Comments: Hey Higbee Sailors! I am John Jones, ex-EN2. I was on the USS Reclaimer ARS 42 when you guys were hit by that MIG, in 1972. We were just outside of Danang when we got the call that you had been hit, were on fire, and down by the stern. I was one of the first guys over to your ship, when we got there, and ran one of the big salvage pumps into the spaces under the gunmount. What a day, Huh? I am requesting a statement from anyone who was there, that, yes indeed, we did what we did that day and night. I am compiling information for my book, and for the VA. Hope all is well with you guys I met that day, and were able to help. Thanks, John Jones.
Comments: HELLO FELLOW SHIPMATES. BOY WHAT MEMORIES AS I READ YOUR COMMENTS. BOSUN SLEEPING IN THE AIR CONDITIONED SHIPS OFFICE. LATE NIGHTS AT SEA PRESSING LIBERTY WHITES IN THE LAUNDRY. PLAYING HEARTS THE THE SHIPS OFFICE AT NIGHT. ROB WITH HIS OWN PERSONAL "LITTLE GRAY JITNEYS". FRESH PASTRIES FROM THE GALLEY AT NIGHT THANKS TO RON. THE BUD MAN WITH A LOVE IN EVERY PORT. YES BILLY, THOSE WERE THE DAYS. WELL GUYS I HOPE YOU HAVE YOUR DRESS WHITES READY, CUZ IT'S LIBERTY CALL IN OLONGAPO, HAVE A SAFE LIBERTY & KEEP THOSE MEMORIES COMING.
Comments: Billy Bud I have pictures of us in Mount 51's ammo handling room. Then I was moved into the mount 51's magazine at the bottom of the ship for the USS Pueblo incident. Were you down there also? Our orders were to tow the Pueblo or sink her. You're right about the towing line on deck. We were assigned to be the lead ship to enter the harbor which was guarded with 2 twin 14" guns at the mouth of the harbor that the US Navy couldn't knock out during the Korean war as they are well built into the side of the mountain. So Higbee would come under fire for 10 miles before we could shoot back & hit them, plus we were told that if we were hit heading straight in, the 14" projectile would probably hit the bridge - forward, and Higbee would sink from the explosion of that one large round. Then we were told how cold the water was and long before we'd survive if we went into the drink. We stayed at General Quarters for hours/days eating baloni sandwiches with mustard, which I hate. They also gave us RUM @ Sick Bay after we refueled in the sub-freezing weather one evening. I always "Remember the Pueblo" Day Jan. 23, 1968 and visit their web-site at least yearly. Also her sister ship, the USS Liberty (web-site) is very interesting as the effects of the 1967 war still haunt us to this day. See YA Mate.
Comments: Hello Higbee Shipmates! I'm glad to see that most of the website is up and running again. I have to wonder what happened to the pictures I sent in (they were on the website until about a year ago) that I took while I was aboard the Higbee from Dec.'68 through Sept. 1970. There were a lot of great shots of Hong Kong, Vietnam, "Bosun" our Ship's Dog during my first Westpac in 1969. I hope they're still around some where so that we can get them back on the Website. I'd love to hear from anyone who was on board from '68 -'70!
Comments: ON THE HIGBEE...... ANYBODY OUT THERE ??? WELL, IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO TODAY THAT WE WERE IN SASEBO JAPAN FOR TWO WEEKS OF R & R AND UPKEEP. WENT ASHORE AT NOONTIME AND BY 6-7:00PM THE SHORE PATROL WERE TELLING US WE HAD TO BE BACK BY MIDNIGHT AND WE WOULD BE BACK AT SEA BY SUN-UP..... IT SEEMS THAT THAT OCEANAGRAPHIC SHIP THAT WE SAW IN NOVEMBER THE USS PUEBLO WAS IN TROUBLE WITH THE NORTH KOREENS ( SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW, 40 YEARS LATER) IF MY MIND REMEMBERS RIGHT, I THINK THAT WE HAD SET A TOW ROPE WITH THE IDEAR THAT WE MAY BE GOING IN TO PULL IT OUT.... RIGHT ABOUT THEN I CHECKED MY CONTRACT, AND WAS RIGHT.... I HAD SIGNED ON TO GET FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO THE WEST COAST AND BEYOUND, BUT NEVER TO GO IN COLD WATER AND ESPECIALLY A GOD-FORSAKEN PLACE LIKE WONSON HARBOR ( POOR LIBERTY THERE !!) ANYWAY, WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ACTION ON THIS PAGE FROM OTHER SHIPMATES WHO MAY HAVE SOME STORIES TO SHARE....... " IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY MY FRIENDS, WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD NEVEREND".... HOPE EVERYONE IS WELL !!!!!
