The "Carriers" our Unit Band #194 served on from 6 SEP 1961 to 4 APR 1963 . . .
< Click photos to enlarge >
USS Forrestal CVA-59	USS Kitty Hawk CVA-63	USS FD Roosevelt CVA-42	USS Shangri-La CVA-38
Our Unit Band #194 visited a buncha Countries . . .
Brazil Chile Cuba Cyprus Dominican Rep France Gibraltar Greece Haiti Italy Lebanon Peru Portugal Puerto Rico Sicily   Spain Trinidad United States

USS KITTY HAWK CVA-63 . . . Home Port San Diego CA Our cruise around South America . . .
USS Kitty Hawk CVA-63 was built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Camden, N.J.  The Hawk was the first guided missile super-carrier.  The Hawk was commissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on April 29, 1961.  After she sailed from Philadelphia, the COMCARDIV FOUR Unit Band #194 boarded her in Norfolk enroute to Gitmo for ORI.  Her maiden voyage sailed around the horn from the east coast to her new home port in San Diego.  Our band stayed aboard when she sailed on to San Francisco for repairs.  Port calls included Norfolk VA, Guantanamo Bay Cuba, Port of Spain Trinidad, Rio De Janero Brazil, Valparaiso Chile, Callao Peru and San Diego CA.  The air group (CAG-11) included VAH-13, VA-113, VA-115, VF-142, VFP-63 and HU-1.  Kitty Hawk's first commanding officer was Capt. William F. Bringle, USN.  Our band flew from San Francisco, to Lincoln NE, and on back to Norfolk. Commissioned Philadelphia, PA: 4/29/1961 Norfolk, VA: 7/24/61 - 8/11/61 Gitmo, Cuba: 8/14/61 - 9/15/61 Port-of-Spain, Trinidad: 9/1961 Crossed Equator: Lat: 00° Lon: 00' 9/22/1961 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 9/27/1961 - 9/30/1961 Cape Horn @ Tierra del Fuego: 10/8/1961 Valparaiso, Chile: 10/13/1961 - 10/15/1961 Callao, Peru: 10/20/1961 - 10/22/1961 San Diego, CA - Home Port: 11/1/1961 San Francisco CA - Repairs: 11/1961
The Hawk at Frisco My Kitty Hawk Patch First Cruise Book	Bowman-Bergstrom-Poorman in Lima Peru Haircut compliments of the Shellbacks at 00° The Hawk Commissioned Headed to Gitmo for ORI Kitty's Maiden Voyage Around the Horn	Bob-Steve Trinidad Equator 9/22/61 Horn 10/8/61
Our COMCARDIV 4 Unit Band #194 drank a lot of beer in Cuba, played a cool combo gig with a steel drum band in Trinidad, had a blast with crossing the equator thing, very nice gig for the ambassador in Rio, great liberty in Valpariso, and a big band gig at the international trade fair in Lima. All in all, a great cruise.
Remember the guide books they gave us before pulling into port ↑ where to go, where not to, how to ask for common things, like food, the bathroom, etc.  How to get a cab back to Fleet Landing. Posso eu ter uma cerveja por favor, senhorita? Hey, I learned to ask for a beer in a dozen or more foreign languages!

FTC Dam Neck Annex NAS Oceana

When we returned from the Kitty Hawk cruise, Forrestal was still in dry dock, so we went to Dam Neck Fleet Combat Training Center-Atlantic (VA).  We stayed on base at barracks there & some of us received basic radar, surface plotting and intelligence training so we could qualify to stand Flag watches at sea.  Some of us Musicians for ComCarDiv 4 stood Flag Administration, Air Intelligence and Admiral's Bridge watches at sea, i.e. surface plotting, etc. Our guys really enjoyed our time at Dam Neck Fleet Combat Training Center.  Can you tell from their posture?   HA!!!  I think we all should have been required to take the training.  I really enjoyed it.  Anyway, before we even finished the training, we were reassigned to the Rosie because of the Dominican Republic issues.  But I did get my top secret clearance so I could stand Air Intelligence watches.  However, we missed Rosie's deployment at Mayport and had to fly to Puerto Rico, where K.D. Bailey, one of our task force destroyers, picked us up.

