Popeye the sailor, remembering those
Always watched popeye the sailor cartoon featuring olive and Bluto, in fact I stayed out of shool sometimes just to have fun with my favorite animated friends.
The year was 1988, ten years later, I awoke to the sound of a trumpet, blowing that sound that always give me goose bumps and the 4:30 wake up call to duty.
Bootcamp at Great lakes ILL, lasted about two months, at which time the eager sailors wishing those two months passed by with the quickness.
Graduation from boot camp, every sailor receives orders depicting where they were headed. After spending time with my family, I headed to california where I spent a year stationed at Coronado California.
Before long I was in the middle of the Persian Gulf, with so much going on I hardly remembered how I got there. All I knewq was I had to be in tuned with being out at sea for month's on end.
There came a time when I remembered what a Vietnam veteran told me. He told me that there will come a time when I may be asked to put the well being of the Ship and sailors before my very own life.
A fire broke out in the oxygen plant next door to where I stood on watch on two generators, with two inches of steel seperating me from an explosion that claimed the lives of four of my fellow ship mates,
I can only look back now and remember my favorite cartoon character and I scurried like a confused mouse running from an uncertain future.
It was my turn to have some real spinach in my veigns as I was tasted to secure all power to affected spaces and I had 60 seconds to comple central commands orders or the space I was in would be sealed with me in it to save the ship.
Popeye came through for me as he secured power to affected spaces, luckily the clock stopped thicking at approx 58 seconds. A sigh of relief, I got to see another sun rise, but I still to this day always remember those four and every other warrior, civil servant and affiliate who dared to compete in life's mysterious journey.
There's a lot to remember on Memorial day
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Great story! I watched Popeye a lot too. I like how you show how it is for those who are in the thick of it, many losing their lives. Memorial Day is often just a day off or draws honor in some official presentation. Here were see how if feels to be "out there". Each moment of life is so precious and a real gift to experience.
Hey Harmonic, how u, hope all's well. Yes, time is always of the essence. Thank you for dropping by and be well
Its amazing the strength that we can all find that is hidden within us Glenn both Physical and Mental you have indeed a few more Sun Rises to get through yet all the best.
Thank you my sister and I feel blessed to be around this beautiful community. God's blessings
Very good story. It is good that the clock stoped when it did. Have a good Memorial Day remembering those who's clock ran out. As they say, "All gave some and some gave all".
Hey Larry, how u, yeah man I will never forget those ticking seconds. Thanks for dropping by and have a great Memorial weekend
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Great story Glenn! We don't get burned out by what we do. Only when we forget why we are doing it.---------Darren Hardy.
Thanks for the reminder. Be well