Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Goodbye, Mike Almasy, good buddy!


We lost a good buddy and boatswain mate with the passing of Mike Almasy last week. 
Mike Almasy
 
Mike and I came aboard around the same time in November 1966 when the ship, just out of the yards, brought on an almost new crew.   We were both assigned to 1st Division where he and I were among the very few boots who didn't spend most of those first few weeks, seasick.  Our division First-Class, "Jake" Jacobson, seemed to notice that and took Mike and I under his wing.  Of the new crew, we were the first to be put up and pass the Seaman 1st, and Third Class exams.
During extended periods in port, Mike and I  shared apartments (around $60 a month for a bachelor apartment shared by up to six shipmates) --- no cost was too much to get off the ship, or so we thought.  We volunteered for Vietnam duty together and received our transfer orders within a few days of each other in November 1968 both for boat duty:  Mike in Danang and me in Qui Nhon.
For a couple teenagers, those two years aboard the Gal were formative --- thousands of watches, holy stoning, chipping paint and  ice, over ten thousand  miles steamed, exotic  port-o-calls, a consecutive forty-three days at sea during/following  the Six Day War,  and ... a few beers.  Actually, our mutual liberty plan was always to go ashore, visit some local churches, have one beer,  and return to the ship.  We rarely visited any churches and never had just one beer.


Bindl & Almasy, Long Beach Apartment, 1968 with my foot

Mike and I pretty much lost contact until the 2010 Galveston Reunion in Memphis where all was resumed.  And then again, until Pete Bindl (another 1st Div BM, buddy, roommate, Vietnam volunteer...) traveled, earlier this month, to spend time with  Mike, one last time.  Cancer had robbed Mike of his body, but not his mind.  He could smile when I told him I brought him a beer,  to watch me drink.  He could even muster the strength to add a few words (corrections) to the sea stories Pete and I spun.
Mike's wife, Shirley, is an angel.  She took the time to notify me of Mike's passing, when she could/should have been only concerned with her loss.  She fed Pete and I when we were there -- when  we all knew we should have been reducing her work load.  And she argued with me when I told her I thought Mike was lucky ---until I clarified "to have had her in his life". 

Shirley & Mike Almasy
 
I'm a better man for having known Mike and can only hope that someone will say the same thing about me someday.

Bob Rank

Monday, April 8, 2013

New Slide Show on Your Website


If you were aboard the Gal between 1961 and 1964, you might recognize some of the faces in a video, slide show just added to the Ships History / Video page.  The slide show was submitted by shipmate Charles Renshaw  (FN R-division 61-64)  who says it was put together by his grandson. 

Before sending me the DVD containing the slide show, Charles sent Keith and me an email wondering why there hadn't been any activity on this blog since 2011.  We both sort of told him it's the shipmate's website -- not Bob & Keith's. It will only remain interesting, if the association members continue to submit photos, videos, articles of interest...

If you haven't digitized your old photos yet, it's never been easier to get it done.  Walgreens Drug Store will copy photos to a DVD  for 49 cents an image plus about $10 for the DVD.  Better yet tell your kids or grand kids that a digital record of your Navy days would make a great gift -- much better than another ______ (insert here whatever you have more than enough of already).  Then send me a copy -- I'll return it if requested.  Just email me Bob@USSGaleston.org and I'll reply with mailing instructions.

It's your website -- it's up to you.
Bob Rank, BM3, 1966-68