When I last saw her in 1978, the Rosy was almost a ghost town, waiting at the Mayport Naval Station piers to be towed away. That final visit brought back some of the many memories she had left in my mind from my three years of sea duty aboard her in the early Sixties. They came tumbling back as I walked through the deserted hangar bays that used to be packed with air craft, and stood on the now empty bridge (smaller than I remembered), where I had spent so many action-packed hours as the Officer of the Deck-launching and recovering aircraft, coming alongside to rearm or replenish stores, or pulling into port. That bridge navigation table had even served as a diaper changing station for our daughter Karen, during a “Med Cruise” in 1964 when the Rusty Bucket was anchored off Cannes, France.
The memories of that proud old ship seemed even sharper somehow as we walked the almost deserted decks and passageways for the last time…
…It was when we first deployed from Mayport in September 1962, steaming resolutely eastward to relieve the USS Saratoga, that I was introduced to the “Sea Bat.” Walking up the hangar deck to go on watch, a crowd of sailors was hunched over something in the center of the group and there was a lot of “Wow, look at that…Jeez, I’ve never seen one THAT big!”
© Copyright 2017-2022 BelleAire Press
Other works by Dr. Connors…
Baited Trap, the Ambush of Mission 1890
Now Available As E-Pub
Baited Trap, The Ambush of Mission 1890 is the story of helicopter rescue Mission 1890, one of the most heroic—and costly—air rescues of the Korean War. This harrowing Air Force-Navy mission is explained in compelling detail, creating a detailed personal account of what five incredibly brave and determined Air Force and Navy airmen achieved on June 25, 1952 in the infamous “Iron Triangle.”
The Korean War’s Greatest Love Story
Baited Trap is much more than a heroic war story from the “forgotten war.” It is also the Korean War’s greatest love story, following Wayne and Della Lear, Bobby Holloway, Ron Eaton and Dolly Sharp, and Frankie and Archie Connors as they tried to put their lives and families together even as the Korean War was reaching out to engulf them.
Truckbusters From Dogpatch: the Combat Diary of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing in the Korean War, 1950-1953
Truckbusters from Dogpatch is the most comprehensive Korean War unit history yet prepared–over 700 pages summarizing squadron histories and first person accounts—and includes over 1,000 never before published photographs and images, highlighted by the 8 ½ x 11-inch format.
Arguably, Truckbusters From Dogpatch is the most authoritative unit history ever prepared on the Korean War. In addition to consulting formerly classified squadron histories filed monthly throughout the conflict, the author was in touch with hundreds of veterans of the 18th—pilots and ground crew—whose personal recollections add vivid detail and emotion to the facts recounted in the official documents.
Recent Log Entries by CAPT Connors…
Carrier Captain’s Night Orders: “Call Me…”
After reading these Night Orders you can better appreciate what training, attention to duty, and vigilance was required by underway watchstanders in those days. What has changed since then that has resulted in the recent tragic collisions between U.S. Navy ships and other vessels?
“We do it all!” (USS Saipan LHA-2 motto)
Saipan CO, CAPT Jack Renard, was not exaggerating when he noted that “without exception, SAIPAN is the most versatile instrument of peace or war on the seas today.” Like its motto pointed out, SAIPAN could do it all.