Service academies may cancel sporting events, including Saturday's Air Force-Navy game

Sporting events this weekend involving U.S. military academies could be canceled due to the government slimdown, including the annual gridiron tilt between Navy and Air Force.

The development imperils dozens of football, soccer and volleyball games, as well as contests in other sports. Canceling the most widely viewed and attended games, such as the Navy-Air Force game and Army’s football game against Boston College, could have ramifications for television schedules and conference rankings.

An Army spokesperson told Fox Sports "it's possible" the weekend's service academy games could be postponed or canceled by the government slimdown.

Navy officials are expecting a record crowd of 40,000 at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium near the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. But the game, scheduled to air on CBS, will not be played if the government slimdown continues through Thursday, officials said.

A decision is expected by noon on Thursday.

Remembering Korea

The Korean War 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 was a war between the Republic of Korea (South Korea), supported by the United Nations, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), at one time supported by the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union. I preface my comments with that bit of information to verify my service in the U.S. Navy from June of 1952 to May of 1956, so I am a Korean Veteran.

I missed mentioning it on the 27th of July. The war actually started at the end of my Senior year in highschool, and I remember my Freshman year at The Citadel, a military school, where unfortunately, it was occasionally announced that a graduate had been killed in the Korean War. Some Seniors who graduated in June knew what their future held. A Second Lieutenant in combat does not have a long life expectancy, so Korea was on everyones mind in one way or another.

One underlying reason I joined, was to carry on a family tradition that started in the Civil War. I don't think I did it to save the world, more so, my ADD kicked in and I was up for something new. I loved boats, and the sea, so that was a logical choice. No forethought, I impulsively enlisted, in Columbia, South Carolina.

They put is all on a train headed for San Diego, California, I was the only "Yankee" in the group. Two or three days on the train, had a lot of fun, the train pulled in to Los Angeles. Saw my first star, Peggy Lee and her entourage, headed East.

I did as little as possible in Boot Camp, was the Company Mailman, got me out of a lot of "duty." I actually did not learn to swim, probably one of the few. Boot Camp to Yeoman School, where I learned how to type, then two years at the Receiving Station in San Diego, then two years on the USS William T. Mitchell TAP-114, and then I became a Veteran.

I vividly remember my first trip to Tokyo and as the ship approached the city there were still many reminders, partially submerged, damaged, destroyed, relics of the recent war, that had ended less than ten years before. I had seen newsreel or some of them, and it was surreal to see them in person, it was a strange feeling. We ported at Inchon and Pusan and I walked around both cities, there were some reminders.

We had two thousand troops aboard, as well as dependents (wives and children) and some civilian government employees. The troops going over were young somewhat apprehensive about what might lay ahead. On the return trip they were seasoned veterans, a bit more arrogant, and some were very quiet and apprehensive, perhaps battle weary. They were Veterans of a very intense war, different from other wars we had fought.

There are still quite a few of us "Vets" around, from Korea, WWII are almost gone, so we are the the last survivors.

The Bridge Builder

I have posted this is the past, but it seems like something that should be considered as we start this new year. I first heard this recited in 1943, in the chapel of the Great Lakes Navy Training Center in Chicago. My brother was enrolled in a V-12 program there,and we went up for a weekend visit. The Chaplain used it in his sermon. Also that Sunday, we had listened to a banjo player, Eddie Peabody, for many years on the radio, and he was also stationed there and played during the service. Have never forgotten the weekend or the poem. Makes one wonder, what are we, today, building for our children, grand children, and great grandchildren?

