Well, my plans to visit Pensacola, FL during my last motorcycle journey were not completed...thus, I've gone back to take a look back into my military (such as it was) past. As some may know, I was on active duty in the Navy (actually the US Naval Reserve-USNR) from the end of August 1967 until the end of December 1969. My intent back then was to go down to Pensacola, go to Naval Aviation OCS there, then go to flight school, become a pilot, etc. etc. Long story shortened: I went down, went to OCS, was commissioned an Ensign in the USNR, and went to flight school. Candidly, I was an inept pilot, and the Navy sent Ensign Gamel off to do other things in the Pensacola area, but not to fly airplanes.
Anyway, various parts of my life had beginnings in the area: 1) Beth and I were married in July 1968, and spent our first 1.5 years together there; and 2) we made some friends there (some of whom still live in Pensacola). It's hard to explain to anyone why I'd want to go back to a place which didn't play that big a role in my or our lives, but I just had a feeling that I'd like to see it again.
Fortunately, friends Donna and Pat Quinn were still there, and were apparently very pleased to see me. I knew we were back on our old track again when Pat and I took off for a very fine lunch of Gulf of Mexico oysters on the halfshell, some very tasty fried mullet, and cole slaw. Donna met us there, and it was old home week again.
Donna and Pat spent a lot of time in Pensacola, where Pat was developing a zoo. His background is in zoology and animal behavior, and he and Donna have been leading photo safaris to Africa for about 40 years. Animals are Pat's life, and their house is filled with animals (two dogs, one rooster and one quail), and their backyard is filled with wild birds. Here are a couple of shots of Donna and Pat in their backyard while the rooster and quail got a chance for a little limited outdoor freedom:
The next couple of days I spent visiting the Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Pensacola itself, and then wandering around Pensacola Beach. As noted earlier, I spent 77 terror-filled days in Aviation OCS in Pensacola, and was interested to see how it might feel to be back at the place again. NCIS Special Agent Ian Little took me on a tour, explaining how many pieces of the old place were destroyed or badly damaged by mostly Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The barracks where I'd been lodged, Building 624 was still there, but is not used for training officers any more. I expected some sort of thrill or feeling of dread when I saw the place, but it was just an old building:
I was pleased that the emotions of the Fall of 1967 had stayed in the past. After I looked around at the old place, and remembered the interesting moments I'd spent there, somehow it just did not have the poignancy I expected. I'd clearly left it behind.
Everyone had told me how wonderful the Naval Aviation Museum was...and it is a terrific museum for anyone who has had any involvement with the Navy flight programs. It's filled with gorgeous aircraft, but of course, I had to go looking for the one in which the Navy tried to teach me to fly: the T-34. There's one on display in the museum, hanging from the ceiling:
You'll note the walkway above the 'plane, and so, of course, I had to get a shot down into the front cockpit where I spent 23 hours in the air, learning that I was pretty inept at flying:
It is a fine museum, filled with wonderful displays with tons of information. I think it would take a week to take it all in, candidly. Here are a couple of interesting shots of some displays:
Soon I was out of the air station, riding my way across town to go out to Pensacola Beach. For those who have not been there, Pensacola Beach probably has about the whitest sand you'll ever see. When Beth and I were living there, we went to the beach with some frequency in the summer, and learned that the white sand gets very hot, and a quick run across the sand allow you to plunge into the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Nonetheless, it's a very popular place, and as with many such places, development has taken hold. There is a piece of this barrier island which is unsullied by commercial development:
One part of this area includes some old military coastal-defense installations which we used to explore back in the days we were there:
Of course, once you're off the protected area, the development begins:
Anyway, soon I was back with Donna and Pat. Donna is a gifted actress and has been part of the dramatic theater scene in Pensacola for years. As Pat says, "I'm pleased to say that I'm married to a thespian." She was in rehearsal for a production of "Driving Miss Daisy" and I was privileged to see her doing a dress rehearsal for the play. She finds this kind of thing intense and involving, and husband Pat is her greatest fan. We did have a day that she had no work or theater commitments, so Pat, Donna, their dog Buddy and I took a wonderful ride up the Yellow River, east of Pensacola:
The shot immediately above was taken about 30 seconds before Buddy decided to test the waters, so to speak. The one below shows Donna holding him to try and warm him up after the swim:
Well, it was fine indeed to be back with old friends in Pensacola, and to have dredged up those awful times (their were some good times however) of OCS days. Pensacola has changed, but so have I.
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