Thank you!

[Dave Smith]

Thank you Andy,
This is an awesome web site!
Can't imagine how much work you've put into this.
The pictures really bring back a flood of great memories and friendships.

Thank you so much for all your efforts!
dave

[DocOpsahl]

Andy,
   Let me also offically thank you for the great work. I have some experience with web sites and I know how much effort goes into them.
Mike

[Andy Hoyt]

Aw gee shucks. thanks, fellers.

Don - have you sent out a massive broadcast about anything yet? Or just still collecting info? One thought for this forum aspect was the hope that the talk it generates would have a snowball effect, thusly making the list grow.

Whatcha think?

[MurphinPT]

Andy, I gotta second Mike Opsahl's kudos, the site is great! I've designed web sites and that's hard enough, but keeping everything up to date is the hardest part and a labor of love (or as Mike will surely agree, a symptom of mental illness [g]).

Will try to honor your efforts by continuing to contribute photos and other memories during the next year prior to the reunion. And I do want to take you up on the dare to ride my Harley out there; always wanted to ride across the country and now I have the perfect excuse!

Thanks buddy.

[Tom Winkler]

Mr. Murphy, can I still call you Mr. Murphy? You once told me that was your dad but someone corrected you. Do you have any red hair under that hat? And in Khaki you didn't look like an ape-hanger kind of a guy. I hope you're still sporting that devil-may-care sense of humor. The contrast between my two personal favorite junior officer, you and Mr. Albans was really major. No offence to anyone in my own chain of command.....

I have enjoyed this website tremendously. Thank you to anyone and everyone.

Wishing you fair winds, following seas, and a safe. joyous, fun and relaxing 4th.

[MurphinPT]

Hey Toml

What a surprise and a delight - took me a minute to realize that I was receiving an email from a former shipmate!

I have to confess, I do recall your name but little else about you so please refresh my aging memory - will we see you at the reunion? And do I need to call you "Petty Officer Winkler" <g>?!

Yeah I have always straddled the Clark Kent/Superman sort of thing... love living on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington and being able to let my hair down (figuratively speaking, since I have little left on my head). And speaking of hair, what's left on my head (and beard) has just a hint of red. The really red stuff is down where the sun doesn't shine (at least not very often)...

Mr. Albans? You dare compare me to him? You're on report, buster <g>...

I need to go visit the web site and see what's up these days...

All the best to you for the 4th!

-Murph
(a.k.a. "Mr. Murphy" a.k.a. Steve)

At 06:42 AM 7/3/2009, you wrote:

Mr. Murphy, can I still call you Mr. Murphy? You once told me that was your dad but someone corrected you. Do you have any red hair under that hat? And in Khaki you didn't look like an ape-hanger kind of a guy. I hope you're still sporting that devil-may-care sense of humor. The contrast between my two personal favorite junior officer, you and Mr. Albans was really major. No offence to anyone in my own chain of command.....

I have enjoyed this website tremendously. Thank you to anyone and everyone.

Wishing you fair winds, following seas, and a safe. joyous, fun and relaxing 4th.

---

Murph in PT

[Tom Winkler]

Young Mr. Murphy,

When my oldest son made Chief I quit making Mrs. Winkler call me Petty Officer Winkler. It's seemed only fair that I extend that to the rest of the world. I am hereafter known as Tom, Hey You, Knucklehead or Killer. The former and latter most common.
The bulk of my dealing with you were standing watches and the occasional ‘happened to be in the same place at the same time’ which over the course of a couple years will happen. I do remember an occasion where you happened to pop in while we were playing Risk. You stayed a while and there was small talk then you left. We wondered how you found your way to the 07 level.
I was the LPO of CE division. I tried to lay low but that didn’t always work. I had some guys who generated a little attention. Phil Kelly (RIP), Ralph I Can’t Sign Yoke Tangarone, Max Ya Whatever Serefin and others. I don’t know whether I can admit it here but you caught Phil and I running a cable from a CCTV box on the deck your berthing was on. We wanted TV in our shop. I was never sure if you knew you had us by the shot-hairs but you asked a few questions, told us to ‘carry on’ and we did. I happened to have Mr _______’s blanket at the time. We decided he didn’t need it and we did. You would have supported or decision. If NIS reads this it’s all a lie.
As for the comparison, from my vantage point when compared, you guys were markedly different. But as human beings you treated we lowly schmucks like fellow human beings. You guys who would have made good enlisted men. You can’t say that about just anybody!
I have about a million stories about that part of my life. That time is my ‘good old days.’ My dad used to love it when I told him sea stories. He always wanted to hear me talking smart and telling lies.
I will be at the reunion unless God has other plans for me. That’s what it would take. I wish I would have thought about it sooner, I would have kept my Road King and made one last trip from Wisconsin to VA Beach with it, if there had been someone else with the ability, desire and the time to make a road trip out of it. Some opportunities only happen once.
I will look for you, I want to shake your hand.

Have a good 4th sailor.

[Mike Howell]

Same here Andy, super job!  Why didn't you think of this ealier?!?!  It has been great getting in touch with folks I've forgotten all about (not on purpose, mad cow).  Can't believe we are only a few weeks away!


Oh, BTW... Hey Dave!

[MurphinPT]

Tom,

I'm finally getting back to reviewing the web site... and just discovered that you did get my reply (at any rate, it posted to the site). And finally I can recall you by seeing your photo!

I'm really touched by your comments. As for things that can be said three decades later - I don't remember the events in question, but I was probably so oblivious (and probably still am) that I didn't notice anything wrong!

And quite honestly and from the bottom of my heart, I was way, way, way more comfortable with most of you enlisted folks than I was with my peers (with a few very notable exceptions and close officer friends). In 1982, when I was released from active duty (the first time), I was so disenchanted with the phony defense contractor work I got stuck with that I tried to get back on active duty (and ultimately did, being sent off with the Seabees in California). But I seriously looked into enlisting, purely for the experience of it. it was open to me, and I talked it over with a number of friends and I finally opted out of the idea, only because it would have been impossible to conceal my former background as an officer and would have potentially created an uncomfortable situation, both for fellow enlisted and officers alike. But as a writer, I kind of wish I had done so. I know I missed a lot. You were great guys. And still are...