As always, Ihopethis finds youand yourloved onessafe anddoing well, especially duringthesedifficultand challenging times.Undoubtedly, the speed at which events havechanged life as we know it,not only here in America,butall around the world,has beenliterallybreathtakingandwill no doubt lead to much discussion atreunion #46.
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Source: Aerograph November 2025
Greetings everybody,
Please accept my apology for overlooking our United
States Navy’s 250th birthday in the last Aerograph, hence the logo on the front
cover. Although October 13th
has passed, it’s never too late to celebrate our Navy’s founding, heritage and
achievements. Happy birthday Navy! I’d
also like to wish a very happy birthday to our sister service, the United
States Marine Corps, established Nov. 10,
1775. Congratulations and Semper Fidelis Devil Dogs! To commemorate this most noteworthy occasion, I can think of nothing better than
including what is perhaps the finest piece of literature ever written for those
who have gone down to the sea in ships, “Reflections of a Blackshoe” beginning
on page 18.
In closing, I’d like to express my grateful
appreciation to all contributors of this edition of the Aerograph. YOU are the ones who keep it afloat. Thank you!
Smitty
Friday, 23 January 2026, is the cut-off date for the February issue of The Aerograph.
E-Mail Steve at sumisus@mac.com
USPS Address: AG1 Steven Smith, USN (Ret.)
750 Avenida De La Barca
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(571) 278-5259 (If I don’t answer, please leave
a message and I’ll get back to you ASAP)
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| In lighter vein: © Jeff Bacon 2025 |
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EDITOR'S CLOSING THOUGHTS
Piecing together this issue of the Aerograph, I was struck by the variety of articles and the range of emotions I felt. A number of them were very interesting, some were sad, some frustrating, and some downright funny. I guess that’s a good thing because variety, as the old saying goes, is the spice of life.
Speaking of life, for those who are blessed to live long ones, it certainly carries with it a wide range of experiences and emotions. I often marvel how our lives mirror the four seasons. And now that I’ve turned 70, I suppose I’ve entered early winter, yikes! My mortality is something I do not dwell on however, because I believe the good Lord has my days perfectly numbered. And when I stop and think about it, every moment God has given me has been a gift. He has allowed me to see and experience so much in such a relatively short period of time with the beautiful promise that this, is just the beginning. What an amazing thought!
I sincerely wish everyone a bountiful Thanksgiving, blessed Christmas, joyous New Year, and all the best of health and happiness in the coming year.
Smitty
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Source: Aerograph August 2025
Greetings,
Reunion #48 is now in the books and a great
time was had by all! Much thanks to
Robert and F-J Cutting for all their hard work in making it such a wonderful
and memorable event. I don’t particularly want to wish my life away, but am
very much looking forward to #49 aboard Celebrity Reflection next spring.
It’s been kind of slow going here at the Smith
homestead, although there may be changes in the wind. Harumi and I have come to
the conclusion that it is time to downsize from a two story to one. However,
the high housing costs here in the San Diego area make pursuing that endeavor
extremely challenging. If it turns out that moving out of state is best, we are
giving Caldwell or Nampa, Idaho, serious consideration since we have family there.
Thankfully, we have plenty of time to weigh our options and have set next
spring/summer as the target to make our decision. Stay tuned folks!
Take good care everyone, and many thanks to those
who contributed to this issue of the Aerograph!
Thursday, 23 October 2025, is the cut-off date for the November issue of The Aerograph.
E-Mail Steve at sumisus@mac.com
USPS Address: AG1 Steven Smith, USN (Ret.)
750 Avenida De La Barca
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(571) 278-5259 (If I don’t answer, please leave
a message and I’ll get back to you ASAP)
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| In lighter vein: © Jeff Bacon 2025 |
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EDITOR’S
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Being Aerograph editor certainly has its perks…..…and
surprises. I absolutely love when something unexpected comes along, like being
contacted from Australia by the granddaughter of AGC W.S. McFarland who served
on the USS Enterprise (CV-6) during the attack on Pearl Harbor, or being able
to share an article about a wallet and ID card being lost in Antarctica and
reunited with its owner (LT Paul Grisham) 53 years later. I also love being
able to share the best experiences and beautiful prose of shipmates that adds
so much to the readership enjoyment of our members.
