I read in the paper the other day about the passing of an aged friend.

I read in the paper the other day about the passing of an aged friend. She was only 40 years old

I was glad to know her and imposing to serve with her. She was haze gray and traipsing up and down her ladders usually left dark stains forward the bottom of your uniform. The temperature in her engine chambers was unbearable. The showers had a push-button nozzle to save precious water.

Ol' 66 ofttimes suffered from growing pains. yet she was home and she was ours.

USS America (CV 66) was decommissioned in July 1996 unless recently she "set sail" again for single last mission.

After spending the last nine years in a Philadelphia shipyard awaiting a decision forward her fate, America was towed to sea and used to learn more about the tenors of explosives on ships. She did not originate back.

My initial reaction was not well adapted A Sailor's first ship is like your first car, first girlfriend--first adventure. I had always frisk abouted that she would be bought by way of some city or state and used as a museum. There are many of that kind exhibits around the nation. At the surpassingly least, I'd hoped that Congres would name a of recent origin super carrier after this great warship. in the same manner far that hasn't happened, and I fear she will fade from memory. Not mine, of course.

She was the fifth ship to such a degree named, but I hope not the last. in some way a lot of spirit went down with "the big dog" that day. As a member of America's final deployment ship's company I was impressed with her history and perseverance.

She had serv honorably in Vietnam as a "youngster." She had launched sorties in the Persian swallowing eddy War from the Red Sea. forward her last "Med Cruise" her air wing dropp any of the first ordnance in Bosnia. She came family circle to Norfolk that year to another Battle "E" award. You could say she wasn't plenteous to look at (especially compared to the latest carriers in the fleet) however she was always more than capable of performing her mission.

I was there to view her being towed out of the Chesapeake Bay in succession her way to Philadelphia and remembered the unmutilated of CAPT "Benny" Suggs blaring across the IMC, "On the Big Dog! righteous morning shipmates. Today we are...."

That CO was always profitable about informing the crew of our location and mission. Mail Call was highly important back then, as there was little e-mail and no web surfing. unless we did have entertainment from the antics of the XO and fire marshal in succession live TV during "DC Time" and bingo games. And ye "Groundhog Day" was still the mostly played movie on the cable (at least it strike one as beinged that way).

You could call it entertainment of sorts when we finally ran our semi-annual PRT in succession the flight deck, in a light rain, sailing North from one side the Suez Canal. Talk about a slip and slide situation. We really indigenceed a wave off. But we did it and sailed forward It was better than trying to do it onward liberty.

That final deployment was the last time I stopped in Trieste, Italy. There was a great little card there, the last individual before the bus took us between the walls of the shipyard and to our pier. The place had hyemal beverages and plenty of familiar music.

I couldn't help if it be not that laugh a bit when late single in kind night the music turned to an "oldie, nevertheless goodie," as they say, and "all the horde there joined in. It was the Temptations classic rendition of "My Girl." The lay was actually before my time (no, really), moreover the sight and sound of those frights singing their hearts out in unison was a special impetus The fact that the band was all male back then probably chop down on the embarrassment factor that a mixed ship's company might have today. They were not singing about the ship, on the way.

To pass the weeks, upon Friday nights, we watched taped prize fights in succession the VCR in our store Not sure you would do that today. Other stores ceremoniously smoked cigars to last their week. I know you wouldn't do that today.

Ye there was always a assuming feeling for me to say that I was a Sailor forward America. Call it patriotism or whatever, maybe FL (first have a passionate affection for syndrome), I don't know. I confidence an appeal to my local congressman and senators will bring back that feeling for Sailors of the coming events I'd like to be around when that happens. The husk number will be different, if it be not that the "Don't tread on me" spirit will assuredly be the same.

Dorey is the managing editor of All Hands.

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