Comments

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  Richard Ernst March 24, 2010 at 1:17pm

  and how could we forget Teen High Club, the local OI division hangout. I remember sitting in the swinging couch when someone noticed a rope hanging off the roof that nobody had noticed before. Jeff Lowe went over, jumped up and grabbed it, thinking it might ring a bell. It was a rat's tail. The biggest damn rat I ever saw, and it bounced off his head. Always a cockroach at the bottom of the pitcher of mojo. Never figured that one out. The roof leaked onto the pool table, so when making a shot, there was sometimes a rooster tail of water behind the cue ball. All the room came with optional girls, that lived in them. Silverton could use a hotel like that. I'll pass on another baluet (one in a lifetime is enough) but I wouldn't mind some lumpia. And don't forget the bus trip to Olongapo City...Marilyn's...where the girls were under the tables. Hmm...maybe getting into some non-declassified areas here.
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  John A Vaclav March 23, 2010 at 3:46pm

  How about the Aligator pit in front of Paulines...Grandie Island ...Mini Golf...Street Shoe Shines...monkey meat street vendors ...the "Throw me coin sailor" river...Jitney rides...and of course San Miguel (sp) I could never remember which version was the one you weren't supposed to order ! OH baluets...... Those aged duck eggs.
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  Richard Ernst March 23, 2010 at 11:57am

  There's three things that stand out in my mind that are not classified. First is the time Jeff Lowe and I walked from the ship to the exchange, up that long hill and those damn rock monkeys started throwing rocks at us. Second would be my shore patrol assignment--beat 8, the ghetto. The blacks thought I was insane walking into one of the bars down there with my armband and baton. Third is the greatest copy band I have ever heard. Les Jovials. They were right down on Magsaysay every night. Played everything from Led Zepplin to Crosby Stills and Nash to Queen. They could have made a fortune over here.
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  John A Vaclav March 23, 2010 at 9:42am

  Hey Rick...I'll always remember the P.I. but isn't that all still classified?
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  Richard Ernst March 15, 2010 at 1:55pm

  Hello John Vaclav. You were getting short when I came on board. You helped me find a house in Walnut Creek which was just a little town then. Seems like you showed me a few things in the P.I. too. Rick Ernst.
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  John A Vaclav March 12, 2010 at 6:39pm

  crew member 1974-1976 watched Sigon fall from the flight deck
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  william donald waddell December 30, 2009 at 8:42pm

  I flew on just before the Suez transit Italy,france,austrailia,hong cong 2 times korea,mombosa,philipines 3 times checked off at start of world cruise 2 wespacs a med cruise a norpac and what was the name of the other when mighty mo decomissioned
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  Adrian Hernandez December 27, 2009 at 6:09pm

  I was on the Big E during the '71' WESPAC cruise. Attached to VF-142. I was temporarily assigned to H Div working in Sick Bay. My first and last ship of my 4 year enlistment. I was totally overwhelmed and in awe of her.
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  Richard Ernst September 14, 2009 at 11:52am

  They flew me onto the Big E while underway off the SoCal coast around July 1976. OS3, right out of A school, Great Lakes, then NTDS School at Point Loma. Took awhile to find my way around. Headed out for WestPac shortly after that. Operation Kangaroo II took us to Hobart, Tasmania. Spent 1978-1980 in drydock in Bremerton.
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  Paul Basso August 2, 2009 at 12:24pm

  I served aboard USS Enterprise CVN-65 1976 with VAQ-134 (CVW-14), AME-3