Speaking of unexpected, I recently had the
pleasure of speaking a few times via phone with longtime NWSA Pensacola chapter
member, Captain Al Atwell, who at the age of 96 is still going strong. In fact, he had his driver’s license renewed
last year for five years! During our
conversations, he told me a few interesting sea stories that kept me captivated
and highly entertained. First, a little about Al’s story. He joined the Navy in
1946 at the age of 17, after convincing his dad that things wouldn’t work out
well for either of them if he didn’t sign the parental release form. Prior to
entering the Navy, Al obtained seven years of sea duty sailing boats upon the
waters of Chesapeake Bay. He was promoted to Petty Officer First Class a little
shy of 21 years of age, was advanced to Chief Petty Officer in short order, and
then was selected for OCS. Al served our nation for an amazing 44 years and
retired from active duty in 1990, holding the rank of Captain.
Now, a little about those sea stories: I listened
intently as Al shared his experiences with the likes of LT Charlie Wilson, who
after his relatively short time in the Navy represented Texas in the United
States House of Representatives for 24 years. Some of you may know Charlie
better from the movie Charlie Wilson’s War.
And then there was Al’s chance meeting and discussion with CNO Admiral
Arleigh “31 Knot” Burke at the Pentagon, who told him he should go serve on a
Destroyer so he could experience the real Navy, so Al did. Al also had
encounters with CINCPACOM Admirals Huntington “Hunt” Hardesty and John S.
McCain Jr., the latter during Al’s tour on Guam when he worked with the Take
Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) program, a highly classified program that enables the
National Command
Authority to take charge and communicate with
strategic forces during a national crisis.
Needless to say, Al served alongside a who’s
who of prominent Navy leadership.
Eventually, our conversation turned to Al’s
beloved wife Helen, who recently passed. Soulmates for fifty plus years, she
was an amazing lady who put her heart and soul into everything she did. Whether
it be her family, caring for homeless and orphaned children in the Philippines,
assisting refugees during the Vietnam War effort, or being an active and much
loved member of the Pensacola Chapter, Helen always put other’s needs above her
own. Today, Al and Helen’s adopted daughter, Kimberly, beautifully reflects the
heart and soul of Helen as she unselfishly and lovingly takes care of Al. Rest
in peace Helen, Al is being well taken care of.
Until next time, I hope you all have a great end to the
summer, and may God’s abundant blessings of peace, hope, love and joy, fill
your hearts.
Smitty
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Source: Aerograph May 2025
Greetings everybody,
It’s hard to believe but our Reunion 48
gathering is less than a week away! I’m very much looking forward to having a
great time and sharing a few sea stories with those who can attend. And for the
many shipmates who can't join us, you surely will be in our thoughts and with
us in spirit.
As you read through this issue there are two
videos certainly worth mentioning. The first is of CWO4 Jack Salvato’s
interment ceremony at Arlington on page 8. The second is of the 65 year
anniversary of the launching of TIROS-1, the world’s first successful
meteorological satellite on page 11. I’d also like to point out a wonderfully
entertaining “Glimpses of Brillion” article beginning on page 13.
Other than battling the annual spring infestation of
weeds and a little spring house cleaning, there is not much going on here in
the Smith household. We did however have a little excitement on Monday, April
the 14 th at precisely 10:00am. I was sitting at the desk
upstairs working on the Aerograph when a
couple of small shakes were followed by a pronounced jolt prompting me to head
downstairs and out the door! Shortly thereafter, reports came in that a 5.2 earthquake had occurred just south of the little mountain
town of Julian, approximately 60 miles to our northeast. Needless to say, it
definitely got our attention.
