Memoir of Capt. John M. Palmer – 424th BS – 1944-1945

Don’t Let Your Engine Go To Idle”

(J. M. Palmer – The Story of My Life)

Chapter 1

The Formative Years

Prolog

Sometime ago someone made the statement like this – “It is not the destination that is important but the journey is everything.”  Now join me in my journey of life.

I guess that there is a way to start off this story and it is to begin in the beginning.  My mother and father were born in the late 1890’s just before the beginning of the roaring 20s. My mother, Ivah Hattie MacLeod, was born in Moira, New York and my father, John Monroe Palmer was born in Skaneateles, New York. Both worked in the paper mill industry in different parts of New York State. How they ever got together in a period of time when people just live wherever they were born and never moved anywhere else. According to my aunt she said that periodically the paper mill people would get together and hold a joint party and it was one of these parties that my mother and father first met and started up a romance. My sister, June Lillian arrived first on May 13, 1922 in Skaneatles, NY and then I, John Monroe came along afterwards on July 24,1923 in Pyrites, NY.  The story goes that I was born on the kitchen table, and the roaring 20s were well underway.

The roaring 20s just lasted that long because here came the depression of the 1928 – 29 that lasted well into World War II. My father lost his job at the DeGrass Paper Company because the mill closed. However, he was offered a job in Corner Brook, Newfoundland as a Purchasing Agent for the International Power and Paper Company and he went up there in 1927. Newfoundland was actually a British colony when we first moved up there and was the only British colony that printed its own money. I was told that I had my fifth birthday in Corner Brook, and that is about where the story is going to start.

The Formative Years

Corner Brook, Newfoundland

I started school in a building that was three stories tall and housed all of the grades from first grade on through to the 11th grade. At that time there was no 12th grade in the Corner Brook Public School (CBPS). Our home on Park Street was only a block or so away from the school which made it very convenient with the snow and everything to be able to walk to and  from our house to the school. The big meal of the day was at noon, dinnertime, and in the evening, suppertime, we only had sandwiches or soup and the whole family was there to share the events of the day.  One of the earliest events that I remember was in first grade where the teacher had drawn a large circle in chalk on the floor.  It was for those pupils who misbehave.  My friend, Bruce Fisher,  and I were placed in the circle for some misdeed.  Bruce started to erase the circle with his toe and I squealed on him and I got to sit down.

My father was a member of the Masonic Fraternity before he came to Newfoundland.  I remember him getting all dressed up in his tux and going to Lodge meetings.  In the early 30’s the Corner Brook Lodge undertook the project of building a new lodge hall.  The building was three stories high and when it was completed, the structure was dedicated by officials from the Grand Lodge of England.  The regalia that the officials wore was outstanding.

This was a fabulous time for music with the era of the big bands.  Great music and great lyrics.   There was a short wave radio program every week end called “Your Hit Parade”that ranked the songs/music in popularity including the top ten.  My girl fried, Jean Cook, and I would be glued to the radio attempting to guess which song was ‘Number One’. I did date other girls –  Doris Shepard, Vera LaDruax, and Cora Sweet, to name a few.

Across the street there was a stream, or brook, that flowed  down a gully from our house.  It opened up into a small valley where there were a lot of spruce and pine trees that grew quite tall. The four of us guys that palled  around together decided that it would be a great idea to climb one of the trees and cut off the top and build a tree house up there. Well, we built the platform up on top of the tree and got it all stabilized. Like kids going to the movies all the time, we decided that our place up there had to have a quick way of getting down to the ground.

We found a bunch of coiled wire and decided to rig four wires to the platform up on top of the tree down to the ground and stake them into the ground. So we decided that we had better try it out to see if it worked and so we all jumped off of the platform holding onto the wire and went all the way to the bottom. I guess our fall was slowed down a little bit because of hitting the tree branches on the way down. Trying to hold onto the wire, we got friction burns on the palms of our hands.  We had a time trying to explain to our families how come our hands were so beat up on the palms  I guess we learned something about friction and heat.

There was a regulation that requires a citizen of the United States when they are in a foreign country to have to return to the United States at regular times to maintain citizenship. In 1931, my father bought a new Ford Roadster, black with red wheels and a rumble seat. We were going to leave Newfoundland and returned to the United States in the summer of 1931.  Now the only way that you can leave the town of Corner Brook was either by rail or by ship. Our new Ford was sent by rail from Corner Brook to Port aux Basques, Nfld and then by ship to Sydney, Nova Scotia.   So my mother, sister and I (me in the rumble seat, rain or shine) drove through the provinces of Canada,  Nova Scotia and New Brunswick into the United States and on through Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont finally arriving in New York State. We were to stay in Potsdam with my mother’s sisters and in Skaneateles with my father’s sisters for the summer and return to Corner Brook in time to start school in the fall.

There is a side story about the trip when we were in Maine and going up a steep hill.  The car would stall and we would have to back down the hill.  Once we were level the car would start and we would make a faster run up the hill but with the same result.  A man came by and asked my mother if she was low on gasoline and she indicated it was less than half full.  He explained to my mother that the carburetor was gravity fed and he suggested that my mother back up the hill until the road fattened out.  It did work and we made it to the top.

My mother, like all the ladies, wore leather gloves while driving.  On one of our trips back the USA we were driving through a town and we had to make a sharp turn.  One of her glove fingers got caught in the steering wheel spokes and she couldn’t straighten the steering wheel.  She wound up over the curb and up into the front lawn of a house.  She got the car under control and stopped the car before it hit anything.

I really don’t know where the passion for airplanes came from because there were no airplanes flying it in or around Corner Brook because there is no airport. It could have come from the movies that I could see airplanes flying and people in them. World War I movies with  fighter airplanes in them. I’m sure all had something to do with the passion I had for airplanes, so much so, that I started to build model airplanes. One of the things that the theater in Corner Brook did was to have a contest every year about who could come up with the best design and make a model of the airplane. The prize was a free pass to the movie. I submitted a few models before I’ve actually won a free pass.

While in Potsdam, a barnstormer came through with his biplane and landed outside of town on a farmers field. The pilot was selling rides run and I pleaded with my mother to let me go fly in the barnstormer’s airplane. She let me do it. The cost was five dollars and five dollars was a lot of money in the depression 1931 to fly around the town of Potsdam them come back in and land. I was totally hooked on airplanes from that point on. It was an old Waco Model YMF biplane with a front and rear open cockpits and I was in the front cockpit and the barnstormer pilot was in the rear cockpit. My sister and I were taking piano lessons and all I wanted to talk about was becoming a pilot. There was a movie called “Flying Down to Reo” where the pilot had a piano in the airplane. My mother lost her argument and that’s when the passion to become a pilot became serious in 1933.

My father was a great outdoors man and he loved to go hunting and fishing. One time he took me along with his buddies to go salmon fishing.  We left Corner Brook on a fully rigged working schooner that went up the west coast of Newfoundland to a place called Serpentine River. On the way up to the river one of the crew members of the schooner taught me how to ‘jig’ for cod from the side of the boat and have fresh fish for dinner. The jig was in a shape of a fish made out of lead with two hooks, one on each side. A line was tied to the ‘tail’ of the jig and let it go down in the water some distance and then jerk on the line up and down until you felt it hook a codfish and then you’d pull it up and there was the fish. I was fascinated with the idea of having a jig so the guy gave it to me and I put it in my tackle box. The same seaman took time out to teach me how to sail the schooner by looking at the way the sails were shaped and controlled by the big helm wheel and after the schooner to keep the boat in trim all the time. The sails are shaped just like an airplane wings.  It was a lot of fun learning how to sail this big schooner.

Once we had set up camp near the mouth of the  Serpentine River, I decided to go up the river and see if I could catch a salmon. I waded up the bank of the river until I came to a water falls and a pool down below the falls. I could see the salmon just swimming around in the pool so I got the bright idea that I would jig one of the salmon and be the first one to bring one back to camp. I was busily trying to jig one of the salmon when the game warden came by and said that what I was doing was not legal and that it was also not good sportsmanship to use the jig to try to catch a salmon. So he marched me back to the camp where I was given another lecture on sportsmanship. The game warden confiscated my prize jig.

Like all the boys we collected Match Box Cars.  They were about two inches long and came in all shapes and colors.  Naturally, I always took some of them on out fishing trips. The game warden always made a visit to see if we had the proper license.  He invited me to come to his home and meet his kids.  They had never seen these little cars before and wanted some.  They had a model of a fully rigged sailboat that actually sailed.  The hull was about a couple feet long and the masts were longer.  They offered to trade the boat for the cars.  I was happy and they were happy so I guess that it was a good trade. My father was not sure. All they had to eat was ‘hard tack’ and hot tea.  I never found out if my dad added some money; but, I expect he did.

It was about this time that my father took me down to the wharf where the freighters were docked.  Much to my surprise there was a little black female Cocker Spaniel puppy.  It fit inside my overcoat to keep it warm. I named the puppy ‘Pal’ and she would follow me every where, even on some of our ski trips.

In 1938, my mother, sister and I were scheduled to make another trip back to the States. I had been reading about the Worlds Fair to be held in New York in 1939.  I wanted to go to the Fair. So I negotiated that I would work the summer of 1938, save my money and go to New York by my self in 1939.  I would then be 16.

Corner Brook was a great place for a kid to grow up because it had so many great  winter sports that you can do forever and ever. The town is situated between two rivers, the Humber River and the Corner Brook River.  Both of those rivers freeze over during the winter. The harbor is about 20 miles long and about 1 ½ miles wide and will freeze over halfway way out to the ocean. There are pictures of  ocean going freighters that had been stuck in the ice and not able to make it up to the docks at Corner Brook.

One of the things we used to do with ice skates is that we would make a sail out of two pieces of wood and cloth to help make the sail and then go out and sail around on the ice. The ice was not smooth but was sort of pebbly like.  By the time that you get going up to speed in the wind, your legs are vibrating on the pebbly ice and your legs muscles finally give out. You stop, sit down for a while and then start going sailing again on skates. The Corner Brook River had a dam on it and the lake created by the dam was a great place that was kept open for ice-skating.  The Glenn Mill Inn hotel would keep the snow cleared off for a large skating rink.

There was a ski cabin about 8 miles outside of town and we used to go out to that ski cabin on the week end in the wintertime and stay overnight in the loft and then ski cross country the next day.  The Ski Club had a ski jump that I couldn’t ever got nerve enough to go off the ski jump. There was  one time. One night three other guys and myself took one of the toboggans at the ski club and took it up at the top of the ski jump area to see if we could take the toboggan and go over the ski jump. Well we finally got to a place we wouldn’t kill ourselves and away we went down the run and over the jump. The toboggan went one way and the four of us went another ways, all winding in a pile down on the slope. Obviously the caretaker of the facility, who groomed the slope for ski jumping, was not very happy with us for having made him go out there again to prepare the runoff for the ski jumpers.

One of the great things about skiing in Corner Brook is when there is a real cold winter night and is clear and you walk on the snow and it crunches. We would  get on our skis and we could ski almost all the way from the ski cabin all the way to downtown Corner Brook. We would ski, without hardly stopping, using ski poles just to get it going, after you come up over a slope. And down we go that it was great winter sports area for us guys that wanted to ski.

When wintertime was about over and the ice was melting on the lake our cadre of guys would gather at the dam and see who would be the first one to go in the water. The first one in got bragging rights for the rest of the year.  I was never the first, but I was never the last. The best way was to dive in and get out as fast as you could.  It was a lot of fun.  The river up stream from the lake was our favorite swimming hole. It had shale rock that made great diving platforms into pools. It’s a wonder that someone didn’t get killed diving into the water where all the shale was.

The other thing we use to do is we would leave home on Friday afternoon and we would go on skis outside of town and we would spend Friday night and Saturday night in the snow.  We would build our own lean to’s and end two days and two nights out there in the in the so-called wilderness All four of us guys were in the Boy Scouts and members of the Junior Forest Wardens. We were all exposed to survival in the wilderness like all Boy Scouts were .

We still like to go into the areas beyond our town for overnight camping trips, even in the winter with snow on the ground.  The four of us we got pressured by our parents to take along another guy that had no experiences of being in the wilderness in the winter. We objected to having to do that but our parents prevailed and he came along with us. Well we were in the snow and we set of our camp, built our lean to and built our fire. we were quite comfortable.

The next day we headed home but the new kid was cold and he wanted to stop and lay down and go to sleep. But we recognize that he could not go to sleep, so we had to get  him warm. We found a cave on our way back and proceeded to build a fire in the cave to get him warm.  His clothes were wet and we got his clothes off of him and dried his clothes. He wanted to go to sleep but we kept him awake. We finally got him warmed up and we were on our way home when we met a search party made of our parents.  We were late and they were coming out to find us and why we are not home. After we were home alone I pleaded not to send any kid with us anymore who had not any the experience in survival training.

My summer employment in 1938 was with a garage that sold Fords and Dodge cars and trucks.  I started in the body shop painting under the fenders with black paint.  Believe me I would be head to foot in black paint at the end of the day.  I gradually worked up to wet sanding the chipped paint areas until you could not feel the edges.  It was not very challenging so I asked to be moved to the mechanical area where they worked on engines, transmissions and differentials –  parts of the drive train.

One of the things I learned to do was to back up large trucks out of the building.  You would start the engine, shift to reverse and step out, with the engine in idle, onto the running board while steering the truck.  You cannot see behind the truck and I didn’t see a brand new Dodge behind me.  I backed right into the front of the brand new car. I made $40 per month and I didn’t have to pay to fix the front end of the new Dodge.  I guess that they considered that was part of my training. Oh by the way!  Did I mention that the man who owned the garage was also a good friend of my father.

My departure to the United States in the summer of 1939 is foggy in my memory about how I got there.  All that I remember there was a new Lincoln Zephyr and a lady needed help in driving the car. In any event I did get to Potsdam and stayed there with my aunts.  When it got time to go to New York City I hitched a ride to White Planes and stayed with friends of the family.  Each day I would catch the bus to the New York, then on the subway to the Fair Grounds.  I did that for a week when it was time to catch the ship back to Corner Brook.  It was one of the freighters owned by the International Paper Company and was called S.S. Corner Brook.  We were at sea on September 1st 1939 when England declared war on Germany.  Here I am an American citizen, without a pass port, on an English ship.  All of the windows (port holes) were painted black and all the running lights were turned off.  Submarines were supposed to be in the area and were sinking ships.  I got back to Corner Brook in time to start classes.  It was my final year in CBPS and I would be a member of the graduating Class of 1940.

When I returned to Corner Brook I could see that life had changed due to the war.  Many friends of mine had volunteered to go to war for England.  There were parades of the volunteers and the loading on the trains to take them to training and combat.

Even though I had traveled much of my life, my father still said I was too young, at 16, to go to college. So I applied back to the garage and got a job there in the drive train department.  It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot about repairing automobiles.  The company that owned the garage also owned a fleet of trucks that were under contract building the runways for Gander Airport. I found out that they paid the truck drivers a lot more money than I was making at the garage.  I applied for and got a job as a driver.  The shifts were 12 to18 hours every day which got old very quickly.  So I went back to being a mechanic at Gander Airport servicing our trucks.

The garage had a Model A coupe to move small parts and equipment from the warehouse to the garage. It had the right seat would fold down to make more room for the parts. One day after lunch, I was sitting in the back seat because of parts when the driver had to stop.  He applied the brakes and I went flying through the front windshield and landed on the hood, holding the radiator cap. The driver had forgotten that the brakes were just relined.  Fortunately, I didn’t get a scratch. 

One night we got a call that one of the lumber carrier trucks had broken down. I hitched a ride and got the truck running.  The lumber carrier cab had room for only the driver so I stood behind the cab on the flat bed and headed back to the office.  Little did I know that there was a three inch water pipe over the road way feeding a concrete mixer.  The driver didn’t see it and neither did I.  I woke up hanging off the back of the flat bed, blood everywhere.  I banged on the cab and got the drivers attention.  He drove me to the emergency room.  The pipe had hit me in the mouth, broken several front teeth. The doctor told me that if I had been an inch or two taller or shorter the impact would have killed me.  That ended my working at Gander Airport.  Back in Corner Brook, the dentist couldn’t do much until the swelling had gone.  Only one tooth had the nerve exposed and he could work on that to save the root.  Finally I was able to cap the rest of the broken teeth.

My passion for airplanes continued to thrive and I started reading aviation books about where I could learn to fly airplanes, learn to design airplanes and found that most of the places where in California. There was one in Iowa. So I set my heart upon going to California and going to school. My father finally relented and I was approved to go the Curtis Wright Technical Institute located at the Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale California.

Becoming An Adult

Farewell to Newfoundland.

It was summer 1941 and the planing was well under way to go to California and start my studies.  My family arranged passage on the passenger ship S.S. New Northland.  The ship was scheduled to make a Port of Call at Prince Edward Island and then on to Montreal, Canada.  I was met by my aunts from Potsdam who drove me back to the United States.  It was August 1941 that I boarded a Greyhound bus bound for Chicago.  At Chicago, I boarded an Express Greyhound Coach (stopped only at major cities) and road all the way to Los Angeles on the now famous Route 66.

One of the legs of the trip, there was a lady seated next to me.  I asked her where she was going and she told me LA. (Ellaye?).  I responded that I was going to Los Angeles.  Boy, was I ever embarrassed – country boy going to the big city.

Welcome to Glendale, California

I was met at the Greyhound Terminal by a Ford Station Wagon (woodie) which drove me to the Grand Central Air Terminal and got me registered at the Curtis Wright Technical Institute (CWTI). The Station Wagon then took me to the rooming house on 1364 Norton Avenue where I would be housed for the next 12 months.  There were 8 other students from CWTI.

Having settled in, I asked the landlady how I could go to downtown Glendale.  She indicated that I should walk down Norton Ave. to San Fernando Road and then take the street car to downtown. I made it downtown and wandered around for a while and decided that I should head back to my new home.  To my dismay I had not written down the address.  I devised a scheme to get the information by looking up the number of the school and call them for the address.  The school operator answered and I asked her if John Palmer was registered, and if she had the address.  She responded by asking me where I was, (cross street) and she would send a car for me and take me to my residents. Live and learn!!

Grand Central Air Terminal is the airport that the motion picture people used to fly to other cities.  The primary commercial airplane was the DC-3 which was the first commercial airplane to make a profit without government subsidies.  The Army Air Corps had a number of P-38s stationed at the Glendale Airport.  This was the first time I had seen one and fell in love with the pursuit plane.  It had two turbo supercharged engines and when they started one of the engines, it had an exhaust sound that would turn your head, a low rumble.  What a beauty and I set my goals that some day I would fly that bird.

Most of the guys at the house were new to the area and didn’t know any girls.  So a few of us  decided we would visit the different churches and check our the youth groups for candidates. I think we attended most all the churches.  There was a girl I paled around with named Betty Freemann. One of our projects at school was to design an airplane and I named mine the ‘Freemann Special’. All race planes had ‘Special’ in their name.

The big event of 1941 was the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec 7th and the resulting ‘Declaration of War’ against Japan. One of the guys was from San Louis Obispo and I was invited to spend Christmas with him and his family.  We had heard on the radio about Santa Barbara being bombed by Japanese submarines. Obviously we had to go see the carnage, but we didn’t find any.  There seemed to be a difference in the attitude around the school. More focused in our endeavors. My desire still was to become a pilot, but the Air Corps required two years of college so, I would wait to be drafted.

Our class graduated in August 1942 and Larry Landgraf and I hitched a ride to Vega (a Lockheed subsidiary) to get a job in engineering.  We were picked up by a person who said he was Admiral King’s brother and wanted to know where we were going. He though that we would like being in the navy so he invited us to go our on a harbor tour of Wilmington and told us the wharf number, date and time.  Our landlord was a retired Sheriff Deputy and we outlined our invitation to him for his thoughts.  We were a little hesitant in going.  He assured us that it would be all right.

Larry and I took the street car to Wilmington and found the wharf.  We found King and he told us that we going out on P. K Wrigley’s Yacht with a number of business men.   Larry and I hung with the sailors that were in the stern of the yacht   When we got back to the wharf, we found that the Red Cars were no longer running.  One of the men was a banker from Glendale and offered to take us home.  He was driving a Studebaker President that had been modified to burn natural gas.  What an experience for a couple of 19 year old’s.

Now that we had graduated from CWTI we could no longer live in our rooming home on Norton Ave so Larry and I moved to a home on Brand Ave in the foothills of Glendale. Both of us were hired at Vega (Lockheed) in the engineering department.  For the first six weeks we were in training, working in each department from the receipt of raw material to the flight line.  We had special badges that allowed us to all areas of the factory. 

Now I was getting a first hand look at P-38s being made and increased my desire to become a pilot of a P-38.  At noon one day the Chief Experimental Test Pilot, Tony LeVier, gave an ariel flight demonstration of the 1,000th P-38.  It was accomplished mostly in the confines of the air space above Burbank Airport. The Constellation, a new four engine transport,  was nearing completion and being readied for its first flight.

I was having some trouble seeing things clearly so I needed to go see a an eye doctor to find out what might be wrong with my eyes. There was a doctor in Glendale that I went to see and he said that my eyes were 20/40.  I was devastated because the Air Corps required pilots to have 20/20 uncorrected vision. The doctor believed that my problem was weak mussels in the eyes and he had a way of making them improve to 20/20.  The process evolved a treatment three times a week in his office where I would sit first in a room that was perfectly dark with my eyes open.  I would then look into a machine and concentrate on keeping two lines intersecting with each other like a little cross.  The lines appeared to go further away from you or come close at the same time going up or down and left or right. You had to keep these two lines crossed through this all of this movement. This went on for about six weeks and at the end of that period of time my eyes were now 20/20 and I would be able to pass the eye exam to become a pilot. There is an exercise that I could do which was to hold a pencil at arms length and keep it in focus as you move the pencil through the extent of your arms and it has worked for me for many years.

Larry and I were without transportation so we decided to go into partnership with two vehicles. One was a 1936 Harley Davidson motorcycle and the other was a black 1936 Plymouth 4 door sedan with red wheels. The Harley was used to go to work at Lockheed and the Plymouth was used when we had dates.  Learning to drive the Harley was a thing that we had to do and do very cautiously so that we learned how to drive the Harley safely. 

One night I was driving the Harley and Larry was on the seat behind me. We came upon a T intersection and I knew that I was going too fast to be able to make the corner so I made the decision to go straight ahead into the curb and we wound up in a recently plowed field. Larry and I and the bike all went in different directions into the field. and wound up with no harm to either us. The front wheel fork and wheel was bent so we had to walk  the bike back home to make repairs. When I tool off my clothes to shower there  was dirt everywhere, even inside my underwear.  There is a saying among motor cycle drivers “There are two kinds of motor cycle drivers, those who have laid one down and those who are going to.”

The second time that I laid the bike down was when I was on my way home from Lockheed.  In Glendale the streets that run parallel to the mountains had a dip on each side to allow water to flow down hill. This intersection did not go straight through but made a dogleg.  I downshifted and made the turn to the left on dry pavement and as I was accelerating across the intersection there was water in the intersection on the other side and the bike started to slide.  I made an effort to get off of the bike and let it go and to roll up in a ball.  I landed on my left arm in a compression fracture of my wrist. I knew that I had probably broken my broken my wrist. I got up and put the bike of on its kick stand and fired it up and started to drive home. When I started to shift gears, the lever being on the left-hand side and my left arm be in the one that was hurt I knew that I had a real problem. When I got home the landlady notice that my arm was swollen and insisted that she drive me to the emergency room at the hospital in Glendale. I spent the night in the hospital and found out that I had broken the two main bones in my arm and all of the little bones in the wrist.

It was only a few days after I got out of the hospital that I got a letter from the Selective Service. I was to report for induction into the U. S. Army Air Corps.  I made my appearance and I was told to come back in six weeks after I had the cast removed.  The International Power & Paper Co. had sold the paper mill in Corner Brook to Bowater Lloyd of England.  Along with that they began replacing the American executives with people from England.  My father was one of the people replaced.  He accepted a position with the Crossett Paper Company in Crossett, Arkansas.  I inquired if the Selective Service could transfer my orders to Arkansas so I could visit my parents before going into the service.  I got an affirmative response but I would have to pay my own way to Arkansas.  I sold my half of the Harley and Plymouth to Larry and booked a passage on a  train to Arkansas, December 1942.

The War Years

Welcome to Crossett, Arkansas

The train trip went as far as Texarkana, Arkansas and from there I had to get a Trailways bus to Crossett, Arkansas.  This is a very interesting town in that it is owned by the Crossett Company and wood products are the products.  The company owned the general store, theater, gas station and the houses where the employees lived.  All of the homes and commercial buildings were painted the same color, ‘Crossett Gray’ from the Pittsburgh Paint Company.   There is a paper mill, lumber mill and a charcoal mill and the employees were paid in script.  It was a classic feudal system and was ultimately banned where employees were now paid in U.S. currency and employees were allowed to buy their homes, even change the color.

U. S. Army Reception Center

Little Rock, Arkansas

The Selective Service made good their agreement and I received a notice to appear in Little Rock to be inducted into the U. S. Army Air Corps.  I said my good byes to my mother and father. The bus was loaded with guys and headed for Little Rock.  The person seated next to me was Carl Nelms and we struck up a friendship.  Upon arrival in Little Rock we got separated, probably because my left arm was still in a cast.  We again went through a physical and I was questioned about the cast. 

It had now been over 6 weeks and they removed the cast and x-rayed the wrist.  The technician told the doctor that he didn’t believe that the wrist was ever broken.  The doctor looked at the x-ray and he didn’t think it was ever broken believing that I was pulling a scam.  I told him the doctor’s name in Glendale and the Army doctor was a class mate of his. There was a small hair line of the fracture that was still visible.  My enlistment date was recorded as February 20, 1943, and now I was given all kinds of exams, both oral and physical.  Learned how to do K.P. and scrub pots and pans.  Even learned how to do guard duty.  No ammo in the guns.  They finally figured out what to do with me and I was shipped off to Miami Beach by train for basic training.

U. S. Army Air Forces

Miami Beach, Florida

I arrived in Miami Beach in April 6,1943. The U.S. Army had confiscated a number of hotels that were on the beach. The address of the one that I was assigned to was 1420 Collins Avenue, between 14th and Espanolia.  They actually removed all of the room furnishings out of the hotel and replace them with G.I. bunks and foot lockers to put our uniforms and personal items. There were four men assigned to each room and the one I was assigned was on a corner overlooking the beach.. During this period of time at Miami Beach, we were introduced to all of the military type of requirements,  protocol and military regulations. We had assembly every day and marched to every event.  We even had guard duty where we patrolled the beach in case the enemy invaded our shores. Still no ammo in the guns. What could we do? And of course we were shown movies of all the hazzards of sexually transmitted deceases.

One thing that I would do every day was to check the bulletin board to find out what was going on in terms of aircrew openings.  There were a number openings for gunners to be on bombers and I immediately signed up for one of them, anything to get into the air and be a part of the airplane air crew. Then came the great day when there was a notice upon the bulletin board that said that pilot training would only now require only one year of college rather than two. I immediately went in and applied for pilot training since I already had one year of college. I was accepted into the program and assigned to a college to take refresher courses.

College Training Detachment called CTD.

Huntington, West Virginia

June 12, 1943

I was off again on a train up to Huntington, West Virginia to Marshall College there we attended refreshers classes of a lot of which we had already taken in college. For physical education we had a civilian physical instructor nicknamed Swede and he would stand up on a platform before all of the cadets and he would chant the cadence that we would be exercising with the words “Swing and sway with Sammy Kay, Swing and sweat with Charlie Barnett, Sweat and bleed with good old Swede”.

The college sponsored dances and parties for the cadets and invited the local girls to attend.  It was a one of these parties that I met Judy Bohannan.  What a lovely girl.  She was a student at the Juilliard School of Music taking lessons in voice.  Boy, could she ever sing.  Every ‘open post’ we would see each other.  This was something big!

It was here in Huntington that I actually handled the controls of an airplane for the first time.   The instructor pilot let me take the controls to make turns and to change altitude. I was doing a terrible job to begin with in keeping the airplane in steady flight, straight and level, but the more that I practiced the better it seemed to get. Each cadet was allowed to fly the airplane during each of our practice sessions.  One such session was to simulate a cross country flight with the cadet doing everything under the watchful eye of the instructor including the landing. 

 San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center

San Antonio, Texas

September12, 1943

The troop train made its way from West Virginia to San Antonio and got us started in the Classification Center.  This is the place where they test every physical and mental element of the human body.  There are IQ test and Eye tests and everything inside and out.  The eye is the one that I was most concerned about.  Both eyes checked out as 20/20 and the ‘depth perception’ was right on.  All of the tests were supposed to determine if you are qualified to be a pilot, navigator, or bombardier.  Of course the most desired status is the pilot. Now that I have been classified as a pilot candidate, I moved across the street to the Pre Flight Center on October 3, 1943.  It will last nine weeks where we will learn navigation, aerodynamics, communications and every part of an airplane.

I got through the first half of pre-flight and did pretty well with a Combined average of 88.  It broke down as follows; Math 93, Maps & Charts 95, Naval Recognition 88. The Morris Code is still giving me problems.  Can’t seem to get over six words per minute and I need 8 to complete the second half of pre-flight.

Judy wants to get married over Christmas leave and I told her that we should wait until I graduated from flight school and was at least commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. Waiting until the war is over is the best solution. Too much uncertainty with overseas duty.  Enough of that subject.  Pre-flight is winding down and final exams are started.  Guess what!  I passed all the exams with a 93 average.  That included ‘code’.  Yeah!!  The word is out and we are going to Cuero, Texas for Primary Flight Training. 

Brayton Flying Service

Cuero, Texas

December 7 1943

Looking at the date it doesn’t seem possible that two years has passed since the raid on Hawaii by the Japanese.  I guess time goes by when you are having fun. The town of Cuero is located about 90 miles, South East of San Antonio.  About three hours by Greyhound bus.  Upon our arrival we were shown our barracks and then given an orientation lecture before lunch. After lunch we had to unpack and be ready for inspection at 3:30 p.m.. We didn’t have the inspection because it rained this morning and our barracks bags got wet.   From all indications this school seems to be really okay in all respects but there is one disappointing fact however that the town of Cuero is pretty small and has no recreation facilities except for a bowling alley so we have not much to look forward to as far as open post is concerned.  But I guess I am in the outfit to learn how to fly, not to have a good time. Here at the field we have a show and a recreation hall that are can frequent at any time we are off duty.

Everyone was wide eyed here today because the barracks are right on the edge of the field.  The training planes were taking off and landing all the time. You know when you see all these be Silver Eagles floating around the skies above it sort of makes you feel as though you had swallowed a flock of butterflies. Your chest swells up and you think some day I will be up there too.  The officers seemed to be nice here and appeared to be very fair and square and not treat you like a bunch of kindergarten youngsters.  The food is excellent, should be, we pay enough for it

The airplane that we are going to be flying is called a Fairchild, PT 19, meaning Primary Trainer. They have 170 hp engines in them and are very fast.  Boy, I can hardly wait.  Tomorrow we get our  flight clothing issued to us –  leather fur-lined jackets, pants, boots, gloves, helmets, goggles etc.  If we are allowed to have a camera here I will try to get a picture taken in my flight suit.

The barracks are one floor and are very roomy. Howard ‘Pete’ Peters and I are still bunkmates and most all of the fellows who were at preflight are still with us. It is nice that way because we all know each other and know what we can expect from each other. The beds have a mattress of about 8 inches thick and also has a coil spring mattress about a foot and a half deep.  I don’t know how I will sleep now on a soft bed again. We have blue blankets now instead of the conventional army brown.  The change sure does look good.

It is now the third day at primary and now we are beginning to realize that this is not all a bed of roses. Yesterday we went out to the flight line and met our instructor. He is a rather big man and I would say he is about 35 or 40 years old and is a civilian.  His name is E. W. Papke from Omaha, Nebraska and is an old barnstorming pilot   The instructor has two different personalities, one which he uses on the ground and the other he uses in the air. On the ground, he is a very nice person to talk to and very reasonable; however in the air he acts like a bulldog, always barking at you and cursing you out.  However, he is a great flyer and well experienced and is trying to teach us all he knows about flying. I can understand why he may be touchy and nervous because of the strain on him in continually teaching cadets how to fly. The ground courses are really tough, especially Theory of Flight and Meteorology.  Both require plenty of night work and long hours of study.  Glad I had the benefit of Curtiss Wright Tech.

There was an interesting event that took place when I was called to report to the Tactical Officer. He had a paper from the War Department for me to sign that would release me from any further military service.  Should I sign this form I would be sent back to California and the Vegas plant as a civilian. I asked the officer would happens if I didn’t want to sign the paper and he says that nothing would change and I would remain in the cadet corps. I had not soloed at this time so it was a gamble on my part that the if I stayed in and did not solo then I would be going back to the to the regular Army.   I didn’t sign it and I stayed as an Aviation Cadet.

I had been having trouble landing the airplane, either I tried to land under the ground or too far above the ground.  I just could not get it right in fact we were out of the practice field one day and I came in to land with the instructor in the front cockpit. I hit the ground so hard that the speaking tubes on my helmet came off. We bounce so hard that we’re back in the air and I pointed to my helmet and wiggled the control stick with the signal to the instructor for him to take the controls.  All of a sudden the instructor realized that no one was flying the airplane and he took the controls and controlled the airplane while yelling at me and started to head back to our home field.  I was devastated because he set up there in front cockpit writing and telling me to look around and take a good look because this was going to be the last time that I would ever see the ground from the cockpit of an airplane.

About halfway back to the base the instructor pulled back the throttle and the engine went to idle. The instructor came on through the speaking tube and asked me if this was a actual engine failure where would I land the plane. I had figured out a place down there to land and told me I had control.  I set up the approach, watched the airspeed and actually made a great landing on this field.  Normally the instructor will apply the power when he thinks the student could make the landing, but he let me actually land the airplane.  The instructor took control and then took off without saying a word. As we were flying back to our base tiny pieces of pink paper started floating by the windscreen and he had torn up the failure flight notice. I sat back and listened to him tell me that he was going to let me land again at our home field and see if I could repeat the landing. I did in fact get it down on the ground in reasonably good shape and I never had any trouble in landing the airplane after that   I actually soloed the next day from the axillary field at 0945 a.m. on December 29,1943. It felt so good to be up there alone without anybody back there beating on your ears about how bad you’re doing.  There was an article in the local paper about a pilot’s first solo flight.

• “You have shot 20 or 30 landings and now you fiddle with the stick and stretch your legs and look at your instructor and then he climbs out and says the words you’ve been waiting to hear all your life. ‘Okay taker up alone!’. There’s just you and your plane now you give the engine the gun, you think, you thunder down the field. You swallow once or twice and then you’re off the ground. Your left wing drops a little and as plainly as if he was still in front of you, comes the order ‘Get that left wing up!’ and you pick it up without a second’s hesitation. You circle around and all at once you wish mom and dad were there in the stage house watching. It makes you feel great because you know that you have made good and you did.  Now to bring her down. Your instructor is watching.  It’s got to be good.  Easy now, mustn’t bound her around.  Okay, here you. The earth slides up smoothly and easily. The wheels touch down and she stops rolling. Perfect!  You taxi back to the stage house and step out of the cockpit and as you walk away from your plane prouder than you’ve ever been and all your life.   Your instructor shakes your hand and you know that you can fly and you will be a pilot.”

Here it is half way through January and we have about 25 days left before we should be leaving for Basic Flight School.  It has been snowing for the last few days and we have not been able to fly.  I now have a total of 14 hours and 10 minutes logged.  At this rate, I will have to fly three hours per day to make the minimum 55 hours or four per day to make the maximum 64 hours. My instructor is going to demonstrate Chandelles, Lazy Eights, and Pylon Eights. Sounds like they would be lots of fun on a solo flight.  No Christmas leaves!  No marriage to Judy!

On January 14, 1944, I became am upperclassman and I passed my first progress check ride which was with the school flight commander. I did pull a few boners but made out okay.  It was supposed to be a 25 hour check ride but I had 30 hours. Now I am due for an Army check ride which is supposed to be given at the 30 hour point. I have up to date around 33 hours and have 32 more hours to go to complete the course   I came in from a solo flight and found that a Lieutenant wanted to give me a check ride. Boy, I almost fell through the floor. However, I passed it okay and so now I feel quite proud of myself. The other two students under my constructor also passed, so my instructor was very happy.

It is now January 25 and we have a very dense fog and as result there is no flying today. On my last flight with my flight instructor he took me up above the clouds and it was the first time that I had ever been up there. It sure was pretty.  Something like an ocean of foam or suds.  It looked so soft and fluffy and seemed almost as though you could get out and walk across them. I will be getting my 40 hour check ride soon because I have 43 hours now. It is usually a little over that when you get the progress check ride. I passed to them all successfully already and hope to make that to follow.

I was promoted to the cadet rank of Cadet Major and fill the position of Wing Adjutant which is the second highest rank a cadet can obtain in his organization.  You see in the cadet organization the cadets are under a Tactical Officer who is a regular commissioned officer and he is our direct supervisory officer. However, in order to give the cadets a chance to command men, they set up student officers and organize them according to the regular flying squadrons and flights. The ‘flight’ is the smallest outfit, then comes the squadron, then group, then wing.  The wing is a composition of all of the smaller ones.  It is more responsibility for me and think the training will do me good. I’m still just a cadet by official rank, but here in the post it means a lot to have a cadet officer job.  The insignia of a colonel is four diamonds, three for a major, two for a captain and one for a lieutenant.

Tomorrow is our final exam for ‘engines and propellers’ and I have a lot of review work to do. The course has been 40 hours long and have covered a vast amount of material. We have had our final examination of ‘aircraft identification’ the other day and I made a 96% and it gives me an average for the course of 97%. I  got 93% average for the ‘navigation’ course. So far I can say I have the very good fortune in my ground school work and in my flying. I have now finished all of the requirements so that when class of 44-F is ready to go we will be transferred to the Basic Flight School.  Don’t know when that will be, yet we should know pretty soon as to where we are going to go.

Majors Army Air Field

Greenville, Texas

On February 8, 1944, the Class 44-F left Cuero, Texas on a train bound for Houston where we boarded a streamliner called “Sunbeam” and arrived in Dallas at about 9:30 p.m.  After a 30 minute delay , our train pulled out headed for Greenville which is about 53 miles, north east of Dallas, and arrived around midnight.  We all got to bed at about 1:30 a.m. February 9th.  Planes were flying all night and most of us couldn’t sleep for the noise of flying planes and the loud hum of the engines.

Now to tell you a little about what this place is like. Here is what we have seen so far. The barracks are tar paper shacks and not by any means very beautiful to look at. All the buildings are built of the same material and the place looks like it was only half completed.  Evidently they didn’t spend very much money on this place.

We were told that we would have little or no time to ourselves for the first four weeks and that the last four weeks would not be much better. Well there is no sense in looking at it pessimistically so I guess all I can hope for is the best of what they have here and work hard.  I went to the flight line this morning and three of my fellow students flew with the instructor. The instructor didn’t have time to fly with me so I will go up first tomorrow morning.  I am anxious to see what the plane flies like.

This afternoon I was the first of our class of 44-F to solo  with 3 hours and 55 minutes in the BT.

It was at the axillary field which has a crown in it and you can’t see another plane from one side or the other.  When my instructor got out of the plane and told me to take off it didn’t look like there were any planes in the takeoff path.  As I came up to the crest on my takeoff run,  I saw another BT taxiing in my path.  I couldn’t stop so pulled back on the stick and just cleared the other plane.  WOW!  I think I gave my instructor a heart attack. Now I am qualified to shoot solo landings on the home field and I am cleared for the area.

The first time I sat in the cockpit of the BT-13 I was impressed with the size of the instrument panel, so  many instruments and switches. The cadets have to study the layout of the various instruments and switches and take a blind fold test to demonstrate you can locate them all. The BT-13 is so much larger then the PT-19 that it is like trying to fly a house from the front porch. We don’t start night flying until we become upperclassman, which will be in about four weeks. By then all of our flying will be instrument flying and with no outside points of reference. Should be very interesting and a lot of fun.  While we are underclassmen we will practice formation flying and acrobatics.

My instructor got another student and my self to go up and fly some formation.  We were assigned a plane and I went to the flight line.  I couldn’t find it right away and when I did the other two planes were fired up and taxiing to the runway.  I finally got the engine running and tried to catch up. The plane was sluggish and I had neglected to put the prop in low pitch.  I had to retard the throttle and change the pitch of the propeller.  Low and slow is not where you want to be.  The instructor was making turns and I was trying to intercept and get in formation.  Well to make this short, I never ever really got in formation.  After we landed and were back in the ready room, I found the instructor chewing the other cadet for not getting in formation.  I asked the instructor if I could speak and I told him he was chewing out the wrong cadet.  It was me that did not get in formation.  He turned as red as a beet, turned and walked away without another word.

When it is not raining, we are going to ground school at night. We had a pretty stiff exam in navigation, But I did OK.  I got a 96% in the test in communications.

All the time that I was an underclassmen, I was a Flight Commander holding the cadet rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Yesterday, I was made Wing Adjutant with a the cadet rank of Lt. Colonel..  It was the same position I held at Primary Flight School.

Well I am now an upperclassman and have started flying at night.  So far I have two nights of flying and it isn’t quite as hard as I expected.  The first time we went up we went up dual with an instructor and flew around in the area for half-hour then went to one of the auxiliary  field and shot three landings and then the instructor sent me out solo. We had runway lights and floodlights and had to shoot six landings. All went well. We had two fellows quit because they were afraid to fly at night. There isn’t anything to be afraid of if you keep your mind on your work.  Last night we were out again solo and shot landings for 45 minutes with landing lights but no flood lights. The next time we fly we won’t use the landing lights at all.

Yesterday morning, while at physical training, I was playing volleyball and hit the ball with my finger. It was the middle finger on the left hand. I immediately went to the hospital and have it x-rayed. It showed a chip at the knuckle and as a result I am grounded for a few days to see if it would effect my flying.

Cross country flying is a lot of fun, when you do it right.  My cross country was to land at Texarkana, then to Tyler and back to Greenville.  Well all was going well and made the landing at Texarkana and proceeded on to Tyler.  Some how I made the wrong wind correction and got off course. In fact I was so far off course that it did not show on my chart.  There was a railway below 0me and I lost altitude and buzzed the station to check on the name on the town.  It was being painted.  I reversed course and the same problem on the other direction.  I noticed that there was a water tower where names usually appear.  No name.  There was last thing to use the ‘code’ to reach home base.  I had passed ‘code’ so it should work.  After several tries I finally got directions to a CAA Axillary Field.  After arriving back to Greenville, I told my instructor that I had buzzed the railway station and he asked if it was the town that had the CAA Axillary Field directions painted on the top of the biggest building in the town.  I didn’t see that sign.

I have completed all of our courses, finished all of our required flying with a count 78 hours and 25 minutes at Greenville, Texas.  Graduation was here and my mon and dad came to see the graduation ceremony on April 14, 1944.  Also, it was announced that I was awarded the “Outstanding Cadet of Class 44-F”.

Ellington Army Air Field

Houston, Texas

The usual train trip was nothing speculator, arriving here April 16, 1944.  This base is an old permeant one like San Antonio.  The barracks are two story and of the same configuration as at the Preflight Center. These have gas heating and are considerably easier to keep clean.  The training has already started.  We are up at five a.m. and classes last til 9 or 10 p.m.   We start our physical exams tomorrow. It will last for two days must be plenty tough  so will have to get as much rest as possible.

We have been told that we just have of 61 days left to graduate.  I have longed for that day for a long time. Now we will find out that the graduation ceremony consists only of a couple of talks and standing in line for our wings to be issued to us.   It is not what I had dreamed of planes zooming over and a big parade and all of the colors; but nothing like that.  We will have completed one of the finest flight training in the world, and those silver wings are well worth it .

The instructor has been flying with the other four students in our flight.  They are expected to solo tomorrow.  The instructor will be able to concentrate on me to get six hours of dual so I can solo. I finally solo the AT-10 and now have accumulated about 12 hours of flying.  All last week we had classes up until 10 p.m. and didn’t have hardly any time even to wash. Even Saturday night we had classes and on Sunday we had a high altitude cross-country from here to Temple, to Palestine and back home. We flew at an altitude of 10,000 feet and had a pretty nice time throughout the whole trip.

Today we started formation flying. It is quite hard to do in this ship because you have two throttles to take care of instead of one as was the case with the BT-13 however I imagine as soon as I get used to it won’t be too bad and become proficient.

Class 44-E  graduates tomorrow so we will be upperclassman starting Wednesday.  I now have addition to my address  ‘Box 133′.  I have started instrument flying and will be up there for about 14 days.  I had my first instrument ride in the AT-10 and found it a lot harder and then flying  the BT-13.  However, I was told that it is supposed to be a lot easier in the AT-10 because it is larger and not affected as much by the air currents. Here’s hoping that it will come to me in due time.

