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The deck gang heading ashore to the Cupi Bar for a
"nooner." Me on the left. Honolulu was our home port, but we
also spent quite a bit of time in Guam. In those days seamen got to
play hard as well as work hard. These days it's all work and no
play. That's progress. An Able Bodied Seaman in those days, I had more
fun than I've ever had since getting my mate's license --
with the exception of the period I spent with MSTS Far East
Command as a Third Mate on the USNS Muskingum -- the best job I ever
had.
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One of my primary forms of recreation was to head for the
jungles of Oahu's windward mountain range -- to get away from the
maddening crowds of Honolulu. I spent many weekends hiking in the mountains
or bicycling around the island. The city of Honolulu wasn't
my favorite liberty port.
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One reason I've chosen these photos is that they show
the one time in my life when I was really on the ball. Here
myself (top center), and another AB are scrubbing the ball in
Cairns, Australia. The ball was really a nylon balloon held up only
by air pressure. We could bounce on it like a trampoline, in the
comfort and security of our bos'un chairs.
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The Kingsport was assigned to act as communications vessel
for the Gemini manned satellite program. The 60 foot
"ball" housed a 30 foot parabolic communications
antenna. We relayed transmissions between the Gemini astronauts
and mission control in Houston from strategic points in the West
Pacific and Indian Oceans. Cairns, Australia was one of our ports of
call.
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