Sherry has found a new toy!

She learned about a down-town camera that is live 24/7 on main street. WOW, great she planned to watch the local parade.  BUT she for got to tune in.  She asked Shirl to drive by the camera and wave. Shirl drove to town and parked, it was raining but she lowered her window and waved. I will get a snap of that if it happens again.  She is getting her hometown fix.  Now if they would just mount a camera at Hardees to catch all the old folks in action on Monday morning, she would be set.

Sherry has a nephew in Afghanistan, he can stay in contact with his family daily if he likes via Skype.  We do not have Skype and do not understand it, but if I were deployed that would be a God-sent. Troops can see their loves and newborn babies even while they are deployed on ship or shore. In that respect technology is more than wonderful.

It is so hard to believe the changes in this world. Men deployed during WWII could not tell the family where they were. Every letter was read and sensitive information blotted out. I remember the news flashes on Saturday morning at the movies, They would begin with ‘Somewhere in the South Pacific’, the news men could not say where they were.  Every news cast from the ‘war-zone’ began with the same few words, “Somewhere in Europe I stand looking…..”

The times I was deployed, Sherry and I used letters, reel to reel recorders and later cassettes to send our correspondence.  What a joy to get that reel and I could not wait to get somewhere private and play it to hear her voice.  We also had a little game, underneath each stamp was always a personal love note.

(Another Bob Hope, Somewhere,,,,)

Once or twice I was able to call home using MARS (Military Affiliated Radio System). The system used a net work of Ham Radio operators. The ships radio might get a Ham in Charlotte, NC and call over the ships speakers that he had a contact if anyone wanted a phone patch to come to the radio room. The Charlotte guy would place a local call (or long distance and reverse the charges). When he got your wife or girlfriend on the phone he would patch the phone into the radio. That was known as a ‘phone patch’. Much more complicated than the cell.

 The phone calls were confusing because you had to use the radio term ‘over’, after each sentence. (or your part of the conversation) Then  ‘out’ when you were through.  It was also entertaining, because your conversations were on speakers and everyone waiting for their turn to call, could hear your conversations.  It was fun but to some it was embarrassing because the wife or girl friend did not know everyone was listening. If the caller forgot to tell them.

I know Paula remembers the letters from Mel and some of the rest of you may remember the mail calls. Did you ever do a phone patch?

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Separations are tough on lovers, it is amazing how sweet that familiar handwriting is on that letter, or how precious that voice sounds on a recorder. I can jus imagine the thrill of being able to call on the phone or computer.

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Nothing is gonna stop this Santa!!!!