After I graduate I will go up to Huntington, West Virginia and then bring Judy down to Crossett

with me. It is not definite yet but will let you know all of the details as soon as Judy and I have made definite plans which should be soon by the way. If I do bring Judy home with me, where will she be able to stay?  The house isn’t very big and we won’t have room for her or will we? We will be able to find room for her somewhere even if I had to sleep on the couch.

The graduation of the 44-E was not anything to speak of in fact it only lasted for one hour. No civilians were allowed to witness the ceremony.  A dirty deal because some of the fellow’s wives and folks were down here and couldn’t even see the fellows get their wings. I guess I made the right suggestion that you not come to the graduation here at Ellington Field. However, you did see the graduation at Majors Field in Greenville.

We had been flying every night until one and two o’clock in the morning as a result we have had an average of about four hours sleep the day for the past two weeks and have not really had time to turn around.  The one consolation is that we have only 16 more days to go and we will be through until transition which is our final step before combat duty or may be an assignment here in the States.

I now have a train schedule to get to Huntington.  I will leave the Union Station in Houston at 11:00 a.m. on the 28^th of June and will arrive in Huntington on the 29^th around 9:30 p.m.  It is going to be interesting meeting all of Judy’s relatives. I know that July’s parents have given the their approval to her getting married.  I don’t have the details of our trip to Crossett and on to Houston.

Today I started flying the AT-21 which is a larger than the AT-10 and has more power and a lot faster. It is going to be a lot of fun for the next two weeks because four of us cadets are finished flying the AT-10. The AT-21 looks like a smaller version of the B-25 but with inline engines instead of radials.

Yesterday was the day we got our ratings. Yes, I am going to be a Second Lieutenant – not a Flight Officer. However, there were 50 flight officers in our class. You see a flight officer is a lower rank than a Second Lieutenant. Today I had my final check ride which lasted for 25 minutes and I passed it okay.  I sure was glad to get it over with now I am sure that I would graduate. It sure has been hot the last few weeks and you can’t stay dry for a moment.. When I came down from my check ride I was just soaking wet with perspiration and stress.  The word I hear is that the P-38s are being phased out of combat and replaced by P-51s. My second choice is the B-26, a beauty of an airplane.

There is a custom that the newly made Officer is to give a dollar to the first enlisted man who salutes you. So you can imagine that the enlisted men all gathered close to the dismissal area to gather dollar bills. From here on they will have to pay for their uniforms, sign a million forms and papers, and wait around for our assignments which may come that night or not for a few days.

The night before we were to graduate there were four Cadets that needed some additional night flying to complete the requirements.  The two A-10 were on final approach, but one was above the other.  The tower operator told one of the airplanes to ‘pull up and go around’.  The airplanes collided and crashed.  They were the only Cadets killed in our Class 44F. Our Class Book was dedicated to the four Cadets.                       

We actually graduated on  June 27, 1944 at 10 a.m. just 16 months to the day from the time I was inducted in the Army at Little Rock, Arkansas. It was February 27, 1943 about 10 a.m. It has been a lot of fun but also a lot of work.

I am happy that it is just about over and I will be able to go home for a few days.  I was able to get a train to Huntington and meet Judy’s folks. We did not get married.  Judy realized that the uncertainty of combat, it would be best to wait. The two of us took the train/bus to Crossett where we stayed with my folks.  It was a great leave and enjoyed the short stay.

In Transition

Ellington Field

Houston, Texas

Well the trip was fairly uneventful and arrived in Houston about 8:00 a.m. and immediately went out to Ellington Field and reported for duty.  I found that my papers had been changed.  I am now studying to be an instructor for the Pilot Cadets of this field.  I must say I was very much disappointed.  Since I arrived at Ellington it has been an uproar until today when I actually started my training.  My quarters are very nice and I like them very much.  Each officer has a room all by himself and they have lockers, table, chair and a bed..  My room is on the south east corner so I have two windows.

I have to be at work at 7 a.m. and get off at 6 p.m.  This morning I flew for two hours and then spent the rest of the morning studying procedures.  In the afternoon I attended lectures and had a parachute issued to me, all my own for me to keep until I leave this field.  I haven’t heard from Judy yet but I guess she has been getting settled down at home once more.  I only wish that she could have stayed longer in Crossett so you could get better acquainted.

The other morning I was out in an airplane and was ready to take off when I got a call over the radio to report back to my operations office.  I went back only to find that we had to go and search for two lost BT-13s.  It took about an hour and a half to get clearance for the airplanes to fly at 200 feet to search for the lost airplanes.  Just as we were about to leave the phone rang telling us that the planes were found and we wouldn’t have to go.  We were very disappointed because it gave us the opportunity to do some low altitude flying.

We have been notified that the pilot school is closing here at Ellington and is moving to Waco, Texas.  I am not on the list to go as an instructor.  So that leaves only two things left for me; 1) Navigation Flying and 2) Combat.  News came through today that I would be sent down to the Air Navigation School here at Ellington for a short while to study for flying of the navigators.  Not very happy with that assignment.  It may change again.

Replacement Center

Le Moore Field, California

Well here it is August 7,1944 and my orders were changed again.  This time I have been slated to go to California and become a Co-Pilot on a B-24.  We left Ellington in a C-60, a transport made by Lockheed Aircraft Company, bound for Le Moore, California. After flying for seven and a half hours we covered a distance of 1850 miles. We had some failure and landed the airplane at Grand Central Air Terminal  in Glendale, California for repairs.  This was my old stomping ground and I took the opportunity to go and visit the Herrmann family.  They were very surprised to see me and I had quite a nice talk with them. They wish for me to send on their best regards to my folks.  After I left the Herrmann home I went down to see the land lady of the last place I lived in Glendale, California.

With the repairs done to our airplane, we took off for Le Moore Army Air Field. It took us about an hour and a half to fly up to Le Moore from Glendale. It was a very nice trip and enjoyed it a lot especially crossing the mountains.  We flew through the passes in the mountains and could look out on either side and see the cliffs towering way above us.  Some of the mountains had snow on them and was very pretty.

This base is about 20 miles south west of Le Moore and Le Moore is about 35 miles south of Fresno.  We are about half way from Los Angeles and San Francisco and 50 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean.  The base used to be a Basic Flight School for Cadets; but has closed down recently and a Replacement Center made out of it.  My assignment out of here will be Co-Pilot on a B-24, a four engine bomber.  It is not the kind of airplane I wanted but it will do for the time being until I have the chance to choose my own airplane type.  This type of airplane has a good combat record and is better known as the “Liberator”.

Last night we went out on bivouac, and slept under the stars.  It was quite a lot of fun and we all enjoyed it, even though the ground was a little hard to sleep on last night.  We got up at 4:30 this morning, broke camp and started back for the Air Field.  All day long we have classes and movies on different phases of our training.  The classes are mainly to prepare us for combat flying and ground operations in the theater of war.  We do not do any flying here but start at our next base which we will move to very soon, maybe in the next few days.  Our next stop will be the Replacement Training Unit (RTU) where we are with our crews.  This should last any where from two weeks to two months.  My orders have come through and I am going to March Field, near Riverside, California which is a change for the better.

March Field

Replacement Training Unit

Riverside, California

It is now August 18, 1944 and we boarded a train and headed for Riverside and March Field.  The trip was uneventful with the exception that the train burned out three wheel bearings.  Our schedule is pretty stiff.  Classes for 8 hours and then fly for 6 hours and the remainder of the day we have to sleep and eat.  If we fly in the morning, we have classes in the afternoon and night. Already I have flown in the B-24 and it was all right; however, time will tell.  Our training will last about 70 days here then go to combat.   So far I haven’t got all our crew, only a Bombardier, Engineer, Radio Operator and an Armorer.   We still have to get a first Pilot, Assistant Engineer, Assistant Radio Operator, Gunner and Navigator.

The Field is a very beautiful place except for “Dusty Acres” where we stay, which is not part of the permanent part of the Field.  The part of the Field is like walking down the streets of any small town with houses on either side for the permanent personnel that are assigned to the post. Our time off around here doesn’t amount too much around here.  Every 6 days we have a twenty four hour pass in which we can go anywhere as long as we get back in time for our classes, and in 24 hours you can’t go far and do very much.

Haven’t heard from Judy for a while and I finally heard why.  She had to have an emergency appendix removed and is now going through a period of recovery..  It sounded pretty bad.

Up until yesterday, September 6, I had never touched the controls of the B-24 because the instructor pilot was flying all the time.  But yesterday we had a different instructor and he let me fly the airplane from the left seat.  I flew the airplane back to the field from the target area and actually landed the airplane by myself without him even touching the controls.  The landing was fairly good even if I do say so myself.  He even let me taxi the airplane back on the runway and let me take off, fly the landing pattern and land the airplane again. The second landing was not as good as the first, but not too bad.  The instructor pilot said I would probably be a first pilot before I get back from overseas which gives me something to work for.  Man, that was fun.

We now have a first pilot.  He is a First Lieutenant and his name is Frank (Mike) Mikos and he is from Pennsylvania.   We now have a full complement of crew and we are scheduled to start a practice over the water flight to some island off Mexico for about 1000 miles out over the Pacific. After reaching our objective we turned around to head home and everything was fine until we started to run into cloud banks that were below our altitude and clouds that were above our altitude blocking out all of the stars so we could not use celestial navigation. To complicate things it was getting dark and we lost our electrical generators and our radios. We continued to fly our course, using flash lights, until our ETA would be close to March.  We started to let down and finally broke through the clouds and we were not where we were supposed to be.  We were over the desert and I started to look for “light lines” to get our position. These lights are rotating beacons that have ‘code’ in lights that tell which beacon we were seeing.  We were in Apple Valley and had flown through the Cajon Pass on instruments, below the peaks.  There was a wind shift that caused us to have a tail wind so overran our destination.  We located March Field and with no lights, no radio to communicate we lined up with the runway and landed safely.

I had to buy some more clothes, four pair of khaki trousers and a jacket.  Our meals cost us $45 a month and our room at the barracks cost $21, so room and board costs us $66 which is rather steep, don’t you think.

Well this is the last day, November 1, 1944, here at March Field. We are leaving in early morning by train and are on our way to Hamilton Field.  I am going to try and call my parents tonight and hope that I can get through. Also I am going to try and call Judy. All our movements from now on are secret and I won’t be able to tell you where I am going or what I will be doing but you will be able to tell if I am either in the Pacific or the European area by the APO address. If the APO address is New York I will be in Europe Italy or China or Burma but if it is San Francisco it will be in the islands of the Pacific I don’t know how we are traveling there when we go over but I do hope we fly our own airplane over rather than go by boat. It takes so long to go by boat and they are always so crowded.

Hamilton Field

Novato, California

Hamilton Field is about 30 miles north of San Francisco in beautiful wine country.  It doesn’t look like we will depart in ships to the Pacific Islands, but the question is whether we fly a brand new B-24 or go by air transport.  We have not been given a departure date or our orders.  The only restriction we have is that we have to be on the base every day at 10:00 a.m.  If our names are not called we are free to leave the base; but must be back for roll call.

I have been into San Francisco a few times and have had a wonderful time each trip. I have even been over the Golden gate Bridge a couple of times and have seen the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge they are sure a great structure. I have never seen anything like it before.  Have you heard of the Top of the Mark? It was in the flight magazine about three months ago. It is a nightclub up on top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel and is very beautiful. Have also seen San Quentin prison and Alcatraz prison both from a distance. They sure look dreary and dismal.

Today is Thanksgiving and believe me I didn’t expect to have turkey this year for the great feast.  However to my surprise I did enjoy some good turkey.  Have you ever basted a turkey with plain ordinary ginger ale? Well that was what was used on the one that we had.  I can assure you it was the most delicious turkey I have ever tasted since leaving home, so tender and tasty.

Our orders are now here and we will not be flying our own B-24 to the Pacific but will board a C-54 air transport to fly out to our destination. The first stop is going to be Hawaii and we will be landing at Hickham Field.   After landing at Hickham Field, the ground crew found that we had a fuel leak in one of the wings and we had to have it repaired before we would be able to continue on our journey.   In walking around the base here you can still see where the bullets hit the walls of the buildings and none of them have been repaired.  It’s amazing how many holes there were that didn’t go all the way through the walls.

Two of our crew members and I have been down to Waikiki beach a few times during our stay here in Hawaii.  One of the hotels had a sign on the lawn that said “soldiers & dogs not allowed.”  It was just another big city so we just stayed out on the base and played hearts while we are waiting for the airplane to be repaired..

It took a week to fix the fuel leaks and we departed  for Johnston Island which is an island that is about a mile and a half long and about a half a mile wide.  All there is there is a landing strip where you can land, take on fuel, and then take off again. From there we flew refueling stops at Tarawa and Guadalcanal.  Tarawa and “the canal” were interesting because a dog would have had a problem living there. Not a single tree remained when the Japs surrendered.  We finally arrived in New Guinea to a place called Nadzab, near the town of Lae.

Combat Replacement Center

Far Eastern Air Force

Nadzab, New Guinea

The weather is fine, although a little hot around noon,  but at night it is usually cool enough to sleep with a least one blanket over you.  We live in a tent, one with a wooden floor and  wooden framework.   There are six of us officers living in the tent . We sleep on cots arranged around to walls.. All of  the cots have a mosquito netting hanging over it to keep out the malaria mosquito which usually fly at night.  The sides of the tent are always rolled up even when it rains.  There is also a breeze which almost continually blows and sort of keeps the tent cool. Hanging from the roof of the tent is an electric light bulb about 40 watts and produces about enough light for a person to write a letter in the semi darkness.  In the center of the tent we have a makeshift table and stool.

This afternoon I went down to the beach with Mikos and Ucker and stayed down there for about three hours. The water was quite warm and very salty but was refreshing.  There on the beach was a Jap cargo vessel which had been bombed almost to utter destruction.  A total wreck. It was used to carry coal and some of the coal still remained on board.  A very interesting site.  The ship was built along the lines of the size of the old S.S. Corner Brook that we all have traveled on at some time or another.

I went out to the skeet range and fired 50 rounds, only got 5 clay pigeons, but that isn’t too bad for the first time I was ever in a turret.  These turrets are mounted on stands and have shot guns instead of the regular 50 caliber machine guns.  It was a lot of fun though. May be tomorrow I will be able to go to the beach again.  It seems that swimming is the only enjoyment we get around here.  I guess the novelty will wear off after all that is said and done.  They have a loud speaker system around here that broadcasts all the popular music and programs.  Very nice.

The flies around here are very numerous and just literally drive you crazy.  I had my shirt off and they would keep buzzing around and lighting on you.  If you can still get those fly paper strips that are rolled up in little boxes, I would appreciate some of them.  Have been going to classes all day and it is really good to get back to work again.  It is always good to lay around but you get tired of it sooner or later.

Our bombardier went to the hospital today with a case of acute diarrhea.  He should be out in a couple of days.  However, it seems that ever where we go, he goes to the hospital for some reason or another. May be he is just delaying our training.

Some good news. I flew for a few hours around the local area practicing formation and landings and flying transition. This morning we were awakened early and reported to the flight strip and we went for a strike on a Japanese base called Wewack.  The strike was successful and all ships returned safely. It was quite a lot of fun seeing all those bombs hit the target and hope that they just blew the Japs down there all to hell.  I must say it was a thrill that I have never experienced before.  I saw my first bombs dropped and the concussion could be felt and heard in the ship.

Morotai Island

Netherlands East Indies

307th Bomb Group, 424th Bomb Squadron

Tomorrow  night is Christmas eve and back there in the States the people are all preparing for the big festival, and I do hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.   Our flight crew arrived here on the last day of 1944 just in time to celebrate the new year with our new outfit which by the way happens to be the 13th Air Force, 13th Bomber Command, 307th Bomb Group, 424th Bomb Squadron.  Our group is known as the “Long Rangers”  which you can readily understand in reference to the type of airplane we fly.   This place here on Morotai is quite beautiful and surrounded by coconut trees and palm trees and reminds me of some places in California and Hawaii. The cool sea breeze comes only a stone’s throw from our tent. It is now  New Year’s Eve, we all went to a movie and during the course of the movie the moon came up and shown down through the palm trees and was a very remarkable site.  I say remarkable because it is something like you would see in the movies or travelogues. What a pity that this was a scene so peaceful and  have a war right at our front door going on.  We took a picture of it and hope it comes out okay.

The air field has three runways, two for the B-24s and one for the P-38s.  The two bomber runways are about 7,500 feet long and are parallel about 250 feet apart..  The runways and taxi ways are made of crushed corral, looks white and drain the water quite well.  When the planes are ready to takeoff, a pilot officer, who is located in between the runways, gives a green light signal to go. Fifteen seconds later he gives the green light to the plane on the other runway.  The planes are 30 seconds apart on the runway and there is an plane in the air every 15 seconds.  Night takeoffs are a little hairy when you can’t see the other planes.  The area between the runways is a grassy area for returning planes that can’t get their wheels down.

Just shortly after midnight we were awakened by anti aircraft gunfire so we all made a wild dash  for our foxholes.  Instead of being an air raid it was the fellows just cutting up a little and doing a little celebrating for the new year. All was quiet after a while and all turned to normal. 

I have started more ground school. It seems that as long as I am in the Army Air Corps, I will be going to some kind of the school.  However, I should appreciate it because it is all good stuff and some day it may pay off big dividends to make us all come back alive. Around here they call Japs “Charlie” and at first I didn’t know what they were talking about.  They come every so often and we hit the dirt.  We have an 90 mm anti-aircraft battery close to our tent and every time those guns go off I practically go through the roof of our tent.  Surprising how fast a guy can move. 

So far I haven’t been on any missions here yet, but the crew has two.  I have not been flying because our First Pilot has been flying with an “old hand pilot”, to learn the 307th Bomb Group procedures.  I have only one mission to my credit and that was at our previous base when we hit Wewack in New Guinea.  We have been informed that we all have a good chance of being home for Christmas this year.  Let’s see, it has been three years since I have been home for Christmas.  Our motto is “Back alive in ‘45″.  There is another one that doesn’t appeal to me so much and that is “Golden Gate in ‘48″.  Another bit of news is that a co-pilot may have a chance to check out as first pilot after he has 25 or more missions and get a promotion to 1st Lieutenant.

The scenery is beautiful when you first see it, but most of all it is interesting. The tropical flowers and the trees with different kinds of fruit that you have never heard of them back in the States. Have seen bananas growing but have yet to have the chance to pick any of them and eat it. Most of the trees are cultivated by the natives and they keep them pretty well cleaned of their fruits.

When I crossed the equator it was on the C-54 transport plane and asleep at the time.  I haven’t met up with anyone yet who is been through that much talked of crossing the equator.  It must be for those who come down here by ship; however, it would have been a lot of fun.

Just a few thoughts on pay day.  I haven’t been paid in three months and here it is the last on January 1944.  I have a grand total of $656.92 deducted from my pay and will leave $108 left for money direct to me. Out of the deductions will be $450 to the bank and $112.50 for War Bonds. The rest is for living expenses.

On our way back from one of our missions, I was monitoring the ‘D’ channel when I heard two pilots talking to each other that would indicate that they were lost.  I had Mike listen for a few minutes and he authorized me to break radio silence.  I called the lost planes and they were P-38s and they were going to Morotai.  It was getting dark and I suggested that they head in the same direction as us. Finally there was only one pilot talking to us.  The lost pilot called that he could now see the four turbo superchargers of our engines.  He tucked in behind us.  We brought him on a straight in approach because of his fuel state; but he ran out of fuel just short of the runway and crashed.  He was pretty well banged up but he lived. He was a replacement pilot for the P-38 squadron on Morotai.

With the incident of the lost P-38 pilot, I got to know a few of the pilots in the P-38 Squadron.  They have a P-38 that was modified by removing all the radios except the one for communicating with traffic control.  That made room for the student pilot to sit behind the instructor pilot.  Then they would reverse and check out the student pilot.  They put me on the list for checkout.  I was down to third on the list when one of the students crashed the plane.  They did not modify an other airplane.  Oh well!  Can’t win them all.

I have now completed eight missions and all have been quite successful. Should have nine but we lost an engine and couldn’t go over the target.  We had to land at another base, had the engine repaired, and came home the next day.  Too bad we didn’t get credit for it but we will make up for it. We did get credit for the hours flown. 

So glad you saw that newsreels showing our group at work.  It must’ve been quite pretty on the screen.  If you look up Saturday Evening Post magazine dated January 2nd or around there, it has a write up on our group and squadrons.

It was a 4:00 a.m. take off with overcast weather so we were flying instruments.  The job of the co-pilot is to handle the flaps and gear, and monitor the instruments.  Mike was complaining that the airplane was miss rigged and we would have to abort.  I checked the directional gyros and they both showed that we were in a turn. The wings were level and our airspeed was dropping..  The “needle and ball” indicator showed we were in a skid.  Mike insisted that the airplane was miss rigged.  He finally allowed me to take control and I centered the ailerons and rudders and re- trimmed the controls. Just as soon as I had the airplane in control, Mike came out of it.  He had vertigo!  His senses were miss leading him and he would not believe the instruments.  When flying instruments always believe the ‘needle, ball, and airspeed’.

I have been quite busy up at operations with my new job and it is really nice to be Assistant Operations Officer of the 307^th Bomb Group. The orders came today that I was checked out as a limited first pilot. This means that it won’t be long to wait for my final check ride to become a first pilot and a promotion to first Lieutenant.

It has been raining hard and steady here for the past five days and everything is mud, mud, and more mud. The trucks are having a hard time trying to get to the flight line, let alone a little jeep. When it is raining on the way to the flight line, we get wet and  have wet clothes for takeoff.  Many of the crews will take off their flight suits and take off with just underwear.  By the time you get to 5,000 feet your cloths are dry and no chance of frost bite.

We were told the other day that we could mention that we had bombed military targets in the Manila area.  I have seen Manilla quite a few times and it looks to be a pretty nice place even though we were thousands of feet above it.  Well, I have 14 missions now   Some of them were  quite stressful and a few were relatively easy and hope they continue that way.  Have only seen a few enemy fighters and flack over the targets. Wouldn’t mind it a bit if I could go through the rest of my tour with out seeing any of the above mentioned again

We were leading the formation on a mission to the Phillippines. We were on autopilot at the ‘Initial Point’ and Mike had just turned the airplane over to the bombardier to make the bomb run.  All of a sudden the airplane made a rapid bank to the right, almost colliding with the airplane in the No.2 position.  Mike was quick in disconnecting the autopilot recovered the airplane. He directed me to get down to the nose and find out what happened.   Mike turned the lead over to the No 2 airplane and we moved to the No.2 position and continued on the bomb run. When I got down to the nose I found the bombardier with his feet up on top of the bomb sight turned to hard right   He had a mental breakdown – lost it.  He never flew again. The nose gunner triggered the bombs off when the lead’s bombs began to drop. Mike’s quick response saved us from a midair collision.

Our tent had a wood floor but never had a frame around it.  So we decided to build one. We started the first thing in the morning and built the wood frame and erected it. It took us all day to do the job but now we have a lot more space inside the tent. We also have a 14 foot cargo parachute in the tent to make a ceiling which makes the tent more cool during the day. The pocket of air above the parachute heats up and will not the let the air flow below.   We now have a pretty nice living quarters.

Mike, our first pilot, has gone on rest leave to Sydney, Australia so now we have no first pilot.  But, I am going to take over the crew and fly first pilot with another first pilot as my copilot. That means that I have been checked out as first pilot.  My promotion papers for First Lieutenant did not go through, so now it will probably be a month or more before it is approved.  At present I am still acting Operations Officer while the Operations Officer is away.  I hope to be Operations Officer but it is too early in the game to tell. Mike has been made a squadron leader which is a good break for him.

My turn to go on R&R to Sidney. When we first landed at an airport in North Australia, we went into a Red Cross canteen and the first thing that was said to us was how would you fellas like to have a nice cold glass of milk  Well we literally tore the place down to drink all of the milk we could hold.  The beer was room temperature. Well here it is the middle of April, and I am here down in Sydney, Australia and enjoying a 10 day rest leave.

Tom, our navigator is down here with me. We have a six room apartment out in the section of town called Bellevue Hill and is really pretty by a park. We arrived down here on the night of the eighth and since then have been doing the rounds. I have been eating steaks galore and all the fresh fruit and vegetables I can get hold of.  I don’t know how I will be able to eat the food up north when we get back We began the tourist mode: “to the zoo, the Memorial Park and the Museum of Natural History.”  All of the relics of Capt. Cook are enclosed as well as the different stuff of the Australian natives called aborigines.  Last Sunday we took a trip up to the Blue Mountains and walk down the “Thousand steps” which seems like about 2,000 or more.  we rode one of the scenic Railway cable cars out to the top  about 5000 or more.

The president of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt decided he would ‘pass on’ while we were here in Sydney.  The U.S. Army ordered all bars ‘Off Limits’ to all service men.  A real bummer.  However, all was not lost.  Our land lord of the apartment was also a bootlegger.  He would supply all the beverages we would need.

There a terrific shortage of gasoline here in Sydney, Australia only 4 gallons of gas per month  for cars. Some of the cars have  natural gas bags on the top of the car and others have a charcoal burner fastened to the back of the car.  The natural gas cars have to refill the bag every 60 miles.

It is now the end of April and I doubt if I will fly very much now because my job requires most of my time so I will fly only on rotation. Trip to Sydney, Australia is all over and I am back to work again. I am still assistant operations officer and am no longer on any crew. When I fly now it will be as first pilot or with one of the big dogs.  It is okay though because that way you always fly in the best airplanes.  Since I have been back, I have flown only one mission and it was just another routine mission. Everything went along smoothly without any trouble at all. That makes me a total of 23 missions and I have quite a few to go. 

During my absence to Australia, I received a letter from Judy dated April 21,1945 that she had gotten married.  What a blow!  All of our plans were thrown out of the window and all my objectives were changed.  I talked to my Commanding Officer about signing up for another tour and getting a crew of my own.  He took care of the change in my status.  My orders came shortly thereafter with the promotion to First Lieutenant and Flight Leader.  That means when I would fly, I would be pilot of the lead ship of the 424th Squadron.

Some time we have a bomber go out on a night harassment flight where we have all the junk you can find loaded on the bomb racks.  The our purpose is to keep the enemy awake all night.  This particular night I would have a check ride by the Inspector Generals Office. The officer was a major and rode in the right seat.  When we returned to Morotai, I made a straight in approach and the tower gave us clearance to land.  The white runway lights were normal but I was seeing them through a ground fog.  Our sink rate took us into the fog and I applied full take off power.  The main gear touched down and we bounced and remained air bourn.  The tower operator didn’t say there was a ground fog.  We came around again to land and made a great landing through the fog.  I filled out the flight log and the major asked if I was going have the airplane inspected for a hard landing.  The actual landing was great.  The next night I had ‘tower officer’ duty. The tower operator ‘Tiny’ (about 300 pounds) was telling me about some stupid pilot the almost hit the tower and caused him to take the emergency pole to the ground.  I told him he should have told the stupid pilot that were was a ground fog and that I was flying the airplane.

The B-24 was designed to maximum take off weight of 64000 pounds on a 7500 foot runway.  This was based if an engine failure, you could stop the airplane or takeoff in the remaining runway.  If you were further down the runway you had to takeoff.  We normally took off at 72000 pounds which meant that if we lost an engine, we could not stop the airplane in the runway remaining.

On one such event occurred to me on a night takeoff when the prop lost pitch control and the turbo supercharger over speed both on the number one engine.  The choice was automatic, we had to take off.  I went to emergency power on the three remaining engines and increased the flap setting by ten degrees. We left the runway and I dumped the bomb load in the quarry at the end of the runway.  The tower kept calling us that they had lost sight of us.  We were flying again and climbing out of the pit.  Airplanes were still taking off and we couldn’t land until they had all the airplanes departed.  We finally got permission to land and taxi back to our bunker. WOW!

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Our squadron has a C-47 transport that we use to take trips down to Australia and buy fresh food to bring back up to our mess hall.  I had the opportunity of flying as copilot on a trip down to Sydney recently and picked up a great supply of fresh eggs, fresh milk, fresh fruit and vegetables and meat of everything that we can get a hold of.  What we would do is collect money from each of the members of the 424th squadron and contribute to a fund that our representative would purchase food there in Sydney and we would fly it back  Of course some of the monies that they collected was so that we could bring back several bottles of alcohol for our officers club.  By the time that we did all of the refueling stops down and back with alternating between the pilot and myself of making the landings and takeoffs, I was then a qualified C-47 first pilot.

One evening I was up at Bomber Command and happened to stop by their bar and sat down next a major and we struck up a conversation. I found out that he was the Brig. Gen. Brandt’s pilot and flew a jazzed-up B-25.  I indicated to him that I would sure like to be checked out in a B-25 and so he indicated that he was going to make a test top in the airplane on the following morning and invited me to go along for a ride.  So I was down there at 7:00 a.m. and got on board the airplane and along with the crew chief.  The pilot fired up the engines, taxied out, took off and flew for the next hour on the water at really  low altitude, low enough at times when the props would pick up water from the ocean and spray it over the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot finally came back in and landed the airplane, parked it in the bunker and shut down the engines. I did not even place my hands on the controls.. He  filled out the forms and said I was now checked out.  I wasn’t about to argue with a major so I didn’t say anything, other than I enjoyed the flight.

A few weeks later I got a phone call to come up to Bomber Command which was not anything unusual. So I wasn’t very much concerned about it and walked in there and wanted to find out what was up.  They said that I was the only qualified B-25 pilot on Morotai and that the general wanted to make an inspection tour of the various air bases under his command. I couldn’t say that I wasn’t qualified to fly the airplane because the major said I was.  I ask what about my crew and he said I would have to pick my own crew. 

I selected a copilot, navigator and  radio operator from the 424th to be my crew. The following morning I was there at the flight line ready to go,  way before the General got there. I had a talk with the crew chief indicating that he knew how well-qualified I was in this airplane. I told him I could fly the airplane if he would operate the systems.  The general arrived a short time later and he asked me if I had the itinerary. I told him yes and he directed me that no banks of more than 30 degrees and no climbs or descents of more then 500 feet a minute.  With that, we boarded the airplane and fired the engines.

The General’s itinerary covered all of his command bases in the Philippines Islands including Manilla..  At each of the bases we applied all the protocol of introducing a general officer including the single star flown from the left side cockpit window.  On our last leg back to Morotai we experienced a problem with the left engine.  It appeared to have a miss fire in one or more cylinders.  Consulting with the crew chief, it was decided to feather the propellor.  I had no knowledge as to the single engine service ceiling, and when the airplane would not quit losing altitude even with the good engine at max continuous power.

Because the general was on board, I instructed the radio operator to call Morotai to dispatch an Air/Sea rescue sea plane, PBY, in case we had to make a water landing.  The right engine started to miss fire as we were on final approach.  Consulting again with the crew chief and co-pilot, we elected to bring the left engine back on line just in case the right engine failed.  I made a normal approach and let the airplane roll to a stop, then shut down the engines. The General got out of his compartment and brushed against the nacelle and got oil all over the side of his uniform.  He was upset and actually grounded me because he though I had abused the engines. It turned out that the studs that hold the cylinders to the crank case on both engines were of the wrong heat-treat. Both engines were replaced.  I made several more flights with the General without any trouble.

I now have 30 missions completed and it was another one of those ho hum type.  No enemy fighters or anti aircraft flack.  If they had counted the five aborted flights, it would have been 35.

Manilla is now declared safe for rest leaves. A crew will be able to spend  three days up there to see what the place looks like and see some of the damage that was left by the Japs.  My personal opinion is that the place is unfit for rest leave.  I don’t care to go up there except to pass through there on my way home.  As of August 8, I am now officially the Operations Officer of the 307th Bomb Group and the orders for promotion to Captain will be in about three weeks.  We are in the process of moving our operation to Clark Field in Luzon Province in the Philippines.  This was a staging base for the move to Okinawa where we would fly cover for the invasion of Japan.

Clark Field

Luzon Province, Philippine Islands

I must tell you a little about the base I am now stationed.  Clark Field is located about 60 miles north of Manila and it was a big base before we lost the Philippines.  The climate is pretty nice here except that the days are a little hotter than Morotai; however the nights are much cooler and one has to use a blanket. At night there is usually a nice breeze blowing.  There is one thing, malaria is much more prominent up here, mostly due to the unsanitary ways of the Japs while they occupied the territory.

I never got malaria during my tour of the Pacific, but I woke up in the hospital one day and I had been unconscious for three days.  I had contracted dengue fever.  The doctors said it was from the tetchy fly.  I was a little week and was told that it would not be recurring like malaria.

Now that the war is over I can tell you a few things as to what has happened to me since I left the States last November, 1944.  It was from Morotai Island that I flew all of my missions to targets like Manila and other targets in the Philippines, targets in Borneo, such as Balikapan, Sippingan, Tarakan, Bruni Bay, Olen.  And then the Celebes, hitting targets like Kendari, Makassar, and many others.  Have flown to Java and Dutch Tunar. All in all, I have covered most all the surrounding territories. Oh yes, we even went as far as French Indo China.  My longest mission was a little over 16 hours long.  Take off at 4:00 a.m. and get back late in the afternoon.  If I can ever get a copy of my mission file it will tell us the date and places of all of my missions. My orders for promotion to Captain were dated August 25, 1945.

It is now September and the only flying we are doing is surveillance flights up and down the coast of China to watch for clandestine operations.  Ordinarily we send out two bombers and are close enough to keep each other in sight.  On one flight, two Zeros came up to ‘welcome’ us but as soon as they saw the turrets move and were trained on them, they hightailed it back home. 

They have a new instrument landing system installed here at Clark.  It is called Ground Control Approach, or GCA.  It is operated by a technician in a trailer looking at radar screens and telling the pilot he is either too high or too low, and his speed.  The pilot is under a hood and makes all corrections given to him by the Controller.  The minimum altitude is the same as ILS.  Sort of scary from a pilot’s perspective.  He likes to be in control.  We are all required to make five approaches to be certified.

The Bomber Command has issued an order to ferry all of the B-24s back to the States. The program was called “Sunset Project”.  So who has Operations Officer experience?  Me!  I was placed in charge of scheduling crews and airplanes back to the States.  Each plane will be staffed with a Pilot, Co Pilot, Navigator, Engineer, and Radio Operator.  There is a B-24M that I named ‘Sno Job’.  The nose art shows a hot pilot hitting on a young lady.  I saved it for last and for my crew.

With ‘Sno Job’ full of fuel, we took off for the Island of Guam.  When we got close to the Island the weather was near minimums.  We reduced altitude to minimums and were still in the stuff. I was in touch with Ground Control and that I was Number one to land. The radio beam was right over the shore line so kept reducing altitude and finally broke out in the clear. Low and behold there was another B-24, ahead and below me.  The tower didn’t know he was in the approach pattern.  Had few choice words to say to the other B-24 pilot when we got on the ground.  Again we filled up with avgas and headed for Hawaii. 

It was night time when we made our approach to John Rogers Field and it was a great display of lights, a sight that we have not seen in some time.  In fact I was so enamored with all the lights that I lined up with a street instead of the runway which my copilot pointed out the real runway.  That would have been a mess.  The ground crew asked how long I would like to stay and I told him just as long as it takes to fuel the plane.  He informed me that they had to fumigate the plane and inspect the ‘nose art’ for suitability to return to the main land.  With those chores done, we took off for San Francisco. 

We had head winds all the way and burning more fuel than we liked.  The radio operator tried to get us an altitude change to get more favorable winds.  Finally we were given clearance to increase altitude but were still on instruments.  As we approached the coast we tuned the Auto Direction Finder (ADF) into the commercial radio frequency and listened to good old American music station. The clouds began to  break and there in front of us was the Golden Gate Bridge.  WOW!  What a great sight.  All the crew were up front in the nose of the aircraft to see “Back Home”.

After landing at Mather Field, which is about 12 miles east of Sacramento, we turned the airplane papers in to Operations. I asked if they had a secure area to stow our bags until we got back from San Francisco and the clerk said it was a secure area.  The co-pilot and I headed out to go to San Francisco and buy Christmas presents.  We also had the idea that we should go over to the Northwest Orient Airlines to apply for jobs as pilot and navigator.  They explained that if we from the ferry command they would hire us immediately; but they were not hiring combat crews.   It seemed that every other store on Market Street was a bar.  So we go into a store, look around not to find anything we wanted.  So we hopped from store to store , including the bars. Of course every one wanted to buy us drinks.  We even went to “The Top of the Mark” which is the restaurant and bar on top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel.  We returned to Mather Field without Christmas presents and retrieved our bags.  My binoculars and .45 automatic pistol were missing.

Since I started this saga in California, they wanted to separate me from active duty in California.  I inquired if I could be separated in Arkansas instead, because my family lived in Arkansas.  They nearly hugged me because they had a troop train ready to go to Fort Smith, Arkansas and they did not have a troop commander.  I told them that I had no experience as a troop commander, but they prevailed.  Delegate is the word.  There were 10 passenger cars and I got the ranking non-com in each car and made them my deputies to report to me each morning with a personnel count.  The train pulled off on a siding where all the air men were fed each meals in the local towns.. We didn’t loose a single person.  After arriving at Fort Smith, I was given three weeks leave.  I found a Trailways bus depot and booked my trip to Crossett.  It was the first week of December 1945 when I returned to the United States.  “Home alive in “45″.

The College Years

Crossett, Arkansas

My mother and father were home when the taxi cab pulled up in front of my house.  I paid the  cab and my parents greeted me home.  There was a lot of conversation about the South Pacific and where I had been.  It was now time to figure what I was going to do for a living.  Since I was a graduate of Curtiss Wright Tech, I should be able to get a job in the engineering department of the Crossett Paper Company.  But there were several things that needed to be handled first.

In the three years of military service there was one observation that was those men who wore the Masonic ring were always the first ones welcomed at the new base.  I remember that my father would dress in his tuxedo and go to lodge at the Masonic Hall.  I watched the building of the new hall and the dedication of the structure in all of the pomp and circumstances.  I told my father that I wanted to join the Masons.  He gave me an application.

I was without a car and I needed to buy some civilian cloths.  I went to Monroe, Louisiana and looked for a car.  What I found was a 1939 maroon Oldsmobile convertible with a white top.  I just had to have it and drove it back to Crossett.  I named her Veronica.  I did buy some clothes but put off buying a new wardrobe, because I was on terminal leave and had to wear my uniform.

My mother had not been in up state New York since the war started and she wanted to go visit.  I was also anxious about the trip.  In looking at the maps going from Arkansas to New York, we would come very close to Huntington, West Virginia.  I decided to go to Huntington and it was early in the afternoon when we arrived at Judy’s address and found her home. I was in full uniform with all the combat ribbons on it. I went up to the front door and rang the bell and Judy came to the door.  I told her that I stopped by just to say ‘Hello” and “Good Bye”, and I walked back to the car without saying another word and left.  “YES”.  I fired up the car and left for New York.  My mother never said a word.

We continued on the trip and ran into snow.  It had been five years since I had driven in snow and it was a relearning process.  One of the snaps that hold the fabric roof down to the car body was broken and allowed the snow to get in the car.  The car’s heater was working fine but couldn’t keep up with the snow coming into the car.  When we got to Watertown they said that they had three feet of snow the day before.  It was very pleasant to see all of my mother’s and father’s relatives.  The trip back to Crossett was without incident.

I filled out an application for employment at Crossett Paper Co, and was hired to work in their engineering department and started my job shortly after Christmas. I had come to the conclusion that I needed a formal engineering education.  I wrote to forty different colleges that had an aero option and I was rejected by 38 of them because I would be an out of state student. Georgia Tech and Louisiana State were the two that didn’t answer my letter. LSU was closer so I drove down to Baton Rouge and went in to see the Registrar.  I pleaded my case that I was getting older and I did not have time to waist. The following week I was accepted for enrolment in the School of Engineering starting in September 1946.

My application to join the Masonic Lodge was approved and I took my first degree on February 22nd.  I was raised a Master Mason on March 29, 1946 in Crossett Lodge No 576, Crossett, Arkansas.  I became active in the Lodge with the intention of going through the officers line.

The work at Crossett was fun because I was learning how paper was made.  Every time something would break, the whole engineering staff was in the plant until it was repaired.  If the mill shuts down, it doesn’t make money.  The engineering staff were all salaried and received no additional money when they have a break down.  When I was there we only had one breakdown and I was there for about 24 hours.

There was a girl who was secretary to the Office Manager and we began dating.  Virginia Cone Johnson was called “Conie” because Cone was too short and Virginia was too long.  It was a practice that the manager’s secretary substitute for the switch board operator during lunch.  It was about April at lunch time when I got a call on the intercom that I had a long distance call.  I picked up the phone and it was Judy wanting me to come to Memphis and pick her up.  I told her “NO” that she had made her bed and now she had to lie in it. I hung up the phone.  Conie never said anything about the call and I never asked if she listened.

Conie was born on September 20, 1924 in Portland, Arkansas.  Her mother died at a very early age and was raised by her Aunt and Uncle Angus MacMillian who lived in Crossett..  They also rented a room to a young girl called Bernice Nelms who had a boy friend called Carl Nelms.  It was the same Carl Nelms that I met and rode up to Little Rock in February 1943 when we went into the Army.  Carl became a medic and went to England.  Small World..  It was the July 4, 1946 when I bought a ring and proposed to Conie to be my wife.  She accepted and I got her father’s approval.  No date was set at that time.

My Oldsmobile was giving me trouble and parts were scarce, G.M. was on strike.  I had to get a more reliable means of transportation so started looking for a newer car and found a 1941 Ford 2 door sedan.  It had a black laquer finish and ran good.  It had a straight six cylinder engine. Since I was accepted to enter LSU School of Engineering and was out-of-state student, I could not live on campus.  I had to find lodging in Baton Rouge.  I found a room on 639 Bungalow Lane with a bath that had a separate entrance  It was perfectly adequate to study and sleep but I had to drive to the University every day.

One of my dad’s friends was a member of Sigma Phi Fraternity and recommended that I join.  I was accepted as a plebe but I had been through that stuff as an Aviation Cadet underclassman and had no tolerance for that now.  They thought that I was some kind of servant to the upperclassmen and because I had a car I was supposed to be their chauffeur.  They even wanted me to run for Student Body President.  I didn’t have time for that so I dropped out of the fraternity.  I was driving back to Crossett almost every weekend that I could to see Conie.  One such weekend I drove to Crossett to see my love and drove back to Baton Rouge on Sunday night because I had a 8:00 a.m. class.  I thought I could get a couple of hours sleep before class; but, I didn’t wake up until Tuesday morning.

That made me think that I had better rethink my situation.  Christmas was coming up with Christmas break  If I was going to live to graduate from LSU I was going to change my schedule.  I asked Conie if we could be married during break and she said ‘Yes’. So we were married on December 29, 1946.  Someone took a white candle and wrote ‘Just Married’ all over the sides and back of the car.  It was a mess. I tried to polish out the words, but you could still see the words I you looked hard enough.

One of my father’s friends offered us tickets to the Cotton Bowl game in Dallas. Texas.  But we decided to go to Gulf Port, Mississippi and lay around on the warm beaches.  Boy did we ever miss judge the weather. We were married on Sunday afternoon and drove to Gulf Port non stop..  The further we drove, the colder it got, and soon it was raining.  It rained the whole weekend.  It snowed that day in Dallas during the Cotton Bowl game.

We got home to our one bedroom home and started to set up house.  We had a crock pot and we would fill it up with vegetables and meat.  When we arrived home we had our dinner ready for us.  We were only a few blocks for the Capital building and Conie got a job there, but found a better job at one of the automobile dealers a little further away but on the bus line.  At the end of my freshman year, I had done well and received membership in the Honorary Freshman Society, Phi Etta Sigma.

Right next to our room was a garage apartment that became vacant.  It was a little more expensive but had a living room (with a murphy bed), a kitchen and a bath room.  It was like a castle to us.  One morning I was making coffee with one of those glass bottoms and a glass top.  You put water in the bottom and the coffee in the top.  Place the assembly on the stove and the water would go up into the top part when would go back in the bottom part when you turn off the heat.  Well I didn’t get the top part in correctly so I squeezed the top to make it align correctly and crushed the glass, cut an artery in my wrist and squirted blood everywhere.  Conie was of no help so I got my neighbor to drive me to the emergency room.

While waiting for the doctor, a nurse came in and gave me a tetanus shot because it had been a while since I had one.  It was not too long after that another nurse came and gave me another shot of tetanus. The doctor sutured the wound, placed my arm in a cast so I could not bend my wrist.  I was finally released and I drove to my class at LSU.  The instructor asked me if I was ok because my face was swelling up.  She told me to go the infirmly and see the doctor.  I complied and found I had a double dose of tetanus and I was given a dose of adrenalin.  It took about three days for the swelling to go down.

