westpac. My first cruise and I was seasick before the Golden Gate bridge was in the rearview mirror! Sick the entire way to the Philippines. I was an airman and obviously got mixed up orders..lol! They had no idea what to do with me so made me a mess cook for all 14 chief petty officers. It was great duty as I got tips and we always got ice cream before anybody else. After 6 weeks of that, I kind of figured the Navy forgot about me so began studying for Gunners Mate ...and went to 3rd div. In April, right about Easter, all of a sudden my div. officer called me in, and there were my new orders to VAQ130 A3 Skywarrior squadron in Alameda! I had 15 days leave attached, so flew to San Fran out of Manila, took leave, and when I got back to Alameda, found out my new squadron had just left for Westpac aboard USS MIdway!! So..back on a plane (Flying Tiger Airlines) and back to Manila. Then spent the next year on Midway and saw the Vesuvius a couple of times over there. I then went to an F4 Phantom outfit after that cruise(VF 142) aboard USS America out of Norfolk and did a Medcruise with them in 74. Was an ADJ 3 . I spent the last 6 months at Miramar NAS (Fightertown) doing engine overhauls until discharged after 4 years on Jan 25 , 1975. I felt very fortunate to see both sides of the world!
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  francis mickey doyle June 1, 2012 at 8:02pm

  hardest working crew and ships in the u.s. navy. mickey doyle em2 uss great sitkin ae17,1965-1967.also the most scariest.
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  alan c. moore April 4, 2012 at 3:53pm

  THNX:: from this WW2 "plankowner sailor