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UNDERWAY WEST PACIFIC

THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL TO SAN DIEGO, CA...last stop CONUS.

West Coast Rockin For A Little While Maneuvers marked our 30-day stay in my old homeport. It was nice to be back. Here's one for BM3 Mike Eiteljorge, former St. Clair shipmate and still a pal. "Hi Mike." Thanks to "TOGETHER WE SERVED," a growing new NAVY website, I was contacted in March 2007 by former St. Clair shipmate PO3 Bobby Moore, whose webpage, "www.stclaircountylst1096.com," gives a history of the ship's Vietnam service.

USS St. Clair County LST-1096

My first ship standing into Long Beach (Homeport: San Diego). A couple of my old shipmates paid a visit to the Clarke. They wanted to tell me what it was like in Vietnam. St. Clair was back from participation in "Operation Silver Lance," where she pulled duty in Can Tho.

--Photo E.J. Morris

SUNSHINE, BEACHES AND...SURF'S UP? Before leaving "the world" get some sunshine, see the palm trees, visit Tiajuana, make a causeway landing. Then stick your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye. INPORT ROUTINE 0600 Reveille, heave out and trice up 0615 Mess gear/ watch routine 0630 Breakfast for the crew 0745 Liberty expires, relieve the watch, muster, inspection 0800 Turn to 1000 XO inspection 1115 Mess gear 1130 Dinner for the crew, knock off 1145 Relieve the watch 1300 Turn to 1545 Relieve the watch 1600 Knock off, Liberty call 1700 Inport fire party drill 1745 Mess gear 1800 Supper for the crew 1900 Security watch, eight o'clock reports 2000 Movie call 2100 Sweepers 2200 Taps

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ARRIVAL, PEARL HARBOR

USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL Every visit to Pearl Harbor is a virtual trip back in time to that Sunday morning of December 7, 1941.

The Memorial

This was my 4th stop at Pearl Harbor and, incredibly, we were there on Dec. 7, 1966.

Was that coincidence a portent of our fate?


--NPS Photo

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UNDERWAY GUAM

America's Day Begins In Guam.
"Hafa Dai."


20-something years after WWII, a lone Japanese soldier is discovered living in a cave on one of the Marianas islands, so a newspaper said. One wonders what he thought of 727 jet airliners. Or of B-52 bombers flying over to Vietnam.

ARRIVE GUAM, M. I.

At the pier in...in This is homeport, where we came for repairs and relief from duty in the 'Nam. So, to make our acquaintances and round off the year, we did Christmas here. The deepest water in the world is here, too.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS?

Well, none of that shit. There ain't no fat guy with gifts out here. The best you'll get is a foot in the ass just as soon as this Holiday Rootie-Tootie is over. Then it's "turn to, hubba hubba chop chop, do it to it all the way to 'Nam. Let me hear you say you love it."



Bob Hope's Guam Christmas Show