deepredpond

One of the greatest things that happen when your on a excellent  adventure is the people that share the adventure with you.  I’m going to introduce you to one of them.  Now were talking 43 years. Unfortunately I lost contact with these fine people long ago. Life happens, you move on.  Hopefully they are all still with us.  In the unlikely event that  someone who knows them or they themselves should stumble upon this blog they can contact me at deepredpond@gmail.com

The person shown above is Mr. Phil C. Filling his truck with government gas. We had great times cruising in that truck. Think of an Alaskan version of Cheech and Chong. One of the things that we did was knocking over stop signs. He justified it by saying that he was creating employment for the locals. Sure enough the stop sign would be replaced by a better one, a steel pole embedded in cement. Like they were saying “hit it again M.F.”.

Gosh there is something about being young, stoned, and laughing so hard you think your ribs are going to break.  A great guy. I went to his wedding after we got out. I hope he’s had a wonderful life.

The town of Kodiak then always reminded me of a frontier town. The great Alaska earthquake which practically destroyed the town was less the ten years before. The bars in town opened at 9:00am and didn’t close until 4:00am Just long enough to sweep the floor. clean the glasses, and restock the bar.

This is Beachcombers, formally the S.S. Princess Norah a steamship that ran between Seattle and Alaska. After the Earthquake it was beached at turned into a Restaurant and Bar, with the emphasis on bar. It had a stainless steel dance floor. Some really great bands played there. It also has cabins to rent by the hour.

Well I’m looking at the clock. I have to wrap things up for now. I will have more in later posts about my year long vacation.  But on a final note

I would never compare myself to the people serving today, especially those who are in harms way. Those who come back broken physically and mentally, and end up getting screwed by the V.A.  .

I had too much fun.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE6r2kI2UvE

It’s grown considerably from when I was there. Hope to go back one more time before I die.

Maybe I should start a go fund me page…NAH!

After graduating ET school at Governors Island I had made my choices on the “dream sheet” of where I would like to be assigned. Looking back it seems quaint that a branch of the military would actually give you a choice. They basically owned me, they could have sent me anywhere they thought I was needed. But there happened to be an open slot at Loran station Spruce Cape . I had always wanted to see Alaska as my Father served there back in WW2.

Kodiak was my first choice, and I got it.

I had never flown before in my life.  Now I was going to fly 5 time Zones.  Leaving home and going to far away places all on the governments dime.

Nothing really prepares you for that first flight. That first take off.  You have a slight knot in your belly.  Flying is the safest way to travel  they say.  Statistically correct,  the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor, but it’s a lottery where winning is very, very bad. I flew out of Lebanon N.H. to Boston, from Boston to Chicago to Seattle-Tacoma airport arriving in the late evening. Bunked at the USO located at the airport for a 6:00am flight to Kodiak.

The plane was a Boeing 707. The seating capacity was approx. 150. There couldn’t have been more then thirty people on the plane. The plane had a full crew compliment which meant that the stewardesses (they were still called that at the time, mini-skirt uniforms too.) had more time to give us more individual attention. One of them came by and asked if I would like some champagne. I said no at first until she told me that it was “free”, compliments of the airline. Well OK! Nothing like a cup a champagne at 6:30am to calm the nerves for a four hour flight over the pacific ocean.  I set my empty cup on the tray expecting her to come and take it but no, “would you like more Sir?” Apparently this was the Champagne flight, and for the entire trip my cup was never empty. The golden age of air travel. Needless to say I was quite “corned” by the time we landed. Oh well, so much for first impressions. The first class ET was a little annoyed with me but I explained that it was because of my nervousness of flying that I overindulged. That was my story and I stuck with it.

This of course is not MY arrival.  Making video’s was a lot more involved in 1972.

Commenter Mannix had the correct answer.  USCG Loran station Spruce Cape, Kodiak Alaska.

You’ve probably notice all the Alaska shows that have been on cable recently, Alaskan State troopers, Buying Alaska, Railroad Alaska, etc…  It seems that after Sarah Palin made a big splash on the national scene people took more notice of our 49th state.  It really is America’s last frontier.  And I got to live there at government expense for an entire year.

We’re fortunate that Sec of State Seward was able to close the deal with the Tsar of Russia to sell it to us.  And Russia shank from 12 time zones to only 11.  It also spared us from having those Commie bastards then or Putin now on practically our very doorstep.

Nixon had yet to be impeached, Vietnam was winding down. The Mini-skirt was still in vogue. Great bands like ELP and Led Zepp. were in their prime. For the year I was there it was the Coast Guards Version of McHale’s Navy.

More to come.

Does anyone recognize this picture?

I realize that my blog has an extremely small audience, for now. The odds are going to be long.

If someone who was there or knew someone who was there they can contact me at deepredpond@gmail.com

One of the most wonderful years of my life. The fall and winter of 72. The spring and summer of 73.

Got to take a short break from politics or go batty.