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way;
You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

Say THANKS to a Veteran

I was in the Navy for four years in the 50's, discharged in 1956, and really never gave much thought to my having served. It was nearing the end of the Korean "Conflict," so there was no parade when I got out. I really never gave much thought to the fact that I had "served." I primarily joined the Navy to avoid getting drafted, and I really don't know why I did that. My brother had been in the Navy so it seemed like a good thing to do, at the time.
  Later on in my life, my son, Brad joined the Navy during "Desert Storm" and, one memory that has never been forgotten, and never will, was the morning they "took him away" in that Navy vehicle. In that instant, I realized what it was like, giving up a son to the service.
  Anyway, he had given me a cap with a gold BMU2 Stingers on it, and his name, DOOLEY embroidered on the back of the cap.
  Craig Young and I were going to an Ohio State football game, against Navy, and do to a variety of situations, it was a very  patriotic game.
  I wore his cap. Shortly after we parked, a man walked over to me, shook my hand, and said "Thanks for your service." First time that had ever happened, and I think it was perhaps the first time I realized that, in fact, I had SERVED my country.
  I had a number of people come up to me that day and say "Thanks." I even had a Navy Captain, sort of wave and give me a salute and say Thank You.
  So, I know what a "Thank You" means to someone who has served. If you see a veteran, or someone in the service, today, tell them "Thanks," it does mean a lot to them.

EVERYONE should listen to THIS

As Veterans Day approaches, PLEASE take the time to listen to this.

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AS IT SHOULD BE HEARD

I "tear up" every time I listen to it ....

and

I try to listen to it at least once a day.

So Should YOU!

And, I was there

Sunday morning, watching an old movie, "She's Back On Broadway," there is a scene in the movie where Virginia Mayo is at the LA airport, with Frank Lovejoy.

I did my Navy "Boot camp" in San Diego, and after that, flew back to Ohio for a visit with family. I flew from San  Diego to LA, had a brief layover, was walking around, and happened to see them filming that segment of the movie. Big incident for a kid from Ohio, that was way back in 1952.

Seattle Weather in Ohio

Forty-six degrees and Cloudy in Ohio today, reminds me of when I lived in Seattle, Washington. I was in the Navy, aboard the USS William T. Mitchell TAP114. I think I went aboard her in the Fall of '54. She was only in port a week or so and then we would ship out to Yokohama and Korea, a week or so over there, and then back to Seattle for a week or so.

I think it was well after Christmas when I was finally able, because of rain, to get out on the golf course. The people out there just get used to a lot of rain. Many things are under a roof. I remember a driving range that was under a roof, two decker as I recall. It was unusual to me in those days.

But, with all the trees and "greenery" around there was a fantastic, fresh aroma in the air, a lot of cedar and pine trees. I was actually "based" in Seattle for two years but only spent a few days there. We often pulled into San Francisco a "yard" period there, and some time in San Diego.

So, I am sitting here, looking out the front window, reminiscing about my time in the Navy, a good four years. In some respects I wish I had done my "20" or so in the Navy, would have missed out on a lot though, so will just sit and reminisce.

How Times Change ............

Watching the news on TV, they mentioned the different ways some Virus could be contracted, kissing, sex ............ etc., and oral sex.

Late 1952 or early 1953, in the Navy, Discipline Office in San Diego, California, I had what was called the "Discharge" Desk. I did the paper work, and discharged all of the UD's and BCD's for the Eleventh Naval District.

One of my first discharges, was a First Class Metalsmith, who was being discharged with an Undesirable Discharge, a UD.

He admitted, aboard ship, to some of his fellow sailors, that he had "oral sex," with his wife. I think different terminology was used in those days, but that covers it.

In the group was a Navy "Investigator," I forget what we called them then, not NCIS, maybe NIS, but something similar. He turned the information over to the "Bureau," and he was placed in the brig awaiting discharge.

How times change .............

My new coffee cup

Had a "memory" experience yesterday. We had not been to the Goodwill Thrift Store for a while, so we decided to stop in there yesterday. We used to hit it once a week, neat to see the shelves full of discarded items and it is inexpensive. Bought a lot of "junk" there, most of which was ultimately donated back to them.

Saw a cup I liked, 67 cents, more than I like to spend, but I liked the cup.