Married students housing became available and we moved to the campus.  They were prefab buildings for two couples.  As you go in the front door, the kitchen was on your right and the living room was on the left.  In the back was a bedroom on the left, bath room, and a study on the right.  It was like up town. We traded our old trusty Ford for a 1948 Dodge Coupe, green in color.  Conie got a better job and stayed there the rest of the time we were at LSU. We lived there until I graduated in February 1950.  In all, I did pretty well, became a member of the Honorary Mathematics Society, Pi Nu Epsilon; Honorary Engineering Society, Tau Beta Pi; and Honorary Scholastics Society, Phi Kappa Phi.

I had two offers of employment, well actually three; Douglas Aircraft Co. in Santa Monica, California; Ames Aeronautical Laboratories in Palo Alto, California; and Crossett Paper Mills in Crossett, Arkansas.  I know that Conie wanted me to take the job in Crossett, but I had to follow my passion.  Ames and Douglas paid about the same but I chose Douglas because they paid our way to Santa Monica and because I was a rated pilot, and I would be involved in flight test.  We found an apartment in Santa Monica, not far from the plant and right by our block was the bus line that went by the Douglas plant.

It was a fabulous time. I was flying regularly and was having lots of fun. I came home from work one night and Conie said that a letter came from California Institute of Technology and she had opened it.  The letter was to confirm that I was accepted for entry to the Class 51 for a Masters Degree in Aeronautics..  Without my knowing it Conie had submitted my transcripts and application.  It was a great opportunity and we readily accepted.   I could not get a leave of absence because I had only seven months with the company, so I resigned. 

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California

It was now September 1951.  We found an apartment in Pasadena within walking distance from the campus.  It was the ground floor of a home, and the two elderly ladies lived in the second story.  It wasn’t long that Conie had a job.  There was a self service Signal gas station on the corner near our new apartment and I got a part time job.  When there were no cars at the pumps, I would study.  There were 40 students in our class, 20 from the United States and 20 from foreign countries.  At assembly orientation we were told that if we wanted to graduate we should set up teams of two or  three to do all assignments together.  If you to work alone, in all probability you would not graduate.  Jack Wainwright from Montana, Bob Frye from LSU, made up our team.

When I was released from the U S Army Air Corps, I was still in the reserve.  In 1946 the Air Corps became the United States Air Force and I was in the reserve.  The Korean War was going on and I got a letter to report to the Air Force.  I went to Los Angeles and checked in.  The Officer that interviewed me wanted to know what I was doing and I told him that I was a student at Caltech studying for a Masters Degree in Aeronautical Engineering.  He indicated that they had enough pilots in my MOS and that if that changed they would contact me.  They never did.

It was the most stressful endeavor I had ever been in.  Seldom did I get to bed before 2 in the morning and have class at 8:00. I have always been pretty good at math and they offered a class on Advance Applied Math.  I signed up for the class and after two weeks, I thought I understood everything Dr. Cole lectured about.  There were no classes scheduled from11 a.m. to noon and our first test, we had two hours to complete the test.  At the end of the two hours I had worked on all ten questions, but had not completed any of them. 

In the next class Dr. Cole went over the exam and it all sounded so easy.  One of the students asked the professor what was the passing grade.  He paused , walked back and forth in front of the class, stopped and said “Any positive number”.  I had the number 5 on mine.  We were allowed only one D to graduate.  I got a D in that class.  There was only one person who worked by himself and he did not graduate.  We found out that Caltech had a new policy that all testing was to make it difficult for the genius of the class.  The Class of 1951 had the lowest number of students go on for the Doctorate degree.  Several of the Masters Degree candidates were from MIT and opted to return to MIT for the Doctorate Degree. The policy was changed for the Class of 1952.

The 1946 Dodge was burning too much oil so I rebuilt the engine in the back yard of our apartment. Pulled the head and dropped the pan.  Replaced the rings and bearings, ground the valves and replaced all the gaskets.  In the process of reassembly, I had reinstalled the oil pan and started to install the valves.  Of course I dropped one half of the keeper the holds the valve in place and it went down into the oil pan. I had to remove the pan to retrieve the keeper part.  I put in new points and condenser and got the engine running. I road tested the car and all was good.

There were a number of industry representatives that came to the campus to interview students for possible employment.  The bidding was quite heavy and came down to two companies looking to hire me, General Dynamics in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas and Douglas Aircraft.  The bidding went back and forth and finally General Dynamics dropped out.  I know that Conie wanted me to go to General Dynamics, but my love of flying prevailed.  I would be back in flight test.

Graduation was June 1951. We were almost broke and after we pay all our bills we hardly had two dimes to rub together.  My father sent us $50 and a gasoline credit card and invited us to come to Crossett and rest a while.  Conie and I packed our stuff into the car and headed for Arkansas. The first time we stopped for gas, I checked the exhaust tail pipe and it white just like should be and then checked the oil level. It was down a quart.  The next time we got gas it down a quart again.  This time I looked under the car and it was covered with oil.  I had a bad leak.  We were close to El Paso and I stopped at a garage to see what the problem was.  The mechanic was about to close shop but I pleaded with him to see if he could fix the leak.  He graciously put the car on the rack and immediately found the problem.  When I reinstalled to oil pan I got the ‘dust cover’ pinched with rear bearing oil seal.  He fixed the problem and only charged us $5.00. The rest of the trip to Crossett was uneventful.  We decided that it was time to start a family now that I had a job and Conie would not have to work

The Professional Years

Douglas Aircraft Company

Santa Monica, California

It is now July1951 and we are looking for an apartment in Santa Monica somewhere close to where we lived before moving to Pasadena. The need now was a two bedroom apartment and we found one in an apartment complex and on the first floor.  I could still ride the bus to work.  Our first child was a girl, born March 29, 1952 at St Johns Hospital. Since the baby was a girl, Conie was to select the name and she was named Sheri Lynn.

We have saved some money, so we started looking for a house to buy.  There was nothing in Santa Monica that we could afford.  A number of friends of ours had bought homes in the San Fernando valley, so we began looking for a home there.  We found one that was in Van Nuys next to an orange orchard.  It was 1250 square feet, had three bed rooms, two baths, living room, dining area, kitchen and service room, and a attached two car garage. It cost $12,000 and we had to put $600 down.  It took all our savings, but we bought it anyway and watched it being built.  It was 17062 Burton Street, Van Nuys.  There were quite a few Douglas flight test people in the area so we would car pool with four or five in a car.

I was having lots of fun flight testing the Super DC-3 and the R4D-8 (navy version).for FAA and Navy certification.  The next project was the flight testing of the DC-6A/B, R6D/C-118 (military version), for certification with the FAA. One of the tests was the certification of high altitude takeoffs and landings.  These test would be accomplished in La Paz, Bolivia that had a runway at 13,300 feet altitude.  I had to take all of the immunization shots before I could go to South America. 

It was like going into the army.  A couple of days later I came down with a fever. I went to see the Flight Surgeon, and he checked my temperature and it was 103 degrees.  He said I probably had bad case of the flu, go home, drink lot of water, take aspirin and I should be ok in a few days.  In three days I woke up paralyzed.  I could not even move a finger..  Conie somehow got me in the car and drove me to the emergency at St. Johns Hospital in Santa Monica.  After three days, they did a spinel tap and it confirmed that I had polio.

Why did I come down with polio?  I was 29 and passed all the FAA flight physicals. The flight surgeon thought it could have been two different ways: one that I got contaminated serum in my immunization shots or that I had the virus dormant in me all these years and it just became active.  They sent me home and set me up to get physical therapy.  The physical therapist was Harriet Nelson (not the singer).

After three months, the orthopedic doctor said I would never walk again and stopped the therapy.  I would be in a wheel chair for the rest of my life.  Harriet did not agree with him and continued the therapy even without a prescription. I had met Mr Douglas a couple of times and when he heard that I had polio, he said to keep me on fill salary for 6 months and let him know my status after six months. He said to keep me on half salary until I was able to come back to work and then give him an in-plant parking pass. At the end of eighteen months, I was walking with ‘kenney sticks’ and back to work and soon after without even a cane, but with a noticeable limp.  Thank you Harriet Nelson.

Thank God that Conie sent that letter to Caltech.  I now had assets that I would not have had  except for her. I was assigned to be the project manager of several test aircraft.  I was still involved in the flight test of different airplanes and worked well with the test pilots.  I was assigned from Flight Test to the team that would study the separation of the company into two companies, one for Aircraft and one for Missiles & Space.  I wanted to stay with airplanes, they were my love.  The result was Flight Test, Design Engineering, Production would move to Long Beach and Santa Monica would be Missiles and Space.  Jack McGowan was named President and I became a member of the General Management payroll, given a new employee number of 00110, and was paid monthly.  That was challenging to manage our income/expenditures.

Our family started to increase with the pregnancy of Conie in  June 1954.  Our second child was born in Santa Monica at St Johns Hospital on March 9, 1955.  It was a boy and I named him John Monroe Palmer III.  It was a wonderful time in our lives and we were fortunate to have such a great time. With aircraft production located in Santa Monica, El Segundo, Lang Beach and Tulsa, Oklahoma.  I spent a lot of time at each local making sure the test instrumentation was installed while the aircraft were moving through the production line.  What a blast to be able to work on new models of aircraft.

 The A3D is a twin engine jet bomber and has a tanker version. A large tank was installed in the bomb bay and had a quick dump valve that could almost instantly empty the tank. The test program was to be conducted on an aircraft carrier and, of course, I got to go.  The aircraft carrier was based in Norfolk, Virginia and all of the test planes were loaded on the deck.  When I arrived at Norfolk the carrier was listing visibly because the hull was resting on the bottom.  When I got to the top of the boarding structure, I was asked to step aside and I was greeted as guest of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).  I had access to most of the carrier. I was escorted to my quarters by a seaman and put my bag away.  We were scheduled to weigh anchor at 0814 hours and I wondered why not 0810 or 0815.  That was the instant of high tide and the carrier would be afloat. 

Actual flight operations started in the afternoon with a F8U takeoff followed by our A3D. The F8U was fully instrumented for testing ‘hands off’ instrument landings. As the F8U approached the carrier, the pilot was given a ‘wave off’ which says ‘do not land’.  The pilot went to full power but continued to sink and hit the stern of the carrier.  The impact ripped off the main landing gear and ruptured a fuel line.  With the airplane now on fire toe airplane continued to climb with a stream of fire out of the aft fuselage.  The canopy was jettisoned and the pilot ejected.  There are two helicopters airborne during flight operations and one of them had the pilot in the craft without hardly getting his feet wet.  Our A3D had to orbit the carrier while the deck was cleared to ‘trap’ another airplane. One of my class mates at Caltech was killed in a F8U making a high speed pull up which caused the wing to separate from the fuselage.

The A3D was to make a series of takeoffs with increasing the takeoff weight and speed of the carrier.  We finally had the water tank in the bomb bay full of water and the airplane full of fuel.  I was watching the catapult takeoffs from the starboard side of the carrier right at the flight deck level. On the final take off, the nose strut was completely collapsed and the nose tire flat. The airplane lost some altitude off the bow of the carrier, but started to climb.  Shortly after, the pilot dumped the water and came back on to the carrier.  The A3D had made a record of the heaviest airplane, 96 000 pounds, to takeoff from a carrier. With my program finished I was offered a flight back to Norfolk. A takeoff from a carrier!  What a thrill. It was on a COD aircraft with two turbo prop engines.

I was assigned to several different projects and ultimately I was offered a promotion to Chief Flight Test Engineer if I would go to Edward Air Force Base to supervise the B-66 flight test programs.  I didn’t even blink because that was where the action was.

Edwards Air Force Fligh Test Center.

Lancaster, California

We put our house up for sale and it was only on the market a few days when it sold.  It was February 1957 that I drove to Lancaster in 6 inches of snow in the Antelope Valley and signed the escrow papers for our new home at 1313 W. Norberry Street, Lancaster, California.  The moving company has now arrived and have started bring all of our stuff inside.  Ths house is quite a bit larger than our Van Nuys house and has forced air heating and air conditioning.  Since this is called the high desert, the AC will be nice when the summer comes. There are a number of support personnel here and the majority of them live in Lancaster.  Since the Test Center is about 35 miles out in the Mojave Desert, most of us car pooled.

Sheri was five when she started taking Tap and Ballet dancing.  Her teacher was Nancy Dunham and there were 7 or 8 other girls in the class.  Each year, the young girls would compete at the Antelope Valley Fair. They had made their own costumes and had a lot of fun. It was a big event with all kinds of booths and every thing you could imagine in the terms of food.

Several of the Douglas families decided to contact Nancy Dunham Dancers and find out if we could get her to teach of us how to dance. Especially me because I seemed to have two left feet.  The lessons were one day a week and  we met at a different home in rotation.  I guess that it was ball room dancing because we were taught different steps, such as: fox trot, cha-cha, and waltz.  It was a lot of fun and we got to know many more people.

Lancaster has a Masonic Lodge and I started attending their meetings and met more ‘towns’ people.  In fact, by knowing the regular residents, I began to feel more like I belong there.  A couple of members asked me if I belong to the Scottish Rite or the York Rite. I indicated that I didn’t know any thing about either of them. A couple of my Douglas associates knew of them, one was a member of the Scottish Rite and the other was a member of the York Rite. But neither of them were a member of both.  I invited them to have lunch in my office and each had fifteen minutes to convince me why I should join either of them. The Scottish Rite had locations only in the major cities, where as, the York Rite had meetings in the local communities.  That convinced me that I would have a greater access to the York Rite.  So I joined the York Rite in 1957 and immediately got with few members of the York Rite to establish a chapter and council in Lancaster.  We were successful and I was one of the charter officers.

While living in Lancaster, I became involved in the Young Republicans Club and became the area chairman for the Los Angeles Republican Central Committee for the Antelope Valley.  The first thing I did was to get a list of the precincts captains.  When I called them to tell them I was calling a meeting of the captains to organize a plan to elect Republicans to office.  The response was not good.  I told them that if they didn’t attend the meeting at my home, they would be replaced.  I guess that they called the Central Committee and found that I was for real and would be at my meeting.

When I got the people together, it seemed to me that all they wanted was my views on legislative matters.  I told them I was only interested in winning the election and our energies were to be directed in that direction.  Some precincts did not have a Captain, so we made an all out drive to fill the vacancies.  If a home had the wife & husband in different parties, we would contact that household only when the Democrat was not there.  The same effort to see if the republican was registered to vote.  Our efforts were successful because the Antelope Valley provided a majority for each Republican candidate in the general election of 1960.

The Anderson family lived across the street and they had a daughter about Sheri’s age.  One day Cindy came over to our house with a little black kitten with white feet and a white spot on it’s chest.  She wanted us to take care of the kitten until it would get old enough to survive on its own.  The cat got the name of “Sugarfoot”.  Well the cat grew and grew to a big cat that could stand on the floor and put it’s front paws on the counter top in the kitchen.  The cat was allowed in the house in the daytime but was outside at night. One Sunday we went on a drive over to Quartz Hill and we had forgotten to put the cat out before we left.  Conie had put steaks out to thaw.  When we got home, we found that the cat had eaten the steaks and part of an angle food cake.  Conie booted the cat out and we didn’t see the cat for three days.

One day Charlie was over to our house and remarked about the size of the cat’s testicles, only he called them ‘gonads’ and called the cat “Gonads”  Sheri picked up the name.  One day a friend of mine, Rev. Gerard Kay,  stopped by our house for a short visit.  Sheri was in the house and so was the cat.  Gerard asked her what was the cat’s name and Sheri answered “Gonads”. It took awhile to get the cat back to be called “Sugarfoot”.

The cat was not afraid of anything.  There was a German Shepard dog that lived on our street and would go across the street rather than walk down the sidewalk in front of our house if the cat was in the front yard.  The cat was out on the patio asleep on the picnic table when a strange cat happened by.  The pursuit was on with the strange cat chasing Sugarfoot.  Later that day all the neighbors came by wearing black arm bands. Sugarfoot had met his match.

The Flight Test Center was always a flurry of activity, never a dull moment.  We were requested to perform Low Angel Bombing System (LABS) tests with the B-66 bomber.  At Edwards there is a bombing range called the Air Force Special Weapons Test Center (AFSWTC) where they dropped dummy nuclear shaped bombs.  The B-66 was to approach the range, on the deck at max speed, and pull up at 4gs.  At 60 degrees the bomb would be released and the airplane continue over the top and drop down to minimum altitude.  Val Prall was the pilot and at the 60 degree point he was to release the bomb.  However, he couldn’t remember if the light was to go ‘on’ or ‘off’ when the bomb released. So he rolled the airplane and there was the bomb right next to his canopy. He got the heck out of there!  I was in the Observation Area and saw the whole show. Fun and games.

I got a call one day from Toby Corbin asking me if I would go over to his house, get the keys for the Austin Healy 3000 and drive it down to Long Beach for him and I said sure I would.  There are three ways to go from Lancaster to Long Beach, the Angeles Crest Hwy., Sierra Hwy., and the Soledad Canyon Hwy.  I chose the Soledad route because it had less hills and lots of turns.  It would be a lot of fun.  The Healy 3000 had a mirror on top of each front fender and I noticed that on left turns the left rear wheel would come into view.  In right turns the left rear wheel would disappear.  It gave me a good amount of concern so I slowed down considerably.  I told Toby when I got to Long Beach about the problem with the left rear wheel.  Now he tells me. That was the reason for getting the car to Long Beach because there were several spokes broken on all four wheels and he was going to get them replaced and have the wheels tuned. It was still a lot of fun driving the 3000.

As the test programs on the various versions of the B-66 wound down, I was reassigned to take over the A3D flight test program which was increasing its activity. The Navy had decided to have the A3D make an attempt to break the West Coast to the East Coast speed record.  The airplane was prepared using super cooled fuel and removed all unnecessary equipment.  The A3D took off and one of the main gear would only partially retract.  Nothing would work to get the gear to retract or extend.  The crew would have to bail out.  The Air Force at George Air Force Base wanted to launch their F-86 fighters to shoot the A3D down.  The A3D was set on a course the crash land in the desert where there were no known inhabitants and the crew bailed out. The F-86 squadron was launched and their attempts to shoot the A3D down proved to be unsuccessful.  The A3D landed by its self in the desert and was in pretty good shape.  Inspection of the downed aircraft revealed that not a single hole from a bullet was found in the structure.  But I bet they had a lot of fun trying.  

Charlie & Marg Anderson have evidentially agreed to terminate their marriage with a divorce.  Charlie has moved out and has rented an apartment in Belmont Shores in Long Beach.  It has three bed rooms and Paul Icteari is renting one of the rooms.  The apartment was on the third floor and faces the beach on Anaheim Bay.  During the Christmas season the city places floating platforms and are anchored around the bay.  Each of the platforms has a simulated Christmas tree with lights. The Palmer family visited Charlie and the lights were turned on.  Sheri wanted to know how they got their electricity.  Charlie said they got it from electric eels.  For a long time Sheri believed it to be true because Charlie said so.

It was on the day when  the Royal Arch Chapter was having their election of officers, I was called into the Facility Managers office that I was to report to Long Beach the following Monday for a new assignment.  I was to be the next High Priest of the Chapter. I declined because of my being transferred back to Santa Monica.

Douglas Aircraft Company

Santa Monica, California

I was transferred back to Santa Monica in December 1960 where I became a member of the staff to study the consolidation of all aircraft programs at Long Beach.  The consolidation was approved and the Palmer family had to move. I was assigned to work on the flight test part of the proposal for a new air transport for the Air Force called the SOR182.  We were not successful in our bid.  Lockheed got the contract and the airplane was ultimately called the C-141.

Douglas Aircraft Company

Long Beach, California 

In late 1961, I left the Flight Test Department and joined the Proposals Management organization of Government Marketing.   I developed the guidelines for maintaining Douglas’s objectives, engineering philosophy and proposal/customer requirements for participating departments and major proposal activities.  In addition I was responsible for the coordination and implementation of proposal management policies and was the proposal director for the supersonic transport, aerospace plane, and the heavy logistics transport.

When the C-5 division was formed to compete for the new heavy logistic transport, I became the Assistant to the Deputy General Manager with assigned duties to formulate policies and procedures for positive responsiveness to the various government requirements for the C-5A Definition Phase.   In addition, I managed the documentation activity and developed   the C-5 Division Organizational and Operations Manual using the techniques of Systems Engineering Process.  I also headed a task force to develop the internal policy and procedures for implementation of Configuration Management. The manual had three separate printings and was widely circulated  at Headquarters AFSC , ASD, and the Air Force Institute of technology. After all the tremendous effort to win the C-5 contract, we again lost to Lockheed Aircraft.  The Proposal Management department was disbanded.

With the loss of the C-5A contract in October 1965, Vice President Nate Carhart was given the management responsibility for the development of a 20 year strategic plan for the Douglas Aircraft Group.  Engineering Building 36 was being constructed next to Building 35.  Each floor was poured concrete, one layer on top of the other.  The floors were lifted into position by hydraulic jacks. was in the process of completion. Nate and I moved in to the corner offices on the third floor.

Cubical offices were built and there were eight people assigned to the project. The walls were attached to the floor by firing 22 caliper bullets driving studs into the floor.  I had a dream one night that with all the holes in the floor it unzipped  like a zipper.  It did not happen.   During this effort a master product plan was formulated which became the basis for orientation of independent research and development, and contract research and development for acquisition of, or preparation for major systems.

With the completion of the two engineering buildings came added cars and traffic was really bad in the morning at the start of the day and also at the going home time and cars were driving faster and faster.  For safety, speed bumps were strategically installed around the perimeter to slow the traffic down.  Engineers are always looking for ways to overcome blocks.  So they, in the evening when no one was around, they started to systematically started driving across the speed bumps at different speed.  They found that there was a speed that you could take that was smooth – 35mph.  Different cars had different speeds due to spring rates and wheel length.  So instead of slowing the cars down the cars were speeding up.  Finally they did away with the speed bumps.  The cross section of the bumps were not tested.

During my assignment to Santa Monica, and subsequently to Long Beach, I was driving back and fourth from Lancaster every day.  It was evident that I would not be going back to Lancaster.  We put our house up for sale and it didn’t take long before it was sold.  The owner of the paint store, that I bought my paint, was the buyer.  He wanted a 30 day escrow, which meant that we had to find a place to live in right away.  I was driving by my self to Long Beach and back each day, and on week ends we would look for a house in the Long Beach area.  One of the areas was in Rossmoor.  I looked at a few houses that were for sale and came back to the car and said to Conie, “If these were the last houses in the world for sale, I would not buy on of them”.  The further east we went, the more expensive they were.  There was a house that we liked in Tustin but it was more than we could afford; however, it was what we wanted.  We put some money down to hold the house so we could make a final decision.  It was a long drive to Long Beach and there were no freeways in that direction and I didn’t relish a 20 mile drive to work on surface streets.

After a couple of days, we came to the conclusion that we should find a place to rent rather than buy something we could not really afford.  You should have seen the look on the salesman’s face when I tore up the escrow papers. We both breathed a sigh of relief.  Conie and the kids would come with me to Long Beach on the week end and look for rentals.  Well guess what, she found a house in Rossmoor across from a grade school called Lee School.   and we signed a lease for 6 months. The house was owned by a Naval Officer at Los Alamitos Naval Air Station. When the moving van arrived to move our furnishings to Long Beach, I was off on a business trip to Philadelphia. The van people wanted to know what was to be moved and she said, “All of it”.  When I got back to 11522 Foster Road, Rossmoor, every thing was inside the house and garage, a lot of it was still in boxes. One of the boxes was quite heavy so I opened it and found common bricks, each wrapped in paper and stacked in the cardboard box.  It was a good thing that Douglas paid the mover.  I had a 7 mile drive to work and the kids would be in the school across the street.

Rossmoor, California

Conie was looking for a house to buy and spent the days on the search.  With the kids in school, she was free to search the area for something promising.  One day I came home from work and she said that she had found a house that we could buy.  The house was a mirror image of the house we were renting and they were asking $29,900.  The real estate sales lady wanted us to make a bid for the house. I offered $24,500 with a FHA loan at no more that 6% with several conditions.  The offer was good for only 24 hours.  The offer was rejected immediately.  The real estate lady kept calling for us to make another offer.  Finally I called the lady and told her that the offer was identical to the previous one, except that I would accept commercial financing, not to exceed 6%, and offer good for only 48 hours.  It was only a few hours before the deadline that I got a call that the owner agreed to our offer and that we had bought the house. It was a couple of week before we finalized the escrow papers.  Then we hit a snag.  The Terms and Conditions were not being met.  The yards were not being kept up, plants were being dug up, drapes were removed.  The seller was Malcolm Lucas, an attorney partner of George Deukejian, the governor of California.  I told the real estate lady that I was entering a suit to force compliance of the escrow.  The real estate lady pleaded we not file suit and that Walker & Lee would pay for all the replacements. We moved in on Memorial Day 1962.  Malcolm Lucas became the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court.

The move to our new address in Rossmoor resulted in a move to a different grade school.  The kids finished up at Lee School in June 1962 and started the new school year, September 1962 at Weaver School, also located in Rossmoor.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Summer Vacation 1965

Our 1958 Dodge Phoenix was getting weary from trips to Arkansas and Louisiana so we decided to buy a new 1965 Chrysler Station Wagon.  It had a roof rack that extended from above the front doors to the  rear window.  I found an awning maker that would make a bag six feet long, five feet wide and one foot high.  Tie down rings were placed every 12 inches around the perimeter. It had two zippers from the back to front.  All of our camping gear would fit in the roof bag.

Our vacation was planned to follow the west coast of the United States all the way to British Columbia, then return home by an inland route.  I made a trip to the AAA and got the necessary maps to make the trip.  With the kids out of school for the summer we started on California Highway 1 and US 101 with our first stop in Palo Alto to visit the Paine and Felt Families. They both had worked for Douglas and now worked for Lockheed.  We stayed at the Paine’s home.  It was good to see them and how their kids have grown.

We continued our trek northward through San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge where we again picked up the Coast Highway 1.  We drove through the giant Sequoias on our way to Fort Brag and Eureka. Many of the small towns had picturesque old homes and we drove through the Redwood National Park finally arriving at the campgrounds outside Crescent City.  You may remember the earthquake in Alaska that huge waves almost wiped out the city.  Our campsite was on the banks of a small river and the sand was nearly black.  There were stories  that some money was found in the river. It was suggested that it came from B. D. Cooper who jumped from a commercial airplane with stolen money.

Now in Oregon our destination was the Rogue River where we engaged a jet boat to take us down the river to Hell’s Gate Canyon.  The boat had two rows of seats with the driver behind them.  The boat was powered by an inboard engine with a jet pump in lieu of a propellor.   Sheri & John were in the front seats and Conie & I were behind them.  We proceeded down the rapids and  I saw a deep trough wave ahead of us and I partially stood up to take a picture.  We hit the wave and my legs buckled and my ribs hit the back of the front seat.  I had cracked a couple of ribs.  WOW!

We worked our way back over to US 101 so we could continue up the coast of Oregon.  Looking back down the coast, it was a spectacular view of the curving Gold Beach.  All the way to Astoria was just like out of a travelog.  We arrived at Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River.  A new bridge across the river was only partially complete and will be tall enough for the big freighter ships.

Rather than drive through Seattle and all of the small cities around it we chose to go around the Olympic National Park, sometimes call a Rain Forest.  It was a beautiful drive and took us to Port Angeles.  This is where we boarded a ferry boat to Victoria, British Columbia.  The approach to the city was typical of any sea port with the tall buildings and traffic.  We checked in a Hotel and started to plan our visit.

Butchart Gardens is the great attraction of all visitors to Victoria.  Spread out over 55 acres, the gardens include a Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden and an Italian Garden.  Amenities include a fine dining restaurant, a coffee shop, a cafeteria-style eatery, a seed and gift store, and ice creme stands.  The home of the Butchart family has a theater and bowling alley.  We spent the whole day at the gardens and still didn’t see everything.

Victoria is the Capital of British Columbia and has two of the most spectacular buildings.  The Empress Hotel looks like a castle and was made by the Trans Canada Railway as of their hotels across Canada.  The other is the Parliament Buildings and a most impressive structure.  Both are outline lighted at night.  Also, all of the downtown streets have flower pots hanging from the street lights.  These pots have live plants and display an array of color that add to the beautiful city.

It was time to move on so we drove up the east coast of Vancouver Island to Nanaimo where we would catch a ferry to Vancouver.  When we arrived at the terminal they were just about to close the gates.  The operator let us go and we were the last cat to board. In fact we were down among the rail cars.  We wandered up to the upper decks where the people were.  It was a large ferry boat and had a lot of food courts.  When we got to Vancouver, we continued on to Kamloops where we got a Motel.  It even had an indoor swimming pool.  The drive to Kamloops was through the Continental Divide and had some of the most beautiful mountains and lakes.

We continued on to the Glacier National Park and Lake Louise and found a campground and set up camp. It was a neat site and down on the shore there was a rowboat rental place.  We rented one and Sheri, John and I started to row up the headwaters to Lake Louise.  Sure enough we got to the end of the glacier that fed the lake.  Conie had the camera so we didn’t get a picture of the ice flow.

Since we were close to Banff Park we had to go and ride one of the ski lift Gondolas up to the top.  The view was great, you could see the whole valley and the Banff Hotel which was like the Empress in Victoria.  I tried to call June in Saskatoon but I did no get an answer.  I tried again when we got to Calgary and still didn’t get an answer so we headed south to the USA.

On the way we saw a sign that ahead was the location where the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Training Center., so we stopped to visit.  There was a barracks, parade grounds, and headquarters building. Next to the parade grounds was a authentic Indian teepee. I took a few pictures of the facility and one of John and a real live Mounty.  The history of the Mounted Police was quite interesting.

Back in the USA and picked up the old familiar Interstate 5 and continued in the southern part of the Glacier National Park where we stopped to camp.  We found a great spot that was empty so we laid claim and pitched the tent.  After dinner we went to her the talk about the Park.  It started to thunder and lightening so the Ranger said it was going to rain shortly and we should return to our campsites.  Sure enough it started to rain but we were inour sleeping bags.  The next morning we found out why there no one in our spot.  Water was in our tent and our shoes were floating.  We in a depression and a small lake. 

The mountains were outstanding and we followed the trail (US 5) and passed by the Grand Teton mountain range. It was sparkling clear day and the tops of the mountains were covered with snow.  We went through Great Falls to Butte, Montana.  Jack Wainwright, a class mate of mine at Caltech, was from Butte.  We took US 90 east to Bozeman where we turned south to Yellowstone which is in the north east corner of Wyoming.   When we entered the park we were given a detailed map of all the interesting features.  We set up camp and prepared to see all that were was to see.  Yellowstone is in a great caldera from ancient volcano which collapsed leaving a thin crust over the magma.  There were wooden sidewalks built over the areas of danger.  You could feel the heat of the bubbling liquid earth.  You would not like to fall in that stuff.

There are two rivers in the Park, the Upper Yellowstone and the Lower Yellowstone.  They merge into one and form the Yellowstone Falls.  It 303 feet high and flows into a deep gorge, carved by centuries of water flow.  The scenery is something to behold, but we had to move on to the Yellowstone Park Hotel.  It is constructed of large log beams and is situated a short distance from “Old Faithful”.  There are benches located around the geyser and no one was around.  We waited for a while and soon people emerged out of no where and by the time it was supposed to erupt, the benches were full.  It erupts every 91 minutes and it was worth the stay.  There were many brown bears around and it was quite wet.  One of the bears came over to our ca and put its paws up on the side of the car and left foot prints on the window and side of the car.  Sheri would not allow me to get the car washed because she wanted to show her friends the prints when we got home.

It was now time to head to Salt Lake City.  My ribs were mending and I could take a full breath.  We found a motel and it was across from a Chicken restaurant called Colonel Sanders. We had never seen one so we had dinner at the chicken place.  I must say that it was pretty tasty.  We visited the Mormon Tabernacle and listened to the organist play the massive organ.  To demonstrate the acoustics of the Hall, the docent held a pin over his head and dropped it.  Even as far back as we were we heard the pin fit the floor The building is 150 feet across and 250 feet long and could seat around 7,000 people.  It was first used in the October 1967 conference.  We drove up in the mountains to a place where the first Mormons first viewed the valley and exclaimed “It is the place”

We continued on to our next stop which was Bryce Canyon National Park.  It was raining ‘cats and dogs’ when we arrived at our camping site at an elevation of 7,000 feet.  Sheri & I got out of the car and removed the tent from the top of the car and proceeded to erect the tent in the rain.  Did we get any help from John or Conie?  None at all.  The next day the rains left the area and we took a tour by the Ranger down into the canyon. It was a collection of giant natural amphitheaters  It was really  beautiful.  On the way out I was breathing quite heavily and the Ranger was concerned about me being able to climb back to the camp area.  I made it.

We brock camp and put all of our wet camping gear up on top of the car and headed for Zion Canyon. By the time we had our tent erected it was bone dry. The beginning of the canyon is a vertical-walled natural amphitheater nearly 3.000 feet deep.  The river that flows in the bottom of the canyon has cut a beautiful landscape. One mountain was Rock Candy Mountain and looke like it was made of ‘all day sucker’.

We brock camp and headed for Las Vegas, the last stop of our fabulous vacation.  My ribs had knitted together and I was almost human again.  We pulled into the Stardust Hotel.  The kids were happy to be around the pool and diving from the three meter board.

That was one of the memorable vacations.  We traveled through eight states and two Canadian Provinces. It was great to be back home.

Douglas Aircraft Co., Long Beach

12141 Ballantine Street

Rossmoor, CA 90720-4605

It was early in1966 that we decided that we needed more space in our home.  We talked about selling our home and buying a new one east of Rossmoor in Orange County .  The children didn’t like that idea because they would loose all their new friends and didn’t want to move.  So we talked about putting an addition on our home.  I didn’t like the idea of adding a room in the back yard because we had a great patio. So we looked into adding a second story.  Several contractors were asked about adding a second story and all of them said it would be very expensive.

I started playing around with ideas of making the addition in the front of the house.  There two things that I disliked about our house.  There was no entryway closet and you had to go outside to get in the garage.  Build a new garage in front of the living room and connect it to the house with hall ways.  I sketched it out and everyone agreed that it would serve our purpose.  I gave the sketches to an architect to make it compatible with building codes. We got bids and after checking references chose the contractor.  Construction was started in November 1966 and was completed in March 1967.  I had a chart that had “percent complete” and “marital relations”.  It was the hope that “completion” reached 100% before “relations” went to zero. Extraordinary rain was principle factor for the delay.  Now the kids were happy and so were we.

The Company had plenty of work but was short on cash.  I was assigned to a team of different specialities to explore the possibilities of a merger with another company.  Our team, after diligent study, made a recommendation to have Hughes Aircraft Co merge with Douglas.  There were two primary reasons, Hughes did not build airplanes but was heavy in electronics, therefore was not a competitor, and they were cash rich.  All of our problems would go away.  Our team evidently was in a minority, or that Mr Douglas and Mr McDonnell were very good friends. The  merger took place in December 1967 and was said it would be good for both companies.  Only time would tell.

It was the time that Nixon and Kennedy were very interested in space and rocket technology.  Mr Kennedy set the goal of placing a man or men on the moon in that decade.  There was a search for seven men who would be the first astronauts in the United States was announced in1959. The idea translated to Douglas executive management to search the company for candidates who could become the next new management structure.  The seven would be assigned to totally unrelated departments for a six month period at the end of which be evaluated as a success or failure. The candidates would have access to the executive dining room. I was the one from Engineering to be assigned to the Contracts department. The program didn’t go the full term, but was terminated after about four months. No explanation was given.  The seven astronauts did not suffer the same fate.

After my father died, I no longer had any connection with Crossett Lodge.  I had been attending Los Alamitos Lodge and submitted a request for demit from Crossett Lodge.  It was granted and I joined the Los Alamitos Lodge and took part in the lodge activities. There were a lot of members that were also learning parts of the ritual hoping to be picked to enter the line of Officers.  My friend Archie Allison ( Master), appointed Junior Steward in 1969.   

In 1968, I was given the title of Director- Contract Research with responsibilities for the management of contracts with various government agencies. We implemented several systems and procedures to manage research programs to ensure optimum cost, schedule, and technical performance. The automated data system which we instituted for the management of contract research programs became the nucleus for the management control systems being used on all

major programs at Douglas.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

I don’t remember just when sailing became a top activity in the Palmer household, but it was around 1967.  My son John palled around with Steve Lefler who’s father owned a Cal-20.  There was a youth sailing club in Belmont Shore called The Leeway Sailing Club (LSC).  I enrolled both Sheri and John to take lessons in sailing.  We have added another activity to their already very busy schedule.

The LSC owned a few Sabot class boats that were used in sailing lessons and not enough to practice sailing.  So the obvious thing to do was to search for a Sabot that was for sale.  We found one that was used as a dingy for their power boat.  It had fenders built in the gunwale along with  oar locks.  Effort to remove all dingy evidence was time consuming.  We went to a lumber yard and found teak wood to outfit the Sabot for racing.  When it was all finished, John named the Sabot “Teaki”.  All of the lines were brought to the mid-ship thwart.  The Sabot’s registration number was 3735.  John started racing his reconditioned Sabot and immediately started wining trophies.  Sheri started teaching sailing at the Leeway Club.

I was invited to go sailing with Doug Lefler in his new Cal-25 and I thought it was a lot of fun.  John and I went to Catalina with the Leflers and I was hooked on sailing.  There was a friend of mine at work, Orville Gentry, who owned a Ranger 23, tall rig, and raced his boat in the Pacific Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) and Midget Ocean Racing Fleet (MORF) and equipped with North Sails.  I asked him if he would teach me how to sail competitively and he agreed so I became a member of his crew.  The Ranger had an inventory of about 6 different head sails and 4 different spinnaker sails.  Enough for all kinds of weather.

Summer 1969

Sacramento River House Boat

            I don’t remember who brought up the idea of renting a House Boat, but any way the kids thought it would be nice if they could each take a friend along.  I found a place that rented House Boats and called them about rentals for 2 adults and 4 children.  They suggested that a 24 foot would be fine.  I sent a check to reserve a 24 foot and we started to plan the trip.  Sheri could take Vicky McCargar and John could take Mark Wilson to round out the crew.

            We loaded the Chrysler with all of our camping gear and headed for the Sacramento Delta. Vicky McGargar was designated as the Official Recorder for this auspicious epic adventure.  What follows is Vicky’s “Captain’s Log”

                                                                        Captain’s Log

                                                                        Stardate 7/3/1969

                                                                        Sunday

            “Left to pick up Mark at 0830 pm.  Took wrong freeway but made it anyway.  Picked up Mark and left there at 10:30 pm.  Stopped in Bakersfield for ice creme refreshments.  Stopped again in Fresno for Gas.  Sopped again in Merced for ‘watering’ and then in Modesto for a 5:00 am breakfast of a hot drink and coffee cake.  Arrived in Walnut Grove at 6:30 am and checked out the boat at 8:15 am.”

            When we arrived at the House Boat Rental I found out that they didn’t have any 24 foot units left.  I complained that we had a confirmation document for the 24 foot.  They finally relented and gave us a 36 foot at no additional cost. 

            “Captain Palmer went for orientation and inventory, we were on our merry way.  We ate lunch on board and in the early afternoon we picked a small cove in the river and proceeded to ‘park’. Try one failed – too far away.  Try two failed – too close and hit the support of the sundeck on the port side and added a beautiful right angle to its shape.  Try three finally succeeded.”

            The basic problem in docking the boat was the outboard engine was not locked in the ‘down’ position and would not produce the reverse thrust to stop the forward motion.

            “Most hands went off deck and into the water for a swim.  Sheri & Vicky washed their hair in the river while Mark and John explored and fished.  For diner we had Mrs Wilson’s roast and afterwards all hands played Crazie-Eights and Black Jack with Sheri winning out the house.  About 10:00 pm all hands retired for a peaceful sleep on deck or in their bunks.”

                                                Respectfully submitted

                                                            Sheri Palmer, Port Captain

                                                            Vicky McCargar, Executive Officer

                                                            Jock Remlap, D.S.C. Captain.

                                                                        Captain’s Log

                                                                        Stardate 7/4//1969

                                                                        Monday

            “Began with a breakfast of bacon and eggs.  We decided to cruise South.  During our cruise we were cut across our bow by Capt. Fink and crew in a speed boat at full flank.  The place was reorganized and half of the fishing gear misplaced and filed under H2O.  During the afternoon, the water marathon took place for the battle of the impregnable fortress, the sundeck equipt with such modern weapons as buckets, plastic cups, and towels.  At the end of one day, the girls had taken possession from the enemy, the boys. 

            Dinner was served and after that several members of the crew went out for an early evening stroll.  In the later evening, Captain Palmer was out on the sundeck on the forward bow, wishing to enter the main cabin, throwing caution to the wind, he rushed back in but was detained, owing to a screen door obstructing his path.  He was needless to say, surprised.  So was the screen door. 

            Due to the sloth of one of our younger mates (male), one of our marshmallows was added to the list of casualties. It was removed from Mark’s jeans in a surgical manner and cast out to the ‘Progs’ in the hopes that they might dispense with the racket.  John won the Yablzee game played in the late evening.  All retired to bed in the usual manner, of the sleeping bag.

                                                Respectfully submitted

                                                            Sheri Palmer, Port Captain

                                                            Victoria A. McCargar, Executive Officer and Chief Frog                                                                Jock Remlap, D.S.C. Captain.

                                                                        Captain’s Log

                                                                        Stardate 7/5/1969

                                                                        Tuesday

            “The day proved rather event less, to coin a phrase of our Port Captain, S. Palmer (as opposed to ‘uneventful’) we cruised all morning.  We made a fishing stop at Beaver Slough.  Very strong current nearly loss resulted in the untimely loss of our four junior members.  Got underway again, this time to return to “The Meadows’ and our old parking space; a landmark easily recognizable by the mutilated tree where one of it’s limbs (now detached) had come in forcible contact with our left deck pole. (See Captain’s Log Stardate 7/3/1069).

Sheri and Frog prepared cheesecake for desert.  In route to The Meadows we stopped at the Marina where most hands ventured ashore to partake in the cooling frozen novelties of the local cafe.  We rented a dinghy which we named ‘Dingey’ We finally reached our old spot, wrecked tree and all.  

            All hands went swimming and washed their respective hair (except for Mark and John, who are in the water 90% of the time so their hair stayed relatively clean.  Adventure in ‘Dingey’ resulted on assorted mutinies.  The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate Award for tody went to Mark, for throwing our bucket overboard while fishing.  The Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded to John for courageously diving from Dingey to rescue it.  He was forced to swim vertically downward to a depth of 18 feet, while at the same time holding his breath!. 

            After Vicky & Sheri’s superb dinner of spaghetti, salad, etc, Sheri & Vicky hiked to the unexplored reaches of our terrestrial backyard and brought back lots of blackberries.  This expedition resulted in a number of painful (in the extreme) puncture wounds which were contracted while the pair idiotically picked dry thistles.  Major surgery was performed on Frog’s ailing thumb.  The crew retired peacefully at 11:00 pm.

                                                Respectfully submitted

                                                            Victoria Ann McCargar, XO and Chief Frog

                                                            Sheri Lynn Palmer, Port Captain.

                                                            Jock Remlap, D.S.C.  Captain

                                                                        Captain’s Log

                                                                        Stardate 7/6/1969

                                                                        Wednesday

            We were awakened at 12:30 am by John being sick.  Acute indisgestion from eating spaghetti – wrong (no chewing.).  Re-awoke at 9:30 am.  Cruised around surrounding sloughs, occasionally stopping to fish or swim.  Returned to ‘Meadows’ in the afternoon.  The two boys caught a few fish but returned them to their habitat owing to their diminutive size.  There were two mishaps with fish kooks; John sat on one Sheri stepped on one.  Took Dingey to visit a feline neighbor.

                                                Respectfully submitted

                                                            Victoria A. McCargar, XO and Chief Frog

                                                            Sheri Lynn Palmer, Port Captain

                                                            Jock Remlap, D.S.C.  Captain.

                                                                        Captain’s Log

                                                                        Stardate 7/7/1960

                                                                        Thursday

            Port Captain Palmer repaired the speciality of the house, cheese omelettes, for breakfast.  We got underway, and headed for the Good Old Marina.  After filling up with wah-wah, we got in ‘Old Trusty’ (The Chrysler) and set course for Locke, the infamous Chinese Ghost town.  The sigh said a population of 1002.  Actually we saw about 6 indolent Chinese, a GTO and a couple of motorbikes.  The whole town sort of sagged, as if it had had an epidemic of arthritis and couldn’t stand up straight. 