Dam Neck Fleet Combat Training Center Brown, Gallagher, Bergstrom, Dechesser, Sipe

USS KENNETH D. BAILEY DD-713 . . . Band on the Bailey!
U.S.S. Kenneth D. Bailey DD-713
Hores-Bergstrom DD-713	Band on a Tin Can	Steve-Larry-DJ on DD-713	Just stay out of the way
What is a band doing on a Destroyer you might ask.  We missed the boat, oops, I mean the ship.  It took off from Mayport FL without us.  The Admiral missed it too.  So, we flew to Puerto Rico and the U.S.S. Kenneth D. Bailey DD-713 picked us up at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, and high-lined us onto the Rosie.  They dunked the Admiral in the process.  (I always wondered if they did it on purpose.)  As I recall, it was me, Gallagher, Dechesser, Prior, Treaster, Migatz, Hores, Brown, Bergstrom and COMCARDIV 4.  You can have that highlining thing.
Poorman in Puerto Rico What's wrong with this picture? IT'S HOT... it's the TROPICS! And we're in BLUES! 100% WOOL! Puerto Rico was beautiful!!!  Beautiful weather . . . beautiful clear water , , , great sleeping with the shutters open and the sea breeze blowing in . . . drinking beer on the beach in our skivies . . .

USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT CVA-42 . . . Mayport FL Cruising South Atlantic & Caribbean . . . Dominican Republic Operations . . .
USS FD Roosevelt CVA-42	FDR News 22 NOV 1961 Dominican Republic Ops	Joe Prior / UB#194 Moving FDR to Shang 1961
19 NOV 1961 - 30 NOV 1961 FDR EMBARKED CVG-1 in Caribbean:  After we returned from the Hawk in San Francisco early in November 1961, we flew from Norfolk to Florida, then to Roosevelt Roads, and went aboard USS Kenneth D. Bailey, then highlined to the Rosie, back home with COMCARDIV FOUR.  Due to a political crisis, we operated off Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic for a week or so.  Then we moved over to the Shang.

USS SHANGRI-LA CVA-38 . . . Home Port Mayport FL Still cruisin' South Atlantic & Caribbean . . .
USS Shangri-La CVA-38	Telegram 19 DEC 1961 USS Shangri-La
In 1961 the Shang comducted operations western Atlantic out of Mayport.  UB#194 left the Rosie and boarded the Shang in late November 1961.  I met Glenn K. Doebler, Jr. from my home town, Lock Havern, PA on the gangplank when I went aboard the Shang for the first time.  I got a telegram that my first son was born while I was on the Shang.

USS FORRESTAL CVA-59 . . . Home Port Norfolk VA Cruising the Atlantic & Mediterranean . . . Project Mercury . . . Cuban Crisis . . .
USS Forrestal CVA-59	Poorman onbd USS Forrestal	Ken Poorman on USS Forrestal 02-167-2-L
So here's some stuff about our time on the Forrestal.  Also, there's more on my Forrestal page.

On 18 Jan 62 we (COMCARDIV 4 on USS Forrestal) were steaming again, underway enroute to Gitmo, beginning a 7 week training cruise to Gitmo Operating Area.  UB 194 drank a lot of beer in Gitmo, and visited the Gitmo Band while we were there. During the shakedown cruise at Guantanamo Bay we had port calls in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on 24 Feb 62, and Port of Spain, Trinidad.  I heard the Esso Steel Band in Haiti, and our combo played a gig with a steel band in Trinidad.  I enjoyed playing that gig more than any I think.

PROJECT MERCURY We were assigned to the Project Mercury Recovery Team for John Glenn's reentry.  On 18 Feb 62 we joined several other ships, including USS Noa, for Project Mercury Capsule Recovery Training, steaming independently from Gitmo to rendezvous with USS Constellation CVA-64.  COMCARDIV FOUR, RADM R. D. Hogle embarked in Forrestal.  We commenced & completed a Mercury Capsule recovery exercise.  On 19 Feb 62 we resumed Project Mercury Capsule Recovery Training, steaming independently from Gitmo to Project Mercury Recovery Station Seven awaiting orbital launch of Mercury spacecraft with LTCOL John Glenn USMC aboard, lifted from Cape Canaveral FL at 1544.  On 20 FEB 62 COMCARDIV 4, its flagship, USS Forrestal, and its task force, participated in Project Mercury and the recovery of Astronaut John Glenn.  Lt. Col. Glenn, USMC, was the 1st American to orbit the earth - 3 orbits.  He and his Project Mercury space capsule Friendship 7, were picked out of the Atlantic Ocean by the USS NOA (DD-841), and delivered to the USS RANDOLPH (CVS-15).  I was on the flight deck hoping Forrestal would be the first to see him splash down, but the Noa lucked out.

The first campaign of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) was the Cuban Missile Crisis and the award was issued for military service between October 1962 and June 1963.  Deck logs indicated that USS Forrestal was awarded the AFE Medal.