Bought it, brought it home and then I noticed a seal on the back of the cup, got out the magnifying glass and saw it said, "Department of the Navy." A cup from an "Officers Lounge, had seen them many times, but not being an officer had never had the pleasure to drink out of one.

I looked for a picture to use on this blog, found the above one, that cup is selling for $22, and I could not copy the clearer image, it had a copyright on it .

So, I, an old enlisted man, am this morning, drinking coffee out of an officers lounge coffee cup.

What I did in the Navy

I have had a few ask "What did you do in the Navy?"

Well, it's a long story. I went through Boot Camp, then Yeoman School, and I was sent to the Eleventh Naval District, Discipline Office, and was given the "Discharge Desk." That meant I handeled the General, Bad Conduct and Undesirable Discharges for the Eleventh Naval District. That was in late 1952. The world was different then. Interesting duty, to say the least.

I discharged some really hard cases. Some where the Brig Chaser (guard) would stand by the prisoner while I interviewed him. As I recall a few General Discharges, that was the worst. Each GD necessitated the charges being read before the assembled base, throughout the Navy. I remember after the Brinks Robbery, the FBI came on base and questioned some of our "inmates" in the Brig, to see if they had any information on who might have done it. One man had sold arms to the enemy in Korea, a lot of AWOL's and in general, just some really bad a...guys. On more than one occasion, there would be a robbery or a murder, somewhere and we would be visited by some agency, to question someone in our custody.

I basically did nothing but type up the discharge papers, all the preliminary work was done, the court martial or whatever prompted the discharge. Then they were sent to our Brig to await the completion of all the paperwork. We had Brig Chasers, guards who would bring the prisoners over, do the interview, type up the DD-214 and everything necessary to complete the discharge, because once they were handed those papers, escorted off the base, they were out of our jurisdiction.

We "graduated" on Wednesday and Friday. Paperwork done the two days before discharge, a visit to the San Diego Police Station by the "class." The SPD would check to see of there were any outstanding warrants or tickets on any of the prisoners. Each prisoner discharged would get transportion furnished to his place of enlistment, or his home at the time of enlistment, so as far as the SDPD was concerned, that was their last chance to nail them.

I'm not going to get into the UD's they were issued for a variety of reasons, some, today quite controversial, so will leave that subject alone. We discharged some, in those days, that would not be discharged today. One kid was allergic to salt water, the Navy was not a good place to be. He was from Iowa and had never been away from home so when he got to San Diego, that's when his problem began.

Before going aboard ship, the USS William T. Mitchell TAP-114, I did a month or so of Shore Patrol Duty at the Mexican Border in Tijuana, but that is another whole story, as you can imagine.

The Army-Navy Game

The Army Navy Game today. We see a group of young people who hopefully will be leading the country in the future. They come running out, carrying the American Flag, the jets fly overhead, the Corp is on the field, certainly brings tears to my eyes, the West Point Glee Club sang the National Anthem, the way it should be sung. And one thing that is so evident, that we rarely see today, RESPECT.

We will be seeing a lot of football in the next few weeks, but none will be a finer example of the youth of America than we see today in this game. If there is hope for this country, we are watching what could be a major portion of that hope.

GO Navy!

Rosa Parks - 1955

In 1955 I was in the Navy, stationed on the USS William T. Mitchell TAP114, spending most of my time at sea between the states and Japan and Korea.

My early life, living at home, we had Sadie, who I had known almost all of my life. Sadie was black, I knew that, but never thought of her that way, she was Sadie, almost a member of the family. My Mom would get up early to have the house cleaned up so it looked good when Sadie, our housekeeper and cook, arrived.

I ate Sadie's food for eighteen years. One afternoon, I was maybe eight or nine or so, there was something I wanted to do and Sadie said "no." I called her the "N" word. I don't know why, I never thought of her that way, but that day, it was the most insulting thing I could think of. I have never forgotten that incident, and never will. I guess in my whole life, if there was something I could take back, that would be it.