            We then headed for the bustling metropolis of Walnut Grove.  This consisted of the ‘Big Store’ (a pre civil war supermarket), a Post Office (where most hands fascinated read the FBI’s wanted ads) and finally the old pseudo – Tudor Boondox Hotel which was closed.  Can’t fathom why!!?  We ate lunch at Wimpy’s Restaurant in some slough around here.  We were the only customers enjoying his air conditioning (outside was 95⁰) and good food.  The Captain had two beers (Drought). 

            We finally ended up at Beaver Slough.  Some fished and others swam, even against the swift current, but we were forced to abandon our plans to spend the night there because of these aggressive bees which were attracted to 6-12 rather than repelled, and had the habit of alighting on things and people.  Naturally, we ended up in the Meadows. 

            John & Mark found their way into the hearts of an older couple in their 42-foot Chris Craft, the ‘Gee Barb’ from Piedmont.  The couple let the boys have their motor boat dinghy to fish from.

            During their absence, the Captain and first Mate waged war with the Port Captain and XO.  The latter two were forced to spend freezing hour and a half submerged.  Din-din was lasagna.  John & Mark were late for dinner.  They breezed in at 10:30 pm full of stories about the Gee-Barb they plan to return to be soiled further.  No one can stand them now.

                                                Respectfully (?) Submitted

                                                            Vick, XO and Chief Frog.

                                                            Sheri Palmer, Port Captain

                                                            Jock Remlap, Captain D.S.C. Captain

                                                                        Captain’s Log

                                                                        Stardate 7/8/1969

                                                                        Friday

            Lounged around the Meadows while John and Mark employed the Muller’s (Gee Barb) motor dinghy.  Owing to the extreme heat we cruised around the various and sundry sloughs.  Ended up at the Marina and eventually the Meadows.

            The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate was awarded to Mark (this makes three) who lost his watch in the drink while swimming.  Dinner was Bar-B-Que chicken. After dinner , the XO and Port Captain played chicken in the channel with our confederate neighbors who previously borrowed two cups of flour.  The rest of us peasants were finally invited aboard the Gee-Barb to meet John & Mark’s adopted parents.

            P.S.  While swabbing the decks, the Captain was thrown overboard by the XO and Port Captain.

                                                Respectfully submitted

                                                            Vick (Airotcive Ragraceem) Occiber and Chief Phrog

                                                            Sheri (rich remlap) Port Captain

                                                            Jock Remlap D.N.C.

                                                                        Captain’s Log

                                                                        Stardate 7/9/1969

                                                                        Saturday

            The Captain and Port Captain swam among the icebergs again.  The P.C. and XO played chicken in the Dingey again with our confederate neighbors.  We ate breakfast and went out once more, this time retrieving our flour container.  Lunch consisted of chili dogs.  We packed madly. 

            After lunch, George and Barbara Muller (of the Gee Barb) blessed us with their presence, to see how the other half lives.  Immediately after their departure we shoved off, bidding a fond farewell to the 105⁰-in-the-shade at 5:00 pm-at-night-heat and the River Rat.

            The junior members occupied themselves with an original card game which Frog aptly titled ‘Dunce’.  We ate at Denny’s in Fresno.  On the way home the junior members (sans John) took turns leaning on each other and sleeping (?).  It somewhat resulted in three fractured sacroiliacs.  Finally reached Mark’s palatial estate at some ungodly hour.  Deposited him and about five tons of assorted supplies, all over his spacious (!!!) Driveway.  On the road once more, we finally landed at 12141 Ballantine- conked out completely.

                                                Respectfully submitted and with many thanks for the greatest (tannest) vacation I’ve ever had.

                                                            Vicky McCargar, Executive Officer and Chief Frog

                                                            Sheri Palmer, Port Captain

                                                            Jock Remlap D.B.C. Captain “

There was a race around Catalina Island and Gentry had entered his boat.  The race was hosted by the Los Angeles Yacht Club The crew was Gentry, his wife, an other man and myself.  Conie had asked when I would be back and I told her the race would be about 24 hours so should be back by noon tomorrow.

 The sail to Catalina was uneventful but when we go closer to the North West end Catalina the wind was steadily increasing and we had to shorten sails.  By the time we got to the North West end of Catalina we had 50 knots of wind and were double reefed on the main and had a ‘mule jib” up.  I was totally wet and cold.

After rounding the end of Catalina we shook out the reef on the main and put up the 100 genny and went down wind wing and wing.  It was too much wind to fly the spinnaker.  Besides we were at and above hull speed.  Mt job was to watch rogue waves from behind us.  Gentry’s wife went below to change her clothes and had closed the hatch and companion way boards.  I was standing at the stern rail when I heard the wave before I saw it.  It came over the top of me and completely filled the cockpit, gunwale to gunwale .  It was a good thing that Gentry’s wife had closed the hatches otherwise the water would had gone down into the cabin.  Now I was soaked to the skin and no dry clothes.

It was almost dark when we got to the South East end of Catalina we were in the shadow of the island and lost almost all of our wind.  We finally got out of the doldrums and started picking up speed and waves were above our hull.  Some how one of the lines got tangled around the rudder post and would not turn in one direction.  The other crew guy went over the stern with me holding on to his legs and finally got the rudder free.

We crossed the finish line in second place, about 12 hours to round Catalina and had to sail back to Alamitos Bay.  I was still soaking wet and bordering on hypothermia.  It was after midnight  when I got home and got in the shower with the water cold and gradually turned it hot and stayed in the shower until I stopped shaking and went to bed.  I was exhausted.

My thoughts began to owning a bigger boat and started looking at the International 470 racing sloop.  We found a dealer that had 470s and John and I sailed it a couple of times.  About that time the International 505 class was holding World Regatta in Long Beach.  All the Yacht Clubs in the area were asked to house one of the team competitors and we took in one.  They had their own sleeping bags and duffle bags and took over the living room.

With all the talk of 505 vs 470 our thoughts became centered on a 505.  One of the 505 crew was offering his 505 for sale.  John and I went to Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club to see the owner and take out for a sail.  I got to ride the trapeze and switched position on the helm.  It was thrill.  John then went out and repeated what I had gone through.  We were hooked.   We bought the 505 that was built in Australia with all metric fasteners.  A trailer came along with the 505.  It’s registration number was US 3206.

The 505 had to have a hoist to lift it off the trailer and put it in the water.  The Cabrillo Yacht Club allowed us to their crane until we could find one in Alamitos Bay.  John and I would trailer the boat to Cabrillo to sail the 505.  We could handle the 505 quite well going out from the wharf, but when we returned to the Yacht Club it was blowing right down the channel. We centered the boom and sheeted till the sail was practically flat and still couldn’t slow the 505 down.  After many tries we rounded up and luffed the sails and backed the 505 to the dock. Nothing was broken but our pride.

There was a small marina a short distance from Leeway that had a hoist.  The hoist was not very easy to get to and the boat slips made it difficult to bring in the 505.  The answer was the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club down the strand near the jetty, it had a hoist and had parking space for the 505.  We became members and moved the 505 to the club’s parking area.

Sheri and I went our sailing one day when the wind was quite brisk.  We were waking a reach tack with the spinnaker and Sheri on the trapeze. Sheri had trouble arching her back and consequently her behind dragged at times in the water was slowing us down. We were plaining and having fun across Long Beach Harbor when a power boat came along side of us and asked if we know how fast we were going.  He said he was clocking us at 20 miles per hour.  Later on we were entering Alamitos Bay and I did a jibe tack and capsized the 505.  We were trying to right the 505 with a Harbor Patrol boat watching us. They didn’t offer us any help.  We finally righted the 505 and all the guys on the patrol boat cheered.

John and I were racing the 505 and one of the legs of the course took us through the breakwater and run parallel to the breakwater.  After clearing the entrance we jibed the boat and capsized.  It almost turtled and the hull was acting like a sail.  John was releasing the lines and I was swimming as fast as I could to get hold of the center board.  The wind was taking us right into the breakwater.  I finally got hold of the center board and was able to get up on it to right the boat.  Thank goodness we always wore our life vests on the 505.

After gaining more experience with the 505, we were returning after a race and were coming down the channel with the spinnaker up. We thought we were ‘hot dogs’ so we retracted the spinnaker, but not fast enough and ran over the spinnaker.  We had all that wet cloth to get back in the 505.  It was embarrassing but a lot of fun to sail the 505.  Jack Gehringer, a neighbor across the street, also was crew for some of the races.

Summer Vacation 1972

Once again we loaded the Chrysler Station for a new adventure.  Sheri was going to Long Beach State University and was working part time so she couldn’t go with us.  Our first destination was Flagstaff AZ where we stayed over night.  The next morning we were packing up the car and I had put our ice chest on the tail gate and asked John to drain the water out of the chest.

With the car fueled we headed for Durango, CO.  John was driving and I could smell a sweet odor which turned out to be a blown radiator hose and the antifreeze was all over the place.  I tried to flag down another car but no one would stop.  Finally a car from Canada stopped and offered help.  He insisted that the little town was only a few miles back and he would take me. When we got to the garage they didn’t have the top radiator hose so back to our car.

The man from Canada said that a gravel truck spilling gravel passed him and shattered his windshield. Some kind motorist stopped and helped him so he was repaying the favor.  I had an old butcher knife that had the handle taped up the keep the wood handle from coming off.  There was enough tape to stop the loss of coolant so we made temporary repairs. What were we going to do for water?  Well John had forgotten to drain the icebox and we had just enough to fill the radiator.

When we arrived at a larger town I was able to get the proper radiator hose.  The heat of the hot engine had loosened a bunch of stuff and I was concerned about blocking the flow in the radiator.  We flushed the cooling system as much as we could , added anti-freeze and continued on the way we came to Four Corners where four states come together; New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah.  Of course we all had to have our picture taken to prove we were there.

Our next stop was the Mesa Verde National Park where the Navajo Indians built a large village under the overhang of a mountain.  We paid the admission and took a tour of the ancient buildings where we had to climb up ladders from one level to another.  In some areas we had to crawl through tunnels in the rock to get to the next buildings. We took several photos of buildings and the rooms.  It was very impressive having been built in the eleven hundreds, AD.

On to Durango, CO where they have  steam powered engines to pull the passenger cars up hill to Silverton, CO.  We left Durango and headed for Silverton via the one million dollar mile highway.  The highway was carved out of granite and had several miles over 10,000 feet elevation.  John was driving and got his first experience of driving in snow.  He did well but Conie was a little apprehensive..  We made it to Silverton and watched the train pull into the station.  It had two engines pulling and one engine pushing to made the grade.  We were also treated to a staged gun fight on main street.

On our way to the Royal Gorge we passed by the Great Sand Dunes National Monument.  The bridge over the canyon is 105 feet above the river and you have to pay a toll to cross.  They have an incline railway that takes you down to the Arkansas River level, and of course there is a fee for that. There is also a cable car that takes people from side to side over the canyon. It was most spectacular view from to bottom as well as from the top.  Our next stop is to drive up to the top of Pikes Peak.  The Chrysler Wagon made it all the way to the top, which is 14, 110 feet above sea level. I can’t imagine how the race cars, and race trucks, make it in such a small amount of time.  There are places on the road that had no guard rails and if a went off the road it would fall several thousand feet.  Not for me!

While we were in Colorado Springs we drove over to the Air Force Academy.  It is still under construction with permanent buildings.  The most spectacular building is the Chapel.  From a distance it likes it is made of a series of A’s put together.  You have to see it to appreciate the concept. After a short visit with Bill and Karen Simmons in Boulder, CO we continued on to the Dinosaur National Park.  There was a large building covering the area where they have numerous skeletons of dinosaurs in a building.  People are still digging and uncovering more skeletons.

Time was now running short and we had to start heading back home.  Enough of exploring some of the fabulous sites and history of our early settlers.  We three drivers rotating, we took two days to make it home to Rossmoor. 

In 1973, I became the Deputy Director of Engineering Administration and Operations Control. I  was assigned responsibilities associated with functions of personnel, engineering facilities, systems and procedures. The Director (my new boss) told the Vice President of Engineering that he didn’t want or need a Deputy, with me sitting there. The Vice President said “Live with it”. I immediately knew that my life as Deputy was not going to be good.

Also in 1973,  I was appointed to the Engineering Advisory and Development Council to the School of Engineering by Dr. Stephen Horn, President, of the. California State University at Long Beach. I was an active member of that council for 10 years.  In December, I was elected Master of Los Alamitos Lodge and .set the Installation of Officers for December 31,1973 in the Huntington Beach Lodge because they had a larger Lodge Room. It was the same date that Conie and I were married.

Since John took up sailing over five years ago, we have had our name on the list for a slip in Alamitos Bay.  And our name came up and we were assigned a slip number.  We were told that we had to occupy it immediately so we put the 505 in the slip to comply with the regulations.  I wanted a fairly good heavy weather boat but not a lead snail.  Something larger than a C-20 but not a Ranger 23 because of its expense.  One of the boats was a Santana 22 made by Schock Yachts and they had a used one for sale.  It was in good condition and the price seemed right, so we bought it. The sail inventory was a main and a jib.  I now had to move the 505 from the slip to the parking area of ABYC  I single handed the 505 across the bay to ABYC and that was an experience.

We took delivery of the Santana 22 in July 1974 in Newport Harbor and headed up the coast to Alamitos Bay and her new port.  It was an experience and we took pictures of us at the helm.  John and I rotated taking the helm and sailed her to Alamitos Bay to our new slip.  After developing the photos it was obvious that we had a lot to learn about sail trim.  The mast was rigged to lower in order to go under the bridges in Newport harbor.  So the first effort was to eliminate the lowering rigging and install a backstay tension and eliminate the hinge at the bottom of the mast.  While the mast was down we installed a wind vane next to the mast head light. 

The boat was named ‘Sea Jewell’ and that had to go.  I was in the head of the Presentations Department office day and we were talking about sailboats. Mac was born in Mexico of Scottish parents. He asked if I had a name for my ‘new’ sailboat and I told him no.  How much do you like the boat he asked, and I told him I love it.  He said that I should call it ‘Te Quiero’.  I had a painter remove the old name and painted on the new one  Also we had three small windows on the luff of the jib sail and placed red yarn on both sides show air flow on the headsail.  Now was the time to go sailing and practice sail trim.

We placed an ad in the paper that we had an International 505 for sale. After a couple weeks we got a call if the 505 was still available.  I told him it was.  He was from Lake Tahoe and a down hill ski racer.  He wanted to have the fastest sail boat on the lake.  He didn’t want to go sailing to try it out. I went down to ABYC and hauled to 505 up to our house. He wanted to see the sails up including the spinnaker.  There was a little wind blowing and to 505 took off down the street.  I had ro lower the spinnaker to stop the boat.  He paid in cash and I signed the registration and left.  I never heard from him again.                                                                                                           

*       *     *    *     *    *

Since we no longer needed a hoist to launch the 505 we dropped our membership in the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club and joined the Seal Beach Yacht Club which was not very far from our new slip for the Santana 22. That slip was a “reaching slip”.  You return to the slip under sail in light wind conditions but not in a brisk breeze.  One time I tried to come in under sail and had too much speed and hit the dock box and it completely collapsed.  I had to rebuilt it.

McDonnell Douglas had a sailing club and we entered the PHRF races. I had to get a PHRF Registration Number and had the sail loft put 47453 on the main sail. On the first race we had a fabulous start, first over the start line and trimmed go.  Then ‘BANG’ and the mast came down. No one was hurt. With the help of the Harbor Patrol they got us back to the slip.  The chain plate that holds the shrouds to the boat failed.  The chain plate was made of aluminum instead of stainless steel and the shroud fastener pulled right out of the chain plate.

We removed both chain plates and took them to a marine shop and two stainless steel chain plates.  They were identical and the holes matched the bulkhead.  We placed sealant on the interior surface where the chain plate entered the outside surface to water proof the work.  On inspection of the sails the main sail had suffered terminal problems so I had to have a new one made.  The new one had a pocket that would allow the end of the boom to drop about 10 inches.   Also we had to get a new mast.

*     *     *     *     *    *     *

It has been almost a year since acquiring the Santana 22 and we have been planning to sail to San Diego.  I planned on stopping at Newport and Oceanside on the way to San Diego.  We drove our car to those ports and talked to the Harbor Masters about any approach hazzards.  Oceanside was the only one because of cross currents at the entrance and to keep as much speed as we could to have control.  We also visited the San Diego Yacht Club for a visitor slip.

The weather has been terrible but the forecast for April finally showed improving conditions. So we got the boat loaded with our provisions and ready to set sail.  The wind was out of the south east and visibility was about a mile but the weather forecast was f or 10 to 15 miles.  Sheri was down to the marina and waved good bye..

It was only about 30 minutes after departure that we could no longer see the shore.  I started a series of timed tacks to weather and charted our course to parallel the coast.  With improved visibility when we could see the coast line we were where we were supposed to be.  Our first Port-of-Call was Oceanside Harbor and we had no problems entering the harbor.  We got a slip and settled down for the night.  There was a restaurant a short walk from the marina.

The next morning we set sail for San Diego.  There were a lot of clouds and some looked like there was rain. We rounded Point Loma and it seemed that it took as much time as we took to get to Point Loma to get to the San Diego Yacht Club.  We checked in with the office and were assigned to a slip which was a side tie in between really big yachts. Sheri arrived to spend the weekend.

San Diego Bay is one big batch of water.  We cast off and started exploring the bay.  We sailed to Coronado where we went under the bridge that connects San Diego with Coronado and stopped at the Coronado Yacht Club. This is the club that hosted the International Sabot Regatta that John raced in and I ruptured the meniscus of my left knee. We got some refreshments and headed back up the bay.  It is interesting when you have two people on a boast that are racers and see another sailboat ahead of us that we try to catch and pass the other boat.  Lots of fun.  Back at the Yacht Club we had dinner in their dining room.  When we checked in at the Yacht Club they opened an account for us and any purchases would be billed to us.  There are no cash transactions.

Sheri left the next morning and we bid the Yacht Club goodbye.  The weather was threatening but it didn’t look that bad.  We made it ok to Oceanside Harbor and got a slip for the night. The next morning the weather was getting a bit worse and we used the outboard engine to leave the harbor.  Conie was very anxious so we continued using the engine and decided to remain over night in Dana Point Harbor because of the threatening weather. We got a slip near the harbor master.  The next morning the weather was getting worse so we entered Newport Harbor and remained over night.  Weather was clearing so we sailed back to our home base of Alamitos Bay.  Conie was happy to be home in one piece.

*     *     *     *     *     *      *

The big event of 1976 was our son, John, married his long time sweetheart Bobbi Stugart.  They had met in San Diego on a senior year high school band trip in 1972.  John played the trumpet and Bobbi was one of the flag girls. 

I returned to the management of Contract Research programs in 1976 and was assigned the management responsibility for the Advance Concept Ejection Seat (ACES-I) program which led to the highly successful ACES-II ejection seat which became the industry standard.. 

I was at work and having a meeting of my staff when my secretary buzzed me that I had a phone call and she suggested that I take the call.  It was Kermit Jacobson, Deputy Grand Master and Caltech Endowment Funds and he wanted to know if I would accept an appointment to the Board of Trustees of the Masonic Homes to fill an unexpired term because of a resignation. Conie was in the hospital and I had to check with her. She said ‘You can do anything for a year’ so go for it.   I was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Masonic Homes of California Inc. This not-for-profit organization operates a home for the elderly in Union City and a home for children in Covina. 

In May 1977 John graduated from the Long Beach State University (LBSU) with a Bachelor of Science degree Business Administration and Accounting. He joined the Lasco Company as a General Accountant.

With the completion of the ACES-I program in 1976, I returned to the management of contract research programs. In 1979, I was asked to devote full time to the development of a carbon epoxy vertical stabilizer for the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 commercial transport aircraft. The structure was developed in conjunction with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and was the largest composite primary structure to have flown on a commercial airplane. One of the stabilizers was to be used for static test to 150% of design load.  It failed before we got to the maximum test load.  We had high speed cameras and strain gauges all over the place.  Review of the data showed that one of the spar webs failed in a access hole.  The second structural test article was corrected and the stabilizer passed all the tests. The flight test article was installed on a KC-10A (Air Force Tanker) and flown in June 1985.  It passed all of the limits of the operational flight test.

On a race to Point Ferman in April 1978, we were leading the race scratch, close hauled and really moving. Then that dreaded noise and the mast broke and the sails came down.  This race I had left the outboard engine in the dock box.  Fortunately the radio antenna was mounted on the transom so I called the Coast Guard of my difficulty.  It was only a few minutes when they arrived and assisted us in securing all the rigging. They towed us into the harbor and told us to drop anchor and Long Beach rescue bout would take us to Alamitos Bay.

We were able to bring back to the slip all the pieces and parts.  Upon review of the mast, it had failed in compression due to the tension I had on the back stay.  The mast actually failed due to bending.  Fortunately the sails came through without a single tear. I must say the Conie was very upset and ;aid down the law that if this happens again I was through sailing.  Well we got a new mast and began racing again.

In 1979, John and Bobbi scraped together all their cash and  bought their first home in Cypress, California.. Things were very tight but they weathered the undertaking and settled in.  It reminds me of when I graduated from Caltech and we hardly had two dimes to rub together.  My father sent us a gasoline credit card and a check for $50 to come home for a vacation. 

It was in the spring of 1981 that I wanted to go out and do spinnaker drills.  What it was to go to weather and when we were a few miles to weather we would come about and set the spinnaker.  Once it was set, we would jibe the spinnaker and when we get it set we would take it down and repack it. Then go through the procedure again.  Sheri and Ray were crewing that day.  On the way to the weather mark we were on a starboard tack and Ray was checking under the headsail for other boats that could be a hazzard to us.  All the boats that Ray could see were on starboard tack.

Ray took a few minutes to get a cold drink from the cabin and came back on watch for other traffic.  He looked under the sail  and yelled.  One of the sail boats had changed tack from starboard to port and was on collision course and the sail boat rammed us.  The boat had a bow sprit with a dolphin striker and came over our cabin and took down our mast.  Ray was hit by something in the left arm.  He was closest to the carnage and the only one who got hurt.  The boats were sort of locked together. The Harbor Patrol arrived and got us separated from the other boat.  It had actually crushed our cabin on the port side.  This must be some of record, dismasted three times on the same sailboat.  Maybe the sailboat was hexed because I had changed the name from Sea Jewell to Te Quiero.

The insurance of the other boat paid for the complete repair of the Santana 22.  When we got the Santana back you could not tell that it was ever damaged.  But I guess that it is like a car after an accident that it just didn’t seem to sail was well as before.  I finally decided to sell the Santana so I sailed the Santana to Newport Harbor to Schock Yachts for them to find a buyer.  It wasn’t but a short time I got a call from Schock that they a had a buyer from Sausalito, CA that wanted a heavy weather sailboat for San Francisco Bay.  The Santana was sold.

Now that I have sold the Santana 22 it is time we started looking for a new boat.  There are several sailboats in the 25 to 30 foot class.  The Newport 27S looks like a boat that you could go to Catalina for the weekend as well as race in the PHRF.  It has a cabin that is larger in percentage of overall length but has a cockpit that is adequate for racing.

The Newport 27 is made in Harbor City, over by San Pedro.  We went through their facility and ordered one to be built.  We made the trip over to Newport weekly and watched it taking shape.  Finally we got word that the boat was complete except the rigging.  Newport people guaranteed a slip for a year in Marina del Rey and we went there and the salesman took us sailing off Santa Monica.  It sailed well and quite comfortable and the two cylinder diesel was great.  I registered the Newport 27S with the PHRF and was given the number 77945.

We would drive up to the marina and spend the weekend every chance we got.  We were both lounging in the cockpit one evening when a pretty woman asked if I would like to have some company.  Then she saw Conie siting up against the bulkhead and said ‘she had the wrong boat’.  She must have been a ‘lady of the night’.  We got a surprise one day when we got a phone call from the Alamitos Bay Marina that they had a slip for us in the Long Beach Downtown Marina at a slip fee cost less than we were paying.  We accepted and sailed the Newport to Long Beach.  It was much closer to home but the parking was far from ideal but better than Marina del Rey.

Since we were in the Alamitos Bay Marina when we sold the Santana, we were moved to the top of the list for a 25 foot slip.  It was not a long wait and we moved our boat to the new slip not far from the Seal Beach Yacht Club..  It was on a gangway across from a restaurant and very noisy on the weekend nights.  The slip was ideal because we can come under sail and ‘head up’ into the slip.  It is great that I start up the engine and power out the end of the breakwater because the Harbor Master does not like sailboats to tack out of the channel.

I asked the Harbor Master if a slip came available in our gangway could we move to get away from the noise of the restaurant.  It was couple of months when one came available about 12 slips from the Yacht Club.  It was on the same gangway but closer to the Yacht Club. I employed a painter to paint the name of the sailboat on the stern “Sophisticated Lady” and beneath it “Alamitos Bay”.

It was time to bring Sophisticated Lady up to race trim.  I ordered a new tri-radial spinnaker and brought all of sheets to the cockpit.  The only thing left at the mast was the halyard for the main and head sails.

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Ray and Sheri brought into this world our first grand kids and they were twins.  They were born on February 22, 1982 an they were named Wesley & Jason..

John and Bobbi brought into this world our granddaughter.  She was born on October 21, 1982 and she was named Kelli Lynn.  She was a beautiful little girl,

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For the past few years I have not been happy with my assignments at work.  I wanted to move away from government sponsored programs.  My efforts to get a new assignment fell on deaf ears.  In one of the after hours staff meetings in late 1985, I asked that the meeting be adjourned.  I told the Director that I was resigning or taking early retirement immediately.  It was about 7:00 pm when I got home and announced to Conie that I was going to be no longer employed.  I asked her if she would like to editorialize and her only comment was that she didn’t think that I would ever retire.

I had some 60 days of accumulated vacation time and they started being used up.  They didn’t just pay you the equivalent dollars.  When I returned to work I had accumulated and additional week of vacation so I went on vacation again.  At the end of the vacation I went in the plant and checked out with my accumulated stuff.

The Retirement Years

After serving the year and a half of the unexpired term, I was appointed again for three terms of three years each to the Board of Trustees of the Masonic Homes.  Seven of the years on the Board I served as Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee. The last year, I served as Vice President of the Board.  A total of ten and a half years, It was one of the most satisfying effort of my life. The new Grand Master appointed me to the Masonic Homes Endowment Board for 1987

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On April 6, 1986 the Palmer III family grew larger with a brand new grandson. His name was Bret John.  He was a handsome little boy.  Now I have three grandsons and a granddaughter.  How good can it get?

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Expo 86

Western Canada Tour

June 1986

After we had the bags packed and the car loaded, we drove to the Schnauzer Kennels to board Fritz while we were gone.  We picked up Interstate Hwy 5 that would take us all the way to Vancouver.  We stopped at the Best Western Golden Pheasant Inn in Willows to sleep. Since we had been on I 5 almost to Canada before we didn’t stop for sight seeing, only for food and sleep.  For Expo 86 you had to make your hotel reservation through a Expo Office.  We requested the hotel be within walking distance or public transportation. 

We were assigned to a place named Hotel Patricia which was advertised as recently renovated. Not so.  There were floors that were still being worked on and the dining room was not open.  When we go to our room on the fourth floor, it had two single beds, a window at the head of one bed, a television mounted on the wall and a small bathroom.  You could stand between the beds and almost touch each wall.  Oh well, the price was right.

They were right, it was in walking distance to the Expo entrance, and the bus stop was one block away. We caught the bus to the entrance and bought our three day passes.  USA had four groups of buildings, representing California, Oregon, Washington and USA.  The rest of the buildings were from countries all over the world.  Australia had the winner of the America’s Cup called Australia II. on display next their building.  They had simulated sails outlined in fiber glass strips of cloth.

One of the things that caught the attention of the kids and adults was the “Scream Machine”, a really fast roller coaster.  The Russian Exhibit had a miniature model of the city of Kiev.  I asked if they turned off the lights “Would it glow in the dark?”.  I got dirty glares from some people.  At the Expo Center there was a huge geodetic ball that was an IMAX theater.

We usually did not stay much after dark because of the area of the hotel. We had some interesting happenings outside in front of the hotel. There were two ‘ladies’ that patrolled up and down the street.  Conie had named one ‘tight britches’ and the other one ‘long hair’.  The interesting was that Native Indians were quite prevalent in Vancouver and they thought nothing about relieving themselves against a building in broad day light.

Three days were enough for us for the Expo, so we packed up and headed east.  We had been on this stretch of the highway before so we didn’t stop, except for gas, until we got to Revelstoke.  We checked in to the Best Western Wayside Inn.  We drove over to the Revelstoke Dam on the Columbia River.  There are two dams one concrete and one earthen.  The penstocks are 26 feet in diameter and are external on the face of the concrete dam feeding four turbines.

We continued on to Lake Louise where we turned left and headed up the Continental Divide on the Ice Field Parkway to Jasper.  This is where the Columbia Ice Field is and there are large bus like vehicles the drive you up on top of the glacier.  There were two axils in the rear with eight tires and one axil in the front with four tires.  Twelve tires total.  Of course we had to take the ride.  While on the glacier, the bus let us out to walk on the ice.  There were pockets in the surface that had water in them.  It looked light blue and tasted great.  Cold and refreshing.

From Jasper we continued on to Edmonton, Alberta where stayed overnight.  The next day we cruised into Saskatoon to my sister’s home. June showed us to our room where we unpacked for a short stay. All the relatives were there to greet us.  The next day we visited the Western Development Museum where they had ancient classic cars. 

On the way to Emma Lake we went through Prince Albert. We passed by the Diefenbaker House and then went to Lake Diefenbaker and the Gardiner Dam. There was a beautiful marina on the lake with a lot of good size sailboats.  In the winter the lake freezes over and the yachts are dry stored.

We the went to Emma Lake where June & George have a summer home where we spent the night. There was enough room for all of us.  The next morning we said our good byes to all and headed south.  Our travels took us through Regina, Saskatchewan to the USA border.

Mid West Tour

June 1986

We crossed the border at Fortune, North Dakota on US85 heading for Mount Rushmore.  We checked in at the Best Western HI-HO Motor Inn in Custer, South Dakota.  After spending the night, we drove to Mount Rushmore to see the carvings of the four presidents on the mountain.  It was very impressive.  I don’t think there is room enough for big head of Obama.  We crossed over to Wyoming and headed for Boulder, Colorado via Cheyenne.  On the way there I was calling, by ham radio, for a short cut to Boulder.  After receiving the directions another ham called me and he was from Huntington Beach, not far from where Sheri & Ray live.  He was north bound on his way to Salt Lake City before heading south on I 15.  I told him we were going to visit my cousin in Boulder then head south.                          

We arrived at Bill & Karen Simmons and I found that I had a fuel leak in the carburetor.  Bill took me to the Chrysler Garage and he knew the owner.  They didn’t have a “California” compatible so they had to order one from the factory.   In the meantime we went up to their ‘mountain home’ for two days. It was a beautiful place just below the Continental Divide.  When we got back, the carburetor was fixed and they told me at no cost.  It was a manufacturer defect. 

We said our good byes and headed west on I 70 to intercept I 15 south to Los Angeles.  When we were close to I 15, I began calling Gary Jones to see if he was any where near.  I was surprised when he answered me and was about a half hour behind me.  He indicated that he was going to stop in Mesquite, NV and spend the night.  We would also stop and have diner together.

We were able to get a room at the motor lodge and had a great dinner.  The next day we played tag where he would lead a while then I would.  At the same time we talked over the radio about every thing and nothing. It sure made the trip go so much quicker.

On our way into Los Angeles, we stopped at the kennels and picked up Fritz, our Miniature Schnauzer.  Boy was he ever happy to see us, us him.

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John, III progressed in Lasco and was promoted to Cost Accounting Manager (CAM). In August 1986, John III left Lasco and joined Laura Scudders as CAM.  Having served his internship and passed the boards, he received his Certified Managerial Accounting (CMA).

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Caribbean Cruise

October 1986

Now that I am retired and planned on traveling a lot including foreign countries, it would be prudent to have a Last Will & Testament and have Revocable Trust Deeds.  My accountant suggested a law firm, Powers & Trethway in Long Beach, CA. We signed all the documents the morning we caught a plane to Acapulco, Mexico.

The Panama Canal has always intrigued me because of the engineering and historical aspects of the Canal. The Chinese have the operation of the Canal and that we should go through before they would take over Panama.  October 1986.  Conie and I decided that we would go a few days earlier so we could tour around Acapulco and see all the sights.  We stayed at the Paraiso Radisson Hotel located on the beach.  The room had two toilets.  One was normal but the other was a ‘bidet’ and used to wash your genital and anal area.  I had never seen one before. The ground floor is open to the sea breezes and a great place to have a Margaretta or two. It is known as hotel row, but, you can go a block or so inland and there are people living in squaller.

There is a hotel called Los Brisos that is located on the side of a hill south of the entrance in the harbor.  It is the most expensive hotel in Acapulco.  Each suite has a view, a swimming pool and a Jeep to run around town.  Another top of the line hotel is situated south of Acapulco is the Princess Hotel which is built like a pyramid..  It has a lagoon pool with a water fall and under the water fall is swim in bar. Pretty neat!  Of course you can’t go to Acapulco without seeing the cliff divers.  It was pretty exciting. Our cruise ship has now docked and we can go onboard the Sitmar Cruise Ship “Fairwind”. It is an old passenger ship modernized with air conditioning all the port holes were welded shut.  Standing in the passage ways you could the curvature of the deck from stem to stern.

We arrived at the Panama Canal in the early morning and it was still dark.  As the sun started to come up you could see all kinds of freighters waiting to go through the canal.  However, the cruise ships have priority to go first so the passengers can see the whole operation.  From the Pacific, we go through the two Miraflores Locks to Miraflores Lake then through the Pedro Miquel Lock to Gatun Lake. We have been raised 85 feet.  The Canal runs from the northwest to the southeast.  After transiting the Gatun Lake we come to the three Gatun Locks which takes us down 85 feet to the Atlantic Ocean. Mother Nature powers the entire operation.  Dams were built to create the lakes and hydroelectric dams produce the electricity to operate the gates and the tugs that keep the ships in line to go through the locks.  Everything is self contained and it took us all day to transit the Canal.

Our next port-of-call was the San Blas Islands, a short distance from the East entrance to the Panama Canal. There are several little islands, all about 3 feet above sea level.  We boarded the shore boats for the short trip to the islands. The living standards of the natives seems stuck in time and word has it that if you take a picture of one of the natives you should offer money because you are taking away their souls.  The natives welcome the cruise ship in their dugout canoes and dive for coins thrown from the ship.  Don’t think any of the coins ever get to the bottom of the harbor.

Curacao was our next port of call and it was early in the morning when we docked at Willemstad.  Two other couples got a tour van to show us all of the main points of interest. We visited a distillery called Senior & Co. Inc.  We didn’t buy any of their products.

The next port-of-call was St. Croix.  It is like stepping back into the 18^th Century when the Danish built the quaint harbor towns of old Christiansted and Frederiksted. As one article wrote…….

 “Step through the gateposts at Estate Whim and imagine the prosperity and hardship, history and folklore of this sugar cane plantation.  Experience the emotions of those who lived in 1800 when sugar and rum reigned supreme… in 1848 when the slaves were freed and in 1872 and ‘76 when severe hurricanes ravaged homes and crops.

Alive with treasures from this exciting and historically rich past, Estate Whim Plantation is a national historic site managed by the St. Croix Landmarks Society, and the only restored great house open to the public.  Less than thirty years ago this splendid plantation was in crumbling disrepair.  Painstaking restoration by the Landmarks Society began in 1958, and today Estate Whim stands as a tribute to all who harvested the land, reaped its profit, and endured its hardships.  To their descendants of both flesh and spirit, Estate Whim is an appreciation of history.”

We next boarded a coach and visited the Cruzan Rum Distillery and found out how rum is made.  Of course we had to sample different kinds of rum.  From there we drove to the Fort Christiansvaern which is the best preserved of the five remaining Danish forts in the Virgin Islands.  Largely completed by 1749, the Danish army garrisoned it until 1878, when it because a police mainly of hard yellow bricks brought from Denmark a ballast in sailing ships. It is a prime example of 17^th and 18^th century Danish colonial military architecture. Our motorcoach took us by where Columbus landed in 1493 and back to our ship.

St Thomas was our next port-of-call and we docked at Charlotte Amalie. We boarded a coach and toured the northeast coast where Sir Walter Drake landed at Magen’s Bay Beach.  We toured Bluebeard’s Castle on the way back to Charlotte Amalie..  This is said to be the best place to buy croqueted table cloths and cordial type liquors. So we found a table cloth and six bottles of liquors and returned to the cruise ship. We bid a fond fair well to the Fairwind. What a great experience.

San Juan is our last port-of-call and the end of our first cruise. We stayed in the Condado Plaza Hotel and Casino in San Juan for a couple of days to see the points of interest. Conie and I took a local bus to see the Castillo de San Felipe Del Morro, a massive fortifications begun in the 16^th century to protect Spain’s empire in the New World.  Today it is a measure of Spain’s ancient power where they form a historic bond between the Americas.

We took a bus to the Bacardi Distillery, the largest rum distillery in the world.  The distillery has a museum that shows the history of Bacardi Rum along with a family tree. They offered a shot glass of each of their brands, one of which was Ron Rico 151.  Bacardi is not allowed to export to the U.S. because it tastes like Scotch.

Time to leave San Juan and head home.  We boarded a Eastern Airlines A300 and made a routine flight to Atlanta GA where we had to go through Immigration Customs.  We then boarded another A300 to LAX.  Super Shuttle took us back home.  It was a great trip but it was good to be back home.

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My Masonic interests took a change in direction when I joined the Long Beach Scottish Rite on May 16, 1987.  I was named Class President and John Jansen was named Secretary.  John Wallace was in the class along with about 50 other candidates. There are 29 degrees in Scottish Rite and numerous opportunities to be involved as cast members, stage, sound, lighting and others.  There are four Bodies in Scottish Rite; Lodge of Perfection, Chapter of Rose Croix, Council of Kadosh and Consistory.  I was appointed to the line in the Lodge of Perfection.. Also, I became a cast member of the 7^th Degree.

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Ireland, Scotland and England Tour

June 22, 1987

The Grand Lodge of California has planned a land tour of the British Isles and Ireland.  Since neither of us have been east of North America we signed up to go. Paid the necessary fee and gat our tickets.   I scheduled Super Shuttle to LAX and when they arrived it was still dark. While we were waiting to board the TWA flight to JFK, we relaxed a little bit with a couple of Bloody Mary’s before boarding the airplane. We boarded the TWA flight to Kennedy airport in New York where we change planes to Air Lingus that took us to Shannon Ireland Airport in Ireland. 

Shannon airport is near Limerick and we checked in the Jurys Hotel. There was bar in the hotel and it was the first time that I ever had the opportunity to try some of the Irish beer. I had a pint of the bidders and that was all that I think that was enough.  The next morning we boarded our tour bus to take us on our journey northwest on our way to Galway. We visited an old Irish castle call Bunratty and toured the various rooms that were open to the public, which included the great Hall, the public chapel, the solar room, the Earl’s bedroom and the guard room. It was all very interesting because it was all original from back in the days and the ten hundreds years. 

From there we went on to Knappogue Castle where we were met by a welcoming party and provided us with a tour of the castle.  We went into the King & Queen Room where we were provided with chamber music while we and had dinner.  After dinner we watched the performers put on their acts.

The next day we continued on to another fortress called Croach Fortress and an old Abby close by.  Most all of the houses in the town had thatched roofs throughout the town. We were on our way northwest western to wind up in Galway.  On our way we passed by Muskross Lake, Crookstown, and the Cliffs of Moher. It as so foggy that you could not see the cliff but you could hear the birds that habit the cliffs.  We passed the Dunguaire Castle that was supposed to be open for business; but when we got there it was closed so we continued on our way to Galway.

After leaving Galway we headed south. Further on was the O’Brien’s Tower and the Gap of Dunloe near Killarney.  On to Cork where we found the Blarney Castle. I climbed the narrow stairs of the castle to the top were I did kiss the blarney stone. I believe that Waterford Crystal in made in Cork. It was then on to Dublin.

It is now 26 June and we have arrived in Dublin, the capital of Ireland.   We all loaded onto a bus and toured the city of Dublin where we saw the High Court building,  the Parliament building, the Prime Minister’s house, and Trinity College. In the Trinity College, we were able to see the Book of Kells and King David as Harpist. The Trinity College Library is immense, if not breathtaking.

 We were able to tour the Dublin Castle and Abby, where we saw the throne,  the Great Hall and Receptions Room.  The exterior the building is being restored and will look really beautiful when it is finished.. Next we stopped by St. Patrick’s Cathedral. We went in and saw the Choir loft and Sanctuary along with the Nave.  Very impressive. Sunday we attended church at the St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It is no longer a Catholic Cathedral but an Episcopalian Cathedral.

 On June 27 we visited the Masonic Grand Lodge of Ireland.  The Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of California, Bob Klinger was in our tour group and made arrangements with the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ireland to give us a guided tour. We were greeted by the Grand Secretary and he took us on a tour through the main hall,  showed us the alter and a large pipe organ. We also toured the Egyptian room and saw the Crest of the Order of the Temple,  the Rose Croix, and a solid silver Ark of the Covenant along with the station of the Knights Templar. After that tour of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Ireland.  On our way back to the hotel, we drove by the American Embassy.

On 28 June we had free time so Conie and I decided that we would take the Irish Rail  down to

the port of Dun Laoughaire Harbor which was the end of the Irish Rail.  We were looking for a old Irish pub that we could get a real  Irish Coffee. We wandered around the little community, by the harbor and found an old pub that was started in 1625. We went on in and Conie was the only lady in the room and there were about four or five men sitting at a table on the other side of the pub. and they were talking Gaelic. They would look over at two of us seated than the other side of the room and they would laugh and talk again in Gaelic. That continued until another person came in with two ladies. Immediately the Gaelic stop and they started talking English.  It took a while for us to get our authentic Irish coffee and when we did, it tasted just about the same as if you’d gotten one in the USA.

Scotland

28 June 1987

We said Good Bye to Eleanor Rice, our Tour Guide and to Our Driver “Dan” and boarded Air Lingus for our flight to Glasgow, Scotland.. Checked in the hotel to get a good night’s sleep before boarding the coach for northern Scotland.  It is now 29 June and early in the morning with fog hovering around.  The coach driver gave us a tour of Glasgow before heading north. We passed Loch Tulla on our way over the mountains by Black Mount.  Along the crest we stopped to see and hear a Highlander and his Bag Pipes at Glencoe.  The music is sort of sorrowful.  We went near Ben Nevis, the highest point in Scotland.

Along our route we went by Fort Williams Navy Divers School. Along our route we passed several locks connecting the waterways to the entry to Loch Ness.  Along the shore was the Undohart Castle Ruins.  This is the sight of the Loch Ness monster called Nelly.  We sat around there for a while but didn’t see any sign of Nelly.  We finally arrived at our hotel in Inverness, the most northerly point of our journey.

 On our way south to Edinburgh, we stopped buy a place called the Blair Castle and Blair Atholl. At the entrance to the building, there was light fixture with the Grand Masters jewel, suspended below the lamp. We took a guided tour through the old castle which was in fantastic condition. We saw the huge dining room, the ballroom, and the drawing room, the tapestry room which had a a large bed with a canopy over the top. In one room  all of the Grand Masters regalia were displayed including the apron and jewels of his office.

 We continued south on Highway 89 and passed by the River Dochart near Killeen. As we drove by, we even saw a Highland bull in a pasture. The Heather in the Highlands could be seen on the sides of the hills. Lots of color. We finally arrived at the city of Edinburgh and as we drove on our way to the hotel we passed by the Lord Nelson Monument, the Famous dog of Edinburgh, and the Parthenon Memorial.  The Edinburgh Castle located on a very high hill overlooking the city of Edinburgh.  At the entrance to the castle you pass over a Moat and by the Gatehouse that had a uniform soldier their guarding the entrance. We were able to walk around the grounds and the see the beautiful city of Edinburgh down below us.

 Once again class Bob Klinger had made arrangements with the grand Lodge of Scotland for us to have a personalized tour. We did there and we were met by Arthur Hagel, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and provided us with a great tour of the Grand Lodge. The curator, David Curry joined us and added folklore to our tour.  Between both of them, we were given wonderful tour of all of the various rooms. In one of the rooms was  a picture of Harry S Truman, President United States, and underneath that, was a Proclamation of his formal reception at the grand Lodge of Scotland.

It is July 3^rd and our tour group had tickets to a dinner theater to see Scottish Dancers and other performers.  On the menu was Haggis. We were told what the ingredients made Haggis and I tried it.  I imagine that if I did not know what is in it, would I like it? Nope!

The chorus line of male dancers, begged the question, “What is under the kilt?  The Master of Ceremonies asked the audience if they could tell if they could see anything.  No one responded.

I think that in the ages gone by,  it would be nothing.

