Welcome Aboard Shipmates

The USS Klondike (AR-22)

She was commissioned in 1944.

I made 2 WESPAC cruises with the ship. The first was about 10 months duration and the second one lasted about 3 months for me, because I had only 97 days left in the navy, when she departed for WESPAC. I wish now I had stayed for the whole cruise.

I was flown back to the US from Japan in a C-141 Starlifter non-stop to Oakland California.

Shipmates this is me, OM3, at the tender young age of twenty-one. We were returning from a 9 month cruise to the far east. It was probably taken toward the end of the cruise in late Sept or early Oct of '66.

During that cruise we went through one of the worst typhoons ever. It was fun times walking on bulkheads and strapping yourself in your bunk to keep from being thrown out. We ate cold sandwiches for about a week. I should add I was too young and dumb to be scared.

USS Piedmont AD-17

Here is the only ship in the US Navy refereed to as a "he". It got its nicknamed "Doc" from a character in the Walt Disney Snow White.

Our last short cruise off the eastern US coast, "Doc" was able to do 19 knots with a full load.

"Doc" was decommissioned in '82, and turned over to the Turkish Navy. That was a strange feeling when we filed down the gangway for the last time.

USS Piedmont AD-17

Here is all of "Doc's" little helpers posing for decommissioning picture.

Yes, I'm in the picture. There is small group elevated section in middle behind the officers. I'm third from your left.

My time aboard the L. Y. Spear (AS-36) was the worst I ever had. This ship had the worst command structure I have ever seen on a ship in the navy. No real concern for the enlisted men, especially non-submariners.

I was exposed to more dangerous chemicals then I had ever been before or sense.

One of the bad things about sub tenders, was the subs on local ops would come in on Friday and then leave on Monday and deploying subs would occupy the Tuesday through Thursday time frame. This was the only ship I ever served on, that expected the "duty section" to work Christmas day.

I reenlisted early to just get off her.

USS Shenandoah (AD-44) This was taken leaving San Diego, California, headed for Norfolk, Virginia via the Panama Canal.

We had your basic sightseeing cruise on the way back. Drills, general training and building an optical shop.

Here we have the plank owners of the Optical Shop. I am the 3rd from the right. Yes, that's me with the beard. The third guy from the left, also with a beard ended up with a medical discharge, something to do with his hands.

The three kneeling would eventually leave the navy. It was a shame too, they were good sailors. The 1st guy standing on the right retired about the same time I did. The kid in between us, the last time I talked to him, he had made PO1 and was in charge of a shop. Same thing for the kid standing on the left rear side in the picture.

This is the USS Shenandoah (AD-44) and the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) shortly before entering the Mediterranean Sea in 1989.

In 5 years aboard AD-44, I made the cruise from the ship yards in CA to NOB, VA, 2 Med Cruises and several trips south and a couple north.

By the time I got off of her I had finally got tired of traveling around the world.