You are correct - we didn't talk much about war stories... and I didn't press him for more info. Now I almost wish I would have. Oh, well....I'll probably see him on The Other Side.
I suppose it is possible that we were there at the same time(s), but he would've put in at the port of Naha, while I was patrolling the ammo dump several miles away... the ship logs might reveal something, but they are about 1500 miles away from my current domicile - a trip I'm not yet prepared to make just yet.
I'm curious to know if he ever unloaded herbicides (poison) in Okinawa, where I was stationed for two years... but I'd be shocked if there were any mentions of Lee Oswald by name on the records of the ship.
I've often wondered about a conversation I once had with my late cousin, a Captain in the Merchant Marines. One night over a few sips of bourbon, he told me that he had taken Oswald as a passenger on his ship when he defected to the USSR. They had a chance meeting on the deck of his ship one night where Oswald bragged that he was going to get himself a "Russian bride". My cousin told him "You're a fairly good-looking fella - maybe you should get an American bride" ... an idea that apparently did not impress the young fella. Shortly after making that remark we went on to another subject. I didn't think too much about it at the time. We were a bit tipsy, but certainly not drunk by any stretch.
After he passed, I mulled over that off-hand comment and began to formulate an opinion, because I'm delusional that way :) My cousin and I did not really form a relationship until after he retired since he was always at sea when I visited them. His wife would hail him on their Ham radio base station every morning around 9 am Texas time. When he came into port every few months she'd drive to meet him in Galveston or New Orleans or Gulfport and bring him back to their farm. He had about 2000 acres, a couple of hundred cattle, and owned several buildings in the small community. Their home was paneled in genuine mahogany that he'd brought back from the Phillipines, but he preferred the solitude of the farm over city life. She finally tired of driving all that distance and bought herself a Cessna which was parked at the farm.... she was cool before it was cool.
After retiring from a long career at sea, he would sometimes tell me of his travels - much of it in the East China or South China sea... a Captain so experienced he once bragged that he could (almost) navigate the straits of Taiwan blindfolded. We would sit in the semi-darkness of his "man cave" behind the garage and have long talks about all sorts of subjects. I admired him for his skills as a farmer and a MM Captain - at the age of 80 the man once built a large Quonset hut to house his Dodge Ram flatbed farm truck with only the help of one hired hand. The man could fabricate dang near anything... and I relished those visits.
During the Vietnam war, he was rarely home. I later discovered he was most likely carrying Agent Orange and other herbicides to ports afar to support the war effort. Considering his accumulated assets I've come to believe he was in cahoots with the See Eye Aye somehow... which could explain how Oswald came to be a passenger on one of his voyages. Far fetched? Perhaps.
It's a long shot, but a relative has given me permission to examine his ship's logs and records which are stored "in the barn" - that Quonset hut he built. If I ever get back there before I pass, I might just have to rummage around those old boxes in the barn.
My wife is the only other person I've told... until tonight. I'm studying for my Ham radio operator's license and even considered taking his old call sign from the FCC (which I still remember well). I will not muddy his memory by revealing his identity for obvious reasons. I don't need or want a visit from the spooks.
Bookmarked and saved for reposting to my website (with credit to sauce of course). Knowledge is power, which is powerful for the forward-thinking among us.
This gives me a bit of hopium. My own claim for exposure to herbicides and a host of other ailments while serving was delayed while someone "reviewed" my decision (yesterday) and this morning the status changed to writing my decision letter.... don't recall the VA ever moving this quickly on an outstanding claim. Makes me wonder if POTUS made a discreet inquiry to Doug Collins after reading my book and letter....either way, I'll be glad to get my rating raised so my attorney team and I can get the compensation we deserve.
I did not ask for special treatment from POTUS, but rather wrote that my own claim would "rise or fall on the merits", then asked for him to smooth the process for Agent Orange claims from other vets that served in Okinawa. I may never know if he intervened on my behalf, but that scenario (in my head) seems like something he might do discreetly, behind the scenes, without a fuss.
Mine works fine, too. It takes a few seconds longer to log in, but I'm okay with that. Maybe this explains why they've delayed my decision on the latest compensation claim.
She is a lot of things.... and a recovering hairdresser.
I'll endorse mine and send it back to pay down the debt... no probleemo.
I think it was combo pack of things - we have a close friend that comes over for coffee and conversation, and depends on me for her daily dose of intel. Maybe she felt like she was on the sidelines - I dunno. She has taken an intense interest in the progress of DOGE, which seems to appeal to her instincts as a long-time contract negotiator in the auto industry.
She also said she'd rather that the DOGE savings be put back into the Treasury to pay down the debt so our grandkids have a better future unfettered by what has been. She's a sharp cookie, and I'm gonna keep her!
My USAF bride of 43 years never seemed very interested in politics, so I began to slowly explain to her how politics affects our entire world, sprinkled with examples of how things that happen in faraway lands can have an impact on our everyday lives. At times I wondered if she'd ever come around, as it seemed she was more interested in watching morning chick shows about fashion and recipes - not a huge deal, but I would've rather had discussions about geopolitics like I used to have with my dad before he passed. All that has changed with Trump and DOGE.
