Drinking Alcohol taught me how to fly
Then it took away the sky....

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

VACATION REVERIE

I HAD A DREAM

Sunday night I re-lived a scene: --WWII newsreel in a downtown theater--which I viewed in 1943. My dream of a naval battle was as real and vivid had I lived it.

"Battle Stations...all hands, Battle Stations! Pilots, man your planes! Pilots, man your planes! We are under attack! Enemy fighter-bombers are incoming.


The excitement was beyond belief. Men--well, BOYS!--running up ladders, down, scurrying, rushing. Life-or-death for everyone. Apprehension reigned. Not from fear nor trepidation, but a definite anxiety showed on every face--strong determination in each beating heart, to work together to save our home, our ship, our planes, our carrier, the USS YORKTOWN. 

I was age 10 and knew so well these battles, following them on radio newscasts and in newsreel films at  movie houses. 

Now, in my dream nearly 70 years after, I heard once again screaming engines of Japanese Zero fighter aircraft, dive-bombing the fleet. I 'heard' this past Sunday night also screams of wounded, bloody bodies, some carrying their own limb--or limbs--limping along seeking some sort of heavenly help into that next life.

The scene next morning, Monday October 17, 2011.....


.....in Charleston, South Carolina I pointed my camera from that same stair-ladder as those who scrambled these same steps on USS YORKTOWN C-10, the second carrier so named. The first Yorktown had been sunk in 1942 during the Battle of Midway in the Pacific. This visit to a Navy Museum on the Carrier Yorktown was my first time on board "The Fighting Lady". Unforgettable, that's what it was. Anna and I spent the whole morning inspecting and snapping photos from engine room, to flight deck.

Wanted to give Peeps, 'peeks' of our vacation. Memorable as well, our greetings, meetings, and eatings!--with blogger friends Jessie R and husband Shawn R. They toured us around Charleston-Town. Such pleasure God allowed us. Also for the big things--sobriety, and the little things--a phone call from a friend far away, just to say "How are you?"...for all these I am ever grateful to our Creator-of-all-things!

Love and PEACE!

Published for and posted in Dverse Poet's Open Link Night (OLN)

23 comments:

  1. And I can see my boat right from this spot in this photo. Glad that you enjoyed the tour. It sounds as if you are having a good time in spite of rain later in the day.

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  2. vivid dreams my friend...cant imagine hearing those planes being all that enjoyed....nice view though and glad you are having a good time visiting peeps...thanks for popping in and visiting us at dverse...smiles.

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  3. Thanks, Brian. So intent I was on publishing something in dverse B4 the deadline--it escaped my brain that I had not written a P O E M and I apologize...but next week, yeah?

    SYD, several times I wondered if we were eyeballing your sea-home. Thanks for comment.

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  4. Glad you had a nice vacation. I love Charleston!

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  5. sounds like you had an awesome time steve...and hey...poem or not...you're always more than welcome in the pub..smiles

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  6. Such a rich, abundant life you have :) Are you home, now?

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  7. You brought this scene to life very vividly. Thanks for posting--i always like coming here to read your never-dull and always life-affirming words. Being grateful is an important part of life we forget too often.

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  8. I'm happy for you, that the vacation besides friendly meeting and eating, also brought experience and knowledge to the surface. Mighty ship, mighty, scared heroes and such beautiful scenery.

    The mare dreams, so exhausting, what a blessing to wake up and know you are not the one in combat now.

    I pray for all soldiers from all countries. Especially the veterans. May they find healing and peace after "coming home."

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  9. JEREMY:
    Glad to be in contact with you again.

    CLAUDIA:
    Thank you, C. You are super-nice Peep! You and Brian with your...smiles! LOVE it.

    KRISTIN:
    Yup girl—life is B I G...I'll be home Friday night.

    HEDGEWITCH:
    Easy to forget 'gratitude' when you're living so much of it! I like that YOU like coming here!--grin!

    FELISOL:
    Thank you—for reading the whole thing! Don't you believe we are somehow in combat all the days? That is why I need a Higher Power to help. Cannot tackle the enemy alone! OMYGOSH—it's sounding serious here—grin!

    MORNING:
    Thanks! You, too—smile and be blessed.

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  10. KAVITA:
    I'm really glad you dropped by!

    CATFISH:
    Barb, always good to see you here. And, coming from YOU, a compliment on a photo IS a compliment. Thanks!

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  11. Thanks for the treat...looks like you are had a great time...bkm

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  12. Such a vivid dream! I'm glad that you had a wonderful time with all your friends from near and far. Are you safely back home?

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  13. BKM:
    Thank you--but what treat? Sorry, I don't remember one...but HAPPy to see you

    MAGPIE:
    Just got home 15 minutes ago--not unpacked anything except Numero UNO...computer! Thank you for your kind thoughts. Away again next weekend, but for only 3 days!
    Blessings!

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  14. I'm a child of a WWII Pacific War veteran, and visited Wright Patterson Air Force Base and Museum when I was maybe 6 or 7 back in the mid 60's. Sir, I am sold! That day we saw several planes, i think a Mustang. And then we watched a film that had been spliced together from several different films taken by U.S. aircraft during dogfights over the Pacific. I have never seen anything more exciting than that in my life, before or since. I have been in love with military aviation since. We walked through a B29, which are the planes my fathers crews used to take special 3-d photos of the islands and Japan. He was with a map-making outfit and they mapped every island invaded in the pacific. Their last job was to map Japan, because that was to be the last invasion, cut short by the bombs. This year I had an opportunity to visit the Air Force Museum in Pensacola, which is absolutely awesome. I actually put my hand on a Japanese Zero. And they had a Val dive bomber, which is the whistling Jap diver that you talked about. I also put my hand on a Messerschmidt modified as a jet, there was only a handful of them built at the very last part of the war, and I touched one! I know exactly what you are talking about sir.... I share that same blood boiling feeling!

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  15. JOHNALLENRICHTER:
    Almost feel like I 'know' you, JAR!

    Thanks for coming by--and I didn't even write a PO-EM!

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  16. IFRAH JAN:
    Thank you for comment! If you don't drop by here, I am missing something!

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  17. Steve ... oh, the beautiful vacation days were disrupted with exciting dreams? ...
    If you see the ships and aircraft of the time, very real, then memories from childhood are back ...

    I am glad that the holiday was good and is a joy ... Thank you for sharing...
    ... nice to see you back here ...

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  18. COSIMA, I read yours last night--have not comment yet. My blog would pout if it did not 'see' you here. Thanks you for ALL your kind thoughts and wishes!
    Love and PEACE to you, German-Girl!

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  19. ...* smiles *... yes, I thought you were still on tour ...

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  20. Some childhood memories linger on.
    First time here.
    You should have put up more pics that you clicked.

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