In signing off I’d like to thank all
contributors for your submissions, the Aerograph would not, and could not, exist
without you. Take care everybody and have a beautiful start to the summer.
Smitty
Thursday, 24 July 2025, is the cut-off date for the August issue of The Aerograph.
E-Mail Steve at sumisus@mac.com
USPS Address: AG1 Steven Smith, USN (Ret.)
750 Avenida De La Barca
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(571) 278-5259 (If I don’t answer, please leave
a message and I’ll get back to you ASAP)
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| In lighter vein: © Jeff Bacon 2020 |
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EDITOR’S CLOSING THOUGHTS
I recently took our 14 year old car into the dealer for routine
maintenance and was shocked when my longtime service advisor told me there were
a couple of things he needed to bring to my attention. I had a strange feeling
that when he asked me to sit down the news wasn’t going to be good. And it
wasn’t. $6,800.00 to replace the front lower control arms, ball joints and
bushings, and another $460.00 to replace worn out hood lifts (those two little
rods that prevent the hood from crashing down on one’s head.) “But Mike, the blue book value of the car is
only around seven grand!” I stammered, followed by “well, I’ll definitely have
to get a second opinion on that.”
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A short time later I happened to be outside and struck up a conversation with our next door neighbor Kyle. I told her of my car woes and she told me of two family owned auto shops that her and husband Mike have used for years. After giving me their contact information I made an appointment to have our car checked out and was not only totally blown away by their professionalism, honesty, and more than reasonable prices, but greatly relieved. That $6,800.00 price from the dealer miraculously dropped to $864.00. Now as for the hood lifts, I did a YouTube search about replacing them and it appeared relatively easy, even for a non-do-it-yourself geek like me. So after purchasing a pair at AutoZone, I asked Harumi to join me in the garage. Her task was to hold up the hood long enough for me to remove the old ones and install the new ones, a process that only took about 10 minutes. And presto! That $460.00 quote from the dealer came down to a mere $75.00. Not only was the labor free, but it was kind of fun! So much so that we just stood there grinning for a while, admiring the fine workmanship of our newfound mechanic skills.
So I guess the morals of this little story are “one can’t overstate the blessings of having good neighbors and access to you tube videos” & “never be shy about getting a second opinion.” Until next time my friends, all the best to you and yours.
Smitty
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Source: Aerograph February 2025
Greetings everybody,
I hope this finds you safe and doing well, and
that you had a beautiful holiday season with family and friends.
We’re already a month into the New Year and
Reunion 48 is rapidly approaching. I am really looking forward to having a
wonderful time and sharing a few sea stories with those of you who can attend.
Robert and FJ Cutting are putting in a lot of work towards making this a fun
and memorable gathering. Hotel lodging instructions and tentative schedule of
events are on pages 17 and 18. There are
still a few moving parts so I will email everyone the registration form and
finalized schedule of events, including costs, sometime in March after Robert finalizes everything. Please don’t forget to email Robert after making hotel
reservations so he can keep track on number of attendees.
Smitty
Thursday, 24 April 2025, is the cut-off date for the May issue of The Aerograph.
E-Mail Steve at sumisus@mac.com
USPS Address: AG1 Steven Smith, USN (Ret.)
750 Avenida De La Barca
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(571) 278-5259 (If I don’t answer, please leave
a message and I’ll get back to you ASAP)
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In lighter vein: © Jeff Bacon 2016
EDITOR’S CLOSING
THOUGHTS
To be perfectly honest, there are
times when my synapses do not fire on all cylinders, the present time being one
of them. So rather than fight it, I’ll just go with it and close this issue out
with a short read my dear friend, longtime retired LCDR Jerry McNutt, shared
with me. I hope it brings you a smile.
The Joys and Wisdom of Getting Older
George Phillips, an elderly man
from Walled Lake, Michigan, was going up to bed when his wife told him that
he'd left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom
window. George opened the back door to go turn off the light, but saw that
there were people in the shed stealing things.