Case in point, over our first cup of coffee this morning she let out a "Holy Chit!" and began to excitedly tell me about Stacy Abrams (Georgia) money laundering scheme that took her newly formed nonprofit with a bank balance of $100 or so to a $20M grant from the EPA for some obscure project. It was then that I realized she was 110% on board the Trump train.
We both voted for Trump - twice, but she used to say she wished he would "tone down" the rhetoric. No more. We celebrate POTUS accomplishments every day and are more optimistic than ever for our grandchildren's future.
Thank you, POTUS, thank you Elon. The spark is back in our marriage and we have common ground and objectives for our family's future. God Bless Trump, God bless Elon, and God Bless America! NCSWIC.
"All sports fans are idiots" ? Really? Pretty broad brush, Smeg.
Three fights in first 10 seconds, basically one puck drop, one fight. Six players in the penalty box..... freaking awesome!
I don't have any ammo, but I have thousands of Freedom Seeds. kek
Every Veteran's Day, our local Mission BBQ sets up in the parking lot at our local VA hospital, feeding hundreds of vets and staff with delicious bbq... the care and compassion is contagious and honorable...it's enough to make your eyes leak.
Elections have consequences, and—once again—our great Governor is leading the charge. With a GOP majority in the Florida legislature, this could very well become a reality in the coming months and have a positive impact on homeowners in the State. So much winning, I can't stop grinning!
Wonder if I can drop a lawsuit for slander ? John Bates is my actual name. I have an alibi - am NOT a pedo !
I hope POTUS lets him read my latest book on Agent Orange, which should arrive at 1600 PA Ave. on Thursday :)
I just finished my 3rd letter to POTUS, properly addressed of course. Pro tip - if you mail anything to the President of the United States it lands in the mailroom facility to be scanned and scrutinized by the USSS and postal folks... and they get upwards of 10,000 pieces of mail PER DAY! Once it passes the mailroom it goes to respective recipients. To make it a bit easier for them, I write the contents on the envelope (usually a flat-rate envelope from USPS). For example, "Paperback book and correspondence". If they see that and it matches the scan of the contents, it might just speed up delivery by a smidgeon.... I just do it as a courtesy.
It must work - I've received two very nice letters from POTUS in return which hang in my home office. He truly is a "man of the people." YMMV.
Do a bit of digging on "Operation Red Hat". The hubris of the DoD is on full display with this memo :
“There are no international agreements governing the storage or disposal of RED HAT stocks as Okinawa is under the legal and governmental jurisdiction of the U.S. by treaty with Japan. Use of RED HAT stocks is governed by the Geneva Protocol of 1925… The final instrument was signed by the U.S. but never ratified by the Senate. Hence, the U.S. is not legally bound to adhere to the Geneva Protocol relating to use of RED HAT.”
That was a memo from the Army's Chief of Staff after an "incident" in which chemical weapons were exposed to "low levels" of deadly sarin gas in the late 60's. The DoD pretty much just gave the Japanese the big middle finger, IMHO.
Thanks, Fren. Sometimes this stuff gets buried in the avalanche of CONUS news.
This article from 2023 recently caught my eye. "Emails obtained from the US Marine Corps via the US Freedom of Information Act catalog a string of accidents and careless operating procedures involving PFAS-firefighting foam at MCAS Futenma, Kadena Air Base, and Camp Hansen. Notably, the USMC was experiencing so many spills in 2019, that a senior Marine described them as “a trend”; meanwhile, in an outdoor pond at Kadena Air Base, the US Air Force was storing 76,000 liters of water contaminated with PFAS at up to 50,000 ng/L – 1000-times Japanese environmental guidelines."
Award-winning investigative journalist Jon Mitchell has been sounding the alarm for years in the Japan and Okinawa media outlets. He also authored a book titled "Poisoning the Pacific" and worked on two documentary videos about this very subject.
I'm no tree-hugger or foreign policy expert but this is concerning as it's been going on for decades. A little more digging has led me to believe that our DoD needs to re-negotiate our SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) with our allies in the Pacific theater if we expect them to cooperate with us as China eyes Taiwan... before it's too late to shore up any goodwill that remains. We should do a better job of looking out for our vets... the DoD isn't doing it.
Full disclosure: Jon Mitchell and I have become long-distance friends via email since late last year. I respect his dogged determination, yet his work receives very little coverage here in the States.
A snippet from my letter to POTUS :
"The VA Administration conjures up a report from one Doctor who appears to have never stepped foot on Okinawa, never spoke to one veteran who served there, and has been contradicted by other medical professionals regarding his purported findings that Agent Orange never existed on Okinawa. Hundreds, if not thousands, of veterans who served there are now tossed aside by the VA because of the report of one individual. Should you need or require further testimony and evidence I’d be happy to oblige – my contact information is below my signature. Until further action is taken, we will continue to pursue these changes. You have a unique opportunity to halt years of suffering for all the patriots who honorably served. I will leave it to your wisdom and discretion to determine the path forward and will continue to steadfastly support your administration."
Thanks, Mod. It is appreciated even more than I can express here.
Beauty AND brains = lethal combo. You GO gurl !