We had a few neighbors who were very racist, only had one or two blacks at Emerson Junior High School, and they were generally nicknamed "Snowball." Never thought about it.

Blacks rode in the back of the Brown Street bus, never gave a thought as to why. 1943 we moved out to Oakwood, a very affluent area of the city. All of the black "maids" rode in the back of the bus, never thought about the "why" of it, it was just the way it was.

1950, I went to college at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, in the deep South. The epitome of segregation. My first demerits were for calling a black lady "Mam." They worked in the mess hall, our food was in bowls and platters, when any were empty it was up to a "Dewilly" or a "Plebe," freshmen, to hold the empty platter up till they were taken back to the kitchen and refilled. I did, no one noticed, I said, "Mam,"

"What DID YOU CALL HER?"

"Mam."

"That's a "N-----" ........ Dewilly."

After the Navy I lived in Reno, Nevada, 1956, NO BLACKS allowed in the clubs in Reno, except The New China Club, which was for "them."

Never thought about the whys, it was just the way that things were. All nationalities were welcome, Indians, any race, just NO BLACKS.

Rosa Parks had done her share to get the situation gradually turning around. I was in the Primm, not sure of the year, late 50's or probably the early 60's when the doors were opened for Blacks. So, in my lifetime I have seen it turn around.

It was just the way it was, I never gave any thought to WHY, it was just the way it was.

There are those who asked WHY, Rosa Parks was one of those.

I have often wondered how and why the people in Germany in the 30's and 40's allowed the atrocities to happen, they saw them and looked the other way, it was just the way it was.

OSU - Navy

I had not been to an Ohio State football game for a number of years, till yesterday.

Near the stadium, where some of the crowd gathered, reminds you of a war zone. Every branch of police is there, all types of security, police dogs, police on horses, riot squads and various types of military vehicles.

They had 105 thousand plus at the game, many more outside the stadium, tailgating and watching the game on TV, and I don't know how many policemen. Football Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio.

It was a patriotic day. They played Navy. They payed tribute to all service people, everywhere. The two teams entered the field, together, so that the crowd roar was the same for both teams. I doubt that has ever been done before. They may have started a tradition that will follow all of the Service Academy's. A salute for those who have served as well as the Academy players, who will serve.

I am a Korean Veteran. To be on the safe side, I wore an Ohio State shirt, with my son's USS ELROD hat. I had a number of people thank me for my service, and one naval officer gave me a half wave, half salute. I have never played the veteran card before, but I did feel like a veteran, yesterday. I think I am going to buy a Korean War Veteran hat and start wearing that.

Navy did not return the favor, they almost upset the Buckeyes.

Ohio State tribute to the Navy Team

At The Ohio State University stadium on Saturday, as a tribute to our men and women who serve and to the Navy football team, there is a fan based movement underway to honor the Midshipmen.

When the Navy football team takes the field on opening day, the plan is for everyone in Ohio Stadium to stand and cheer. And no, we’re not talking polite golf clap here, to make it just as big as if it were the Buckeyes coming out across the field.

This movement was conceived by a Michigan graduate, Class of '99, who works in the OSU athletic department as an English Interpreter.

A voice from my past ..... heard from today

"You've got a call, someone named ..... Moody."

The wheels started spinning right away, "Moody!"

I forget how he started the conversation, trying to remind me who he was, he didn't know I needed NO reminding ...... Moody, Riverside, no, Modesto, California ..... tall, black curly hair .....

It was a real rush .... memories came flooding back so fast, pizza, the apartment, the Navy, Receiving Station, Tijuana, Rosarito Beach Hotel ............

My best friend from ..... 55 years ago ............. we talked till my phone died, then I called him back and we talked some more...

I am still on an emotional high .... so many memories, such a great time in my life, and he was such a big part of it.

I ate my first pizza with him, cheese and sausage .. he remembered too.

Why not, its only been 55 or so years ....

I am still excited, he opened a flood gate of memories .....