50 Cubi Shipmates

MidwayJoe listening to shortwave radio. It was
great being able to pick up the overseas
stations I had tried to get from the states. I
was using a Zenith Transoceanic radio that I
still have in working condition. At that time
Communist China was transmitting a lot of anti-
US propaganda from Radio Peking.

L. to R. - C. Michelson AGAN, J. Brignone AG3, R.
Rowan AGAN ready for liberty. Despite the heat
and humidity we were "real cool" or so we
thought. Cubi Pt. Enlisted Men's barracks in
background.

My best buddy and still good friend R. Rowan
AGAN. We went on "mucho" liberties together,
Bagio being one of our favorite destinations.
"Rome" and I have stayed in touch until this day
although not as often as we would like. He is one
of the great friends in my life and when we get a
chance to visit, the old BS really flies. We used to
sit in the washroom of the barracks and play our
guitars because we thought it sounded like an
echo chamber. The Marines across the way didn't
think our noise making was so great and usually
told us so in not so friendly language.

B. Valenta AG1 and B. Raney AG2 checking the
weather reports from other locations in the
South Pacific area. With no satellites and very
little info coming out of Communist China, we
didn't have the reporting data they have today
and sometimes just getting enough info to
draw the weather map was difficult.

MidwayJoe typing the duty weather
forecast. As we were short of 1st Class
Petty Officers, 2nd Class POs like myself if
drawing ProPay could work as duty
forecasters. It was one of the most
challenging yet rewarding experiences of
my life. If you didn't "get it right" you
sure heard about it from the pilots who had
to fly through it. There was none of
today's "20 percent chance of rain" stuff
you see on TV. The pilots wanted to know,
and rightly so, exactly where and when the
weather was going to take place. They
would bring back reports to let you know if
and where you messed up.

After Captain's Inspection some of the
"Weather Gang" relaxes in the weather
office. L. to R. - C. Michelson AGAN, R.
Rowan AGAN, (seated) B. Raney AG2,
MidwayJoe AG3 and G. Getty AGAA. Even
off duty, the weather office was a "hang
out" because it was air conditioned and
it was right below the air traffic control
tower where on quiet evenings some
great card games took place.

AG1 Tarpley talking to our new division
officer, (can't remember his name).
MidwayJoe just standing with a grin on
my face. Probably heard the "HUKS"
were attacking the Marine ammo dump
again.

My last "shipping over" lecture. The propaganda
and shoe shine didn't work. L. to R. - C. Michelson
AG3, MidwayJoe, AG2(P1) and H. Bischoff AG3.
Giving the shoe shine was J. Hoyt AN.

"The String Dusters" performing at "Mom's" nightclub in Olongapo, PI. L. to R. - MSGT Jim Nash
USMC, SGT Jim Kelson USMC and AG2 Joe Brignone USN (MidwayJoe). I hadn't been playing guitar
very long and this was a great experience for me. Nothing like a room full of drunken sailors for
a rousing good time. I guess the music was OK as we didn't get any bottles thrown our way.
After getting out of the Navy in 1960, I continued with music and played all over the Pacific
Northwest until 1990 when I went to work for the Sheriff's Dept in Tacoma, WA. I wrote a song
about Desert Storm that was played across the US and on Armed Forces Radio and received a
nice "thank you" letter from General Norman Schwarzkopf which I am very proud of.