Crew's Logbook, Continued

Why was The Battlecruiser, and its people, special to you?

The USS Yorktown was the 2nd of 6 ships I served on; however, Yorktown holds some of my fondest memories.  Moving to the PRECOM in Pascagoula, MS was the first of many experiences and memories (trying crawdads for the first time).  All the pre-workups, designing “Tin Man” (Ms. Mary’s Sentinel Statue) getting the ship to sea, Shock Trials, and so much more. I started my CPO initiation on Yorktown too; however, I was transferred to USS Connolly because Yorktown could only have one HTC.  It was hard to leave my shipmates behind and all that we experienced together; however, I took with me, and still carry with me, those memorable times.  I wish I could have attended previous reunions. Timing, location, and duty stations just did not align.  Lastly, I must say Ms. Mary was another memory I hold close to my chest. What a strong and loving woman. We went to see her at the restaurant one time and she was so excited to have us there and treated us like royalty; however, she was the true royalty. To her the crew was family, as she truly loved us to the end. Fair Winds and Following Seas to all of the crew of the USS Yorktown.

"Yorktown was my first ship that I was PCS'ed to. Reporting to the precomm unit in Gula as a CTM1 I had no idea what to expect? From precomm, sea trials, shock test to commissioning and med cruise it was quite the ride. My time spent on board the Yorktown was one of the greatest times I had in the Navy other than my Chiefs initiation. Thank you Yorktown and crew for all those memorable moments it was truly my pleasure serving with all of my shipmates! Looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion."

"Yorktown was my first ship as an officer. I was in charge of the CTs/EWs. I thoroughly enjoyed the time aboard. I had a good division. They performed well in the Med and Black Sea. Though my division should have been in the Operations Department, I enjoyed the combat systems depafrtent. I learned a lot from CDR Terrell, Lt Ploeger , LT Eschbach and CWO4 Pinto. I look forward to seeing y shipmates again."

"I was the first post-plankowner assigned to the Yorktown as ship’s baker. I arrived, shore power cables were pulled onboard and we departed for overseas deployment.  I was aboard when we Yorktown received its first Navy Expeditionary Medal for maritime operations in the Gulf of Sidra.  Yorktown was a great ship to be on and had a great crew."

"The Yorktown was my first ship ('84-'88). I remember precom, shock trials, degaussing and 2 deployments. The crew is what made Yorktown home. I will always have fond memories of the friends I made and the times we had. Fair winds and following seas to all my Yorktown brethren."

“There are certain moments in my life I can look back and say, yes that definitely had an impact on everything from that time forward. This is how I feel about the Yorktown. I couldn’t sit here and name everyone I had the pleasure of working with, but I think there should definitely be some honorable mentions. LCDR Robinson; I’d follow that man to hell and back if he asked me to. Raybob Sewell…need I say more? My constant companions Bringhurst, Payne, Von Mosh, and Dang; God bless you guys for making sure my @ss got back on the ship (too many times). All of these guys and more molded me to become the person I am today. Without being too righteous or grandiose, you guys helped me form a career that has provided a good life for me and my family. There are not enough words to express my profound gratitude. I’m looking forward to kicking back with a couple cold ones with everyone, talking about Glory Days at the Circle K.”

"I was transferred to the PRECOM crew on the USS Yorktown, CG-48, in January 1984 and stayed onboard until 1986. I have fond memories of the buffalo bar and grill where we met on occasion and did some unwinding. I went through my Chiefs initiation on while on this great ship it was an honor for me to be the first TMC onboard her. I also met my wife while stationed on the Yorktown . In addition she is very dear to me because of all of the great friends and shipmates I met while stationed on the Yorktown. She will never be forgotten. Hope to see you all at the reunion God willing and the creek don't rise."

"Guido and Coach" a.k.a, John Glidden and Kirk Muhlbach

"Greeting to all the Landlaubbers, Sea Lawyers , Salts, swabs, squareknots, Master Chiefs, Gold Brickers, and other scavengers of the Seven Seas. To all ye Plankowners that shared the times and honor to Commission a fine Naval ship. To all the men of MER 1 and MER 2. I am representing both Guido, GSMCM Ret and me Coach, SOCM Ret. We were and still are a Team, all had some good times and better times, many times I still remember, some sober, most hilarious, few tragic. Our Friday night sprints to New Orleans, that shack we squatted in in Gula, having Thunder ask the cops if he could “watch over us” instead of taking us to the pokie, our camping excursions, canoe trips which ended up with very little clothes and still had 2 cases of beer, and working our asses off, running magnets over floppy discs to see if they would really mess them up, and we never did find the car we lost on the way back from N.O. Ah, the MER 1 Flag painted air duct was completed as a therapy session while we had “no liberty”. Guido and I recently ran into each other after too many years, a little heavier and moving slower, we had our normal debates (sin tequila) as it was 30 something years ago, but as time has mellowed us, neither ended up bloody or with broken ribs. Remembering we began our journey as the intake washers of the USS John Rodgers DD 983 and colluded to get orders for the Yorktown. I went back to the commissioning book and remembered he always had on less ribbon than me. I say because I ran faster and he just got a little more “unruly”, he just shakes his head. Knowing we will always share the bond, we will always be Guido and Coach. All you GSMs, Marv, Ramage, Mayo, Oneson, Mass, Bloxom and folks in M,E and A gang. Good on you all, we share the bond as Plankowners of the Yorktown. Guido went on to have a great career of mentorship and many ships. I departed from Yorktown after the Commissioning and ended my career the same week of the Decommissioning as SOCM. We are not able to join you all but have fun and drink a tequila for us. I want to send personal thank you to an enlisted leader that supported my career choice of going to BUDS. Thanks JJ, you said words to the effect, “thats some crazy shit and not many guys make it but I will say yes if you want me to” But it’s really not that crazy because we did it with heart and purpose."