I see the advertisements all the time. I see meme's on Facebook. Connect with your old buddies, you served together, sign up and relive the good times. Well all I can say is, it wasn't all that. Now, I'm a retired Navy man and maybe it would have been different if I were a ground pounder or Marine. But I spent the greatest majority of my time, on a ship, at sea, with a bunch of guys that just wanted to go home. Yes I had a few friends, very few, that I would like to see again. Still, for the most part being in the service was like being in high school. You had your little cliques, your bullies, the goody two shoes, the apple shiners and those that were just plain annoying. So, what I'm saying is, it wasn't all that, not by a long shot.
Now it could be it was me. I have never been what you call the popular kid on the block. Apparently the problem is I'm a little too direct and opinionated. I agree, I have opinions on just about everything and I am not afraid to share them. Whether you want to accept them isn't my problem, all I can do is offer. Memories are generally better than the reality. That's what those websites and advertisers are counting on. I do have some good memories of those days, mostly memories of coming back home after the voyage! This Hollywood image of shipmates is just that, an image. Same as the image of the sailor. A girl in every port, drinking and having a good time. Yeah, that's what it was like alright. Just a rollicking good time.
Don't misunderstand me, I stayed in the Navy and served for twenty years. I am proud of that service, that accomplishment. It wasn't easy, mentally I mean. Talk to anyone that has served and they will tell you about that. You are counting the days till, " I'm out. " I expect the other branches had a similar tradition. In the Navy you had a " short timers chain " attached to your key ring. Depending upon the length you might be taking a link off every month,week, or day! On your last day, at morning muster ( formation ) all they will see of you is your boots and a hat! That's because you are so short! If you stay long enough and retire, you do get an opportunity to say a few parting words at your retirement ceremony. I doubt anyone remembers anything you say. I doubt many will even remember you!
That's what I was thinking about when I started writing this post. I've been retired longer than I was on active duty. I have a few old photographs, not many at all and that's about it. I was in the Navy from the time I was 18 until I retired at forty. Can't say I have many memories about a great deal of that time. I was just there, doing my job, and living life. I wasn't thinking about Mom, apple pie and America! No, I was thinking about what I was going to do when I got home. If I were to attend some sort of reunion I might remember a few of them and they might remember me. As far as having anything to really talk about, to reminisce about, I can't think of much. Having never been in an actual battle situation, nothing dramatic, it was mostly boredom. No situations to create that " band of brothers " thing you see in the movies.
Willie, Russel, Dan and Ken: I remember you guys. They are the ones I would like to see again, to know how things worked out for them. The rest are a string of names and places. I literally knew thousands of names over the course of that twenty two years. I can recall a good number of them. It's just that there aren't many I would care to see, hence that short list.To the rest of them all I could say is, it was real! Shipmates? Yes in the strictest sense of the word that's what we were. Friends? Not so much. I do hope everyone has had a good life and wish them continued good health and fortune. Well, except for a few, a few I'd just as soon kick in the face but that's another memory, or at least a dream.
Now it could be it was me. I have never been what you call the popular kid on the block. Apparently the problem is I'm a little too direct and opinionated. I agree, I have opinions on just about everything and I am not afraid to share them. Whether you want to accept them isn't my problem, all I can do is offer. Memories are generally better than the reality. That's what those websites and advertisers are counting on. I do have some good memories of those days, mostly memories of coming back home after the voyage! This Hollywood image of shipmates is just that, an image. Same as the image of the sailor. A girl in every port, drinking and having a good time. Yeah, that's what it was like alright. Just a rollicking good time.
Don't misunderstand me, I stayed in the Navy and served for twenty years. I am proud of that service, that accomplishment. It wasn't easy, mentally I mean. Talk to anyone that has served and they will tell you about that. You are counting the days till, " I'm out. " I expect the other branches had a similar tradition. In the Navy you had a " short timers chain " attached to your key ring. Depending upon the length you might be taking a link off every month,week, or day! On your last day, at morning muster ( formation ) all they will see of you is your boots and a hat! That's because you are so short! If you stay long enough and retire, you do get an opportunity to say a few parting words at your retirement ceremony. I doubt anyone remembers anything you say. I doubt many will even remember you!
That's what I was thinking about when I started writing this post. I've been retired longer than I was on active duty. I have a few old photographs, not many at all and that's about it. I was in the Navy from the time I was 18 until I retired at forty. Can't say I have many memories about a great deal of that time. I was just there, doing my job, and living life. I wasn't thinking about Mom, apple pie and America! No, I was thinking about what I was going to do when I got home. If I were to attend some sort of reunion I might remember a few of them and they might remember me. As far as having anything to really talk about, to reminisce about, I can't think of much. Having never been in an actual battle situation, nothing dramatic, it was mostly boredom. No situations to create that " band of brothers " thing you see in the movies.
Willie, Russel, Dan and Ken: I remember you guys. They are the ones I would like to see again, to know how things worked out for them. The rest are a string of names and places. I literally knew thousands of names over the course of that twenty two years. I can recall a good number of them. It's just that there aren't many I would care to see, hence that short list.To the rest of them all I could say is, it was real! Shipmates? Yes in the strictest sense of the word that's what we were. Friends? Not so much. I do hope everyone has had a good life and wish them continued good health and fortune. Well, except for a few, a few I'd just as soon kick in the face but that's another memory, or at least a dream.
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