Setting up the story...

My first 3 years in the Navy I spent at China Lake, California, at the Naval Weapons Test Center, in the Mojave Desert. Don't let the name fool you, China Lake is a dry lake bed, perfect for a bombing range, but not so good for fishing, right?

While I actually did enjoy it there, I had joined the Navy to see the world and the adventure. So when I saw a helicopter squadron in Guam on my list of choices, I was pretty excited. Not only that, but I got to spend 4 months in San Diego for helicopter training, first. Great deal!

I arrived in Guam, USA after about 16 hours flight time, crossing six time zones and the International Date Line. I was checked into Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Five (HC-5), at Naval Air Station, Agana. I spent the ten months working in corrosion control, as an aircraft painter. Again, not what I had really expected, but it was nice on a tropical island.

Finally my name was put on a detachment list. I was to embark on USS Niagara Falls, AFS-3, for PAC-EX 88, from September 90 to October 90, which was then followed by a full WEST-PAC cruise, from November 90 to March 91. The AFS stands for Auxiliary, Fresh Stores, or something like that, but the skipper called it Attack Food Ship, since it had two 3 inch guns on the bow. We deployed in support of various battle groups in the area, and replenished our supply of fresh fruits and vegetables every couple weeks or so.

We also had liberty calls in the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bali, Muscat, Fugarah, and Australia. Along the way I had the "honor" of participating in Shellback initiation, when we crossed the equator. This is a time honored naval tradition where the "slimy pollywogs", the initiated are made worthy to be called Trusty Shellbacks, by doing all sorts of demeaning unmentionables, crawling on hands and knees, swimming in week old garbage, getting flogged with pieces of fire hose, and barking like a dog. Just ask any salty sailor about "wog day" or crossing the line.

I got back to Guam around mid March, and by mid June I was already going back out. I was scheduled to make a short cruise on board the USNS Kilauea, T-AE-26, from mid-June to late July. We went to Philippines for most of the time, and then made a quick trip up to Japan. The USNS Kilauea, which has a civilian crew, is part of the Military Sealift Command. The ships mission is delivering munitions to forward deployed battle groups. Munitions is things like bombs. Lots and lots of bombs.

We got back to Guam around the first of August, and stood down, took leave and relaxed. I was at the auto hobby shop, working on a car, listening to the radio, when I heard about the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. I just knew I was going to get more sea time and ribbons out of that. We stood up our two HH-46D Seaknights, six pilots, one warrant officer, and 27 enlisted maintenance crew in what was undoubtedly record time. If we had only known a few days sooner, we would not have stood down from the last det, as we took most of the same people.

Coming up next...
DAY ONE
18 AUGUST, 1990