We then motored north to St. Andrews golf course, the home of golf was first invented.  It is on the seashore of the North Sea at St. Andrews Bay. In order to get to the Club House, we had to walk across the Number 1st and 18th hole fairways from the place our coach was parked. We were able to buy all kinds of stuff associated with golf.  We then motored over to see the ruins of Cathedral St. Andrews and then on over into the St. Andrews West Port which is a gate leading into the town

.We also passed by Sir Walter Scott’s home just outside of Edinburgh, then proceeded to the Ruins of Melrose Abbey. the gardens around the Abbey were very colorful with  displays of different kinds of flowers.  The effects of the Romans could be felt when we passed by a viaduct built by them during their stay in Great Britain.  The last stop was the Castle Jedburgh before heading for England.

England

July 4, 1987

It is now July 4^th and we are in the city of York and we were able to see the Duke of York and Fergi drive through York Square. It was a celebration of the colonies becoming a separate nation. After driving around the Abbey ruins at York, we watched several street artists drawing pictures on  the pavement with different colors of chalk. One of the artists was drawing a large version of the Mona Lisa and was really good. There was a group of Street Dancers that were performing in the square. We continued on in our tour of York by driving along the waterfront of the River Thames. There were tourists boarding the boats to go up and down the river.

We continued on our tour of York by driving by the front side of a huge cathedral called  The Minster of York and for contrast we drove down a very narrow street called The Shambles of York. We stopped at the National Railway Museum where we were able to go inside and see the first steam engine connected to a big wheel.  They also had the early steam engines for trains. There were three large engines called the Flying Scotsman (1923), the Duchess of Hamilton (1938) and the Evening Star (1960).  Each had set speed records for the fastest time for a passenger driven trains.

Our tour spent the night in Harrogate. The next morning we could not get our coach out of the parking lot because there was a car in the in the way. Our driver could not get around or backup, So a few of us helped  the driver bounce the car out of the way up into the bushes. We continued on to see the place called Burghley House in Stamford.  We were able to go in and see the Great Hall, the Kitchen, and the Second George Room. All of these were lavishly a decorated including the Heaven Room, which had paintings all over the ceiling and around the walls. 

It is now July 6^th and we finally arrived at London. We have an additional tour guide, Una, for our stay in London. We drove by the High Court Building, the Parliament Building with the Big Ben Clock and Chimes. Our travels took us by the Piccadilly Circus, the Thames River Front, the Tower Bridge, and The Tower of London. We had a tour of the Tower of London by a Beefeater Guide. He showed us where the Jewels of England were stored, some which were on display.  Inside the walls of the Court Yard is a plaque where the beheading were taken place. A short distance away is the St Kathern’s Yacht Harbor and Museum

With a brand new day, July 7^th, we were off to see the Windsor Castle. There was an Irish Guard at the gate where we entered the grounds. We were guided through Albert Memorial Chapel, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, the Dining Room.  The Grand Staircase was really impressive, as was the Queen’s Guard Chamber.

July 8^th we motored up to Stratford-on-Avon where we saw Shakespear’s Home and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage where we were taken inside to see the Kitchen and Buttery.  The Living Room and Bedroom were very liveable.  Continuing on we visited the Warwick Castle where again we were provided a guided tour.  We were treated to the Chinese Bedroom, the Library, the State Dining Room, and the Great Hall.  You can’t believe the opulence of living in that era by the elite.

Back in London we visited the Westminster Abby where saw the Battle of Briton Window and the Royal Air Force Chapel. The Choir and the High Alter was breathtaking.  We checked into the Holiday Inn by the Tower Bridge and Tower of London. We had the afternoon off so Conie and I decided to check out the tube (subway) and go to Hurrahs Department Store. The experiment was great, the locals were eager to help us find our way to Hurrahs. Roamed the store until we had our fill of the store.

Again Bob Klinger had arranged for us to have a personalized tour of the Grand Lodge of the United Kingdom on the morning of July 9th.  The Grand Secretary was unable to see us due to problem with the Grand Lodge and some government agency.  The afternoon we had a Thames River boat down the river to Greenwich.  We passed by the Royal Navy College, the Cutty Shark and the Maritime Museum  

It is July 10^th already and our Ireland, Scotland and England is over and we will now board a TWA 747 to fly non stop to Los Angeles via the polar route.  Right after take-off the pilot came over the intercom that on the right we could see Windsor Castle.  There were two ladies siting in front of us remarked, “Why would they build Windsor Castle right nest to a runway.”  Oh well!

We could see Iceland, part of Greenland, the Great Northwest Territory of Canada and then down to Los Angeles. The flight was uneventful like it is supposed to be.  Through immigration and customs we boarded the Super Shuttle and headed for Rossmoor and Home Sweet Home.

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In October 1987 John left Laura Scudders because of the long drive to and from work. He joined the Panasonic Industrial Company as Assistant Accounting Manager.  His office was about was quite near his home.

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Grand Sword Bearer

October 1987 – October 1988

Leo Mark, who was the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of California and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Masonic Homes, asked me if I would serve as Grand Sword Bearer of the Grand Lodge while he was the Grand Master.  I said that I would be willing to serve.  He announced that he was going to have to have a get acquainted luncheon in Fresno at the Airport Piccadilly Inn.  All of the people who were going to serve as Grand Lodge Officers would be introduced and became acquainted with one another.  Having served on the Board of Trustees, I knew most of the people who were going to serve as Leo’s officers.  The officers & ladies that were to be installed were checked in to the Fairmont Hotel near Grand Lodge on October 14^th, where it was only a short walk to Grand Lodge

The Installation of the Grand Lodge Officers was October 15, 1987 at the Grand Lodge with Don McCaw, PGM Installing Officer, Vern Gordon, PGM Installing Marshal, & Harold Hand Installing Organist. The newly installed officers departed to drive to the Louie’s on Grant Avenue for a Farewell/Inaugural Chinese Dinner.  The next day we boarded the coach and checked in at the Holiday Inn and to have dinner at the San Francisco Scottish Rite to celebrate the Feast of Tishri.  The next day we drove to the San Jose Scottish Rite for a reception of the new Grand Master.  The West Valley Light Opera provided the entertainment.

We drove to our next stop in our own cars to Mariposa where we checked in at the Yosemite Valley Motor Lodge.  I can’t believe that it is October 23^rd already. The next day we opened Grand Lodge in the Mariposa Lodge Temple for the purpose of performing the Corner Stone Ceremony at the Spring Hill High School.  We then boarded our own cars, drove to the Ranger Station.  Each car got a Senior Pass to the National Parks, and  drove over the Tioga Pass to Bishop where we checked at the Vagabond Inn. The purpose of the trip was to celebrate the 100^th Anniversary of Winnedumah Lodge. Archie Allison, P.M., a former resident, now a resident of Bishop was there.  On our way home,  we stopped at the Allison’s home at Big Pines.

On the road again, November 13^th, and this time to Pomona Masonic Temple for a reception of the Grand Master, Leo Mark.  Present was a Medal of Honor recipient.  The entertainment was presented by vocal rendition by a Rainbow girl.  The DeMolay was represents by two young men who played classical music and the piano.  The Job’s Daughters choir also sang.  All were very good.  The National Sojourners, under Jay Ryder, presented the building of the Stars & Stripes and the history of the flag.

The next day, the group then proceeded to Big Bear Lake for a reception at the Mount Baldy Lodge.  It was the celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of the Lodge.  There were 20 charter members present.  The following day we drove to Alhambra to attend a reception by the San Gabriel Valley York Rite for  Grand Master Mark.  A Barber Shop Quartet provided the entertainment.

Back to the north again, this time, November 5^th, to Pacifica for a Corner Stone Ceremony at their new Lodge Center.  The contents to be placed in the corner stone was displayed.  It was quite a windy day and the corner stone was displayed on an easel.  A gust of wind upset the easel and the stone fell and broke in two.  The ceremony continued and the stone will be remade and placed in the lodge building.

Back in the south again, December 5^th. This time for a Job’s Daughter’s Installation of officers.  The incoming Honored Queen was Shelly Rose, daughter of a long term friend of mine, John Rose, the Administrator of the Masonic Home in Covina. December 18^th found us at the Masonic Homes at Covina, this time for the Christmas Party for the children at the Home. We were treated with a guided tour of the Home and the arrival of Santa Clause.  Each of the children received a gift from Santa.

A new year has arrived and we are at the San Diego Scottish Rite on January 6^th, 1988. Over 700 attended the reception of the Grand Master.  There were two rows of Head Tables.  Lots of dignitaries.  The next event was the Reception for Sam Pavlovich, Senior Grand Warden at the Fresno Scottish Rite. It had been snowing on the ‘Grape Vine’ and all traffic was stopped.  We had to find an alternate route, so we took the Fwy 118 to the Coast Highway, then to the Hwy 41 to Fresno.  We got to Fresno just in time for the entry of the Grand Lodge Officers.

On January 29^th we attended the Installation of Officers of the Pasadena Scottish Rite.  Next we attended the Long Beach Scottish Rite on February 5^th where we were entertained by a Sing Group.  From there we attended a reception at the Los Angeles Scottish Rite for the Grand Master. Leo was received by the Arch of Steel.  Grand Lodge opened at the Vista Lodge in Vista, CA on February 27^th,for the purpose of laying a corner stone at the Alamosa Park Elementary School.  That evening we attended the reception for the Grand Master by the  South California Past Masters Association. 

“Freemasonry is kindness in the home, honesty in business, courtesy in society, fairness in work, pity and concern for the unfortunate, resistance toward the wicked, help for the weak, trust in the strong, forgiveness for the penitent, love for one another, and above all reverence and love for God.”

On March 5^th I attended the Masonic leadership workshop at the San Diego Scottish Rite.  The Grand Master could not attend, so I represented the Grand Master and gave a talk for him.  On March 19^th I attended another Masonic leadership workshop at the Riverside Evergreen Lodge where I again spoke for the Grand Master.

Santa Ana Scottish Rite hosted a reception for the Grand Master on March 21st.  The entertainment of the evening was Don Neilson who sang several songs.  Two days later we were at the Garden Grove Community Center to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of Orange Grove Lodge. The Grand Lodge was opened for the Corner Stone Ceremony where a Comerative Plaque was given.

On Saturday, March 26^th we checked into the Bonaventure Hotel for the recognition of John A. Sikenberger as the Mason to the Year 1988. We all boarded on a bus to the Los Angeles Scottish Rite.  Roy Henville was the speaker who gave an eloquent talk about the honoree.  We returned to the Bonaventure Hotel for the Los Angeles Masonic Service Bureau annual breakfast.

Next on the docket is the Grand Assembly of Rainbow Foe Girls.  It is being held at the Anaheim Convention Center.  The entrance march was outstanding, the girls were like they were on skate boards. Non of them bobbed up and down.  From there we attended the Grand Master’s Reception at Ionic Lodge on April 4^th. The hall was packed and the food was excellent.  The flowing day we went to Reseda where a new lodge was chartered as Sunrise Lodge.  There were charter members present. 

On the road again on April 8^th, and this time to Bakersfield.  The Grand Lodge was opened for the purpose of setting the Corner Stone at the Central Human Resources Facility of the County of Kern.  The procession of Grand Lodge Officers was about to start when if was discovered that the Grand Sword Bearer (that’s me) was without his apron.  The ceremony did not wait, but continued as if nothing was wrong.

It is now April 9^th and we checked in to the Town & Country Lodge at Knights Ferry.  Grand Lodge was opened in Summit Lodge for the purpose of Laying the Corner Stone at the Knights Ferry School.  The lodge was quite novel in that you go up an outside staircase to reach the lodge room.  Inside the lodge room was very small, the Grand Sword Bearer and the Senior Grand  Deacon could hold hands.  There is an old covered bridge that must have been built to provide a way to cross the river in the winter.  It was pretty hot and the refreshments were served in a little shade.  After the cornerstone ceremony we were treated to a wonderful dinner.

Continuing up north we made our way to Georgetown.  It is now April 15^th and I was happy that I had remembered to mail in my income tax. The Grand Lodge was opened for the corner stone ceremony.  PGM Bob West and the Principal of Divide High School both spoke to the assemblage.  The next day we had some free time and we took advantage of it tho visit the Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento. The had on display a 4-8-8-4 steam engine, one of the largest ever built.  It was built on two articulated trucks in order to go around turns.

On our was to Oakland, we stopped by the West Plainfield Fire Department who had set up a B-B-Q.  The 210^th Masonic District had a reception for the Grand Master. All of the Grand Lodge people were dressed in western attire. The entertainment was a great harmony singing foursome and a great guitars.  When we arrived at the Oakland Scottish Rite on April 17^th where we attended the Masters & Wardens breakfast. It was the worst breakfast we have ever had.  The scrambled eggs were not fully cooked and the bacon was almost burned.

April 28^th found us checked in at the Madera Valley Inn and an invitation to the home of Ray & Joyce Whitaker for home cooked B-B-Q.  What a spread it was.  The next day, we opened Grand Lodge in the Madera Joppa Lodge for the purpose of setting a Plaque at the County Jail, and Corner Stone for the Alpha Elementary School.

Aloha  Hawaii

The Grand Lodge of California and Hawaii visit to Hawaii started on May 19^th.  It would turn out to be the last such trip because Hawaii would start their own Grand Lodge 1988.  Once again we would board a Super Shuttle to LAX and board a United DC-10 to Honolulu, Oahu.  We were met by Willie and Bunny Wong who would be our guide and drive us everywhere we were supposed to go.  We checked into the Sheraton Waikiki.  We all assembled in Leo Mark’s suite for libation, after which we had dinner at the Seafood Emporium.

After a good nights sleep we were picked up by the Wongs and toured some of the better known places.  First was the Dole pineapple processing plant where we saw the pineapples go through the receiving, then the coring machines and last, the ladies hand finish the trimming.  Next we drove to Hilo Hattie’s factory where we saw the garments being made.

On May 21^st we boarded a coach to tour around Oahu.  From a distance, we were shown the pass where the Japan’s planes first attacked the island.  Next we went to the Haiku Gardens where we saw giant lily pads and other lush foliage.  Of particular interest was the Banyan trees with their many roots and trunks.  There was a large falls and we were entertained by cliff divers.  Within the Waimea Falls Park native villages were represented.  Further along we passed Kauula Beach and Kualoa Beach.

Our next stop was the Byodo-in Temple.  The genius of an artisan 900 years ago flowers in the replica of the Temple at Uji, Japan.  Planned with the help of Hawaii’s religious leaders, Byodo-in Temple reflects the promise of the mystical bird, the phoenix, recreating spiritual hope.  In the temple was a great Buddha.  The sculptor, Masazo Inui created the 9 foot 2 inch representation of Amida, the Buddha unique in all the world.  It is the largest wooden Buddha carved in 900 years and is covered with gold and lacquer.  There was a wedding taking place while we were there. We continued along the coast to Sea Life Park where we watched a display of dolphins in a lagune.  Further along the coast we passed by Sandy Beach Park, Lovers Cove and Hanauma Bay Beach Park which is great place to snorkel.

The next big event, May 22^nd, was the Grand Master’s reception by the Hawaiian Masonic Youth, Rainbow for Girls and Job’s Daughters.  It was held at the Honolulu Scottish Rite Center where we had dinner and were entertained by the young ladies.

On May 23^rd we visited the U. S. S. Arizona Memorial.  Leo dropped a wreath into the water. Chuck Maier, Grand Chaplain, offered a prayer in remembrance of those who gave their lives. We then continued to the Veterans Memorial and cemetery.  We were told the Ernie Pile was buried there. To round out the day we headed to the beach at Barber’s Point where we attended a Luau.  It was catered by Germaine’s Luau, said to be Hawaii’s Finest and Authentic. We watched the ceremonial removing the pig from the pit and the start of the carving.  There was a stage where the dances and singing of Hawaiian songs.

The next day we went to the Hickam Air Force Base where the Hickam Square & Compass Club for the Grand Master’s Reception at the Trade Winds NCO Club.  From there we proceeded to find Camp H. M. Smith, Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force Pacific. Schofield Lodge was celebrating their 75^th Anniversary with a diner and reception for the Grand Master.

It is now May 25^th and we all waited at the hotel for transport to the Honolulu Airport..  Our Hawaiian Airline was waiting at the gate and we boarded for our flight to Hilo on the big island.  The flight was uneventful and landed at Hilo Airport and checked in at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.  That evening was the Grand Master’s Reception and the Job’s Daughters served our diner.  We checked out of the hotel and started our trip to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We passed many lava flows that crossed our road and were still warm. The Kilauea Caldera was like a deep depression in the very flat plateaux.  We passed a community called Naalehu and is the southernmost community in the USA.

We finally arrived in Kona, May 26th, and checked into the King Kamehameha Hotel.  We were invited to a cocktail party in a private residence high up in the hills with a breathtaking view of Kona.  The next day we boarded a tourist boat to take us down the coast to Kealakekua Bay where Captain Cook was killed and a Monument marks the place.  The water was very clear and is one of the prime snorkeling places near Kona.

We said farewell to Kona and boarded another Hawaiian Airline to Maui where we checked in at the Maui Inter Continental Wailea. We were supposed to stay in Lahaina, but something got changed.  The Grand Master’s reception was at the Lodge Maui.  Leo presented a 50 year pin to one of the members.

It is now May 29^th and we checked in at the Kahului Airport and again took to the air, this time to Lihue, Kauai.  We checked in the Coco Palms Resort, Kapaa.  All of us boarded a river boat and started up the Wailua River through Heavy Rain Forests.  These boats were quite different in that the passenger vessel towed a boat behind that had a big engine (a propulsion package).  We stopped at the famous Fern Grotto where weddings are performed.  On the way back down the river we were given Hula dance instruction.  Interesting and fun.  Back at the hotel we watched the “Lighting of the Torches”.  Even I got up on the floor and tried hula dancing.  The professionals took to the floor and showed us how it really is done.

The next day we drove up into the mountains and saw the Wailua Falls and the Waimea Canyon.  What a gorgeous view.  As we were driving back to our hotel we saw many chickens roaming the streets.  The story goes that when one of the hurricanes came through it set a lot of chickens free.  The people couldn’t round all of them up so they became wild, and still roam the island.  The Grand Masters Reception was at the Kauai Hilton.

May 31^st 1988 and it is almost over.  We flew back to Honolulu Airport and boarded a DC-10 and had lift off, rounded Diamond Head and headed home.  It was a trip to remember.

Hawaii Aloha

Back on the main land and we are off to Cupertino, June 9^th.  We checked in at the Cupertino Inn to attend the reception for the Grand Bible Bearer, Jean A. “Doc” Gmelin.  The following day we traveled to Ventura and checked in to the Hotel, then drove to Santa Barbara Scottish Rite for the reception of the Grand Treasurer, Ralph H. Head.  Ralph is also the Editor of the California Grand Lodge Magazine.

After a short stay at home we drove to El Segundo on June 24^th to attend the Grand Master’s reception at the Hacienda Hotel.  One of the interesting things was that one of our Hawaii travelers had am article from the Honolulu newspaper about the raid and seizure of Rolex watches.  Several of us had made such a purchase and were wearing them.  The next day we attended the Grand Masters receptions and celebration of the Fellowship Lodge’s 100 Anniversary.

The next event was the reception of Michael A. Fechner, Senior Grand Deacon at the Ontario Masonic Temple.  On July 30^th we were home for the reception of the Grand Master by the Los Alamitos Lodge’s 25^th Anniversary and I was the Master of Ceremonies and Grand Sword Bearer.  After dinner at the restaurant by the harbor, we gathered at our house where the bar was opened.  Again there was a showing of our Rolex watches.    The last event of July was at the Costa Mesa Community Center where the Grand Master was received by the Orange County Masonic Breakfast.

Once again we packed up and drove to Union City where we checked into the Holiday Inn. on August 4^th.  The next morning we all loaded our card and drive to the Masonic Home. We parked our cars and loaded our bags and boarded a coach for the “Weekend in the North”. Our first stop was the Santa Rosa Scottish Rite where we were served breakfast.  The next stop was Empire Lodge in Garberville where we were served lunch.  We continued on to Eureka where we checked in at the Down Towner Inn. That evening we attended the 125^th Anniversary dinner by Eel River Lodge.  The food was delicious and we returned to the motel for a cocktail party.

On August 6^th we were in Eureka and had an excellent breakfast in the Humboldt Lodge.  Grand Lodge was opened for the purpose of Corner Stone laying at the new police headquarters.  Our next stop was Crescent City where we had lunch at the Crescent City Scottish Rite sponsored by the Shrine Fez Club.  We gathered at the Crescent Lodge Temple. Where we opened Grand Lodge for the purpose of presenting a Restoration Plaque at the Del Norte Senior Community Center.

On August 7^th we boarded the coach again to head south.  We drove by the William Carson Home in Eureka.  It was the biggest and I think the ugliest home I have ever seen.  A short distance away was the daughter’s home which was of a smaller scale and not as gaudy.  We stopped on the redwood  forest where we had a picnic at the Shrine Park near Mendacino Lake.  Next stop was Union City.

The next event was the Corner Stone Laying in Vallejo on August 12^th.  We opened Grand Lodge in Naval Lodge to lay the corner stone at the Glen Cove Elementary School.  Back at home again we rested up for the next outing which was August 26^th at Big Bear Lake.  We checked in at the Big Bear Lake Inn and proceeded to the home of Bill Foster’s home where we all relaxed over cocktails.  Grand Lodge was opened in the Big Bear Temple to place the cornerstone at the Center for Performing Arts.  The next day we drove to the Pasadena Scottish Rite for the Grand Master reception by the San Gabriel Masters & Wardens. On August 28^th the Grand Master’s reception was held at the Norwalk Lodge where breakfast was served.

On September 9^th we checked in to the Chino Holiday Inn. Charles Alexander hosted a cocktail party at his home.  The next day we drove to Paradise where we opened Grand Lodge at the Table Mountain Lodge for cornerstone ceremony at the Paradise Ridge Senior Center.  The following day we met for the reception of the Grand Orator, Charles Alexander at Chino Lodge.  The next day we drove to Portola for Cornerstone and Grand Masters Reception.  Grand Lodge was opened at the Grizzly Lodge and the cornerstone was placed in the Dedicated Maintenance Building.

We checked in to the Sixpence Inn on September 24^th in Elk Grove for a Cornerstone ceremony and Grand Master’s reception.  Grand Lodge was opened for the purpose of cornerstone ceremony and Grand Master’s reception. We drove to Vallejo and checked in at the Gateway Motor Hotel. Sublime Lodge hosted the Grand Master’s reception.  We were all in Hawaiian attire.

Back in So. California again for the reception of the Grand Chaplain, Reverend Father Charles Maier.  The event was held at the Garden Grove Lodge.  Off we go to Kernville and checked in at the Kern Lodge Motel.  Grand Lodge was opened in the Kern River Valley Lodge where the Kern Valley Hospital was dedicated.  Next we were on our way to Ridgecrest where we stayed at the Carriage Inn.  Grand Lodge was opened in the Indian Well Valley Lodge for Commeration Plaque at the United States Post Office, Inyoukern. 

October 1^st ,we were in Lancaster for a Reception of the Grand Master at the Lancaster Lodge. On October 4^th we attended a Job’s Daughter meeting in San Jose prior to driving to Fairfield.  Grand Lodge was opened in the Suisun Masonic Temple for the purpose of Cornerstone ceremony at Oakbrook Elementary School and Grand Master’s reception.

October 6^th found us driving through the wine country.  In Napa we saw an old Victorian home, the Tower at Mondavi Winery, the Robert Mondavi Columns and the Sutter Home Inn.  On our way to San Francisco we stopped at the Golden Gate Park where we saw the Japanese Pagoda and Gardens. Also a restored Dutch Windmill.

We checked in the Fairmont Hotel on October 8^th in preparation for Grand Lodge. The next event was to attend the Masonic Homes Endowment Board at Union City and the Grand Master’s Formal Dinner at the Fairmont Hotel.  October 11^th was a dinner at Louies in China Town, Public Schools breakfast on the 12^th with the Luncheon in the Grand Masters Suite.  That afternoon, the new Officers were installed as Officers of the Grand Lodge for 1988-89.  The ‘last supper’ of our Grand Lodge Family was at “The New Pizza Restaurant”.

Former California Grand Lodge Grand Sword Bearer

October 14, 1988 on our way home, The End.

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Signal Hill High Twelve Club ##444

Elected President

October 1988

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In May 1989, John & Bobbi bought a new home.  It is a two story home in Cypress and this one is near his Office.  I kid him about driving his car to work because the temperature gauge doesn’t move.

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Royal Order of Scotland

Robert the Bruce Association

Sacramento, CA

September,1989

I was elected to membership of the Royal Order of Scotland by recommendation of Ralph Head, Editor of California Freemason and Harry Maynard Past Grand Master.  The initiation was performed in Sacramento at the Sacrament Scottish Rite Cathedral.  Shortly afterward, I became a member of the Robert the Bruce Association.

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Newfoundland: 50 Year High School Reunion

June 1990

June 2, 1990, Conie and I departed LAX via Air Canada to Corner Brook via Toronto, Halifax and Deer Lake.  I had sent a picture of our 1940 graduation class to the news paper in Corner Brook.  When we landed at Deer Lake I went to the Budget car rental booth to get our car.  When I checked in, the clerk said to me “You’re the Guy”.  The news paper had published the photo and asked the question “Do you know the person who is visiting us?” and she pointed to the right person. We made it to Deer Lake (a suburb) of Corner Brook) but our bags went to Labrador.

We drove to Corner Brook and checked in the Holiday Inn.  I wanted to stay at the Glenn Mill Inn but it was full because of a teachers conference.  However, the Holiday Inn was on the site of the old Corner Brook Public School (CBPS).  We went down to the restaurant for dinner and I saw this rather large man looking around the dining room and it was Norman (Guts) Noseworthy.  I went over and greeted him and he came to our table and sat with us.  Norm informed us that he was our tour guide while we were in Corner Brook.  He said to park our rental car and he would provide the transportation.  Norm was the Social Editor of the news paper and knew all of the good eating places and the places to see.

Since the Holiday Inn was on Park Street, it was only about 2 blocks to 65 Park Street where I grew up.  The house was still there and owners had enclosed the porch on one side to make another room. It was still painted the same color.  As I remember the Majestic Theater was a lot farther away from our house and closer now.  Norm picked us up and drove to the Bay of Islands Yacht Club at Petrie Point.  The golf course was only a short distance away and my parents were members of the Petrie Point Club.

We continued on past Blow-Me-Down Mountain, Benoit’s Cove, John’s Beach and York Harbor.  We stopped by Gerald Myrden’s home for libation. That evening we went to dinner at the Glynmill Inn. It was very elegant and the food was superb. It was in that dining room that I wanted desert and was told that I had to finish the food on my plate first.  Then they told me I couldn’t have the ice cream because I didn’t eat my bread.  Oh cruel world!

The next day we drove to the Gros Morne National Park and came to the Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse.  The structure was in beautiful condition, pure white with brown trim.  Close by was the Ocean View Hotel where we had lobster caught that day.  Very good.  Back in Corner Brook I was the Bennet Hall, Masonic Lodge.  I had watched it being built, but had never been in it.  Norm was a member of the Lodge and I got a tour of the hall.

We drove up to the top of a hill next to town where there was Captain James Cook Monument.  Overlooking Humber Arm (a body of water) we could see a Russian Fish Processing Ship in the harbor.  Also we had a great view of the Corner Brook Paper Mill where my father worked..  We finally had to say ‘good bye’ to our great guide, Norm Noseworthy.  He knew two great restaurants and important places of interest.  We thanked him for his efforts.  

There were 37 in our graduation Class of 1940. Here are the classmates that I actually met in person:  Nena Basha, Claude Anstey, Fred Rowsell, Ross Rendell, Duncan Nicholls, Harold Tulk, Raymond Bugden, Ira Gillam and Gerald Myrden.  A classmate called and said I could not remember her, but I took her to her first dance.  My mind raced to come up with a name, so finally she told me – Doris Shepard.  She was married to an American and was on her way back to the USA.

Conie and I checked out of the Holiday Inn and headed for St John’s on the east coast.  Before I left Newfoundland, the only way you could get to the capital was by train or boat. After the World War II a highway was made to go from Port aux Basque to St. John’s.  Now the tracks are all gone along with the rolling stock.  Did I tell you that Newfoundland became the 10^th province of Canada in 1946(?)  The highway is mainly a two lane highway with a lot of truck traffic. 

Our first stop was in Gander where we checked in the Holiday Inn.  Gander is where I drove a

truck and was a mechanic during the building of the airport.  After the war was over, commercial air travel was developing the Trans Atlantic Routes.  All airplanes stopped to refuel for the leg to Europe.  Today, with the modern jets, Gander became a ‘has been’. The drive from Corner Brook to St John’s has some of the most beautiful country you could ever ask for.  The rolling countryside and the mirid of lakes, and changing of colors of the trees is unequaled.

We checked in the Holiday Inn, St John’s and settled down to do some more touring. We drove to Cape Spear which is the most easterly point in the North American continent. There is an old fort with the big coastal guns. Off shore we could see a huge ice burg that had run aground.  The old lighthouse has been replaced by a new automated lighthouse.

The place where the first radio transmission across the Atlantic was made was at the Cabot Tower on Signal Hill. The city is the oldest City in North America and quite beautiful with capital government buildings and cathedrals. At the entrance to the harbor there is a fort called Quidi Vidi Battery.  It is now, June 16, and time to head back to Deer Lake and fly to Montreal via Halifax where we will continue our vacation.

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Quebec Province Tour

16 June 1990

We landed in Montreal and checked in the Holiday Inn.  We took a cab to the Place Jacques Cartier where no cars were allowed.  The street was lined with Bistros.  We walked the Rue Notre-Dame to the Notre-Dame’s Basilica where we went inside and saw the Chapel Altar and the Main Altar.  Further along we came to the City Hall, Old Court House and the Queen Mary of The World Cathedral.

We decided to take a tour bus to see more of the city including the Underground Montreal.  We passed by the Olympic Stadium and the Botanical Garden.  It was very colorful.  Further on we saw the Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. We went back to the Holiday Inn to rest up for our drive to Quebec City.

The route we were taking was along the Saint Lawrence River, on the freeway. We arrived at the Holiday Inn Downtown and checked in. We engaged the Maple Leaf Tour because the city is so hilly. It was our chance to visit history first-hand, The Latin Quarter, Plains of Abraham, Ramparts, Chateau Frontenac, National Assembly, City Hall and the Notre-Dame Basilica. We next passed by the Montmorency Falls which is 50% higher than Nigra Falls.  In the winter it freezes and rock climbers climb the ice.

Further on we came to a cathedral called Saint-Anne-de-Beaupre.  It was out in the middle of no where but a small community.  We went inside and there was huge statue which looked like it was covered in gold foil.

The next morning, June 20^th, we checked out of the hotel and took the road on the other side of the St Lawrence River back to Montreal. It was a two way road and passed through several little towns.  I believe that each town had a church with a large white tower.

Potsdam, New York

June 20, 1990

We bypassed Montreal and headed for the border to cross into the USA.  We arrived at Potsdam and found the Apartment Complex where my Aunt Clara lived.  Also there were my cousin Pearl Pelsue Stabey, and George & Esther Wilkins.

The following day we drove to 13 Cherry Street where my mother grew up.  It looked like I remembered except that they had added an attached garage.  From there drove to the Old Pelsue Farm where I rode a horse for the first time.  From there we drove to Pyrites where I was born.  You could still see the remnants of the foundations of the paper mill.  Next we checked out the house where I was born, alleged on the kitchen table, and nothing was left except the foundation.

At Hannawa Falls, all of the New York relatives (10) were there for a big family dinner at the Inn.  The next day we drove to Saranac Lake and Lake Placid.  We drove by the Lake Placid Ice Arena Olympic Stadium.  On June 23^rd, we said good bye to Clara and left for Montreal crossing the boarder at Cornwall. Turned in the car rental at the airport and boarded to Air Canada flight to LAX via Toronto.  All went smoothly and John picked us at LAX.  Home Again!

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Alaska Cruise

Star Princess

July 3 1993

Conie & I boarded the Alaska MD-80 flight from Long Beach to Anchorage, Alaska.  Morrie & Helen Cohen accompanied us on our flight and subsequently cruise in Alaska.  On arrival we were greeted by a Princess Representative who directed us to a motor coach to take us to Seward where we would board our cruise ship, Star Princess.  A world of sublime comfort and sensational sights as we begin seven days of luxury cruising.

The first full day of cruising is a big one, featuring glacier after spectacular glacier.  It all started with the 16 glaciers of College Fjord.  A few of them had names like Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale. We then sailed on to the immense Columbia Glacier which stretches three miles wide.  Un our state room there were a vase of flowers from Lisa, our travel agent and a bowl of fresh fruit.

We were greeted by the pilot boat who guided us through Glacier Bay.  We got a great look at the glacial formations.  There were glaciers called John Hopkins, Margerie, and Grand Pacific. We made our first Port-of-Call at Skagway.  This coastal town is still full of gold rush color that lets you relive Alaska the way it was more than 100 years ago. 

We took a shore excursion to ride aboard the narrow gauge White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad.  The train took us to the 3290 feet elevation of the White Pass summit.  The railway travels along the same trail that the actual Gold Rush Trail of 1898.

Our next Port-of-Call on our cruise through the Inside Passage was to the Alaskan capital of Juneau. There were several ‘Float Planes’ that will take you to the Mendenhall Glacier or the Juneau Icefield.  We went to the Perseverance Theatre where we saw the play ‘Lady Lou Revue’.  The setting for the play was Gold Rush Alaska and had all of the music of the era.  Across the bay was the town of Douglas. It was a much more modern city than Juneau.

Ketchikan was our next Pot-of-Call and the sun was just coming up as we entered to harbor.  Right in the harbor on the street next to our ship was a Masonic Hall. It had three floors and was in excellent condition.   I went in and signed the register.  We walked down the Creek Street which was once the town’s ‘red light’ district with ‘Houses of Pleasure’. We continued on to a place that makes Totum Poles. There were several totum poles around the area..  There was the Eskimo Lodge that had all of the hieroglyphics of Eskimo culture.

When we docked we noticed that all of the poles in the marina were way up above the water, and we had to walk up the gangplank to go ashore.  When we returned to the ship we had to walk up the gangplank to go aboard.  We were told that Ketchikan has one of the largest tides in the world.

When we left Ketchikan we were invited to a cocktail party given by the Captain Robert R. Baker.  It was supposed to be formal but I did not have a tux.  So I had a white shirt, grey tie and a dark suit.  That’s formal enough for me.

It was only fitting that our final day of cruising took us through some of Alaska’s most beautiful scenery.  We sailed past countless islands and endless forests, while birds and sea animals provided entertainment.  Some of the guests shot skeet off the fantail of the ship.

We finally approached Vancouver harbor and went under the Stanley Park Bridge, with Stanley Park on our starboard side.  We then assembled to disembark the ship.  A motor coach then took us to the Vancouver Airport.  The airport was undergoing construction and had to walk in a cloth tube to board Horizon, Regional Prop Jet to Portland, Oregon.  We changed planes and boarded the Alaskan MD-80 for Long Beach.  We retrieved our bags and caught a cab to Home sweet Home.

*     *     *     *     *     *     * 

Tour of Midwest

June 1995

It was still dark when the Prime Time Shuttle picked us up to take us to LAX. Where boarded the Southwest 737 to Phoenix and then on to Louisville, KY.  We checked in to the Signature Inn and got our credentials for the High Twelve International Convention.  I was approached about me getting in the elective line. The representatives from Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio said that they would support me.  I told them that I did not have any desire of becoming president of the High Twelve International Association.

We rented a car and headed for Nashville, TN. The first excursion was to the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum. We saw the Pontiac Convertible with big Texas Steer horns mounted on the front bumper which belonged to Webb Pierce.  Another vehicle was Cadillac that belonged to Elvis Presley which had a hard top that retracted into the back of the car.  There were many displays of the big stars of country music.  Also dropped by the Opryland Theme Park.

The next stop was Fort Donelson located on Lake Barkley, off of the Cumberland River. Brig. General Simon B. Buckner came to the fort early in 1862 with reinforcements from Kentucky.  When General Grant laid siege , the fort’s ranking officers, Gens. John B. Floyd and Gideon J. Pilow saw the hopelessness of the situation and left Buckner in charge to face the inevitable. There was a large monument and a replica of a barracks made of logs.

Conie and I then drove to the Land between the Lakes where we stopped to tour The Homeplace – 1850.  A living History Farm.  The farm is operated using farm implements of the time period.  We were there during the lunch period and had the opportunity to go into the dining room at lunch time when they were eating.  They didn’t invite us the eat with them.  It was raining when we left farm and I opened the trunk to get our umbrellas and locked the keys in the trunk.  I called AAA for assistance.  After about an hour the truck arrived and it took another to take the back seat out, go through the bulkhead to retrieve the keys.

The next stop was Indianapolis, IN to see the Speedway. We checked in the Speedway Hotel where a lot of the rooms had names of race drivers. We went in the Hall of Fame were they had every configuration of race cars dating back to the early 1900’s.  They used to let people drive their own cars around the track, but they stopped that and had trams to take you around the track.  But, NASCAR was doing tire testing so there was no trams that day.

We proceeded to Georgetown, Kentucky where Toyota automobiles are assembled.  I had to deposit our camera while we on the tour.  It was amazing how few workers were around all because of Robotics.  The next stop was in Lexington where we took the Lexington Walk & Bluegrass Driving Tour. It was next stop in Frankfort,  Kentucky where we toured the Ancient Age Straight Kentucky Bourbon.  We saw how the liquor was made but we didn’t get to sip any because the county was ‘dry’.  Back to Louisville where we flew back to California and home.

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California Association of High Twelve Clubs

Elected President

September 1995

The Installation was held in the Knots Berry Hotel in Buena Park. All of the officers were in tuxedos.  There 160 in attendance.

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Robert the Bruce Association

Elected President

1997

The Installation was held at the Long Beach Masonic Temple in Long Beach.  It was formal dress for all attendees.  The Officers were in white dinner jackets.  There were 130 in attendance.

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Branson MO

18 September 1997

The Red Car Shuttle to LAX arrived before sun up.  The driver loaded our bags and headed for the TWA Terminal.  After checking our bags, we assembled at the gate ready for boarding.  The flight was uneventful to St. Louis and we changed planes to Springfield, MO.  Our motor coach was waiting for us and our driver loaded our bags and got under way for the drive to Branson.  We got checked into the Hotel for a good nights rest for the activities of the following day.

Saturday started out with a bang at 8 am, where we had breakfast at the Mill/Mine Restaurant.  We then departed for the Silver Dollar City where we were on our own until 2:00 pm.  It is like a theme park with all kinds of exhibits and food courts. The Marvel Cave, I decided to go down in the cave because it was walking all down hill. We went into the world’s largest unsupported cave, 20 stories high.  They turned off the lights and it was pitched dark. One wall of the cave was named Liberty Bell.  Fortunately there was a cable rail car to take us to the park above.

It was 2:00 pm when we loaded up for our trip back to the Hotel to rest a while before departing for dinner at the Cowboy Café. The food was about average. We were entertained by a program called  “Dinner with Di”which was better than to food..  After dinner we got on our motor coach and drove to the evening show at the Baldknobbers Hillbilly Jamboree.  It was like a southern vaudeville of different performers and was very good.

We again had breakfast again in the Crown Room at the hotel. We boarded the coach again for the  morning Lemongello Show.  Peter Lemongello was billed as “Branson’s Italian Crooner”.  He had a smooth Sinatra style and velvet voice.  He sang several numbers that we could remember the words.  There were other singers the performed.  Peter invited our coach driver to sing for us and he did a really good job.

After lunch we went to the Shoji Tabuchi Show.  Dedicated to excellence in family entertainment the Shoji Tabuchi family gives its all.  Shoji is acclaimed one of the greatest entertainers in the world.  Electrifying production numbers, created by his beautiful wife Dorothy, both show produce and multi-talented emcee, are truly unforgettable.  Their daughter Christina, already a veteran show stopper, is adored by young and old alike.  We had dinner at the Golden Corral which was very good and a coach ride to the next show.  The “Jim Stafford” show was a more modern vaudeville show.  With that we returned to the hotel and time for bed.

Up early for a coach ride to the “Pump Boys & Dinettes Theater” for breakfast.  Award winning musical “Broadway for Breakfast” performed by Broadway veterans.  It was fun morning.  We were off again to the IMAX Theater for the film “Ozarks Discovery”.  The splendor and glory of the Ozark Mountains spotlight the saga of the McFarlain Family from the 1820’s to the 1950’s. After a lunch at McFarlain’s, we drove to the Stone Hill Winery for a tour of how wine is made and had some samples.  Back to the hotel for dinner in the Crown Room   At 6:15 pm we boarded the coach to the see the “Bobby Vinton Show” with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.  It was a very impressive and interesting show with the Bobby Vinton’s family.

This is the last day of theater in Branson.  We started off with buffet breakfast at the Golden Corral and motor coach ride to see The Hughes Brothers Show.  It was a lot of fun to see the four brothers perform in various western attire.  Very fast moving. After the show we were on our own in “Old Down Town Branson.  There was even a 5&10 store. 

At 2:00pm we left the hotel for the Andy Williams Show.  Nobody sings like Andy Williams. The nonstop production of song and dance by Andy and cast leaves you breathless.  There was one place in the performance that the house lights were turned off.  I was sitting next to our tour guide and she told me to get ready with my camera.  When the lights came on again, Andy Williams was standing right next to us, and I got a picture. 

After the show we had dinner at the Peppercorns Restaurant and went to the Grand Palace to see the Dino Show. Billed as “Music For All Time”. It was a gala performance and fitting as the final entertainment of our trip to Branson.

Well our motor coach driver was a graduate from the College of the Ozarks and drove us around the campus.  From there we drove to Springfield where we boarded our plane to St Louis to change planes for our flight to Los Angeles. It was a memorable trip.

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307^th Bomb Group Reunion

Washington, DC & Hampton, Virginia

6-15 October 1998

Once again we have Super Shuttle pick us up on 6 October 1998 and take us to the United Airline Terminal ay LAX.  We checked our bags and boarded a DC-10 to O’Hare in Chicago.  We changed planes and boarded a MD-80 for the flight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.  After retrieving our bags we found the car rental desk and picked up the keys to the Ford sedan.  We drove down Hwy 1 across the boarder to Virginia where we stayed in a Comfort Inn.

The next day, 7 October, we continued down the Hwy 1 rather than take the Interstate 95, because we wanted to see the countryside and stop at historical places.  The first was Fredericksburg and George Washington’s Mother Lodge No. 4 A.F.&A.M. where George Washington served a Master.  The First Recorded Meeting was September 1, 1752; Chartered by the Grand Lodge of Scotland July 21,1758; and Chartered by the Grand Lodge of Virginia, January 30, 1787.  I actually sat in the Master’s chair.  After leaving the Lodge we drove over to the Fredericksburg National Cemetery.  The grounds were immaculately kept. 

We arrived at the Holiday Inn where the 307^th Bomb Group was holding their 12^th Biennial Reunion. We got registered and met some of the members.  Paul Stepp, one of the Frank Mikos Crew was there and it was great recalling some of the memories of the 424^th Bomb Sqdn.  Paul had contracted polio and was far more impaired than me.

The next morning, 8 October, we all boarded a motor coach for a tour of Colonial Williamsburg.  It has been restored to the state it was back in the colonial days.  There were no cars allowed, but there were horse drawn carriages you could ride in, but not me being allergic to horses.  In one of the rooms there was a man playing chamber music.  Nice touch.

We then drove to Jamestown where there was displayed several 1800’s war ship sailing vessels.  Some were opened to the public to board.  Also there was a replica of a settlement round houses made of straw.  Our next stop was Newport News and visited the Crabtree Collection of Miniature Ships.  Some of the models were elegantly carved.  Anyone visiting this area should take the time to see this exhibit.

The next stop was the Fisherman’s Wharf where we had lunch. On the way to Norfolk we drove through the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. We then boarded a cruise boat to tour Hampton Roads harbor.  There were several navy vessels at docks and in the harbor under anchor.  Another important historically is Fort Monroe.  Our boat ride took us along the shoreline of the Fort.

Here it is 10 October and the big dinner banquet. Social Hour where Reunion photos and cocktails were served.  Sam Britt acted as Master of Ceremonies and introduced Dave Owens President.  The Royal Atlantic Band and The Sawyer Sisters entertained us all for our listening and dancing.  It was a great evening.

We checked out of the hotel and said our good byes to old and new friends, and loaded our bags in the rental car and headed for Washington, DC to do some sight seeing.

The first on our list was Mount Vernon.  When we arrived, there was a long line of people waiting to get in.  They limited the number of people to keep from over crowning the facility. While we were waiting I walked up the line to turn around and take a picture of the line. I thought I saw a person in the line I knew, so I went over to where they were.  Sure enough, it was Glenn & Louise Bowers from Seal Beach. Small world.  We finally got in and it was worth the wait.  The view of the Potomac River was breathtaking.

