Comments on: A great day by the Bay http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/10/12/a-great-day-by-the-bay/ Conservatives deal with facts and reach conclusions; liberals have conclusions and sell them as facts. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:10:24 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Bookworm Room » The military — a life with purpose *UPDATED* http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/10/12/a-great-day-by-the-bay/comment-page-1/#comment-83532 Bookworm Room » The military — a life with purpose *UPDATED* Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:00:39 +0000 http://www.bookwormroom.com/?p=4186#comment-83532 [...] In the last two or three years, I’ve spoken with a young Marine about to head off to Afghanistan; spent an enjoyable lunch with an Army recruiter who served a tour of duty in Iraq; got the benefit of a fascinating hour and a half with the XO on a destroyer; crawled in and out of Marine landing craft under the tutelage of Marines anxious to explain all the wonders of the vehicle; been shown more weapons than you can imagine (to my son’s great joy) by sailors or Marines who were just delighted to tell about their “toys”; spent a lovely day on the bridge of a Coast Guard ship; and had a Captain take the time to walk me and my family all over his wonderful Amphibious Assault Ship. [...] [...] In the last two or three years, I’ve spoken with a young Marine about to head off to Afghanistan; spent an enjoyable lunch with an Army recruiter who served a tour of duty in Iraq; got the benefit of a fascinating hour and a half with the XO on a destroyer; crawled in and out of Marine landing craft under the tutelage of Marines anxious to explain all the wonders of the vehicle; been shown more weapons than you can imagine (to my son’s great joy) by sailors or Marines who were just delighted to tell about their “toys”; spent a lovely day on the bridge of a Coast Guard ship; and had a Captain take the time to walk me and my family all over his wonderful Amphibious Assault Ship. [...]

]]> By: Soccer Dad http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/10/12/a-great-day-by-the-bay/comment-page-1/#comment-31586 Soccer Dad Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:05:50 +0000 http://www.bookwormroom.com/?p=4186#comment-31586 <strong>Submitted 10/16/08...</strong> This week's Watcher's Council Submissions are up! * Rhymes With Right- Democrats Object To Fundamentally True Statement - Rhymes with Right defends the head of Virginia's Republican party. I'm not sure I buy it. It was a purposefully inflammatory c... Submitted 10/16/08…

This week’s Watcher’s Council Submissions are up! * Rhymes With Right- Democrats Object To Fundamentally True Statement – Rhymes with Right defends the head of Virginia’s Republican party. I’m not sure I buy it. It was a purposefully inflammatory c…

]]> By: Laer http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/10/12/a-great-day-by-the-bay/comment-page-1/#comment-31540 Laer Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:57:35 +0000 http://www.bookwormroom.com/?p=4186#comment-31540 That brought back some memories from my days on Navy bases while my dad was still in the Service. You didn't mention the smells, though! I love the smell of Navy ships, the steel, the fuel, the lubricants, the power, all melding together into something that's like nothing on earth (because it's at sea!). I remember the Bonnie Dick from when I went to junior high on the Yokosuka USNB. I loved those WWII carriers, and you've inspired me, Book, to head down to San Diego and tour the USS Midway. Your tour sounded great. That brought back some memories from my days on Navy bases while my dad was still in the Service. You didn’t mention the smells, though! I love the smell of Navy ships, the steel, the fuel, the lubricants, the power, all melding together into something that’s like nothing on earth (because it’s at sea!).

I remember the Bonnie Dick from when I went to junior high on the Yokosuka USNB. I loved those WWII carriers, and you’ve inspired me, Book, to head down to San Diego and tour the USS Midway. Your tour sounded great.

]]> By: Bookworm http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/10/12/a-great-day-by-the-bay/comment-page-1/#comment-31296 Bookworm Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:50:42 +0000 http://www.bookwormroom.com/?p=4186#comment-31296 Nicknames make sense. Bonhomme Richard is a mouthful. My 9 year old, showing all the humor a boy his age possesses, kept calling it the "Bonehead." Nicknames make sense. Bonhomme Richard is a mouthful. My 9 year old, showing all the humor a boy his age possesses, kept calling it the “Bonehead.”

]]> By: Oldflyer http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/10/12/a-great-day-by-the-bay/comment-page-1/#comment-31295 Oldflyer Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:40:30 +0000 http://www.bookwormroom.com/?p=4186#comment-31295 Nice story Bookworm. Don't know if anyone pointed out that most Navy ships are known in the fleet by their nicknames. This is particularly true in the Aviation community for carriers. The second Bonhomme Richard was a WWII era, Essex class carrier. She, (and though it may be an anomally, ships are always feminine), was nicknamed "Bonnie Dick" and saw honorable service right through the Viet Nam era. Some of the other nicknames are obvious. John F. Kennedy was "JFK" (although when I was aboard the Captain insisted on "Big John"). Eisenhower is "Ike". Franklin D. Roosevelt was "FDR". Sometimes the nicknames are not too complimentary. Saratoga was "Sara Maru" or sometimes "Sorry Sara". Forrestal earned the name "Forrest Fire" after the horrific event in which John McCain played a role. A few of the names don't bear repeating on a family blog. Nice story Bookworm.

Don’t know if anyone pointed out that most Navy ships are known in the fleet by their nicknames. This is particularly true in the Aviation community for carriers. The second Bonhomme Richard was a WWII era, Essex class carrier. She, (and though it may be an anomally, ships are always feminine), was nicknamed “Bonnie Dick” and saw honorable service right through the Viet Nam era.

Some of the other nicknames are obvious. John F. Kennedy was “JFK” (although when I was aboard the Captain insisted on “Big John”). Eisenhower is “Ike”. Franklin D. Roosevelt was “FDR”. Sometimes the nicknames are not too complimentary. Saratoga was “Sara Maru” or sometimes “Sorry Sara”. Forrestal earned the name “Forrest Fire” after the horrific event in which John McCain played a role. A few of the names don’t bear repeating on a family blog.

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