Goal: "... Request any service veteran who finds it to list his or her favorite memory during their time in the service along with their log-on report of the find."
You are making me tear up. USN veteran; 1975-1979 active, '79-81 inactive reserves.
I could write a book. My favorite memory, eh? Wow. I was in Jimmy Carter's Peace Time Navy - there were no public conflicts going on in the world at that point in time. I joined the Shiney Stein (FF-1065) on February 14th, 1976 in Portland Oregon. Our 6 month westpac cruise in '78 out of San Diego visited dozens of ports where we saw not only the western Pacific, we spent a fair amount of time loading 3000 coconuts in Diego Garcia and delivering them to Rodriguez many miles south in the Indian Ocean. On the way back, we headed up in the sea of Okhotsk north of Japan, chasing Russians and icebergs around. We visited Africa, Iran, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, The Philippines, Guam, Hawai'i, Midway and Mauritius. Mostly, we spent 5 to 8 days at sea, then 3-5 days in each port. We spent a month in the Philippines and 17 days in Japan. Yea... I've got my cruise book in my lap just reminiscing. Thanks!