Our next stop was the Foundation for Collingwood Library and Museum on Americanism.  It is sponsored by the National Sojourners.  From there we drove to the Arlington National Cemetery where got a tour.  We saw the presentation of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and the burial site of President John Kennedy with the Eternal Flame. From there we went to the Arlington House and the Robert E. Lee Memorial. From there we went to the Marine Memorial with the raising of the Flag on Iwo Jima. From there we drove over to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. In Alexander, VA.  There is a replica of the Lodge Room in Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 and contains priceless relics of the Craft and personal effects and Masonic treasures of the immortal Washington.  The Lodge holds a meeting at least once a year.

We checked in to the Holiday Inn, Eisenhower Metro. We took the Metro to Union Station where we bought Old Town Trolley Tour of Washington.  We had stops at the National Air and Space Museum, the Washington Monument, Georgetown, Embassy Row, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial.  Back to the Holiday Inn

15 October and it is time that we head for home, we checked out of the hotel and headed for Reagan Washington National Airport where we turned in our rental car and dropped us at the United Airline Gates.  We boarded our MD-80 for Chicago and  changed planes to a DC-10 for LAX.   It was one great trip.  Renewed a lot of friend in the 307^th Bomb Group and saw a lot of the Greater Washington DC area.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

In May 2000, my grand daughter, Kelli was selected as Miss Cypress.  Graduation from High School was in June.  She is really growing up all too quickly.

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National Sojourners

Los Alamitos Chapter #519

Elected President

2000-2001

The Installation Banquet was held at the Elks Club in Hawaiian Gardens.  There were about 65 people in attendance.

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Scottish Rite Conferral of 33⁰

Charleston, N. Carolina

3 October 2001

I was informed by Ill. Dave Slayton, 33⁰, the Personal Representative of the Long Beach Scottish Rite that I was elected to receive the title of Inspector General, 33⁰, Honorary.  The ceremony was to take place in Charleston, N, Carolina.  I wanted Conie to go with me, but she did not want to go.  Because of her health, I asked Sheri & John to watch out for her while I was gone.

I flew to Charleston and checked in the hotel that all of the others were staying.  The ceremony was held in the Original Scottish Rite Cathedral.  I was told that less than 1% ever achieve this distinction. Virginia Cone Palmer passed on a month later, 5 November 2001.

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All of the years of work and devotion to the Scouts, Bret was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout.  An honor richly deserved.

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307^th Bomb Group Reunion

Salt Lake City, Utah,

Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona

August 2002

A couple of weeks after my wife passed away my doctor called me to inquire how I was feeling.  I told him that I was doing OK and asked me to come into his office the next day, around 7:30 am before hi patients arrived.  I went to see him and he told me that I was going to learn how to live with myself.   He suggested that I take one day drives to a place, eat lunch and return home.  He suggested that to start drive to Pasadena and drive around Caltech Campus and return home.  He suggested that after a while stretch it to two days over night in a motel, then a weekend.  When you feel comfortable with that try longer trips.

When I got the announcement of the reunion in Salt Lake City, I sent in my reservation.  I loaded up the car and headed north on I 5, with the first stop in St George, Utah.  I made maps, using Mapquest, and included the addresses of motels that I planned on staying.  I turned right off the freeway and looked for the motel.  The street numbers were going in the wrong direction.  So. I turned around and followed the numbers and found the motel on the other side of the freeway.  The hotel clerk said the they have had no success in getting it changed with Mapquest.

I arrived in Salt Lake City late in the day, found the hotel, checked in and was greeted by the people in the Hospitality Room.  I had not seen them in four years. There were several outings planed for us. The next morning we boarded a motor coach and proceeded up to the Emigration Canyon where the Mormons first saw the large valley, which prompted the remark: “This is the place” and now known as Heritage Park.  We were taken next to the Mormon Tabernacle where the famous Tabernacle Choir performs. The organ was very large and the music was beautiful.  One of the test of the acoustics is that a dropped needle could be heard in every part of the  auditorium.  In fact they dropped the needle for us and you could hear it hit the floor.

The next day we were taken on a tour of the Great Salt Lake.  There is a large Casino right next to the lake. I don’t believe it is occupied any more.  When you walk up to the edge of the water you can see the life forms.  Millions of those little salt water creatures.  This is the stuff that the sea gulls feed on.

We next went on a trip to the Hill Air Force Base.  They have a marvelous museum of Air Force airplanes, in side and outside.  Inside was the fuselage of a B-24 that has been restored.  The story is that the airplane ran out of fuel and landed on the tundra in Alaska.  The B-24 was disassembled and loaded on a barge and placed in a hangar.  There are the rest of the airplane parts are stored elsewhere that will eventually be reassembled..

In the outside display area there was a C-124 transport.  One of the propellers had one blade in the feathered position.  No one could tell me if it was done on purpose or accident.  It was just odd. 

The banquet that night finished a great reunion.  The next reunion will be in Nashville, TN. Oh by the way (OBTW) I was appointed Parliamentarian for the Association.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Now that the reunion was over and I am not far from Yellowstone National Park so why not go up there.   I-15 took me through the southeast corner of Idaho through Pocatello and to Wyoming.  On the approach to Yellowstone, I drove through the forests that were burned a few years ago.  I was totally surprised that the forest was reforesting its self.  There was lots of pine and spruce trees that were from about 6 to 15 feet tall.  Nature took care of its self where the heat caused the cones to germinate and grow new trees.  Even the ash provides fertilizer the help them grow.

When I got to the Visitors Center, I was only a short distance from “Old Faithful”.  There was no one sitting on the benches.  I found a sign the gave the times that Old Faithful would erupt.  I got something to eat and wandered to see some of the exhibits.  By then people were gathering so I went and joined them.  Old Faithful did not disappoint us.  It was spectacular!

What to do now?  Well Colorado is just south, so I hooked up with I-25 that went to Denver and visit with Barbara (a.k.a. Sam) Reading in Littleton, a suburb of Denver  She invited me to stay at her home and tour the area.  We visited the Coor’s Brewery in Golden, the school in Littleton where a student killed a number of his classmates, and other places of interest in Denver.

I drove to Boulder where my cousin Bill Simmons and his wife Karen live.  Bill is a professor of nuclear physics at the University of Colorado.  Karen is a computer whiz.  They have a small home close to the campus and mountain home in Gold Hill.  They took me up to the mountain home and they have a great view of the Continental Divide.

Jack & Phillis James have moved from their home in north Boulder to an assisted living facility.  I called them and they were home.  So, I drove over to see them and spent a couple of hours visiting. 

Time to go home so I jumped on I-70 and headed west to intersect with I-15 and south to home. The trip totaled to be over 2700 miles.  I guess you could say the I have learned to live with myself and enjoy it. 

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Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, Arizona, New Mexico

Seven State Tour

High Twelve International Convention

St. Joseph, MO

4 July 2003

The High Twelve International Convention was scheduled to be in St. Joseph, MO on July 4, 2003 so I though I would attend.  First of all I would drive my car and attend the event.  I finally decided that I would drive to Branson, MO and take in a few shows.  I called my travel agent to see if I could join a tour group from California that would arrive to fit my schedule.  She called me the next day with a group that would arrive in Branson at a time coinciding with my arrival at Branson.  I booked their tour with my arrival in Branson.

I planned my trip to Branson the would take five days so I would not tire me too much.  It worked well and I didn’t drive more than 5 to 6 hours per day.  I started out on I 40 with my first stop being Flagstaff, AZ.  Next was Albuquerque, NM, then Amarillo, TX, Oklahoma City, OK and then Branson, MO.  I arrived on Friday and was sitting in the lobby of the hotel when my tour group arrived.  I joined them and for the next five days I went to several shows.  Even went on the paddle wheel “Show Boat” on the lake and their performances were great.

I took the rural roads through the northern part of the state of Arkansas. Then up the Mississippi River until I got to St. Louis.  I had watched the Arch being built in my many trips to McDonnell Aircraft but had never been in the structure.  I parked my car and bought a ticket to go up in the Arch.  It was interesting but I was disappointed in the very top. The windows were very small and difficult to get a good view of the ground below.

I arrived in St. Joseph and got registered in the hotel and the High Twelve International desk. The convention was interesting and it was great in seeing High Twelve members from the various states.  My grandson, Wesley Hall, was going to meet me in St. Louis and drive back to California with me but he didn’t make it. So I pick up I-70 and headed for Independence, MO.

On arrival in Independence I found a motel and checked in. The next day I spent the whole day in the Truman Presidential Library and Museum.  It was very well done and they didn’t sugarcoat his history at all. On the way I saw signs advertizing the Presidential Memorial and Library of President Eisenhower in Abilene. By the time I realized that I should get off the freeway, I had already passed the off ramp. I passed Salina and didn’t know that Larry Sams lived there. I was at a cross roads.  If I stayed on I-70 it would take me to Denver where I had been just a year ago.

My next stop was to Boulder to visit Karen Simmons, widow of my cousin Bill.   We drove up to Gold Hill where they have a mountain home with a beautiful view of the Continental Divide.  It was July 4^th and we watched the parade that had classic cars and trucks. Karen drove me around the mountains and valleys with cool streams and lakes.  It was beautiful and I took lots of pictures.

Bill was buried in a field that they owned.  We went to the site and the head stone was a pile of rocks arranged in a manner to hide a small bottle of Manhattans.(Bill’s favorite drink)  We each had a sip in Bill’s memory.  We also stopped by Bill’s watering hole where a plaque hangs on the wall in his honor.

My next place I wanted to go back to Durango.  I got on I-70 and headed to Grand Junction where I spent the night in a motel.  The following day I drove south to Durango on the “Million Dollar Highway”. The reason for the name is that it is reported that the highway cost a million dollars a mile because of the mountains elevation, about 11,000 feet.

I checked in a motel in Durango and toured around the town. The next morning, I bought a ticket to go to Silverton on a narrow gauge railroad with steam powered engines  The railway was cut out of solid rock that followed the river to Silverton.  At some places you could see straight down to the river on one side and straight up on the other side of the railcars.  The railroad ends at Silverton and the steam engines have to turn around for the run back to Durango.  Silverton looked just like it did in the 1800’s.

 From Durango I drove to Gallup, New Mexico where I picked up I-40 westbound to Flagstaff.  There I headed south to Scottsdale, Arizona where Hugh & Jean Cart live.  I was invited to stay with them for a couple of days to sigh see.  We first met the Carts in Lancaster and we became good friends.  When they moved from Lancaster, CA to Yuma, Arizona we visited them quite often.  I bid them good bye, thanked them for their hospitality, and headed west on I-10 freeway and home.  All told I was gone from about three weeks and some 4,000 miles.  I am now a veteran solo traveler.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

It was around the first week in October 2002, about a year after Conie passed away, that I got a call from Charlie Anderson inviting me to go to the fall DAC-MAC Retirees luncheon.  I told him I didn’t have any desire to go, I wouldn’t know anyone.  Well he said that he and Tom Naughton would be by and pick me up, kicking or screaming.  Well, I went and I actually saw some people that I could even remember their names.  One lady came up to me and greeted me.  She said her name and left. I forgot it.  The next meeting was in March 2003 and I was out of town for some reason.

July 2003

Well birthdays keep rolling along and I am still in the hunt. Got a call from Sheri to reserve my 80^th because she and Ray had some thing in mine for me.  The day arrived and I was picked up in the big white van with Jason and Wesley on board.  Kept changing freeways and I kept asking where we were going.  We finally pulled off the 5 freeway and we were at our destination. The AAA Raceway,  a two mile race track in Fontana.

Inside I was given a fire proof uniform to put on along with a helmet.  I was going for a ride in a MASCAR race car. The race car was owned by Jarret and was fitted with a right seat.  There were no doors so I had to climb in the side window.  Once inside , an attendant helped me get  trapped in with a ‘five’ point seat harness.  My driver was one of the track employees and he briefed we on whet we were going to do.  He fired the engine and  off we went.

The acceleration was breath taking and there was no wheel spin.  I tried to see where the driver would ‘lift’ in the corners and where he was on the throttle on the back straight.  It was quite a thrill.  We made three laps around the track and we averaged 165 miles per hour.  That meant er were going a lot more that 165 down the straights.  What a thrill!  Of course there was a photo-op at the end.  What a fabulous birthday present.

The fall meeting of 2003, I went to the Retirees Luncheon and again the same lady came up to me and carried on a conversation about not seeing me at the spring luncheon. I mentioned that I was a widower and she said we should go out to lunch sometime.  I told her that would be fine but I don’t know your name, where you live, or phone number.  She opened her purse and handed me her card.  Almost four weeks passed by with me stewing over what I should do, what would the kids think.  I finally called Sheri to see what she thought.  She and Ray had wondered how long would it be before I found someone to run around with.  She said “go for it” but take her to dinner. I called Beverley Fleming to invite her to dinner and she accepted.  We had our first date on 9 November 2003 at the Market Broiler. Bev later told me that she had almost given up that I would call. Well, I did call and we began seeing each other regularly. The rest is history.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

The household of John & Bobbi were awarded with another distinction in being selected as the Cypress Family of the year. The two of them are quite involved in civic activities.  It makes a father very proud.

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Kelli Palmer

Graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development

California State University Long Beach

May 2004

.

Wesley & Jason Hall

Graduated with Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology

University of Pacific

May 2004

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Beverly and I drove to Stockton and checked in the hotel that the whole gang was staying.  We attended the graduation ceremony and assembled for the gala graduation dinner.  Bev had not been to the wine country before so we headed up north to Napa.  There is a train that travels from Napa  to Calistoga that serves dinner in the dining car.  We bought tickets and the steak was one of the best I have ever had.  The train returned to Napa and we retrieved our car and drove through the wine country back roads to Calistoga. 

We found a beautiful old B&B house away from downtown and got a room and bath upstairs. We walked downtown and did window shopping and people watching. We sat out on the front lawn at a table and chairs. Starting at 4 pm, wine is served with cheese and crackers and there was plenty of it.  There were no televisions in the rooms, so if you wanted to watch there was a television in the parlor.

They served breakfast in the dining room that consisted of the usual fruit, sweet rolls, coffee and other non-alcohol drinks.  We started back down Route 124, the main road back to Napa.  We stopped at all, or most all of the wineries where you can sample their wines.  We recognized many of the vintners. In the early afternoon we arrived back in Napa, and found another lovely B&B place like in Calistoga.  A part of the room was under a staircase and the bath was totally under the stairs.  The toilet was really a water closet with the tank of water tank mounted high up on the wall.

When we got there no one was around except the manager so we made our self at home.  At the usual time, the wine was served in the dining room and a large spread of cheese.  As the rest of the customers started arriving, discussion started among us as to where would we go for supper.  Someone mentioned having Chinese food brought in to the Inn.  The lady manager set up the large dining room table for us.  The food arrived and we split the cost between us and the manager kept bringing the wine. Breakfast was great, all home cooked stuff including scrambled eggs. Great trip!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

In June 2004, Bret Palmer graduated from High School and entered the California State University Long Beach in the school of business. Another important event was that Bobbi was selected as Cypress Adult Volunteer of the Year and Bret was selected as Cypress Youth Volunteer of the year.  A banner year for the Palmer family.

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307^th Bomb Group Reunion

Nashville, TN

August 2004

Tennessee & Kentucky

The flight from John Wayne Airport to Nashville was routine and we caught the curtsey van to the Gaylord Ole Opryland Hotel & Convention Center.  It was immense with a huge atrium where the rooms had balconies.  Our suite had a separate dining room, kitchen, living room and bedroom.  It was elegant.  All of the Association Officers had similar rooms and were complimentary.  WOW!

We went down to the Hospitality Room and introduced Bev to all of the people present.  There were beverages and snacks for refreshments.  There were brochures of the venues that we were going to for the three days. A short distance from the hotel was a mall and of course the ladies wanted to visit.  There were several food places in the atrium.

Next door was the Grand ole Opery.  We had a guide that told us a lot of the folk lore. There was a museum that had a lot of the costumes of former performers.  In fact each of us had the opportunity to go up on the stage and sing so you could say you sang at the Opery. A few of our group tried it, not the two of us.

A motor coach took us out in the country to a place where a battle was waged and became on of the bloodiest in our history.  The home on this plantation was riddled with bullet holes.  There was also a restored structure where the plantation workers were housed.  I don’t remember what it was called.

The next venue was a river boat ride on the General Jackson.  It was down the Cumberland River to downtown Nashville.  The skyline was like all big cities, but the waterfront was different.  One section of the waterfront was grass with bench seats from the water edge to the street.  They must have some kind of regattas and a place for spectators.  The river boat and a small band that played Dixie Land type of music.  Several of the young people were dancing on the afterdeck.

The business meeting was held in the afternoon where the Officers for the next year were elected and installed.  The banquet was formal and a live band played diner music and dancing afterward.  Bev suffered through the ordeal for a couple of numbers.

We caught the shuttle to the airport where we rented a car to do some exploring of Tennessee and Kentucky.  Once we were out of the airport grounds we made our way the Memphis. You can’t go to Memphis without going to Elvis Presley Mecca.  We checked in to the Heartbreak Hotel across from Graceland..  Inside the hotel there were momentums of his life.  Outside the hotel was pool that was shaped like a heart.

On our was downtown Memphis we passed by the Recording Studio where Elvis made his recordings.  One of the places we wanted to go was the Piccadilly Hotel that had ducks living in the penthouse.  They would come down the elevator and climb into a indoor pool.  There was a restaurant next door that was very famous Rendezvous, with the entrance was in the alley.  It was closed because it was Monday.

There two kinds of BBQ ribs, wet and dry.  On the main street we found a restaurant that advertized wet ribs.  We went in The Pig and ordered the wet baby back ribs.  They were delicious.  The next day we found a dry baby back ribs and those also were delicious.  Guess we are not connoisseurs.  Down by the Mississippi River they had a display that shows a geographic topical map of the river.  You could actually walk down the display and get your pinkies wet if you wanted to.

The next day we headed for Louisville in sometimes blinding rain, thunder & lightening.  It was so heavy that I had to slow down to 25 mph because of the visibility.  But we survived and found our Holiday Inn. Across the street from the hotel was a White Castle restaurant that served little hamburgers, 4 for a dollar.  Bev said she used to buy them in Chicago like 10 for a dollar, so I tried one.  Bev’s friends, Lee &  Jack Stone, from Indiana were also staying in the Holiday Inn.

Of course we had to go the Race Track where the Kentucky Derby runs.  We wandered around the visitors center and looked at all the displays, even stood in the “Winners Circle”.  We took pictures of each of other with manakin horses.  From there we went to the place that makes Louisville Slugger baseball bats.  We took the tour of the factory and watched them actually making bats to fill orders.  Everything is automated for each professional baseball player’s requirements that are in the leagues limits.  We also saw how they burn the player’s name on the bat.  Quite interesting.  In one of the malls, we came upon a Coldstone Ice Creme Store. Had to have some.

The next morning we had breakfast with Lee & Jack at he hotel.  Said our good byes and headed to Lexington to see the horse farms.  On our was we went through Frankfort where Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon is made. Stopped and took a tour but no samples. On to Lexington, the blue grass country with white painted fences.  We went in one of the horse farms that sired many Kentucky Derby winning horses.  We sat in a round structure on bleachers where they paraded around so everyone could see up close the horses.  They were gorgeous animals and I didn’t get any allergic reaction to them.

On leaving Lexington for Knoxville, we ran into more electrical storms. We were on I-75, a three lane highway in each direction, and the rain came down in buckets.  I usually drive in the middle lane and trucks were on both sides of me.  They have the speed limits as cars.  The trucks didn’t slow down and I was hoping that one of them would not decide to use my lane. They spray a lot of water and visibility was not that good.  But we made it ok.

When we got to Knoxville there was a Visitor’s Center so I pulled in to see what they had to offer.  They had discount coupons for everything, including live shows.  We drove down to Dolly Patton’s Dollywood and it looked like an amusement park so we did not go in.  We did go in one of the discount live dinner shows and a very enjoyable time.  We found a motel on I-40 just outside of Knoxville that had complimentary breakfast and pulled in for the night.

The next morning we had breakfast of fruit and miniature waffles that automatically turned and timed the waffle.  They were good.  Back on the road again to the Nashville Airport.  We turned in the rental car and headed for our gate to fly home.  What a fabulous trip we had. 

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Hawaii Cruise

Island Princes

3 January 2005

Somebody drove Bev and I to Long Beach Harbor to board the Island Princess cruise ship.  It was late in the day with not much sunlight.  We were up on deck as we moved through the ship lanes to the outer harbor.  It was a nice sunset with lots of contaminants in the air.  It was not long when you could no longer see the California coastline.

For the next four days we will be cruising the Pacific Ocean, spending the days reading in one of the lounges, or out walking the deck to get exercise.  There are many classes to go to, or lectures on a variety of subjects.  Every might there is a theatre production that have great entertainment.  After the show, there is a solo piano player who will play your favorite songs.  Of course you have the cafes that you can have something to eat any time of the day and the seated dinner in the evening.  We did about everything there was to do.

Our first port-of-call was Hilo on the east coast of the big island.  We had a side trip to see the  Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We passed many lava flows that crossed our road and were still warm. The Kilauea Caldera was like a deep depression in the very flat plateau. We left Hilo in the late afternoon.

We arrived in Kona, the capital of the Island of Hawaii, in the early morning.  Kona is known for its coffee so we visited the coffee processing plant to see how coffee is prepared.  In 1828 the first coffee trees were planted in Manoa Valley on Oahu, from seedlings carried aboard the British Warship, HMS Blonde.

Coffee trees were soon planted in the Kona district on the big island, Hawaii.  The unique characteristic of the volcanic soil, mild island breezes, and gentle rain, provides the ideal conditions for coffee. Kona coffee’s unique, rich flavor and aroma causes it to become the favorite coffee of the Hawaiian Royals.  After learning about coffee, we boarded a tour boat that went down to the cove where Captain Cook was killed by the natives. The water was really clear and is great for snorkeling and Scuba diving. Tomorrow we will be in Honolulu.

We arrived in Honolulu and headed for Waikiki Beach where all the big hotels are located.  Not only the hotels but all of the big department stores.  Bev wanted to take her shoes off and walk in the sand.  We found a walkway down to the sand and she accomplished her journey.  Back on the main street we found a bus that would take us to the Arizona Memorial and the U.S.S. Missouri.

As we approached the Missouri. I started to feel woozy and I developing a fever.  I hung in there and went on board the old battleship and went to the points of interest.  One of which was the spot were  the Japanese signed the unconditional surrender document.  I was surprised that the condition of the ship was in so bad a shape.  Rust was prominent everywhere and the teak decking was lacking attention.  Oh well, a big ship and not enough volunteers.

We made back to our ship and I checked in “sick bay”and determined that I had a “low grade bronchial pneumonia”.  The doctor gave me penicillin and other pills to take.  He said I should be better in a few days.

The next port-of-call was Kauai.  I was still feeling on the ragged side, but heck I didn’t want to miss anything. What a beautiful island.  Our shore tour took us inland to the Waimea Canyon, where it is called the Grand Canyon of Hawaii.  It was a spectacular view with the variety of colors.  We had lunch at the Marriott Hotel & Golf Club that overlooked a lake and golf course.

We took the shore boat to Maui, our last port-of-call in Hawaii.  The wind was a little brisk and there was reports of rain in the area.  I wandered around with Bev while she visited the stores.  I was not feeling great so I sat on a bench near where our shore boats docked.  I finally gave up, found Bev, and told her I was going back to the ship.  By then it was getting rough waters and some sprinkles of rain.  We left Maui and set our course for Ensenada, Mexico.

The five day trip to Ensenada was pretty much the same as our trip to Hawaii but I was not getting any better.  Checked in with the Doctor and he gave more pills.  I was not going to let it keep me from enjoying the trip back home, so I plodded on.

We docked in Ensenada and neither of us left the ship.  The old Catalina White Ship was in the harbor and was partially sunk.  From what we were told that most of the stuff was scavenged and that it was just a shell.

We had re-packed our bags and placed them outside our cabin in preparation for disembarking in Long Beach.  I was still not feeling good, but I enjoyed every minute of the trip.  Would like to do it again. Some Day.  Who knows when?

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After all of here efforts, she received her Teaching Credentials from CSULB in May 2005  Now all that remains is to get a job in teaching.  Kelli got engaged to be married shortly after.  I recall that one day I was over to John’s house and he and I were carrying on idle conversation when Kelly walked in.  I greeted her with “It’s not too late to backout”.  From down in the family room I heard a comment “I heard that” from her boy friend.

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East Coast Foliage Cruise & East Coast

Sea Princess

October 2005

The Super Shuttle picked us and took us to LAX where we checked in to Air Canada flight to Quebec City via Toronto, Canada.  We landed in Quebec City and found transportation to the City.  Bev and I checked in at the Le Chateau Frontenac for a couple of days to tour the city.  I had been in the hotel a number of times but I never stayed in the hotel.  We had a nice room, but the view was less than desirable.  It was cold outside and I had left my gloves at home, so I got a new pair in one of the stores in the hotel. They cost $25 but my hands would be warm.  Outside, we walked around the hotel to look in some of the stores and cafes.  Found a couple of restaurants that would worth dining.

We bought a tour coach to see as much of the city as possible.  The city is all hills and we could never see much by walking.  We visited the Fortifications of Quebec overlooking the St Lawrence River that defended the city in the early 1600s.  The ‘old’ section of the city was fascinating, because the streets were narrow and lined with all kinds of stores. Quite picturesque.  We passed the Montmorency Falls Park where the falls are about 100 feet higher than the Niagra Falls.  Further on, the tour  took us by Sainte Anne-de-Beaupre Shrine Cathedral and it was open to visitors.  It was spectacular.

The following day the Princess coach picked us up at Le Chateau Frontenac and took us to the docks where out cruise ship, Sea Princess was waiting.  Our bags were taken to our state room and we checked in at the pursers station to get our identification cards and other material.  It was a nice room with a balcony located on the C deck about mid ship.  Bev’s friends, Claudia & Hawley Smith from Parker, Arizona drove their motor home to Fort Lauderdale where they parked it in a RV Park.  They then flew to Quebec to join us on the cruise.

In early evening we departed Quebec City and started down the St Lawrence River.  Our first port-of-call was to be St John’s, Nova Scotia, but we ran into Hurricane Wilma.  The Captain elected to stay at sea where we would be safe.  We were experiencing waves of 50 to 60 feet and winds gusting up to 100 miles per hour.  The captain slowed the ship down to 10 knots and held the ship on a quartering sea. The roll stabilizers did their job and the ride was quite comfortable.  We up in the top level dining area for lunch and the water and spray was hitting the windows facing the bow of the ship.  Having missed St. John’s, we proceeded to Halifax, our next port-of-call.

Hawley was worried about the status of his RV.  He kept trying to contact the RV Park but could not get through on his cell phone. Wilma had gone right through the park and he was worried about damage.

We arrived at the mouth of Halifax Harbor and proceeded up the channel to our docks.  This harbor had one of the largest tidal flows in the world.  After we docked, Bev and I took a tour coach to visit the points of interest. Our driver told us about the 1917 Halifax Explosion in the harbor on a boat loaded with fertilizer. On display in the water was the Bluenose II schooner which won the Americas Cup Race. We next visited the Fairview Lawn Cemetery where over100 of those who survived the sinking of the Titanic, were buried.  The foliage in and around Halifax was beautiful.  The size of the leaves of the maple trees made then all that more beautiful.

Out next port-of-call was Bar Harbor, Maine. This sleepy little town started out as a refuge for the wealthy from the big cities.  Bev and I took a van tour to where the Vanderbilt, Astor, and others built huge homes called ‘cottages’ on the water front for summer homes. There was a big fire in 1947 and destroyed several of these homes and the town became a tourist haven for the masses to visit. There is even a four masted schooner that you can purchase tickets to go for a sail.

On to Boston. First on the docket was to go to the restaurant where President Kennedy used to eat.  We found our that it is called Union Oyster House, so a number of us went to have lunch.  As I remember there were six of us. The booth had a bronze plaque mounted in the booth stating that this booth was where John Kennedy always sat.  We now have bragging rights because we sat there.  Bev and others wanted to walk on the Freedom Trail, but it started to rain while we were eating lunch. I was not interested so I walked back to the ship.  Later,. Bev walked in and she didn’t all the way because of the rain.

Newport, Rhode Island was the next port-of-call.  Before leaving on this trip I went on the Internet to rent a car and drive down to Stonington, Connecticut, about 90 miles.  None were available.  Bev suggested that I phone the Chamber of Commerce and find out why.  It seems that there is a law that you can’t rent a car on Sunday and we would be in Newport on Sunday.  That would have to wait for another day.

We spent the day in a tour van that took us to a section of Newport that had huge mansions.  Several were opened to the public and we went in several of them.  Most were owned by New York magnets that would spend the summer in Newport.  They would take a boat ride from New York City to Newport and spend the summer.  The Newport Yacht Club was the winner of the Americas Cup several times.

Next port-of-call was New York City.  On our way in to the harbor we passed the Statue of Liberty. It was pretty impressive with all the bridges we passed.  Right next to us was a WWII carrier with a number of airplanes on it’s deck.  It was opened to the public but we did not go on the carrier.  We took a tour bus that took us to the site of the attack on New York City on September 9, 2001.  We went in the museum that had windows overlooking the site of the collapse of the Twin Towers.  The tour took us though the Chinese district, the Bowery, Times Square and 42^nd Street.

Norfolk VA was our next port-of-call where the U.S. Navy has a premium naval base.  Bev and I went on a tour of the base, but all we got to see was a drive through the housing areas, including the Flag Officers, and a drive by the U.S.S. Monitor replica.  The tour of the harbor on a power boat was worth the trip.  We passed by several large warships, some anchored and others at docks.

The next port-of-call was Charleston in South Carolina and it was such a treat to tour the antebellum homes. It is a wonder that they still stand when there is a much termites in the south.  We visited Fort Sumter which was occupied by both the Southern Rebels and the Union Forces at different times.

We packed all our bags and placed them outside our state rooms, for our final port-of-call, Fort Lauderdale.  After we disembarked, we got a cab to the RV Park. As we drove through the city you could see the damage done by Wilma Hurricane.  Hawley was extremely anxious to see his RV.  He gave the RV a walk around and found only a few scratches from fallen branches.   Also, one of the air conditioner covers was missing.  The car that they haul behind the RV was in good shape so Hawley drove around the city to see the extent of the damage.  The streets next the beaches had great amounts of sand that had been washed from the beaches.

After getting lunch we went back to the RV, fired it up and hooked it up to drive down to Key West.  The highway to Key West was littered with everything, appliances, furniture and even a number of boats without trailers.  We finally got to our RV Park and checked for our hookup spot. The staff people told us that a 10 foot high tidal surge came through the park. You could see the damage.  One of the attendants noticed that we were from California and remarked that he would never live in California because of the earth quakes.  I told him that in earth quakes the event was over in a few seconds and all that happened is that the earth bounced up and down.  In hurricanes, the dirt moved from one county to another and lasted several days.

We drove into Key West in the little car and found the Ernest Hemingway home and went on a tour. It was built in 1851.  It is a beautiful house with a huge garden and cats everywhere.  It was furnished in antique furniture and very well maintained.  We found a nice restaurant that had patio dining called the Hard Rock Cafe overlooking the main street in town The food was great and the people watching was equally good.

On our way back to Fort Lauderdale, we stopped in a restaurant called “Captain Bob’s” that featured Key Lime Pie. It was very good.  Claudia & Hawley took us to the airport for our flights back to California.  We said our Good Byes, boarded the Delta and headed home through Atlanta to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana.  Another great trip is now in the book.

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The Mexican Rivera

Sapphire Princess

January 2006

Bev and I arrived at the Los Angeles Harbor and boarded the Sapphire Princess and found our stateroom and our luggage was already there.  We went up to the observation level to watch our departure out to sea.  The sun was just setting and we were losing sight of Catalina.  It was time to eat so we found the food service deck and had dinner.  To round out the day, we went to the theater to see the live shows.

For three days at sea, we spent our time in the various activities that the ship offered.  Bev participated in bridge games, and me, I did some walking for exercise, and read my book in one of the lounges.  Of course, we did take on some nourishment, both liquid and solid. In the evening we attended the live entertainment in the large theater and some of the small lounge entertainment.

We arrived in Mazatian on the fourth day.  We engaged a guided tour to be sure we saw the best that Mazatian had to offer.  One of the famous statues was of a dolphin on the main street.  The most impressive was the Catholic church Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral.  It was very ornate and very old.  Back on the tour van, we drove to an area that had open air performers.  The ladies and men were in their heritage dress and danced to a Mexican band.  They were very good.  At another location there was a tall pole with steps in for the performers to get to the top where was a platform.  Four ropes were wound the pole so that only a small part of the rope was left.  Four male performers jumped off the platform and stated to fall unwinding the rope. Wow, it was thrilling!

On the fifth day we were in Puerto Vallarta.  There were four cruise ships docked in the harbor.  We again booked a guided tour which included a Catholic church Our Lady of Guadalupe  It was equally impressive in the design.  The interior was ornate and the colored glass windows were nice.  The stories say that the top row of windows were a gift from the Masons.  From there we went to an amphitheater where we were treaded to more native dances.  Some were dressed as cow boys and did many tricks with a lariat.  There was also a tall pole like the one in Mazatian where four men would jump off the platform and swing around the pole to the stage below.

The sixth day we were in Cabo san Lucas where we had to take a boat to get to shore.  We walked down the shore to the street that bordered the docks.  There was a large restaurant called Solomons Landing..We didn’t go in but walked down the docks looking at all of the large expensive yachts.  Having seen all that was to see of Cabo without going in to the interior, we headed back down the docks to take the shore boat back to the ship.

Now we were on our back to Los Angeles and the routine was similar to the outbound at sea.  We were sort of tired and welcomed the chance to rest and recuperate.  It was a good trip but we both agree that it was not a place we would like to return.

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Kelli was married in June 2006 in the Chapel of Forest Lawn Cemetery.

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Scandinavia Cruise

Star Princes

July 2006

The Prime Time Shuttle arrived and drove us to the Delta Terminal at LAX where we checked in and proceeded through the Security Check Points.  We boarded a 767 to Copenhagen, Denmark through Atlanta, Georgia.  Beverly and I usually arrive at our embarkation port two or three days prior to boarding the Princess ship.  This way we have time to explore the city before we set sail.

We checked in the Radisson Hotel and the next day set out to walk around the city.  We walked around the Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park but did not go in because there was an entrance fee. There was a lot of traffic and kept us on the alert for cars making turns.  In one of the squares was a bronze statue of Hans Christian Anderson, the famous author.

Jason and Wesley Hall are tennis players, in both high school and college, made a “back pack” tour of England and Europe. to see some of  their tennis friends from Europe.  The first stop was Wimbledon to watch some of the matches.  Since we were in Copenhagen, they took a train from London to Copenhagen and stopped by our hotel. We took them to dinner at the hotel.  They had found a place near our hotel that provided sleeping quarters for traveling young people.  They caught the last bus to their hostel.

We took a taxi to the Star Princess and received our Identification card, and stateroom assignment on the Caribe Deck which had a nice balcony.  We watched the casting off of our lines and set sail.  The whole next day we were at sea, finally arriving at Stockholm, Sweden.  We anchored in the harbor, because our ship drew too much water. So they lowered our life boats to be tenders to take us to shore.

One of the things was the narrow streets where many high scale stores were located. These were restricted to foot traffic only. Especially notable was that the buildings were very narrow and several stories high.  It was very colorful and the stores were on the ground floor and the floors above were town homes-condos-apartments.  The property must be sold by frontage foot.

There was a large bronze statue of St. George and the Dragon in one of the squares.  Inside the Cathedral of St. Nicholas is another portrayal of St. George and the Dragon.  The armor on St George was covered in gold leaf.  In the more modern areas the streets were wider and one of the stores was a Golden Arches McDonald’s Restaurant. Our tour took us by the Government buildings and one had a gala dressed guard standing at his post.  We ended the tour and headed back to the dock where we took the tender back the Star Princess.

Our next Port-of-Call was Helsinki, Finland.  Again we had a tour of Helsinki that took us by the Lutheran Cathedral, and the Temopelioukio Church, also know as the Church of the Rock.  It is built in a rock formation and has tremendous acoustics.  Even the temperature remains constant through out the year.  There was a square that had several stores that were quite quaint with local items for sale.  We walked back to the parking lot where we boarded our motor coach back to the Star Princess.

We arrived at St. Petersburg, Russia for a two day stay.  We were here the week before the G-8 Conferences was to take place.  It seemed that every intersection had a armed soldier or policeman.  We were advised to take motor coach tour of St Petersburg for our safety.  This we did and enjoyed the talk by our guide.  We passed by St Isaac’s Cathedral, Palace Square & Alexander Columns, The Church of Our Savior and Splashed Blood, and the Smoly Cathedral, and the Catherina Palace. 

We stopped at the State Hermitage where we were given a guided tour.  This place was something else.  The building was pillaged of all the treasures and stripped all the gold fixtures from the building by the German invaders in WWII.  It was just too much to handle in a short time.  We returned to the Star Princess and called it a day.  Bev wanted to go back for a tour specifically to the State Hermitage.  I decided to remain on the ship, but Bev said it was a lot to digest in one visit. I am glad I didn’t go.

Our next Port-of-Call was Tallinn, Estonia, a small Balkan State.  We booked a tour of the city that took us to both the early and modern parts. The early parts of the city had narrow streets with the typical buildings bunched together. The city squares were lined with small tents where you could buy most anything.  The ground floor was for retail stores with the upper floors used as living quarters.  The newer parts of the city had the influence of the Russians with wider streets and tall square buildings for the peasants to live.

Located on a hill is a band shell that was built when the people of Tallinn brock away from the Soviet Union.  They had a Singing Revolution and filled the shell and all over the hill side.  It was reported that several thousands of people attended the event. 

Being a sea port, many of the residents commute to work by large ferries to neighboring countries.  A few of them were in port when we arrived and they were works of art on the sides of the hulls.  They have a large yacht club and marina next to the harbor masters building and a light house.

The next Port-of-Call was Gdansk, Poland.  We again booked a tour of the city to maximize the things we could see. Of particular interest was the St. Mary’s Church which was started in 1379 and opened in 1502.  It is the worlds largest structure made of bricks.  It has several small spires and one really big one.

When the city was first built they had big buildings called gates where people could enter the city.  They are still in use.  In one of the city squares is a bronze statue of ‘Neptune’ with his three prong fork.  In a museum they had a section that depicted a store in the time of the Russian occupation. The shelves were nearly bare.  In another section was depicted the stores after they got their independence and now the shelves are well stocked.  In talking to the people, they were indebted to the Americans for giving them freedom.

There were several canals lined with stores and restaurants.  We had lunch in one of them and the food was really good.  There were some big tourist boats that take people to see the harbor.  The water was stagnate and you could see the algae growing.  I would not like to swim in that stuff.  There were some small coastal ships docked in the canals.

After leaving Gdansk we spent the next day at sea headed for Oslo, Norway The passage was interesting in that we were sailing in waters between Sweden and Denmark. And even passed under a bridge across the water.  It opened a new way to have commerce in cutting travel time.

We arrived in Oslo and as usual we booked a tour which took us to the Viking Museum where they have on display a Viking ship retrieved from under silt under sea water.  They have a balcony that you could take photos on the interior.  Many other exhibits relating to the Viking Era were displayed.

From there we motored to the Winter Olympics Venue to see the ski jump.  It was quite impressive.  I would not like to carry skis to the top launching area.  In one of the buildings was a computer set up to simulate going down the jump.  I don’t know how it cost and I didn’t care to ask because even if it was free, I would not have gone.  I must say that the view of Oslo from jump area was great.

Back to the Star Princess and head back to Copenhagen We planned to stay for a few more days and catch up some stuff we missed. We packed our bags again and placed them outside our stateroom door for the crew to send them to our hotel.  When we checked in at the hotel our bags were waiting for us.

The next day we got tickets for a boat tour around the city.  The capacity was 6 passengers wide and 20 rows.  It was open boat with the driver and guide up front.  We went by several yachts one of which was supposed to belong to Steve Jobs, and by many large buildings including the Opera House, the little bronze mermaid, Roseburg Castle and several government buildings.  In some respect it was just like any other harbor tour.

One of the points of interest in the city was the Church of Our Savior which has a unique spire.  It has an external stairs up to the top of the spire.  People can go up to the top where you can get a birds-eye-view of the city.  No! We did not go up the stairs.

The next morning we got transportation to Copenhagen Airport where there was a mass of people in lines checking in on flights.  We were a little concerned that we would be late, but, we got through security and boarded a Delta 767 to LAX via Atlanta.  At LAX we gain went through emigration and customs.  This time we had a Prime Time limo at LAX to home.  It was a great trip!

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307^th Bomb Group Reunion

Bellevue WA

22 – 26 August 2006

Beverly and I went to John Wayne Airport to board Alaska Airline to SeaTac Airport where we boarded a shuttle Bus to our hotel in Bellevue.  The hospitality room was already open and several people were already there.  We went for a walk in the area of the hotel and found a little restaurant for light dinner.

The activity for the day was a guided tour of Bellevue and Seattle.  There are several corporate offices in the city, because of the closeness to the Boeing Company.  We passed by the two QWest est stadiums, one for base ball and the other for foot ball.  Both have retractable roofs for good weather sports activities.  From there we went to the Fisherman Wharf was watched the employees throw large salmon form one to another.  They never missed.  We then drove to Space Needle and went up to the top.  It was a very clear day and we had a spectacular view of Seattle in all directions.  On the way back to Bellevue, we followed the mono-rail that went from the Needle to downtown Seattle.

A boat trip to Blake Island was the activity for today.  We boarded our motor coach and proceeded to the Seattle Harbor.  There, we boarded a tour boat and set out for Blake Island.  This island is Native American Indian settlement.  We were treated to a program of dances in native costumes.  It was very well done.  We then went to another large building which was set up for dining.  The was well prepared and tasty.

We again boarded our motor coach for a trip down to McCord Air Force Base.  This base is the home base for the C-15 air transport airplane.  They had on of the transports open to us so we could go any where in the fuselage.  It is one big bird!  I had the opportunity to sit in the first pilot’s seat and view all flat glass screens that replaced the analog instruments.  At our banquet that evening, we were treated to a live orchestra that played dinner music and afterward for dancing.  It was a great evening to a great reunion.

It was once again we boarded the shuttle but to SeaTac Airport.  We went through the check in process and boarded the Alaska plane to John Wayne.  Another great reunion!

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Mediterranean Cruise   

Emerald Princes

May 2007

Once again, Bev and I had the Super Shuttle take us to John Wayne Airport where we went through the security check and check in at the Delta Airlines Gate.  Ultimately we boarded our plane to Atlanta where we changed planes to Rome.  The Princess representative met us at the airport and drove us to the Crown Plaza Hotel.  It was late in the afternoon when we got checked in so decided to relax after the flight.

The next morning Bev and I decided to take the bus into downtown Rome where we could just walk around and look at the sights.  Ray and Sheri Hall are expected in the afternoon to join us on a tour of Rome. 

The limousine arrived at 9 o’clock and the driver spoke perfect English.  For the next eight hours we toured Rome and at certain spots the driver got tickets and we went in ahead of the people that were waiting, Such as, the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, Roman Forum, St Peter’s Basilica, Traslevere, and many more that I can’t remember.  It was worth the cost.  It was the only way to see Rome when you can’t spend a couple of weeks.

The Princess motor coach arrived at the hotel and drove us to Civitavecchia, the port that services Rome.  We went through the boarding process to get our Identification/Charge Cards and stateroom assignment on Caribe Deck.  We were about mid-ship and had a balcony.  At was late in the afternoon when we cast off and headed into the Mediterranean.

Our first Port-of Call was Monte Carlo in Monaco.  From the ship, you could see all of Monaco from the shore to the top of the hills.  The first point of interest was the Jacques Cousteau Maritime Museum.  It was built into the side of a steep hill and a elevator was available to take us up to the top.  We spent quite a bit of time watching the various species of fish in different tanks.  Outside of the museum was a tram that provided a tour of Monaco.  The Formula 1 race was the following week and the bleachers were already in place.  The tour followed the course of the F1 race cars, down the hair pin turns, through the tunnel and along the waterfront.  There were a bunch of yachts, big money yachts, docked along the waterfront.  We were not dressed to go in the Casino, but that was no loss.

The next Port-of-Call was Florence.  Sheri and Bev wanted to go to Florence to see the statue of David by Michelangelo that was on display.  Ray and I were more interested in seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  So, we got the tour to Pisa.  The bus parked a ways away from our destination.  It was hot and I had a sweater on that soon came off.  Th first thing we was the Pisa Cathedral which is huge.  We walked a little further and there was the Leaning Tower of Pisa and it was small in comparison.  Of course I had to do the obligatory photo of me holding up the Tower.  Ray positioned me and sure enough, I was holding up the tower.  When we got back to the ship we found our that the museums were closed that day.