Comments: I just came across this site. I came aboard the (DD-806) 3/65 in DaNang harbor when the cong started lobbing mortar shells from Monkey Mt. I was a GMM3 at the time and in A/S Div. While my memory is still as fresh as it can be let me say a hearty hello to some of the shipmates that I can remember off hand, Hey to all of the ASW Div., Clint Kammerer(ST) Keith Ruppert (ST) Andy (ST) Willie (ST), Vick (TM), The short s..t (TM), Jim Belill (GM), Wilson (SM), Charlie (GMG), and all of the others. I'm sorry that i can't remember all of the names (I still have the cruise book,but my wife has it in one of her "special" trunks for safe keeping). I'll get it out tomorrow and then i can either bore you all or probably give you all a good chuckle. Since the 806, I went to the Towers (DDG-9), motorcycle wreck in S.D., 1 1/2 yrs hospital, John Paul Jones (DDG-36), Fechteler (DD-837), GM "B" School, Richard S. Edwards (DD-950), InActShipFac Orange, Tx., Sarafield (DD837?) Mayport, 2-1/2 yrs. hospital NAS JAX (reconstructive surgery from previous motorcycle wreck, NAS CECIL FLD, ComNavSurfLant-Readiness SupportGroup-Mayport. Retired with 23 yrs. Worked for civil service Mayport 7yrs., Then I Drove over-the-road tractor/trailer all over the country (Clint if I remember your from Missoula, Mt. that and NV. are the only 2 states that I didn't get to, but I was at the edges of them on all sides.One last thing, but always on my mind is our shipmate and very missed FRED TAPPER STG 2. He will alwats be in my mind and the next time I get on here I will start telling about the good times that crew had in that time frame and I will probably need some help filling in some of blank spots.Well, it's past my nap time so I'll sign out for awhile. Hey, I'm retired now so let me here from all of you, or as the one from New York would say NITE YOUSE GUYS. John Kapeghian GMTC (SW) Ret.
Comments: I just came across this site. I came aboard the (DD-806) 3/65 in DaNang harbor when the cong started lobbing mortar shells from Monkey Mt. I was a GMM3 at the time and in A/S Div. While my memory is still as fresh as it can be let me say a hearty hello to some of the shipmates that I can remember off hand, Hey to all of the ASW Div., Clint Kammerer(ST) Keith Ruppert (ST) Andy (ST) Willie (ST), Vick (TM), The short s..t (TM), Jim Belill (GM), Wilson (SM), Charlie (GMG), and all of the others. I'm sorry that i can't remember all of the names (I still have the cruise book,but my wife has it in one of her "special" trunks for safe keeping). I'll get it out tomorrow and then i can either bore you all or probably give you all a good chuckle. Since the 806, I went to the Towers (DDG-9), motorcycle wreck in S.D., 1 1/2 yrs hospital, John Paul Jones (DDG-36), Fechteler (DD-837), GM "B" School, Richard S. Edwards (DD-950), InActShipFac Orange, Tx., Sarafield (DD837?) Mayport, 2-1/2 yrs. hospital NAS JAX (reconstructive surgery from previous motorcycle wreck, NAS CECIL FLD, ComNavSurfLant-Readiness SupportGroup-Mayport. Retired with 23 yrs. Worked for civil service Mayport 7yrs., Then I Drove over-the-road tractor/trailer all over the country (Clint if I remember your from Missoula, Mt. that and NV. are the only 2 states that I didn't get to, but I was at the edges of them on all sides.One last thing, but always on my mind is our shipmate and very missed FRED TAPPER STG 2. He will alwats be in my mind and the next time I get on here I will start telling about the good times that crew had in that time frame and I will probably need some help filling in some of blank spots.Well, it's past my nap time so I'll sign out for awhile. Hey, I'm retired now so let me here from all of you, or as the one from New York would say NITE YOUSE GUYS. John Kapeghian GMTC (SW) Ret.
Comments: Just visiting, my father Joe and Uncle George (Bud) Wahlsmith served in the fifties. They are long past but never forgotten. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, websites and search engines I found this great site and I thank you for it.
Comments: What is there to comment about. There hasn't been anything new on the web site for months. However, over the years, this has become standard, so I can't say that I'm surprised. My problem, is that I am an eternal optimist, and therein lies the crux of the matter. I keep hoping, (when history has established, as least as it pertains to this web site, that there is nothing to hope about,) that one day there will actually be something to read, view and smile about on this web site.
Comments: GOOD MORNING HIGBEE SAILORS , AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL...... IN 1967 WE SPENT THANKSGIVING IN JAPAN..... OUR FIRST FULL DAY A BUNCH OF US WENT TO THE BASE GYM TO PLAY SOME BASKETBALL.... TWO HOURS LATER WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS MORE TO DO IN JAPAN THAN PLAYING BASKETBALL !!! A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL.... HOPE TODAY FINDS YOU IN GOOD HEALTH AND WITH FAMILY..... "THOSE WERE THE DAYS MY FRIENDS" !!!!!!! |
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