Ray Plumlee's an American Odyssey
Traveling Webmaster's Deck Log
This is a copy of my old Deck Log (Online Journal). I am now using an online blog at my "Have Web Sites Will Travel" web site. I use it to chronolog my travels around North America (my American Odyssey).
This "Old" Deck Log is now only an archive of past postings. It tell's the reader where I have visited and what adventures I have had up til the time I started my blog on Have Web Sites Will Travel. This archive was written primarily from the perspective of a tourist. Not necessarily my work log though I may do some of that too, especially in those early days when I built the sites resouces. Initially I used it to detail my efforts in getting prepared for the adventure. Then I chronicled the adventure itself.
To read my current Blog, Deck Log, Journal or Captains Log go here.
Date: 12 August 2003 3:06 PM
Location: City: Meridian State: Idaho
Log Entry Title: An Aside: A Strange But Wonderful Thing is Happening This Week
Log Entry: Since I am only in the preparation phase of this project I had planned only to have one journal entry per week. However, a strange, but wonderful, thing has happened. Suddenly several of my former shipmates have decided to get in contact with me. One shipmate, I first met, 30 years ago!
First:
Rafael "George" Rey and I were stationed together, back in the early 70's, at the Yokohama, Japan, Navy Telecommunications Station, Japan Microwave Relay Site and Tandem Telephone Switching Center in Yokohama. This small 15 to 20 person detachment was located (may still be there but I'm sure is not manned by Navy personnel) in the US Navy housing area in Negishi Heights. What was neat about this place was we all lived in the Negishi Heights housing area and all walked the 4 or 5 minutes to work each day.
George and I were originally ordered to Kizarazu, Japan. Once I and my family arrived in Yokohama, aboard the SS President Cleveland (that will be another reminiscence on another day) I found out that I was really assigned to Negishi Heights and the Tandem Telephone Switching Center. That the orders to Kizarazu was a paper game employed to increase manning at the Negishi facility. I never actually saw the Kizarazu facility as it was an unmanned microwave relay station on the other side of Tokyo Bay.
Over the years George and I have sort of kept contact. The first time after we transferred from the Negishi site was in 1980 or 81 while I was stationed in Holy Loch, Scotland. George had left active duty and was in the reserves. He had made Chief and was looking to apply for a commission. He had heard that I had gotten my commission so he decided to call me and get some ideas and suggestions about how to put together a successful application. Then again about 1986, 87 or 88 while I was stationed at TRF Bangor (Trident Refit Facility) George was in town on temporary duty and we again chatted. This was after George had finished his assignment with the Navy detachment that assisted Geologist Robert Ballard, when they discovered the Titanic on September 1, 1985.
Then of course when I received a message from George the other day. He to is retired (Lieutenant Commander) and is now running his own consulting business, Cotts Technologies, out of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Then:
Captain Robert "Bob" Aiken, USN (Ret) contacted me. He was my Commanding Officer while I was aboard the USS Norton Sound AVM-1 or more affectionately known as the "Snorton Norton." During his tenure and most of my time aboard the Norton Sound (August 1970 to June 1972) we crossed the equator on several occasions and also did the "special mission." I would tell you what that means but then I would have to kill you. Captain Aiken retired from the Norton Sound and when on to another career of 18 years with Rockwell International as the Program Manager for Submarine Control Systems.
And just today:
Joel Ames, who was a chief (I forget which type as we were all working out of our career fields at the time.) while I was on my "Twilight Tour" of duty before retirement at Submarine Base New London, in Groton, Connecticut. We were part of the team that "stood-up" The Environmental Compliance Department for the Naval Submarine Base, New London. The thing I remember most that Joel and I did was chase "rainbows" or oil sheens all over the base with the great guys from the base fire department. That was the days when the base was being sued by the state of Connecticut and they were chasing every possible environmental problem, real or imagined. Joel soon after retirement went to work for the Commander Navy Region Northeast, Regional Environmental Compliance Office where he is still employed.
Well that's all the reminiscing I will do today. But you have to admit that the last week has been interesting as far as people from my past goes.
Ray Plumlee
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