Our next Port-of-Call was Naples.  Sheri & Ray opted to go to Pompeii to see the ruins from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Bev and I took the tour of the Amalfi Coast.  Off to our right we could see the Isle of Capri and some of the tours take a boat there.  The coast drive was absolutely spectacular.  It was narrow and twisty where some places two buses could not meet each other. It was almost straight down and straight up.  We stopped at a small town on the coast and Bev went in search for an old church in a canyon and I went out on one of the wharfs.  The town was a beautiful place from the wharf.  The tour coach took a side road to a highway back north to the Ship.  Sure glad we went to the Amalfi Coast tour.

The next Port-of-Call was Mykonos in Greece.  It is known for its wind mills. Round white buildings with thatched tops and white retractable sails. None of them were working while we were there.  The streets were very narrow and were made of slate with cement as mortar to keep them in place.  The residents would throw their human waste out the window down to the street.  They would then spread lye to hill the odors.  When indoor plumbing came into use, that practice ceased, and the cement turned dark, so they started painting the cement white.

Most of the buildings in Mykonos are painted white with predominately blue roofs and trim.  The beaches are pristine and is the vacation spot for the elite Europeans.  There are night clubs for all of the visitors and day water events for the more active visitor.

Kusadasi, Turkey was our next Port-of-Call with our attention directed to the ancient Greek city of Ephesus. It was once one of the world’s greatest cities and ranked only behind Rome. The Temple of Artemis is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  Ephesus has an incredible number of ruins that date back to the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Ephesus’s most spectacular site has to be the facade of the Library of Celsus.  It was constructed between 110and 135AD and had three floors.  An earthquake destroyed the Library in the 10^th century along with most of the city.  The facade and front portico that can be seen today were reconstructed in the 1970s.

Other sites that we saw include the Theater, Basilica of St. John, the Cave of the Seven Sleepers, Church of Mary, House of the Virgin Mary, the Prytaneion, and the Temple of Hadrian.  I had trouble keeping up with our group and Bev was getting perturbed because she couldn’t hear what the guide was saying.  My walking was getting slower and slower.  Maybe this cruise is the last we take together.                              

The next Port-of-Call was Santourini, Greece.  After anchoring in the harbor, the shore boats were lowered in the water and passengers were shuttled to the shore.  We had booked a motor coach tour of the island, and the coach climbed up a five switch back road to the highway. Ray and Sheri took the Cable Gondola to the top where they joined us for the tour. Our tour took us up to the top of a mountain where a monastery was located.  It was painted the standard white and we didn’t see a soul.  From there we could look down on the airport with a single runway and it was like I was making an approach to land.

From the monastery, we headed back down to a beach area where an island looked like a ship.  We made our way back to the harbor and took the cable gondola to the shore, except Ray walked down the steps to the shore. We were picked up by the shore boat and returned us to the ship.

The Port-of-Call next was Piraeus, Greece because Athens does not have a sea port.  This was an important stop because the Emerald Princess was making her first voyage with passengers and had not had the official Christening of the Ship.  The Politically Correct term is now “The Naming of the Ship”. The ceremony was held on the Sun Deck where the bottle of champaign was tied to a pole by a ribbon. There was a Military band playing chamber music while members of the dining room servers roamed throughout the passengers with champaign and finger food.  There were several dance groups that performed while waiting for the ceremony to begin.

 The Mayor of Athens and several local dignitaries were present.  When the ribbon was cut, it swung down to a point to break the bottle.  A performing artist singer was the one who cut the ribbon holding the bottle of champaign and announced the name of the ship – “I now name the ship the Emerald Princess”.

The next Port-of-Call was Katakolon, Greece or Olympia.  It is one of the most important sites for viewing classical Greek architecture and urban planning.  Located within a short distance of the modern town known as Ancient Olympia, the site was used for Olympic Games beginning in 776BC and ending in 393AD, when they were ended because of their relationship to paganism.  Much of the site was built during the 5th-4th centuries BC, and there are some earlier structures as well as Hellenistic and Roman ruins.

The most famous of all the buildings is the Temple of Zeus, which once held the gigantic statue of Zeus that was one of the Seven Ancient Wonders. It is believed that the site was buried under silt that resulted from tsunamis.

In preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, a Museum of the Olympic Games was built

to be of interest to fans of the games and contains a nice collection of medals, stamps photo from the modern games.                        

The next Port-of-Call was Corfu in Greece. Two of the most prominent buildings were the Achilleion Terrace and the Mon Repo Palace. A little cove had everything that an artist would paint and there was one with a easel set up and doing just that. At one point on our tour it was pointed out to us that there was a caldera from an old volcano.

Our final Port-of-Call was Venice.  As the ship progressed down the canal to the docks, we passed several points of interest that we should explore later. We were received by the Princess representative who directed us to the transportation to our hotel.  It was a water taxi that took us to the hotel where we registered. 

We were close by the St, Mark’s Square and on one of the canals.  Ray was up early the next morning and went to the square and found it flooded by the high tide. It might be natures’s way of cleaning the bird poop. When all of were up and ready to face a new day, we walked over to St. Mark’s Square and were amazed by the number of pigeons.  Everywhere you looked there were people feeding the birds, and some landed on the feeder’s head and outstretched arms.   Around the perimeter were shops of every distinction and food courts.

Since Sheri and Ray were leaving a day earlier than Bev and I, we scheduled a gondola for a tour of the canals.  Our gondola was built for four people.  There were several bridges over the canals and one was of the bridges was called ‘The Prisoners Walk’ because it connected both sides of the prison.  Gondolier would not sing to us, but he would yell out when approaching an intersection to avoid a collision.  The high water levels marked the discoloration of the walls and some were above the threshold of doors.  We bid Sheri and Ray good-bye and they left in a water taxi to the airport.

St. Mark’s Cathedral was at one end of the square.  The building was started in 828AD as the Doge’s Palace. The structure was destroyed by fire bur was rebuilt and completed in 1047AD.  The columns were huge and fairly close together and were necessary to support the high vaulted ceilings. Many modifications were made over the years.  Beverly found out that a mass was about to start so she went to church and I studied the features of the building.  Very impressive.

A short distance away, is the St. Mark’s Campanile Clock Tower.  It is 323 feet tall and was constructed in the 9^th century.  A crack appeared in the structure in 1902AD and an earthquake caused it to collapse.  An exact replicate was completed 1912.  There is an elevator that takes visitors to the top, where there are openings that give you a full 360 degree view of Venice. What a great place to end our voyage in the Emerald Princess.

The next morning we had breakfast, checked out of the hotel and boarded the water taxi to the airport.  After the usual security and emigration checks we boarded the Delta flight to Atlanta, changed planes, and headed to John Wayne Airport and then home.

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Kelli should of heeded my warning in it was “not to late” because it didn’t work out.  They were divorced in March 2008.

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July 2008

Once more Sheri and Ray would not tell me where we were going.  After several changes of freeways we pulled off of I5 to a building.  Inside, there were seven fixed flight simulators.  They were configured to be F-16 jet fighters and I was going to fly the F-16 for one hour.  After a briefing of what the program would be  – five minutes to familiarize the gauges and controls  – 50 minutes of air combat against the other six simulators – five minutes in a F-18 for carrier landings.

I climbed up to the cockpit and had barely enough for the brace on my right leg.  But it did fit and I lowered the canopy and began studying the engine power lever, gun and missile  controls.  A large screen was positioned in front of each simulator which showed the position of the other F-16s.  I advanced the engine power and took off and climbed to 15,000 feet and for five minutes did acrobatics.

At the start of combat I engaged the other airplanes and covered the altitude range from 500 feet to 40,000 feet.  There was so much going on that I lost track of which switch went with the guns and which switch went with the missiles.  I had no idea of how many F-16s I shot down or if I had been shot down.  Ray, Sheri, Jason & Wes were able to see what was happening in the air and I had lost track of my kills.

The last five minutes was to make a daylight landing at the airport.  The ground controller change our position final approach  and I touched down with no problem.  The ground controller then set us on final approach at night time. You could seethe runway lights and  I made a good landing. 

 The ground controller then changed our airplane to the F-14 to make a carrier landing, and placed us on final approach.  I could see the carrier and made my final approach, watching the Landing Signal Officer (LSO).  I could see that I was not going to engage  the wire so I took a ‘bolter’ with full power.  The ground controller ejected us from the F-14.  We were the only one that lived. The others crashed.  The air combat session results was I had six kills and I was shot down once.

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307^th Bomb Group Reunion

Savanna GA

August 2008

Bev and I were driven to John Wayne Airport. We went through the security check in process and proceeded to the Delta Gate.  We boarded the Delta 737 and took off for Atlanta where we changed planes to Savanna.  From there the hotel livery service took us the famous Brown Hotel.

After checking in we found the hospitality room and mingled with the guys and gals.  The next day we went on a tour of the Old Fort Jackson which had docents dressed in the period costumes.  Each of them gave a talk about the operation of the Fort.  From there we went to Paula Dean’s Restaurant for lunch.  It was buffet style but the food was good.  Beverly and several other girls went looking for Paula but she was not in that day; however, they saw the two boys of Paula and talked to him.  On the way back to the hotel we drove by the suspension bridge over the Savanna River.

The following day we toured Savanna on a motor coach, up and down wide streets with parkways in the middle.  There seemed to be a square every couple of blocks with a statue in the middle.  We stopped at a fresh fruit store and it was packed with the biggest peaches I had ever seen.  From there we stopped at Uncle Bubba’s for lunch.  Again the food was very good and plenty of it.  On the way back to the hotel we stopped at the Fort Palaski where they also had docents.  It was very informative.

Back at the hotel we had a Board Meeting and took care of the business of the Association. I was appointed again to be the Parliamentarian.  The banquet was on a Paddle Wheel River Boat.  Our party was seated in the very stern and we were the last to be served.  The galley (kitchen) ran out of many of the food items on the menu..  The boat went up the river for about an hour when it turned around and went back to the dock.  It would have been a better trip if they had not run out of some of the food items.

We packed up and checked out of the hotel and took the shuttle to the airport.  The flight was routine to Atlanta and then to John Wayne Airport. Home again

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Bret Palmer

Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Economics and Entrepreneurship

California State University Long Beach

May 2009

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Panasonic Industrial split off the Avionics Division and the new division was located in Forest Hill taking John an hour and a half drive each way.  He was not happy and he could not go any higher in position because he was not Japanese. John planned when he became vested in his retirement program at Panasonic Avionics he would take early retirement.  So John retired as Senior Director.

It was only a few weeks when he was picked up by Esterline Power Systems as Vice President of Finance. His office is located a short distance away from his home and loves his new company.  Once again he is a happy camper.

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July 2010

Sailing “Stars and Stripes”

Sheri & Ray ware again planing a special birthday trip. The only thing that I was told was to layer dress.  Again I tried to think of where it could be both hot and cold.  The only thing I could come up with was a ride in a hot air balloon and the only place is in the Palm Springs area.  We passed by the freeway to Palm Springs and continued driving south.  Maybe Carlsbad is the place because they have an airport and they have airplanes that you can fly in simulated dogfights.  Well we went right by Carlsbad and kept going south.  Soon we were in San Diego and they let the cat out of the bag.

The maritime Museum is in San Diego and they have several historical vessels.  We were going out on a Twelve Meter racing yacht called “Stars and Stripes”.  We were told that if they have enough people they would send out another twelve meter boat “Oracle” and we would race in the San Diego Bay.  There were three professional hands to run each boat and the passengers would operat the winches and helm.  Sheri, Ray and Wesley operated the winches and switched off in being the helmsman, As for me, I sat on the midship thwart and watched all the action. 

We ran three races.  The other team won the first race, we won the second and they won the third race.  It was a thrill just to sit there, close up and personal, and see everyone engaged in sail boat racing.  Another great birthday celebration.  I wonder what will come next?   

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Fall Foliage

Connecticut – New York State

October 2010

I have been in 49 of the 50 States.  I was in Rhode Island on a cruise ship on a Sunday but could not rent a car to drive to Connecticut because of a law prohibiting rent a ca on Sunday.  My grandson, Jason Hall, was aware of my predicament.  He told me that he was going to be in Boston over a weekend so why not join him and do Connecticut.  I got a nonstop flight out of John Wayne Airport to JFK and Jason picked me up and we drove to Connecticut.

Saturday we started up the coast highway along the Long Island Sound.  There were many little hamlets with marinas with brightly colored boats and yachts.  There was spot that caught our attention.  We are un apple country and this particular one was making apple cyder. The building where all the activity was called Gris Mill.  They were harvesting truck loads of apples and feeding them into the presses.  It was fascinating all the steps being accomplished.  We continued on our way to Stonington on the Black Island Sound and a short way to Rhode Island boarder.

We found the Palmer House a short distance from the harbor. Nathaniel Palmer was a Clipper Ship captain and searched for seals and whales. He discovered Antarctica.  Walter Palmer Society is located in a fairly new building behind the Palmer House.  It houses the library and artifacts of the era.  I told the Curator/Librarian that I believed that I was a descendant of Walter Palmer and if she could look up.  She got a couple of books and one of the last entries was for Oscar Palmer with the names of his children.  Oscar was my grandfather and there was my fathers name with his eight sisters. She told me that I could send copies of my birth certificate, my son and grandsons and it would be put in the data base.

There was a lighthouse a short distance from the Palmer House so Jason and I walked down to see it.  Jason went up to the top but not me.  We found to old cemetery where Jason found Nathaniel’s head stone.  We had obtained my objective and removed another item from my bucket list.  I now could say I have been all 50 States!!!!

The next objective was to see the Adirondacks and the fall foliage.  We drove through a corner of Massachusetts and headed for Albany and Lake Placid.  The mirid of colors were fantastic, the bright reds of the maple trees.  At Lake Placid we stopped to go in the U. S. Olympic Skating Venue.  There were four rinks and people were on two of them.  They were practicing their routines.  At the third ring, players were suiting up the have a game of hockey.

We left Lake Placid and drove by Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake.  Tupper Lake is where my Uncle Elmer Christy had a cabin.  Time was running out to head back to new York.  We were about 50 miles from the place I was born.  Jason had an appointment with a client in Utica and I sat in the car reading while he was busy.  When Jason finished we headed for Cooperstown, home of the Base Ball Hall of Fame.  Sure was a small town for such an important venue.

We made it back to JFK in time for me go through the check in process and board the Delta plane to Atlanta and then to John Wayne Airport and home.

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307^th Bomb Group Reunion

Grand Rapids MI

5-9 October 2011

Prime Time again picked me up to go to John Wayne Airport.  Went through the check in process to board the Delta flight to Grand Rapids through Denver.  The courtesy van picked me up and delivered me to the Spinnaker Hilton.

The next morning, the hospitality room was already opened and several people were milling around.  Jim McCabe, our historian, and I were talking about my trouble locating our navigator, Tom Ucker, that I had tried to find him but to no avail.  He said he would see what he could do.

The group loaded on a motor coach that took us to the Gerald Ford Presidential Library and Museum.  It is located in the downtown area of Grand Rapids. It was similar to the other presidential libraries but with this difference.  There was no replica of the Oval Office.  On questioning one of the docents, he related to me that Gerald Ford borrowed furniture from other presidents that were in storage.  If he was elected then he would have set up his own furniture.  The grounds had a number of reflection pools and places to sit and enjoy the surroundings.

We were gathered in the lobby waiting to go to dinner when Jim McCabe walked upp with his cell in his ear.  He handed me the phone and said “Say hello to your navigator.”  Sure enough Tom was on the phone.  We talked for a few minutes because we were about to leave for dinner I told him I would call him tomorrow.  Well, I did call him and we talked for one hour and 10 minutes.  Made the pledge that I would come and visit him.

We again boarded our motor coach and headed for Kalamazoo to visit the Kalamazoo Airzoo. It was collection of different airplanes.  Hanging in the foyer was a P-40.  Out in the hangar display area were a number of vintage airplanes, and every thing up to including the X15 rocket test airplane.

Since this not a official reunion we could not conduct any business.  We could however have a gathering of members event.  We did have a banquet and everyone had a great time.  The next official reunion would be held in Baltimore, MD.  Back to the airport to retrace my path through Denver to home.

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            307^th Bomb Group Reunion

Baltimore MD

            26-30 September 2012

The Super Shuttle picked me up for the ride to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana.  I went trough the check-in process and boarded the Delta Airline to Baltimore via Atlanta, GA.  All was pretty routine and got the courtesy van to the Embassy Suits hotel.  The American Legion provided me with a walker for my stay in the hotel.

On Thursday morning, we boarded a motor coach and headed for the WWII War Memorial in Washington, DC.  I had seen pictures of the Memorial before but in person it was much more impressive.  We had a docent with us from the Park Service and he told about the selection of the theme and how it was to be presented.  It started with the thirteen states grouped together and on each side, the states in the order of them becoming part of the United States, rotated one on the right, then one on the left until all of the states were included.  There were two pictograph panels one showing the Atlantic war events and the other the Pacific war events.

Everyone had a picnic box lunch so we all sat abound the grass and had a feast.  When we finished we boarded the motor coach and were given a mini tour of downtown Washington, with the driver narrating the various important places. 

The next morning, Friday, we went to the Fort McHenery where the valiant defense of the fort inspired Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star Spangled Banner” our National Anthem. It was very impressive.  We stopped for lunch at the Snyder’s Willow Grove for lunch.  It is known for having ‘Best Crab Cakes’.  I didn’t have them but instead had a sundae

We wound up at the Washington National Cemetery and the United States Air Force Memorial.  It was beautiful in its simplicity, like three fighters making a pull up-120 degrees a part.  At each end there were pictographs of the significant events in the history of the Air Force.  The senior officer of the Monument staff gave a talk about the 307^th BG efforts in WWII and the President of the Association placed a wreath on an easel.  It was nicely done.

The business meeting was mainly to read the minutes of previous meeting and to elect new officers.  As Parliamentarian, I had the responsibility of receiving nominations for each office and installing the newly elected officers.  We have a new President, Don Calarco & Vice President, Christine Hoover.  The Secretary & Treasurer were re-elected.  The Historian and Parliamentarian were reappointed. My grandson Jason Hall and his wife, Michelle, just ‘happened’ to be in Washington and they drove over to Baltimore to join us at the banquet.

I left the hotel in their shuttle van for Baltimore Airport, went through the check-in process and boarded Delta once again.  One stop in Atlanta and then on to John Wayne Airport and home.

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424^th Mini Reunion

May 2013

The time has come and I am about to embark upon a trip that has been in the planning stage for the last three years. It is to see  the two members of the our B-24 bomber crew that  I have not seen since 1945. That is 68 years ago 

The trip started when the Prime Time shuttle picked me up at my house at 4:30 AM  and drove me to United Airlines at Los Angeles (LAX).  I boarded a Boeing 737 – 800 and flew to Denver, Colorado where I changed planes to go from Denver to Wichita, Kansas. That airplane was at Bombardier Q400, a twin engine turboprop regional jet transport.  I went to Enterprise, the car-rental place, and picked up a Nissan. I was going to drive to Salina, about 90 miles, to see Larry and Joan Sams. Incidentally, Larry was the tail turret gunner of the B-24. They had invited me to stay with them during my visit.

From the time I arrived at the Sams’s residence that evening, we spent remembering about our experiences during the war and that went on until it was time to go to bed.  The next day found us also remembering difference things that happened during our time together during World War II. One remembrance would  trigger off another and we would go off on that subject for number of times. After dinner, we continued where we left off until it was time to go to bed because I had to leave and go to Abilene Kansas

In 2003, on my way from St. Louis driving west, I had intended to go to see the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum but I overran the off ramp and didn’t get to see the campus. Since I was only 30 miles from Abilene, It now was the time to visit Museum and Library that I had missed before. The campus was very pretty and I took a number of pictures of the buildings .  `1

I now left for my drive back to Wichita.  I checked in at the Days Inn. They drove me to the airport the next morning to catch an airplane to Chicago and then on to Columbus, Ohio. It was the first time that I had ever flown in an EMR145, a Brazilian jet made by Embraer. On the leg from Chicago to Columbus, I was supposed to have a seat on the right-hand side of the airplane with a empty seat next to me. However the seat was occupied by an American Airlines Flight Attendant who was deadheading to Columbus.  When I got to the Days Inn hotel in Columbus I found that I did not have my cell phone. Evidentially it had slipped out of my pocket on the airplane.

When I got to the hotel to check-in with the night clerk I told her that my cell phone had been left on the airplane. She asked me what my cell phone number was and dialed it. A lady answered the phone and said that she was in New Jersey. She offered to mail the cell phone to the hotel where I was staying but I suggested that I would not be time to get to the hotel that before I had to leave. I said to her to mail the cell phone to me. The night clerk text  my name and address to her so that she could mail the cell phone to my home rather than to the hotel. 

I rented a car from Enterprise and drove to Reynoldsburg where Tom Ucker, our navigator, lives and spend a day with Tom.  It was just about all the same things as we talked about in Salina. Tom had lost his wife about five or six years ago from Alzheimer’s and he appeared to be lost in his thoughts. There seemed to be words or phrases that Tom either heard from me or I said that triggered him to cry. After a few minutes, he would get back to normal and he would, on occasion, sit there just ringing his hands like he was trying to wash them.

We took time out to go to lunch and he had a special place that he liked to go so we went there. After lunch, we continued on relating experiences that we had back in 19 44 and 45.  Tom was a great navigator and became the ‘lead navigator’ for the group up until the time that he completed his missions. I finally left Tom about 6:30 in the evening and went on back to the Days Inn to get some sleep and catch are my next flights back home.

When I got to the airport in Columbus, we were delayed for about an hour before we were able to take off. There was some fog in the area but it didn’t look like as though that it was a reason to delay take off.. So when we got into Houston, Texas to change planes, the airplane to Los Angeles had already departed. After much discussion they finally got me scheduled on the next flight out on another Boeing 737 – 800. That flight back to Los Angeles was uneventful and arrived there and waited at the terminal for almost an hour for my Prime Time Shuttle to take me home. Finally got home and unloaded my bags from the trip.  Just a postscript to the re-acquaintance trip.  It was outstanding, even the one with Tom Ucker which was quite depressing, and but I was glad that I had included him in my trip. 

More about my traveling cell phone. The lady said she would mail my cell phone to me.  On the following Monday I received a soft pack mailer from Dallas, TX.  I wrote a letter to her thanking her for taking the effort and expense. I told her she was one in a million. The postage was $2.75 so I included a $5.00 bill in the letter.

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Cruise to Alaska & Denali Park

Diamond Princess

July 20 – 30 2013

The Super Shuttle arrived on time and headed for LAX.  The trip was routine and I checked in with the Alaska Airline to check my bag and wait for my wheel chair.  There were four ladies from Hawaii and also heading to Alaska and a couple of them had a flower in their hair.  They were also cruising to Alaska.  My wheelchair arrived and I was escorted through the security check point and was taken to the Alaska Airlines boarding area.  My walker was wheeled along side of the wheelchair and the walker was checked before I boarded the 737-400 to Vancouver.

Interestingly enough was the service by the Flight Attendants.  The only food service provided free was a non-alcohol drinks.  All other items were available for a cost.  They even had a card reader for credit/debit service. Remember the old days when you were given a hot meal?  Well I had bought a few power bars called “Oh Yeah” for my snack to Vancouver.  They were very tasty.

At Vancouver, we were met by the Princess Representative who got us loaded on a motor coach for the drive to the wharf where the Diamond Princess was docked.  Our driver had plenty of time and took through various parts of the city and narrated the folk lore of the areas.  One item was the ‘flashing green lights’ on main streets.  The lights stay green until a person or vehicle needed to cross. 

When we got to the embarking area, we were given an identification card which served as a credit card for on-board purchases.  My stateroom was 505 on the Emerald deck.  Sheri and Ray were in stateroom 715.  I was beginning to worry about my checked bag, but it finally arrived at my stateroom shortly after we embarked.  The Diamond Princess started through the Burrard Inlet past by the Stanley Park and the Lion’s Gates Bridge which spans the Inlet.  We sailed into the Strait of Georgia on our way to Alaska.  The sun was beginning to set and there was not very much to see.  So we went to the dining room for dinner.

Sunday, July 21, we will be ‘at sea’ working our way through Discovery Passage.  The Seymour Narrows is 2500 feet wide and the narrowest point of the cruise.  The tidal current can run up to 16 knots and passage through the narrows is only possible in slack water.  We have had a British Columbia Pilot on board and when we have made our way through the Queen Charlotte Strait to Pine Island we disembarked our Pilot.  During our passage the ship makes regular reports to the Prince Rupert Traffic which monitors the movement of all ships navigating the waters between Cape Caution and the border with the United States.

We are sailing up the Strait with British Columbia off to our starboard.  There have been numerous sightings of whales.  Sheri & Ray went to the stern of the ship on the Promenade Deck and saw several whales.  Since we are some distance from land we could see some isolated views of  land on the horizon.  This was a good time to explore the ship.  There are several shops in the atrium which is located in the middle of the ship and is open through three decks.  Also there are several lounges where lectures are given on a variety of subjects.  In fact I liked the Wheelhouse Lounge to read..

To night is formal dress for dinner and I had to put on my white dinner jacket with the MacLeod tarter cummerbund and bow tie.  I have named my blue four wheel walker ‘Lamborghini” because another passenger called his walker ‘Ferrari’ because it was red. There were only a few white dinner jackets and they were mostly officers of the ship.

Monday, July 22 we docked at Ketchikan, which is located on Revillagigedo Island.  The town is just three miles long and three blocks wide.  One of the first tings you notice is the pilings in the water that are 25 feet or more.  This harbor has tidal flow that is higher than any other places in the world with the possible exception of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Ketchikan is also known for the salmon that flood the local streams and for the bald eagles that congregate to feed on the salmon.

We boarded a motor launch for a tour of Misty Fjord National Monument.  Along the shores are the remnants of floating shacks left behind when logging was no longer allowed.  Bald eagles are to be seen in the trees where they have built their nests. There are many small islands with buoys marking proper course.  There is even a light house that still operates.  When we got back to Ketchikan, Sheri & Ray went exploring the Totem Pole exhibits and I returned to the ship. On the way I met the four ladies from Hawaii.

As a point of interest there is tiny museum called Dolly’s House dedicated to Dolly Arthur, one of Ketchikan’s most famous characters from the 1900s.  Dolly was the star courtesan in Ketchikan’s Red Light District on Creek Street.

Tuesday, July 23 we arrived in Juneau, the capital of Alaska.  There were four cruise ships in the harbor at the same time.  Imagine dumping twelve thousand visitors in the town at one time.  We boarded a motor coach that took us on a tour of Juneau on our way to the Mendenhall Glacier.  We passed by the Capital building and the governor’s mansion.

The Mendenhall Glacier is nicknamed the “the drive-up glacier” and is only 14 miles from the city center.  The Mendenhall Glacier flows 12 miles from its source and has a half-mile-wide face.  It was formed during the “Little Ice Age” which began about 3,000 years ago, the glacier is fed from the Ice field above Juneau.  At the Visitors Center there is a model of the glacier and surrounding mountains.  While reading the displayed material the four ladies from Hawaii stopped to talk.  They wanted to have a photo of the four of them with me in the middle.  One of t visitors took several photos of me with my “harem”.  Ray and Sheri went down to the base of a large water falls next to the glacier.

After lunch we got tickets to the Tramway that takes us to the top of Mount Roberts. The view was spectacular of the city and the four cruise ships.  There was a film that gave the history of the cable lift.

Wednesday, July 24.  We left Juneau and sailed through the waters of the Upper Lynn Canal and the Taiya Inlet the leads to Skagway.  Next to the ship on the starboard side was a hill with rock out cropping that were covered with graffiti.  These I remembered from my Alaska cruise in 1993, and there were some new ones as late as 2012.  On the docks was the train that goes up to White Mountain Pass.  Sheri & Ray got tickets for the train ride.  Since I had made the trip up to White Mountain Pass in 1993, I elected to stay on the ship.

The train follows the river that the gold prospectors followed in the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1800s when gold was discovered in the Yukon.  The Canadian government required the prospectors to have a years worth of food and supplies in order to get a permit to enter Canada.  Consequently, the prospectors had to make several trips up to the pass and many of them died.  The train takes you from sea level to 2,865 feet the summit of White’s Pass.

Back in the town, you could almost close your eyes and feel like you were back in the early days of Skagway.  There are horse drawn carriages and people walking down the streets in clothing of the era.  One place is the Red Onion Saloon and Brothel Museum.

This day is the Big Nine Zero. My birthday.  At diner that night the dining room staff sang “Happy Birthday”.  I was presented with a small cake, chocolate with chocolate icing – even a Princess Logo and a single candle.  Not any room for 89 more.

Thursday, July 25.  We have now arrived in Glacier Bay where a National Park Rangers boarded the ship.  When Captain George Vancouver first set eyes on the small five-mile inlet that was Glacier Bay in 1794, he described a “sheet of ice as far as the eye could distinguish”.  By the time naturalist John Muir visited in 1979 with a group of native Tlingits who call the bay their ancestral home, the ice had retreated enough to begin exposing one of the world’s most majestic wildernesses.  His poetic descriptions of the area have been inspiring visitors to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve ever since.

By 0830 we have passed Queen Inlet and have arrived at the Lamplugh Glacier. There is no place quite like it on earth – over 3.3 million acres of forest, inlet and shore, mountain peaks rising over 15,000 feet, and of course, the namesake glaciers.  Great rivers of ice that stretch over and between mountain ridges until they meet the green tidewater, calving large chunks of ice with thunderous cracks into the sea.  The bay boasts seven such tidewater glaciers, including famous Margerie Glacier, one of the state’s most active glacial faces.  We were lucky to be treated to one of nature’s grandest displays, the calving of a glacier.  It was around 200 feet high and made a lot of noise and a big splash.

This is the last night of the cruise and dress is formal.  Once again I dressed in my white dinner jacket with mu MacLeod cummerbund & bow tie.  Again there were only a few of the passengers with white dinner jackets, but most ship’s officers were in white.

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Friday, July 26.  We were now in the College Fjord.  Discovered in the northwest corner of Prince William Sound during an 1899 research expedition, spectacular College Fjord a glaciers were named after prestigious east coast schools by the college professors who first laid eyes upon their majesty.  Stretching miles, these massive rivers of ice tumble down from mountains and through valleys dipping into the pristine waters of the fjords have a chance to watch the awe-inspiring process of calving, or dropping enormous pillars of ice. into the sea, as the land with a thunderous splash. Ray was able to get a three picture sequence of the calving.

 We bid our dinner waiter and his assistant good-bye.  They really looked after us, including seeing my lamborghini was properly taken for. We again packed our bags to be ready to disembark tomorrow morning at Whittier

Saturday, July 27. Whittier.  We boarded a Princess Train to take us to Anchorage for transfer to a motor coach to take us to the Princess Lodge, near the Denali Park and Mount McKinley.

Sunday, July 28. We were loaded on to a school bus and taken on a tour of Denali National Park and Preserve. Only a limited number of private cars are allowed in the park and after clearing the entrance gate we could only go 18 miles and we were quite a few miles from Mount McKinley.  The weather was clear except a few small puffy clouds but we could see all the way to the snow/ice covered top.

Mount McKinley, also called Denali, is the highest peak, 20,320 feet, in North America, with two summits raising above the Denali Fault.  The mountain is essentially a giant block of granite that was lifted above Earth’s crust during a periods of tectonic activity that began 60 million years ago.  It rises abruptly some 18,000 feet from Denali Fault at its base to the higher, more southerly of its two summits.  The Denali National Park and Preserve is about 6 million acres.

Monday, July 29. It was time to leave Denali National Park and head for Anchorage.  This time we boarded a motor coach and drove around the east and south side of Mount Denali.  Again we were treated to more spectacular views of the mountain including the top.  We were told that only three percent of the visitors ever get to see all sides of the mountain.

We arrived at the Captain Cook Hotel and checked in.  Sheri & Ray were on the 14^th floor and I was on the 15^th.  I needed a key to get to the 15^th for because it was for the Platinum & Elite Princess Members.

Tuesday, July 30.  On the 16^th floor was a dining room and lounge.  I could bring a guest so I got Sheri & Ray and took them up to the 16^th floor where we all had breakfast.  Pretty spiffy.  I checked our of the Captain Cook Hotel and boarded the motor coach to the Anchorage Airport.  Went through the routine of checking in to Alaska Airline.  I boarded the Boeing 737-800 for a pleasant trip to LAX.  I only had to wait for about 20 minutes for Super Shuttle to take me to Rossmoor.

It was one heck of a birthday present. One to live for!!! I had a great time.                                     

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                                                                        307^th Bomb Group Reunion

Indianapolis, IN

19 – 21 September 2013

Super Shuttle picked me up on September 18 and drove me to LAX and dropped me off at Frontier Airlines.  After going through the security check I boarded the Airbus 320 to Denver where I changed planes, Airbus 319 to Indianapolis.  The wheelchair was waiting for me at the concourse.  Dave Schmidt, a member of the 307th, was there to meet me and loaded my bags and four wheel walker in his car.  The Marriott Hotel was on the opposite side to the city to the airport.  The freeway and city streets were being worked on and had several detours.  It took us over 45 minutes to make the trip.

This particular reunion was a “Tandem” meeting of the 307^th Bomb Group and the 13^th Air Force Association for the first time.  They have suggested that we should join them and dissolve the 307^th.  All of our Board of Directors were present to observe their organization. The Hospitality Room was shared by both organizations. More on this later.

On Thursday we ventured into the city of Indianapolis and took the motor coach to the Indiana War Memorial.  It is part of a historic district that occupies several city blocks in downtown Indianapolis. The 24 acre Indiana War Memorial Plaza is similar to the National Mall in Washington D.C.  The plaza was created in early in the 1920s to honor the veterans of World War I and to house the headquarters of the American Legion.  It also includes two museums, three parks, towering heroic monuments , and numerous sculptures and fountains.

We arrived and those of us that couldn’t climb the stairs were escorted to the elevator that carried us to the Shrine Room, which celebrates peace and unity.  Twenty pillars made of red Vermont marble support the Star of Destiny which was made of Swedish crystal and designed to guide the nation, as symbolized by the enormous American flag hanging below it.

The 13^th Air Force and the 307^th BG made a special presentation to Brigadier General Stuart Goodwin, USAF Retired, the director of the museum.  These were artefacts from the campaigns in the South Pacific.  There were five presenters and I was the last.  The building has a collection of more than 400 military flags, over 300 of which are from the American Civil War.

On Friday, we took the motor coach to the Indiana State Museum located in the White River State Park. Exhibits ranging from prehistoric cultures up to modern times. It is the only museum of its kind in the Midwest, and one of two museums east of the Mississippi that showcase both Native American and Western art, culture, and history.

Saturday was the winding up of the gathering of the 13^th Air Force Association and the 307^th Bomb Group Association members. The 13^th Air Force arranged a memorial service to honor all our veterans who have taken their Final Flight.  The Memorial Courtyard was the setting for Memorial Service in the center of the hotel.  On the top of the  wall of fountains, the flags of all the Armed Forces were on display.

The joint banquet was held on Saturday night where a video was made of three veterans of the 307^th related to some of the memorable events. I was the last presenter.  It will be available to view on the 307^th link on the internet.

I was up at 4:30 on Sunday morning, checked out of the hotel and went to the airport with John Poggi.  He had a flight about the same time as me, 6:40 am.  Bach to Denver and changed planes again to LAX.  Amazing enough, I was picked up by Super Shuttle and then made three trips around the air port and then departed for Rossmoor.

My impression of the joint meeting was that the 13^th Air Force was not very organized and didn’t have as many members as we did in attendance.  All the time we were together, they campaigned to get us to join them and none of our members did.  But we got six of their members who paid the dues and joined us.  Our Board of Directors were united in not becoming a part of their Association.

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There are many firsts in a life time and this one is the first for me.  It was on the 6^th of October 2013 when at 7:03 in the morning at the Memorial Hospital, Mission Vallejo, California that my Great Grand Daughter was born.  She weight in at six pounds, 13 ounces and was 19 inches tall. Her name is Elissa Van Hall and they are going to call her “Elie”.  She is one beautiful baby, no wrinkles and she was not even blotchy – just a like pink color.  Sheri and I are going to start an education fund for Elie as soon as Wes & Kim get her a Social Security Number.  We are going to start with $500 each.

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Panama Canal Revisited

Island Princess

March 1, 2014 to March 17, 2014

There has been a lot of talk about the Panama Canal and a new series of locks that will be built to handle  much larger ships.  I have heard that the new Panama Canal was open now and  it would be a good idea to set up another trip to go through the New Panama Canal.  I saw it a advertisement of Princess Cruises through the Panama Canal. So I made a reservations to go on a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles through the new Panama Canal Locks.   A few weeks later I was talking to a person about the  trip that I was going to take and he said that the canal is not finished  and probably won’t be for a couple of years.  So I checked and sure enough he was right.  Since I had already scheduled and paid the money I would go. So I packed up and got ready to go for a 15 day trip through the Caribbean, through the existing Panama Canal, and up to Los Angeles.     

The first order of business is to get the airline flights worked out to arrive at Fort Lauderdale in the morning to board the  the Island Princess. I found out that Princes will provide transportation from the airport to the ship but not from a hotel. I had only two options: one is to fly to Lauderdale the day before boarding to ship, stay in a hotel and take a cab to the ship  The other was to take a redeye flight that would get me to Fort Lauderdale  about an hour or so before the schedule time to board the ship.  I finally decided that I would take the redeye and see if I can find someone to be to take me to LAX.  I downloaded my boarding pass for the flight to Fort Lauderdale and the boarding pass for the ship.  The only ones available were Jason & Michelle who provided the livery service and helped me get my bags to the check-in counter.  That was as far as they could go so I thanked them for their help.

My wheelchair was waiting for me to go through the security process and to the boarding gate.  The flight was on U. S. Airways, Airbus 321 to Charleston, North Carolina. I had a little over an hour to board the Airbus 319 to Fort Lauderdale.  The terminal was as I remembered it from our Fall Foliage Princess Cruise.  There were never ending stream of Motorcoaches taking people to awaiting cruise ships.  We were told the there were eleven cruise ships in the harbor.  Traffic was terrible and when we got to the Island Princess it was a zoo going through the various line, being photographed and filling our papers.  Sure was grateful for having a Platinum Preferred status because I was able to bypass many of the passengers.

My Stateroom 718 was on the Emerald Deck (Deck 8) which just a few cabins from the stern of the ship.  It was an inside cabin with no windows.  I guess some people would not like that, but I had no problem with that because the only time I was in the cabin was to shower, change cloths and sleep. After unpacking my bags I went up to the Horizon Court which was in Deck 14 in the bow of the ship.  It has food service 24 hours a day and has a wonderful view from all angles except from the stern.

From the Ship’s Log

Sunday, 2 March 2014

At 1638 security officer confirmed all passengers and crew on board, and we bagan singling up our mooring lines.  All lines were on board shortly after and we began thrusting of the berth, moving astern and turning to starboard to clear the harbor.  Once outside the breakwaters we disembarked our pilot at 1722 and set southerly course through the Florida Straits with a typical strong adverse current.                                                                        End of Ship’s Log

Well, the Island Princess got under way.  Picked up the Pilot and made a safe exit of the harbor and set course to the Caribbean Sea.  For the next two days we will be heading for the Island of Aruba. 

There is live entertainment every night, so I went to the Princess Theater, located in the bow of the ship on Deck 6 and 7.  It has a seating capacity of 800 people and I was waiting in the foyer when I saw Jan Hale.  Jan is a member of the Los Altos Methodist Church and a resident of Cypress.  About the same time she saw me.  “I didn’t know you were on this cruise.”  She answered. “I didn’t know that you were on this trip either.”  Jan had her sister, Nancy, with her who was from Phoenix.  It sure is a small world. They were part of the Cypress Senior Center Travel program and had about 35 people on this cruise. One of them was from Rossmoor and a neighbor.  I named them:

“The  Fearsome Foursome”

Jan Hale, 4351 Darwin Ave, Cypress, 90630-4151, 714-821-9638

Nancy Jones

Beth Jackson

Jan Hayes,  3292 Druid Lane, Rossmoor, 90720-4842, 562-225-4448

From the Ship’s Log

Wednesday, 5 March 2014

At 0545 one hour notice was given to the engine control room for “Stand by below’. And we started reducing our speed.  At 0711 the pilot was embarked and he provided the Captain with local knowledge of the approach to Aruba.  A soon as we had full hands on mooring stations forward and aft we commenced our approach to the berth.  At 0737 the first lines were sent ashore and we were all fast by 0806 with 8 breast and 2spring lines forward and aft.    End of Ship’s Log.

After two days at sea we arrived at Aruba.  It is located in the southern Caribbean and is 20 miles long and 69 square miles in size. It is located north of Venezuela and east of Columbia.  The native tribes from Venezuela came to Aruba as early as 1000 A.D.  Europeans did not discover the island until 1499, with the explorations of Amerigo Vespucci and Aslonso de Cjeda.  After years of colonial rule, it was not until 1986 that Aruba became its own country, although it still remains a Dutch protectorate.

Most of Aruba’s visitors come seeking one thing: its legendary beaches.  Palm Beach, with its white sand and blue water has made countless magazine beaches of the world lists.  If you want to do more than just kick back and sunbathe, recreational options here also include sailing and fishing.  Since I didn’t want to any of those thing I just remained on board and attended a few of the lectures being offered.

From the Ship’s Log

At 1823 all passengers and crew were confirmed on board, and soon after we began singling up our mooring lines.  At 1843 all lines were confirmed out of the water and we thrusted off the berth, increased the speed and followed a sharp turn to starboard to clear the reef.  At 1853 the pilot disembarked and southwesterly courses were set towards Cartagena, Columbia.   End of the Ships Log.

From the Ship’s Log

Friday, 7 March 2014

The local pilot joined us at 0504 to guide us through the very narrow Boca Chica channel and across the Bahia de Cartagena.  At 0623 we ran our our first lines ashore and by 0640 we were ‘all fast for and aft’ using 8 lines both forward and aft.      End of Ship’s Log

We had another day at sea and then arrived at Cartagena in Columbia. We boarded a motorcoach and headed for the La Popa Monastery.  It was built in the 1600’s and has a chapel, a colonial museum and a spectacular view of the city. The Monastery remains inhabited by monks even today. I could not go in the monastery because there were 15 steps mad of irregular stones and had no hand rails.

After we left the monastery, the coach toured the old walled city with its winding streets and old Spanish Colonial architecture with various bright colored buildings.  The Las Muralis city walls were built after an attack by Sir Francis Drake at the end of the 16^th century. The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas is a fortress built by the Spanish for protection against pirates while shipping gold out to Europe.  There is a new walled city built around the upper class with modern high rise condos and apartments.  There is no middle class, you are either wealthy or you are poor.

From the Ship’s Log

After having discussed our passage plan for the departure with the pilot, we began singling up our lines at 1359.  At 1404 qll lines were reported on board and we thrusted aff the berth, setting a the engines astern, after we swung bow to starboard to cross the Bahia de Cartagena.  When clear from Boca Chica channel we disembarked our pilot and set a westerly course towards the Panama Canal.       End of the Ship’s Log.

After a short over night at sea we arrive at the entrance to the Panama Canal.  During the Canal construction days, over 200 million cubic meters of material were removed.  Were this material to be placed on railroad cars, it would circle the globe four times.  On August 15, 1014, the SS Ancon officially inaugurate the Panama Canal.  The Canal initiated round-the-clock operations on May 12, 1963, with the installation of new fluorescent lighting in the Culebra Cut and the three locks.  The new Panama Canal locks will be 427 meters long and 55 meters wide, the size of four football fields.

We were told that there were over 30 cargo vessels anchored waiting for the cruise ships to enter. We passed by what looked like steel high rise apartments without windows.  They were hollow and you could see under them.  There were four of the new “gates” that will retract into the walls of the canal like pocket doors in a home.  Someone said that they were made in France. No confirmations of this.  We didn’t see any more gates.  There must be more somewhere but we didn’t see them.  We were followed through the entrance by two huge tugs, one on each side of our ship.

From the Ship’s Log

Saturday, 8 March 2014

At 0726 our Panama pilot was embarked, and he was shortly followed by the Panama Canal officials and inspectors.  At around 0722, with full hands on stations forward and aft, we approached our first set of locks, the Gatun Locks.  The Island Princess then made fast to both center and side walls at 0945 and moved ahead into the first lock.  The gat to the first lock closed behind the vessel at 1002.  After moving through three sets of locks, the ship let gao of the Panama center and side wires and was clear of Gatun locks by 1125.  Island Princess then started making her way through the Gatun Lake.                    End of the Ship’s Log.