He phoned the
police, who asked "Is someone in your house?" He said
"No, but some people broke into my garden shed and are stealing from me." The police dispatcher said "All
patrols are busy; lock your doors
and an officer will be along when one is available."
George said,
"Okay." He hung up the phone and counted to 30, then phoned the
police again. "Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because
there were people stealing things from my shed. Well, you don't have to
worry about them now because I just shot and killed them both and the dogs are
eating them as we speak" and he hung up.
Within five
minutes, six Police Cars, a SWAT Team, a Helicopter, two Fire Trucks, a Paramedic and an Ambulance showed up at the Phillips'
residence, and caught the
burglars red-handed.
One of the Policemen said to
George, "I thought you said that you'd shot them!"
George said, "I thought
you said there was nobody available!"
True Story ......Don’t Mess With Old People!
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Source: Aerograph November 2024
Greetings everybody,
I hope everyone had a great summer and this
finds you safe and well. This production of the Aerograph was a fun one. It was
kind of like putting a jigsaw puzzle together and for you dissectologists, you
know the feeling of putting that last piece in place!
As you will see, the variety of member contributions
for this issue is awesome! And I am thrilled to introduce a new section titled ‘At Large Member News’ as presented by NWSA member Dennis Ruth. Not only did Dennis
send me a wonderful introduction, he contributed the very first article. You
will find both immediately after ‘Chapter
News’.
I’d like to thank all contributors for making
this edition of the Aerograph a publication all our shipmates can enjoy and
take pride in. Well done!
Smitty
Thursday, 25 January 2025, is the cut-off date for the February issue of The Aerograph.
E-Mail Steve at sumisus@mac.com
USPS Address: AG1 Steven Smith, USN (Ret.)
750
Avenida De La Barca
Chula
Vista, CA 91910
(571) 278-5259 (If I don’t answer, please leave
a message and I’ll get back to you ASAP)
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In lighter vein: © Jeff Bacon 2017
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Sitting here writing this, I can’t help but think of how quickly the year has passed and about the uncertainty of things to come. Election drama and chaos, natural disasters, cultural upheaval, you name it. It seems rare anymore when a day passes without something on the 5 O’clock news not leaving one speechless or shaking their head in disbelief. Perhaps that’s why I watch much less news these days. And that’s not a bad thing I guess because my blood pressure is down and Harumi tells me she has a feeling of Feng Shui, whatever that is. With that being said, it is my desire to close this issue with positive vibes because the good Lord knows, we can always use something to lift our spirits and make us smile. In November of 1978 I transferred from the USS Midway (CV-41) to NAFD Atsugi, Japan. Shortly thereafter, in the summer of 1979, the Australian group Little
River Band came out with an AFRTS Casey Kasem chart topper called Cool Change. As
a young AG, duty onboard the Midway was challenging, at times frustrating and
lonely, never boring, and often times rewarding as it set the course for my
Navy career. I can still remember times of incredible camaraderie with my
shipmates during periods of intense flight operations at sea. And then, as if
somebody flipped a switch, moments of solitude and breath taking beauty while
sitting out on the catwalk in the darkest of nights, watching moonbeams dance
upon the ocean’s surface and listening to the ship gracefully slip through the
water. And to this day, I can’t help but think of those times whenever I hear
that song.
Now, in the season of life where I probably do more looking
back than forward, I grow more appreciative every day for the many blessings
God has given me. Wonderful parents, family and friends, a meaningful career,
worldwide travel, music, laughter, love, and so much more that if I were to
list them all, it would make this edition much longer to the chagrin of our
shipmate Tom Miovas, who certainly does Yeoman work in the printing and mailing
of the Aerograph.
So in closing, I’d like to wish you and yours a wonderful
Thanksgiving and beautiful Christmas. And may joy and peace fill all of our
hearts and homes through the holiday season and coming year. Take care and I
hope to see many of you at Reunion 48.
Smitty
P.S. I hope you enjoy the song:
Cool Change LYRICS by
Little River Band ♪
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