Credo
"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." -- John Paul Jones
"Pardon him, Theodotus; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature" --George Bernard Shaw, "Caesar and Cleopatra"
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."--Friedrich Nietzsche
"A kind Providence has placed in our breasts a hatred of the unjust and cruel, in order that we may preserve ourselves from cruelty and injustice. They who bear cruelty, are accomplices in it. The pretended gentleness which excludes that charitable rancour, produces an indifference which is half an approbation. They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate."--Edmund Burke
“You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.”--General Sir Charles Napier
"Μολὼν λαβέ" -- Leonidas
"Blogito Ergo Sum" -- Neptunus Lex
Thanks for the memories Lex!
Rey
Lex – great post.
I too was fortunate also to have a Navy wife up to the challenge. Your post brought back memories of meeting her in Hong Kong after 7 months apart – our first cruise. I think the longest part of that cruise was the final 30 minute boat ride from the Midway (anchored out in the Harbor) to pier. I can still feel that first hug…
As hard as it was at times, I’m grateful for the experience.
Regards – Brian
I’ll never forget standing on the ramp at NAS Brunswick, and asking my mom “Is that daddy’s plane?” and then finally seeing him bounding down the stairs of his P-3 and running over to us. As soon as we got home, they would always send me and my sister to a friend’s house for about an hour. I never understood why until I got a little bit older.
Don’t think we want to meet Seaman Chisholm, under the “then” link, in a bar.
Air Warfare and Surface Warfare qualified. Has his bos’n pipe and lanyard.
Still a seaman…or, more likely, a seaman again.
Gotta love the tough guys.
Nice.
First nuc I ever landed on, when it was an east coast carrier. A lot of firsts on this returning cruise and several significant “lasts”. Also did 2 cruises with CVW-11 in 80′s. Getting a first glimpse of Pt. Loma, the Golden Gate or the Roads after months at sea are burned into the simple firmware of my clockworks.
Ain’t it funny we can look back with fondness on doing “time”? All for “them” traps, them ports, them admins and that stereo equipment….and accomplishing the mission.
And that girl Patty in college thought I would be an accountant. LOL.
B2
Very Nice, B2
I never made a Cat launch or a trap but the feeling of seeing loved ones and children who couldn’t crawl when you left now toddering along is priceless.
Why is it that the carrier always gets the announcement while the Small Boys never seem to get acknowledged? Methinks the Cruiser/Destroyer Sailors Protective League (and its Ladies Auxillary) need to work on their Press Office.
Very cute picture of you two back in 2003! I’ve never really experienced the goodbye’s or the homecomings. Not really. My Dad left for Vietnam before I was born and came home at 9 months on leave, then when I was 18 months old for good. I don’t remember it, but my Mom sure does.
Welcome home, Sailors!
Welcome Home, Nimitz!
Boy, I’ll tell ya, I prefer the return pictures to the going away photos…
Always loved hearing:
“Company Commanders! Take charge of your companies and carry out the plan of the day!”
*salute* “Aye-aye, sir!”
*about face*
“Awwlll-right, Marines, I expect every one of you back, safe and sound at the end of the leave period, do you understand me?”
*thundering* “Sir, yes sir!”
“Company, dissss-missed!”
“Dismissed, aye-aye, sir!”
*the Marines take one step back, turn about, and familial joyous chaos erupts*
Gawd, it was great to be home…
When I see pictures in the paper of a ship coming home, sailors lined up on the deck, families waiting breathlessly, I still cry. I cry thinking about it. There is so much emotion. My Dad’s squadron would arrive or his ship would come to port after deployment and we could not quit touching him… as if by not touching him he would disappear and it was a dream.
Welcome home, Nimitz!
Lex, awesome post and I especially enjoyed reading how it “feels.”