Traversing the Canal was un-spectacular with a number of dredging barges at work.  The material was being pumped through large pipes over a hill.  It must be to make the canal deeper and in some cases wider.  The new 6.1 kilometer Pacific Access Channel almost parallel to the current Canal navigational channel that will join the new Pacific Locks with the Colebra Cut. 

This is the 100^th anniversary of the Canal and was planned to be the opening of the new Canal. The present Canal was paid for by the United States and was owned by the USA. President Carter gave the Canal to Panama in 1986.  The present Canal is operated by a Chinese Company. The new canal is being built by a consortium of investors and are having labor problems and financial problems.  In fact they are seeking additional investors to finance the completion.  Some say that the Canal will open in late 2015 or later. I believe – later.

From the Ship’s Log

Around 1320 the vessel passed Gamboa, and later entered the ‘Galliard Cut’, before passing the Millennium Bridge.  At 1435 we entered the Pedro Miguel Locks.  We then xleared the locks at 1550 and slowly began making headway toward the Miraflores Locks.  The vessel cleared the Miraflores, breakwater at 1807, and rigged the pilot ladder on the port side of the vessel, With the pilot safely disembarked, courses were set towards Puntarenas.       End the Ship’s Log

From the Ship’s Log

Monday, 10 March 2014

At 0115 we gave the engine control room thirty minutes notice to ‘Stand by below’, and soon after, engaged hand steering.  At 0202 we opened a shell door on the starboard side of the vessel and boarded our local pilot.  Once he arrived on the bridge, the berthing plan was discussed before making our final approaches to our berth.  We sent our first mooring line ashore at 0238, and we were all fast by 0346.     End the Ship’s Log.

Leaving the Panama Canal, we spent the next day at sea and arrived at Puntarenas, Costa Rico. This was the place that I really wanted to visit.  The Tour staff was really helpful in making sure I would be physically able to make the tour.  With that assurance I boarded the motorcoach and headed for the aerial tram.  There are eight gondolas, four going up and a corresponding four coming down.  Each carried seven passengers and the tour guide.  The gondolas were actually through a path in the trees – not over the top of the rain forest.  The guide pointed out several different birds – the brilliantly colored scarlet macaws and others.. He would point in direction corresponding to the face of a clock.  He would say as an example “At 4 o’clock you see a Cockatoo”.  It was quite an experience.

Next was the ‘Nature Walk’ and there were two paths, one easy walking and the other was more difficult. I inadvertently took the hard one.  It was up hill and down and I was lagging behind with my four wheel walker.  I was using the hand brakes going down hill and the wheels just slid into the hand rail to stop.  I finally made it to the end and was perspiring quit a bit but my breathing and heart rate were quite normal.

We next boarded a river boat with a slurry top. At one place on the river there was a crocodiles in the water but with his head on the shore.  The guide said that it was about 15 feet long.  Another boat stopped next to us and their guide walked up to the alligator with a fish about foot long and tried to get the crocodile to take it even tried to open its mouth.  All of a sudden the crocodile lunged and took the fish.  The guide really got out of there in a hurry. There were many more crocodiles sunning themselves on the beaches.  We traveled through the tropical mangroves where lizards and waterfowl were plentiful.

On the way back to Island Princess the traffic came to a stop, both lanes.  Our driver was on his radio and said that there was an accident ahead of us.  Some of the cars turned around and headed for the on-ramps.  We finally reached the accident scene and it was a mess. A car and an 18 wheeler had a head on collision.  When we finally up to the accident there was nothing left of the front of the car and the windshield had two large holes.  The three people were killed.  The truck jackknife and the driver was not injured.  Even with the delay, we made it back in time.

From the Ship’s Log

At 1814 all passengers and crew were confirmed back on board.  We then landed our final gangway and secured the shell door, completing all of our pre-departure checks.  At 1832, with all lines on board forward and aft, we thrusted off our berth we started to move astern, once we were clear from the berth we swung the ship bow to starboard.  On completion of the swing, we slowly began making headway, setting courses towards San Juan Del Sur.      End of the Ship’s Log.

From the Ship’s Log

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

At 0610 we walked out the Starboard anchor to one meter above the waterline and prepared it for letting go.  Once in position, we let go the starboard anchor, playing out the anchor cable to a total of six shackles on deck (1 shackle = 27.5 meters).  The Tenders were then lowered and the pontoons rigged on the port side of the vessel.       End of the Ship’s Log.

We again boarded a motorcoach and headed for Managua, the capital of Nicaragua.  Along the way we passed through small villages until we reached the capital. Our objective was the National Park Loma de Tiscapa, located on one of the city’s highest hill.  It was once the site of the Presidential Palace.  There is a monument to Sandino and stands nearly 60 feet high.  I noticed that there were about four young people all dressed in uniforms identical to the police.  One of them had a weapon on his belt.  When we left the Park, the ‘Police’ led our way and stopped with us at our stops.  We visited the National Museum, the National Palace, and the Capital building.  The guards were with us all the time.

Lake Nicaragua is very impressive and we stopped to have lunch at a ‘little Disneyland’ which overlooked the lake.  The food was really good and plenty of it.  We were entertained by a band of xylophone, violin and drums.  A few of the ladies in our group started dancing to the music. A  professional group, all in period dress, danced to the music and were very good..

On the way back to the ship we drove through the city and the one thing stood out.  On almost every corner there was a uniformed person, military or police, with side arms.  It just points out that there is still strife in Nicaragua.  We were the last shore tour group to arrive and take the tender back to the ship.  In fact I was the last passenger to check in.  Unbeknownst to me my name was broadcast several times to call the Passenger Service Office.  Evidently I was missing but was found.

From the Ship’s Log

All passengers and crew were confirmed back on board at 1722, and we began striking the pontoons.  We then heaved the starboard anchor, which was sighted and clear at 1740.  With tge anchor secured for sea at 1805, courded were set towards Cabo San Lucas.  End of Ship’s Log.

From the Ship’s Log

Saturday, 15 March 2014

Pre-arrival checks were commenced at 0400, and just over 2 hour hours later as we made our approach, the autopilot was once again disengaged and we made our way into the Bahia de San Lucas in hand steering.  At 0628 the ship was in position and the Starboard anchor was ‘let go’ until we had 6 shackles on the waterline.  No pilot was required for this arrival. End of Ship’s Log.

I had been to Cabo before when Bev and I took a cruise to the Mexican Riviera. We visited three ports-o-call including Cabo San Lucas. Since I had been there before I decided that I would stay onboard and watch the activity on the water.  It was ‘spring break’ and there were numerous water craft speeding around the Island Princess.  It started out with two para gliders (parachutes towed by a speed boat).  By the time we were to depart there were five para gliders all with different color combinations. Got a few photos of Cabo to complete to journey.

From the Ship’s Log

At 1220 we rang ‘Standby Below’ on the engines and shortly after commenced heaving up the anchor.  Once the anchor was reported home and all the tenders had been confirmed ‘secured for sea’ at 1352, Island Princess slowly made her way out of the Bahia de San Lucas and headed around the southern tip of Baja California before once more setting on a north westerly course throughout the remainder of the afternoon and into the evening.  End of Ship’s Log.

From the Ship’s Log

Monday, 17 March 2014

The notice for ‘Stand by Below was given at 0515.  The pilot was embarked at 0530 and the Island Princess was safely berthed at 1700.              End of Ship’s Log.

Each of the passengers were given a color code and a number for disembarking the ship.  Mine was purple with a time of 11:00 AM.  My color was finally called and I proceeded to the gangway.  I was met by the wife of a friend of mine, her name was Margaret Stone (she worked for the LA Port authority) and she steered me through all the wickets of emigration and customs ahead of other passengers.  Thank you Margaret.  I was in contact with Michelle by cell phone and she arrived and I loaded mo bags and walker in her car. Thank you Michelle.  Great livery service.                     

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

307^th Bombardment Wing Reunion

Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, LA

24 April – 27 April 2014

When I left Clark Field, Luzon in the Philippines I thought that the 307^th Bomb Group was deactivated when we flew all the B-24s back to the USA.  Our Historian, Jim McCabe, was in touch with Tony Minnick, President of the 307^th Bombardment Wing and asked us to join them in their Association Meeting.  Several of our members were interested, but when the chips were down, only three of us went to Shreveport.

The Super Shuttle picked me up at 10:30 am and headed to John Wayne Airport. My wheelchair was waiting for me and went through security check and to the gate.  We boarded the Airbus 320 and headed for Houston. The flight was routine and my wheelchair was waiting for me at the gate..  The trip to the departure gate was by a train to the terminal where the small airplanes were located. 

The Embraer EMB-145 (CRJ), made in Brazil, was waiting for us and we boarded shortly after my arrival. The seating arrangement was one row of seats on the left side and two rows of seats on the right side of the airplane.  Long and skinny. We arrived in Shreveport at about 10:30 pm and the shuttle was waiting for us to go to the Diamond Jack’s Hotel & Casino. They had my name on the pickup list so I assumed that Jim McCabe arranged the pickup. Wrong!  The transportation was from the Air Force.  It was around midnight when I finally got to bed.

Friday morning was the Business Meeting of the 307^th Bomb Wing so Jim McCabe and I attended.  We were joined by Tom Pelle who was in the 307^th and lost a leg on a mission to Ballakapan, Borneo. The focus was in the “final” meeting 2015 in Lincoln, Nebraska where the 307^th was stationed and B-47Bombers and KC-97 Refuellers.  It would be the 50^th anniversary of the closing of the Lincoln Air Force Base.  The Officers were elected for the year.

At noon, transportation was provided to go to the Club for lunch; but Jim drove his rental car.  It was the former Officers Club but now all service personnel are welcome.  It was a buffet and the kitchen staff had trouble keeping up with steam trays.  Even so, the food was good.  After lunch we went down to the flight line where we met some of the people who were assigned to the 424 Squadron.  The top officer, a Captain, even had the old 424 patch on his flight suit.  Also, we were allowed to go out on the ramp where they had a B-52.  We were allowed to go up in the crew compartment; but I decided I didn’t want to make the climb.

There was an air show going on and they had a number of WWII fighters like the Corsair and P-51 There were even a civilian aerobatic airplane.  The pilot made every maneuver possible in that little plane.  It had everyone’s  attention.

Saturday was open so Jim McCabe decided to drive to Monroe, Louisiana, about an hour and a half away. His father graduated from the Navigation School in Monroe  and they have a museum there dedicated to General [1] Chaunalt of the Flying Tigers. Jim McCabe’s father was a Navigator for the 307^th and I had him as my navigator on a couple of missions.  Also my parents were buried in Monroe and I would like to go and see the burial site..  We found the museum ok and spent a good time with the Curator where Jim left memorabilia items for the museum.

 I asked the Librarian where the Cemetery was and all I could tell her was that it was near an old oak tree and a river.  Every place she called the office was closed for the day.  She promised that she would find it and would take a picture of the head stone and mail it to me.  I got a call after I got back to Rossmoor that she had found the grave yard–Riverview Cemetery.  She had an Internet Link that had all the data including a photo of the headstone. 

The Thunderbirds were to perform their aerial presentation but the weather didn’t cooperate and  was rescheduled for Sunday afternoon.  Saturday night was the Banquet in the Ball Room.  There were a little over 300 people in attendance and the three of us from the original 307^th were introduced.  There were the usual speeches and trophy presentations.  Sunday was the day that the Thunderbirds were to do their show but the weather was not suitable for the presentation, low ceiling and winds.

It is all over but the shouting of goodbyes. It would cost $20 to get a cab to the airport and there no vans from the hotel to the airport.  Jim had a early flight so I decided I could read at the airport than wait in the hotel lounge.  It was a long drive and Jim had to get fuel for the rental car and found out he had overshot the turnoff to the airport.  Jim dropped me off at the United Ticket Counter and I had a wheelchair waiting to take me through security screening and on to the departure gate.

My flight to Houston was supposed to depart at 1:08 pm so I had plenty of time to read the book I had with me.  Well 1:00 pm arrived and no airplane.  The UMB-145 finally arrived about an hour late.  All the bad weather in Arkansas and Missouri had delayed many of the flights.  We finally arrived in Houston-Bush airport still about and hour late, and my flight to Santa Ana had already departed.

United Customer Service got me on the next flight out to Santa Ana.  Since I had plenty of time I called Bernice Nelms who lives in Houston.  She is still recovering from her heart attack.  Her kids, Vicki and Ricky are doing well.  Bernice asked “Why don’t you come visit me?” so I said the I would see when I could make a trip to Houston.

The display board at the gate changed to another destination and we had not even boarded the airplane.  We were advised that the airplane had a mechanical problem and we were assigned to another gate a long ways away.  The gate clerk got me an electric cart and I made it OK. This time we had an Airbus 319 and I had been assigned to a window seat row seven.  I had been up since 5:00 am so tried to get some sleep.  Not much success.  The approach to the greater Los Angeles Basin had a fabulous view of the lights, sparkling bright.  The pilot was making a “hurry up” approach and we landed at10:55 pm, five minutes before the curfew.  The Super Shuttle had closed for the night but they had a smaller van there that was owned by Super Shuttle, but operated by a an independent contractor.  Finally got to bed around midnight.

*     *     *     *     *     *      *

Now here is an event that happened on May 3^rd 2014 and will never happen again as far as I am concerned.  It was the christening or baptism (is there a difference?) of my first Great Granddaughter. Elissa Van Hall – now 6 months old and has a heart melting smile. Her parents are calling he Elie, and I have never understood, if they are going to call her Elie, why didn’t they name her Elie.  Oh well. Don’t worry over things you can’t control. 

*     *    *     *    *    *    *            

Well, here I am again and realize I must be getting old.  Your eldest child is now retiring.  Sheri is now 62 and she retired on June 5^th, 2014 in San Jose.  She is retiring from BD Biosciences after working for them 10 and a half years as a Vice President.  I had invited Sheri to my retirement at 62 years so she wanted me to come to her’s.

Sheri wanted me to fly to San Jose; but, I wanted to see if I could still hold my concentration for long driving periods and not get “highway fixation’.  Only once did it happen.  I am thinking about driving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in September.  That is a 857 mile trip vs 380miles to San Jose. 

I packed up the G35 and headed for San Jose.  It had been some time since I had been out on the open highway.  I stopped in Gilroy and found the In&Out Burger, had a cheese burger and a chocolate shake.  Tried to call Tom James, but got no answer and no recorder.  Oh well, I tried.

Her company had a lunch for her with all of the key employees of her department.  There must have been about 30 people there and they placed her in the middle with me on her right.  The man on my right was from Belgium.  There were several that talked about their experiences working for Sheri. Sheri’s replacement sort of chaired the diner, and I had the pleasure of talking at length with her.  A lovely person. There were exchanges of gifts; Sheri gave each of the department heads and Sheri received one from her associates.  It was pretty emotional at times.  Even I got a little tear eyed.

With all the shouting, the party broke up and we returned to the King George home where we prepared to head out to the Los Gatos Tennis Club.  Sheri had a doubles match and Ray and I went to watch.  She and her partner won their match.  Ray provided me with a play by play of what they were doing and why they were they were placing the ball. “As if they knew what they were doing.”

After the match was over they had a ‘pot luck’ dinner and I had the chance to meet quite a few of the Hall’s friends. One of the ladies had the same birth date as mine.  The Club has a number of courts, an Olympic size swimming pool with three small pools, and of course a heated Jacuzzi.  I could see that they had a good collection of friends over the past 10 years.  Which leads me to believe that the transition to the Troon home may be some time in the future.

I fueled the G35 and headed out for home at about 7:00 am.  Ran 70 mph most of the way and I was pleasantly surprised that I got 26.5 mpg on the way up and 26.9 mpg and the way back. The gas cost me about $100.  Might influence me on taking the plane to Santa Fe. It was great to get out on the open highway again.  It had been a long time.

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307^th Bombardment Group Association

Biennial Meeting, 9/17  to  9/21/2014

Santa Fe, New Mexico

The hospitality room was to open at noon on September 17^th so I scheduled a flight out of John Wayne Airport (SNA) for a 7:00 am departure.  That meant that I had to be picked up at 4:15 am.  The Super Shuttle was on time and we went non stop to the airport. I had prearranged to have a wheel chair, and I had my boarding pass so I proceeded to go through the security check line.  No problem.  This is the first time I have flown on Southwest Airline and we loaded on to a Boeing 737-700 with winglets. They have open seating and only one class of tickets. Being handicapped, I was loaded on first and had a seat in row 2 on the aisle.

The take off was a typical John Wayne departure with a steep climb, a push over with reduced power for noise abatement. As we crossed the beach, power was applied and we proceeded to climb to altitude.  It sort of scares some people who didn’t know what was going on. 

The flight to Phoenix was uneventful with some turbulence.  I had to change planes to fly to Albuquerque and had a few minutes so I called Hugh & Jean Cart.  Jean answered the phone and she let me know that Hugh had passed two years ago.  Sorry to hear that because he was a great guy.  Boarded another Boeing 737-700 and headed for Albuquerque where I was to pickup ground transportation, Sandia Shuttle Express, to Santa Fe.  It was a 65 mile trip with a 14 passenger van and all seats were occupied.  I was surprised that the speed limit was 75 mph and our driver was pushing it.  The driver stopped at several places to let passengers off and finally got to the Drury Hotel.

Registration was slow –  rooms were not ready – and other problems.  So I went to the 307^th ‘check in’ desk and Rivera Room (Hospitality Room).  A lot of people were already here and I knew quite a few of them.  My name was called and I checked into the hotel, received my key, and proceeded to my room on the third floor.  The key was unlike I had ever seen before.  All you had to do was wave the key card in front of the door handle and the door would unlock. I am told that the building at one time was a hospital and then a retirement home.  Drury Hotels bought the place, gutted it, and rebuilt the structure.  The rooms were bright and airy with modern fixtures.  The bathroom had a walk in and sit down shower.  Very nice.

If you have never been to Santa Fe, you are in for a big treat.  When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, Santa Fe already had a governor.  This cit is over 400 years old and has so much traditions and history it will surely thrill you. To say the people of Santa Fe coined the phrase “earth tones” is an understatement.

Our mornings start with a complimentary full hot breakfast with everything from pastries, dry and hot cereal, waffles, scrambled eggs, sausage patties, potatoes, a variety of hot and cold drinks.  Wow! There is also a complimentary buffet and bar from 5:30 to 7:00 pm and three complimentary bar drinks every evening.

Our first outing was to the New Mexico National Guard Armory which houses memorabilia from all the conflicts New Mexico Guardsmen and women have participated in from the infamous Bataan Death March during World War II through the most recent decades of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Why Bataan? The battle of Bataan and the ensuing events are among are critical part of and have heavily influenced how soldiers and airmen of today’s New Mexico National Guard function.  It is a story that defines the most basic elements of what New Mexico soldiers are, how they think and what makes them able to achieve such amazing accomplishments.

The Bataan Death March had a profound impact on New Mexico.  1,800 New Mexico Guardsmen from the 200^th Coast Artillery and the battle born 515^th deployed to the Philippines during World War II.  Only half would return alive.  Within a few years after the war almost half of the survivors had died.

The New Mexico National Guard Museum is housed in the actual Armory where soldiers of the 200^th and 515^th were processed before their deployment to the Philippines in 1941. There is a poem about Bataan and if goes like this.

            We are the battling bastards of Bataan,

            No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam

            No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces,

            No polls, no planes, no artillery pieces,

            And nobody gives a damn.

Our next outing was to Los Alamos, where the Atomic Bomb was developed under the Manhattan Project. It was so secret that it became known as the town without a name.  Every one who worked there also lived there.  My first trip to Los Alamos was in February 1950 when Conie and I stopped there on our way to California to visit a friend who married a guy that worked there.

The technical areas of the Lab are not open to the public.  However the Laboratory’s Community Programs Office operates the Bradbury Science Museum in downtown Los Alamos to provide a window into the history of the institution, its national security mission, and the broad range of exciting and technology research to improve our nation’s future.

There are more than 40 interactive exhibits within the Museum’s three galleries – History, Defense and Research.  Two 16-minute films shown throughout the day that tell the stories of the race to build the first atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project and the work the Lab does today to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. nuclear deterrent.  Tech Lab is a hands-on, experimental apace geared toward children and families for exploring science and technical concepts.

The last day of the reunion was devoted to business of the Association which included election of new officers, and the location of the next reunion.  Don Calarco did not want to continue a president so Jon Poggi was elected president: Christine Hoover, Vice  President: Laurie Kendall, Secretary: and Jim Walsh, Treasurer.   The location of our next reunion was selected as New Orleans.

The banquet was attended by 67 people, of which seven were from the original 307^th BG. We were entertained  We were pleased to have two people from the Navajo Indian Reservation. One of them was Jack Jones a”Code Talker” and a younger Navajo who gave a talk about the history of the “Code Talkers”.  Jack Jones is 93 years old and another “Talker” was not able to be at the reunion because of health reasons.  However, Jack Jones was escorted by a younger Navajo who told about Jack Jones duties as a Marine and his stations of action ranged from Australia to Iwo Jima.  He was wounded when a shell burst above him leaving him with blown out ear drums. He was very proud of his Purple Heart Medal. I was fortunate to have spent some time with Jack Jones.

The second speaker was Dr. Pat Scannon from The Bent Prop Project. This is a group of volunteers who search for downed aircraft in the Pacific.  He reported that their last venture produced two downed aircraft that not been previously located.  In the past the 307^th had provided some funds to help cover some of the costs of their efforts.

The reunion was all over and several of us boarded the Sandia Shuttle Bus to Albuquerque Airport.  Christine didn’t have a reservation so she had to rent a car from Dollar Rentals one way was less expensive than a taxi. The process of going through security was quite quick and I had to wait for boarding the Boeing 737-300.  It is interesting that Southwest has only one class of passengers. Being on a wheelchair I was boarded first, landed in Phoenix, changed planes the 737-700 to John Wayne Airport.  Trip was uneventful.  My Super Shuttle was waiting for me and I was the last to get on, The Shuttle was full and the driver cruised around Disneyland and off loading people.  I was the last to get off.  Everything was as I had left it so I poured myself a welcome home drink.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Sail to/and from Hawaii Revisited

Grand Princess

2/17/2015 to 3/4/2015

The day has finally arrived when we will depart for Hawaii.  Bev’s daughter, Cathy, drove Bev to my house where the Super Shuttle was to pick us up.  It arrived on schedule and headed for the harbor.  Little did we know that the driver had to pick up three more passengers at three different hotels.  They were all going to LAX, so the driver took us to the harbor first.  A porter took our baggage and we went through the process of receiving our documentation.  Because I was in a wheelchair bypassed the lines and taken to our stateroom, 535.  It was on the Baja Deck, Starboard side of the ship.

The stateroom was configured was a double bed and Bev was upset because she wanted twin beds.  She talked to our steward and he said he would take care of it. When we got back to the stateroom the beds were twin bed configuration.  I guess that we will never sleep with each other again. After unpacking my bags I went out on the balcony to help the Captain get us under way.  The port workers were on a “slow down” and there was not a lot of activity.  When we cleared through the breakwater, the pilot’s boat came along side and picked up the Harbor Pilot.  Since we did not have lunch we went up to the Horizon Court to get something to eat.  It stays open 24 hours.

It is now dark and we have unpacked all our clothing and it is time to head to the Theater to watch the performances.  The entertainment was live and consisted of dancers.  Just watching them perform would make you feel exhausted.  They were on stage for almost an hour.  The next 5 days we will be at sea covering over 2000 miles.

We finally arrived at the port of Hilo. Since we have been on most of the excursions from Hilo, we decided to take the “free’ bus to the Walmart. Bev wanted to do some shopping and I wanted to get some Kono Coffee Beans for gifts to friends.  I found the Kono Coffee and bought three packages.  There was a Hilo Hattie store close by so Bev took off walking and I sat on a bench and watched the passing parade go by.  Bev finally appeared empty handed – the store was closed.  The only one opened was in the city.

We set sail over night and arrived at Honolulu at an area of new docks further away from the city. Once again we stayed on the ship.  We had already been to Waikiki Beach, and the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, and the Battle Ship Missouri on our previous visit.

Overnight we entered the harbor of Nawiliwili, Kauai.  It is one of the prettiest islands of Hawaii.  We had been on a full tour of the Island on our previous trip so we again stayed on the ship.  One thing about the Princess Cruises is the numerous activities going all day long.  So you can be a busy as you want to be or just do nothing.  While out on the Promenade deck there was a lone guy on a paddle board.  He was coming close to the Grand without using the paddle.  He turned around and out to sea and I could no longer see him.  He again appeared riding a small wave and rode the wave almost all the way to the Grand.  

Again we were underway for Lahaina, Maui.  Here we had to anchor in the harbor and take a tender to shore. Bev made the trip on the shore boat and I stayed aboard the Grand Princess to watch the para-gliders (there were five of them) being towed by speed boats.  The parachutes were very colorful.

We were about half way to Ensenada when I began to have bladder control problems.  At the start it was like a leak and I could get to a men’s room before the stream.  It became worse in not making it to the men’s room in time.  Quite embarrassing to say the least. To complicate the situation I started to develop a cough and chest congestion where I would cough up phlegm that was yellow.  Not a good sign but I could live with it ‘til I got home and see my doctor.

During the crossing we sailed where at certain points the depth reached over 14,750 feet.  As the ship approached the Coast of Mexico, the depth of the water gradually decreased.  We arrived in Ensenada and remained a short time to satisfy the “foreign port” requirement of the United States Law.  We stayed on ship.  It was now time to pack our clothing and leave our big bags outside the cabin.  For the last time we went to the dining room for our last ship diner.

We arrived back in California early in the morning and stared to do the drill to disembark.  Since I was to have a wheelchair, we were scheduled separately to leave the staging area. When we got off the ship we were greeted Margaret Stone (wife of a member of our High Twelve Club).  She guided us around the lines and to the area where our bags were.  We thanked her for the service and put us in charge of a porter who took our bags to the Super Shuttle area.  We boarded the van and arrived home safe and sound. Cathy arrived shortly after and they left for their respective homes.

I drove to the Immediate Care office to have them check on my chest congestion. The doctor said it was bronchitis and gave me a prescription for antibiotic and it cleared up in a couple of days.  My doctor also set it up to see a urologist to get my bladder under control.

I have now completed fourteen (14) trips on Princess.  One more and I will have reached Elite Class.   The question now is where will I go cruising next.  One thought is the California Coast cruise; LA to Santa Barbara, San Diego, Ensenada and return. Another could be LA to San Francisco.  Nice problem to have.

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307^th Bomb Wing Association Meeting

June 4 thru June 7, 2015

Lincoln, Nebraska

Here I am again getting ready to take the Super Shuttle to John Wayne Airport.  The Shuttle arrived at my home at4:30 AM for a wheels up 07:00 AM.  Had a couple of passengers to pickup an the way to the airport.  Went through the routine of security checks without any trouble.  Now I had to wait for the boarding.  Heard my name called over the public address system to come to the Security Office. My wheelchair man had departed so I had to wheel my self; but, a kind man offered to push me to Security.  I had left my wallet and camera in the security tray.  Finally boarded the Delta Airbus 319 and had an uneventful flight to Minneapolis, MN where I awaited for my connecting flight.  This time the airplane was an Airbus 320 and we again made an uneventful flight to Omaha, NE.

The flight from Omaha to Lincoln cost an arm and a leg.  I called our local Super Shuttle and found out they did not have a service but they gave me a number to call for a similar service .  I called the Omalink Shuttle Service and they had a service similar to the one I used to go from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Price $50 one way, round trip $90, and because I was a ‘service’ man, I got another $5 off the cost.  Not bad for a 60 mile trip each way. They will take me back to Omaha and deposit me at the Delta Gate.

I arrived at the Country Inn & Suits, 5353 N 27^th Street and checked in.  I was told that the hotel had been recently renovated and it certainly looked like it.  The Hospitality room was open and there were quite a few people there.  I remembered a few of the people in the Hospitality Room from my visit to Barksdale Air Force Base last year.

The next morning, Friday, a number of us boarded a bus to the Air Museum.  I was intrigued with the number of aircraft on display, from the early aircraft of WWII to the fighting aircraft of the present time.  Among the displays was a photorecon model of the P-38.  I just had to give it first billing.  The littlest was an airplane that was loaded in the bomb-bay of a bomber and dropped when they encountered the enemy.  After words the plane was recovered by the mother ship.

The biggest airplane was the B-36 which had six 4360 reciprocating engines located aft of the wing and four jet engines.  The B-52 had four pods with two jet engines in each pod.  The fastest airplane on display was the SR-71,Blackbird, which started out as a fighter, YF-12A for the Air Force.  Even today the maximum speed and altitude is still classified.  I had the opportunity to talk to a SR-71 pilot.  He assured us that none of the stuff he talked about was classified.

When we returned to the hotel we were treated to a Chuck Wagon Buffet.  Our 307^th BG President, John Poggi gave a slide show of how we are organized and what we are doing to perpetuate the life of the Association. All of the officers, except one, are sons, daughters and grandson and granddaughters of members of the 307th. It was very well done and stressed the importance of family involvement.

Saturday morning was the meeting of the members of the 307^th BW.  John Poggi and my self were uninvited.  The purpose was to determine the future of the 307 BW.  It was unanimous to disband the organization.  No one was willing to make the effort to keep the Association alive.  One of the members of the 307^th BW who lives in Seal Beach, CA approached me about joining our Association.  I assured him that I would find out if he could and let him know.

The Banquet was very well attended.  Someone thought that there were over 200 people in attendance.  John Poggi and I sat at the same table with extremely nice people.  The President of the 307^th BW announced that it was the decision of the members that this would be the last meeting of the Association.

Sunday morning I had breakfast and went to the computer room the print out my boarding pass for the flight out of Omaha.  John Poggi checked out early in the morning.  Checkout time was noon so I took my bag and waited in the Lobby for my ride to Omaha.  Two different people offered to drop me off at the airport, but I already paid for the Shuttle. .  

Once again I cleared through the baggage check and security without any hitches.  The Airbus 319 left on time.  The arrival in Minneapolis was about 15 minutes early.  Obviously my departing flight was on the other side of the terminal so I had to get a motor tram to the departure gate.  A flight to Santa Ana was boarding and I could have gotten on that flight but it was full.  I had about an hour and a half wait for the flight to Santa Ana.  Once again I boarded a Airbus 319 for SNA and it was again totally full.

At John Wayne Airport I went to the Shuttle cue where I had to wait for the van that was heading west.  After letting of passengers to Disneyland hotels I arrived home around 10:00 pm. Poured myself a drink of Scotch and toasted another great trip.  Life sure is great.

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Hot Air Balloon Ride

Temecula, CA

July 21, 2015

Another birthday arrived and I am now almost 92 years young.  I have flown fixed wing, sail planes and helicopter but I have never been in a Hot Air Balloon. Sheri and Ray Hall elected to remove another item from my ‘Bucket List’. We had to be at  Temecula, CA, so Sheri & Ray stayed at my house to sleep.  The alarms were set to get us up to leave for the drive to the launch site  at sunup to have low wind conditions. We were on our way at 3:50 AM and arrived at Vintage Hills at 5:30 AM. 

There were 11 of us to take the balloon ride and we received a briefing of what was going to happen and then boarded a large van which had a trailer with all of the balloon parts and the support equipment.  We arrived at the launch site at 6:10 AM and were airborne at 6:30 AM.

There were four more balloons in the area all launched from different sites.  There were two cloud levels, one high and one at our level. We traveled at different levels to change our directions.  That is the way balloons change their heading.  At times we were at low altitude you could almost pick the fruit from the trees.  At other rimes we were above the lower level scattered  clouds.  The Balloon pilot was in constant communication with the ground support crew.  When we landed the support crew was there to place the balloon and tarpaulin in the trailer.  We were airborne about an hour and a half

Once we were back to the assembly area we were treated to champaign and snacks.  The three people who had birthdays each received a cake and all of us received certificates that we were up in a hot air balloon.  It was a great way to finish off a great day.

Time line from Sheri

Sailing:  Sabot – 505 – Santana 22 – Newport 27, PHRF #77945                             

Sailing Trophies – Santana 22  – PHRF #47453                             

  St Pat’s Day 1975                                                                

  Inverted Start 1976

  Dana Point 1976                                                                                         

  February 1977                               

  St Pat’s Day 1977

  Inverted Start 1978                        

  No Name on trophy  1979                                     

  Frost Bite 1980                                                       

                                                                          307^th Reunion

                                                                        New Orleans, LA

                                                                September 16 thru 20. 2015

As usual my flight out of John Wayne Airport was at 0700 and required the Super Shuttle to pick me up at 0430.  I didn’t go to bed but I set the alarm clock for 0415.  I just laid on the couch and listened to music.  The Shuttle was on time and I was the last pickup and we had a full van.

Once again I was greeted at the airport with a wheel chair and made the usual trip through the security and flight documents check.  The wait at the gate for loading of passengers and I was one of the first on board the Southwest 737-800.  The take-off was the usual ‘Noise Reduction’ that scare some of the first timers to depart from John Wayne. 

We landed at Las Vegas where we were to continue on to New Orleans.  But to our disappointment we had to change planes so we were off loaded and remained in the holding area for over two hours.  Finally someone told us that the replacement airplane was now leaving Ontario, California and it would take us to New Orleans.  No free drinks were in the making so we grumbled a bit and it didn’t any good.  We even had the same crew that we had from John Wayne.

I arrived at the ‘Ground Transportation’ area and to my surprise there were five of our reunion group waiting for our bus.  Of course we had to wait in a line for an empty bus to take us to the Drury Inn & Suites, 820 Poydras Street in the French Quarter.  This is the same hotel chain that we stayed in Santa Fe, NM. last year.

Once again we had a full course breakfast and for the evening there was a hot buffet with a ‘three drink’ limit included between 5:00 and 7:00 PM.  That was for our reunion quests.  For some reason I only had two drinks each night.

Our first full day in New Orleans was transportation to the World War II Museum which is not complete. The part of the Exhibit that is open is in two buildings and dedicated to the Europe Theater and is near complete. The Pacific Theater Exhibit Buildings are built, and are a hollow shell.  The structures have been provided by The Boeing Company and some are some are yet to open.

                                                     307^th Bombardment Group Reunion

                                                            August 10th to 14^th 2016

                                                                   Nashville, TN                                                      

It was the usual time for pickup by Super Shuttle at 5:30 AM.  We had to pickup several people on the way to John Wayne Airport. My wheel chair arrived and went through security and check in without any problems.   I arrived at my boarding gate and confirmed that boarding was 8:30 AM.  Then I realized that the boarding time had changed.  They had found a problem with our Boeing 737-800 and were trying fix the problem.  Boarding was again changed and the airplane was taken out of service.  There was not another 737 available so they had to fly in a replacement.  Finally they had a plane but our route was changed to change planes in Los Vegas.  We finally arrived in Nashville about three hours late and my four wheel walker did not get to Nashville. There were eight other passengers that did not get their luggage from Santa Ana and they were trying to get the Southwest agents to locate their luggage. Fortunately, I had my carry ons.  We filled out claim forms to get the actions going officially.  All of us then got transportation to the Holiday Inn.

My reservation was for a handicap room which was just a handicap bath room.  There were hand rails on all walls, including the shower, and the floor of the shower was at the same level as the floor.  The shower had a cloth enclosure 0that allowed the water to onto the floor of the room.  Made me a little apprehensive of falling.

This day is a Music City Tour with Maria Stevens as our tour guide.  We all boarded our motor coach and headed to the Loveless Café for lunch.  We all entered the Harpeth Room where we could select ‘Smoked Turkey Breast’ or ‘Fried Catfish’.  I chose the turkey and it was excellent.

After lunch we again boarded the motor coach for the Ryman Auditorium.  It is known as The Soul Of Nashville and served to host the Grand Ole Opry’s residence from 1943 to 1974.  The building was in need of refurbishment and was closed.  After the Opry departed for the new Grand Ole Opry House the building was refurbished. In 1994, the Ryman reopened and once again welcomed a diverse line-up of world-class entertainment. Checked again if my four wheel walker had been located and the answer was NO.

The first order of business was to get serious about my walker.  Jim Walsh is a resident of Tennessee and he offered to go to the airport and intercede on my behalf to find my walker.  This time we got to see the Southwest Chief and Jim got action.  He said that the walker was found in Chicago and  promised the walker would be delivered to the hotel Saturday night.  He offered me $100 script to be used by me for my next travel.

Started with a very relaxed group of friends renewing old stories and relaxing.  The ‘Grand Ole Opry Dinner Tour was scheduled to depart at 4:45 PM for dinner at the Santa Fe Cattle Co.  Menu included our a 6 oz Sirloin, Southern Fried Catfish, BBQ Chicken, and ½ Slab BBQ Ribs.  I chose the Ribs and they were outstanding.  Couldn’t eat only about ½ of the half slab.  Messy also with all the sauce.

We again boarded the motor coach and headed for the famous Grand Ole Opry House.  Since 1925, the longest running radio show in history and is celebrating its 91^st Anniversary in 2016.  We had great seats and could even see the technicians operation the radio broadcast for the performers.

Still no news about my four wheel walker.

Time for the Business Meeting with selection of our next reunion and election of new officers for the next two years.  Next year the 307^th Bomb Wing will be celebrating the 75^th year of operation.  It was unanimous that we schedule our reunion to coincide with the 307^th BW at Shreveport, LA

Election of Officers was held. Due to candidates dropping out only one candidate was left for each office.  Voice vote was held for each office and the candidates were elected.

The banquet was a great success. We even had the Commanding Officers of the B-1B and the B-52.

My walker did arrive at 11:00 PM.

With my walker in tow, I boarded my flight on Southwest routed through Denver.  The passenger who sat next to me had a tablet and was working on music.  He had ear buds in both ears.  I finally asked him, to satisfy my curiosity, what he was doing. He was arranging the music for different instruments.

We landed at John Wayne Airport an had to wait for a Super Shuttle going my way. We made several stops to deliver passengers to different hotels. Finally I got home and it was great.

                                                CALIFORNIA COASTAL CRUISE                       

                                                  October 22 TO October 29, 2016

                                                    Ruby Princess, 3,142 passengers

I was planing on taking the Super Shuttle to San Pedro, but I was having trouble getting to the Dock.  Ray Hall, my son-in-law, offered to drive Janet Hayes and myself to the boat in my car.  It was a good deal.  We gave the porter our bags and we got in the line for wheel chairs and was taken to our cabins.  Jan & I had our own cabins that were next to each other.  We were part of the Cypress Travel Club which had a private one hour open bar gathering.  You could drink as much as you could order, so people would order the next drink when the first one was delivered.

After arriving in San Francisco we had tickets to Sausalito and the John Muir Woods.  We were told that the bus depot was only three blocks. I suggested that we should take a cab to the bus depot and we were glad because they were very long blocks. We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and finally got to the forest.  The trees were very large and the paths through the forest were made of wood.  We were not allowed to venture off the pathways.

On the was back to the depot, the driver took us on a tour of San Francisco, pointing out all the interesting places.  When we arrived at the depot the driver told us he would drop us at the ship.  It was getting dark when we departed and we wanted to see the Golden Gate Bridge at night.  It was not lighted and we could barely see the bridge structure as we passed underneath.

We arrived at Santa Barbara the next morning, shrouded with low clouds and fog along the coast line.  After anchoring, the shore boats were lowered to the water and passengers boarded for the trip to the docks.  Jan had a cousin living in Santa Barbara and we were invited to have lunch with them.  They had another cousin from New York visiting them so it turned out to be a nice party.  The fog and low clouds gave way to the bright sunlight and the hills were beautiful.

The next Port-of-Call was San Diego.  I didn’t have any incentive to go ashore since I had sailed my boat down to San Diego on several occasions.  We could see two aircraft carriers, one was museum and the other was on active duty.

We cast off and headed to Ensenada, Mexico for our obligatory requirement.  If we leave American waters you have to go to a foreign port before returning to an American port.  We didn’t go ashore but lounged around the ship.

Arrived early in San Pedro and prepared to disembark.  We then retrieved our luggage, and Ray was waiting for us.  It was another one of those fantastic trips and now have to think about where to go next.

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BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE

MARCH 29, 2017 TO APRIL 2, 2017

307^TH BOMB GROUP AND 307^TH BOMB WING

75^TH ANNIVERSARY

Heading east I would normally select Southwest Airline as my transportation, but they don’t service Shreveport, LA because it is a small regional airport. But American Airline does with small jet transports.   My son John travels a lot on American so I called him for assistance.  He offered to set it up for me and he used his account for the tickets, seat assignments etc.  Of course I paid for the tickets.

My friend Janet is an ancestry genealogist and has been doing some research on the Palmer family.  My father was the only boy among seven sisters and when they married they took new names.  Well Janet found a person who traced back to Harriet Palmer, one of my aunts.  His name is Sean Van Holtz.  Through Janet’s ability got the e-mail address of Sean and began a correspondence with Sean.  He enlisted in the Air Force and applied for flight training and was accepted.  Sean is now a Lieutenant Col. in the USAF reserve.  He is also a pilot captain for American Airlines Airbus 330 and is also an instructor pilot.

Jan finally asked Sean if it would ok to bring me into the conversations and he agreed. We started exchange of photos and experiences we had encountered.  It was very interesting that our careers were a parallel only separated by three decades.  I invited Sean to come to Shreveport if he could arrange it in his schedule.  An opening did occur and Sean was able make to make the trip and spend an afternoon and evening together.  What an experience.  After all these years, I have a new cousin.

Well I am getting ahead of myself.  Super Shuttle arrived as scheduled and picked up another passenger for the John Wayne Airport (SNA).  My wheelchair was waiting and went through all of the check in process without any problems.  Landed at Dallas/Forth Worth (DFW)airport and taxied several miles before we were off loaded.  My wheel chair was waiting and we embarked on another journey to the part of the airport that services small aircraft. 

Trains move passengers to and from the large terminals.  Our little plane had a single row of seats on the left side of the cabin and two seats on the right. We taxied it seemed like an hour to the departure runway. The flight was about an hour and a half.  Hurrah!  My walker was there for me.

One of the porters called the hotel for me stating that I had reservations for courtesy van to take me to the hotel.  He indicated that he talked to me when I was here for an earlier reunion.  After check in, I found the Hospality Room and found quite a few of our members already there.  It was well stocked with light snacks.  I got an email from Sean that he now had a seat and he would be here for the reunion of the 75^th Bomb Group/Wing celebration. He but could only stay over night.  Had to leave early the next morning.

Thursday, the hotel put on a icebreaker party for the attendees and my cousin, Sean fell into the group just like he was one of the regulars.  Hot and Cold Hors d’Oeuvres were served and a cash bar was set up. This event was very well attended.  All of the regular Air Force people were in dress uniform. All looked mighty sharp.  After the official mixer party, several of the Long Rangers met in a bar and many of other attendees were buying drinks for us.

Sean flew back to North Carolina Friday morning.  It was a great pleasure that I had in meeting my cousin.  Another cousin of mine, Donald Ed Mortin, whom I have known over the years, was also a cousin of Sean.  I wonder just how many more cousins are around? Friday was another great day in that we had a tour of the Barksdale Air Force Base.  We had lunch at one of the Base Cafeteria, very good food. 

Saturday, the 307^th Bomb Wing had the 75^th Anniversary Reunion Gala. It was held in a very large room and it was packed.  There were many awards given to organizations of the 307^th after the dinner.  The last was a plaque commutating this event of Bomb Wing and Bomb Group reunion.  I had the pleasure of presenting the plaque to the Commanding Officer.  WOW!!!

I stopped by the front desk and they printed out my boarding pass for the flight tomorrow and reserved the Bus to take me to the airport.  Dropped by the bar and there were several 307^th guys.  Someone bought me a drink or two and I had to call it a night.  Too bad Sean Van Holt couldn’t stay.

Checked out of the hotel and boarded the van for the airport.  The weather was bad – wind and rain. We went down the Jetway and boarded the CRJ.  It was just like the one I came in on and the same seat.  It was raining torrents of water and was leaking around the door seal and draining down into the avionics bay.  Not a good thing.  The ground crew brought towels to sop up the water.  They reset the Jetway and this time it stopped the water from coming into the cabin.

Mean while the Air Traffic Control changed our flight path to DFW and we didn’t have enough fuel on board.  The pilot called for a fuel truck and took care of the fuel problem.  Hurrah!  We finally got fired up, taxied to the active runway and took off, over one and a half hours late.  The flight to DFW was one of the worst I have been on, heavy turbulence, rain and lightning. We finally landed and of course my connecting flight had already departed.

My wheelchair was waiting for me.  The young lady knew I had scheduling problems so took me on a tour of the airport.  After changing trains we finally got to the booking desk.  She pushed the wheel chair up in front of everybody and got my tickets to SNA.  The weather going west was improving and the ride was quite comfortable.  My walker was at the airport so I went to the ground transportation area and I found out my reservation was cancelled.  After I showed paper work that my flight was delayed I got in the queue and arrived home with all my stuff.

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