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS 14 OCT 62 CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS - USAF photos showed a Soviet missile site being constructed in Cuba marking the beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis.  On 22 OCT 62 President JFK announced a naval blockade of Cuba to prevent further entry of Soviet missiles into Cuba.  Evacuation of 3,190 dependents from Gitmo naval base began.  On 24 OCT 62  a US naval quarantine of Cuba went into effect.  Recon revealed 25 ships enroute to Cuba.  On 25 OCT 62 destroyer USS GEARING (DD-710) stopped the Soviet ship Bucharest.  On 26 OCT 62 destroyers USS JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, JR. (DD-850) and USS JOHN R. PIERCE (DD-753) stopped and boarded a Soviet registered ship.  On 27 OCT 62 a USAF U-2 was shot down by a Soviet surface-to-air missile and our pilot was killed.  On 8 NOV 62 DOD announced that the Soviet missile bases were dismantled, and on 20 NOV 62 President Kennedy ended the blockade of Cuba.  - - - Things were really hot during these few weeks.  Forrestal had constant flight ops during the Cuban Crisis.  Preparing for attack and protecting our allies.  We kept most of our stuff in the air 24/7.  We expected the ship, and us, to have a very short life span after the first shot was fired, perhaps just a few minutes.  I was standing surface plotting watches on the Flag Bridge, 12 on and 12 off.  I was really tired most of the time.  It was stressful.

	THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING! So here is Bob Hores, rehersing the band on the Forrestal flight deck.  The Russians are coming, and we can't get our jets off because the band is in the way.  Musicians!	FORRESTAL AT NYC FLEET WEEK Playing a gig at the Astor Hotel in Manhattan.  I think it was for the graduating class of cadets from Annapolis.  We were in NYC on the USS Forrestal for Fleet Week.  Hey, this was 48 years ago . . . and I can't remember the details.  But I remember I bought a fake book from the bass player in the other band that we traded sets with.
	See . . . I told you . . . THE RUSSIANS REALLY ARE COMING!!!
	RUSSIANS COMING!!!

	Buddy Morrow's Band came aboard USS Forrestal Bob Bowman - Steve Bergstrom - Ray Corcoran		Refueling at sea gig CVA-59 Unit Band #194 duty gig
	Buddy Morrow's band played a gig on USS Forrestal.  Some UB #194 members jammed between sets...		Poorman, Dechesser, Bergstrom, Bowman, Brown & Migatz playing a refueling at sea on Forrestal.  Some souse Marches . . . YEA!

POORMAN K.R. MU3 With ComCarDiv 4 on USS Forrestal Forecastle

FLAG STAFF abd USS FORRESTAL

		ITALY
	Ken Poorman in Pisa		Bob Bowman in Pisa
	Parla italiano?  I traveled from Livorno to Pisa on a train . . . and climbed to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa - pretty neat.  Bob Bowman was along on this excursion in Italy.
My Train Tickets Livorno to Pisa 2/15/1963

	Bob Bowman Mach Shop Bowman in 02-167-2-L Bowman the Sailor Bob Bowman's Cmas Art Bowman was friends with everyone.  He made friends easily, and everyone in the band liked him.  He would hang everywhere from the Admiral's Office, to the Machine Shop, Radio Repair, the Laundry, etc.  He drew the pic of the Tuba and Santa when we were in France for Christmas.  Oh yes, I'll have to add the photo of the Christmas Tree that he and I brought on board for the band room. Bob Bowman Then (1961) ↑ Bob Now (2013) ↓
	Blue Zone Bob San Diego We are BLUE ZONE and it is our mission play Classy, Hip, Live Music, for all occasions. We have arrangements of Sinatra type swing, Tunes from the 1920's to 1970's. We are a self-contained with a great sound system which is perfect for events of 50 to 500 people not to loud, just great music. The musicians in BLUE ZONE have experience, talent and professionalism, all are former Navy Bandsmen and have a combined 75 years of music experience. We have played weddings, concerts, casuals, corporate events, private parties all over the world. Since we are all Navy men, we will always be on time, easy to work with, no attitudes in the group, We just want your guests to sit back relax, enjoy, dance, and have a memorable experience that you created for them by hiring BLUE ZONE. We set our sound system to fit the room or area, so the music can be enjoyed with out being to loud. As for dress we want to fit in whether, black tie, causal, or any dress you make the call. No matter the age of your guest, they will be able to identify to BLUE ZONE'S music. We are four piece consisting of PIANO/ELECTRIC, SAX/TENOR, ALTO, SOPRANO, DRUMS, ELECTRIC BASS/ VOCALS. Thank you BLUE ZONE BOB.

Brown-Poorman USS Forrestal

Jerry, Bob & Steve on Liberty Launch

Shorty Parker in 02-167-2-L

FRANCE   Parlez-vous français?  Here's a few of the mementos I picked up in France.  I remember the day I went to Charley's bar in Nice.  I was alone that day, and went to the beach.  I remember thinking I don't know how these people lay on a beach that has so many little stones, not comfortable at all, much better at Cannes.  I was a bit nostalgic that day, and chose to have dinner at Charlie's, because I was looking for something non-French, i.e. closer to American/English.  I remember being homesick for the States at that time.  But France was my favorite Country on the Med Cruise, i.e. the people and the food.  Speaking of Cannes, one day on the beach at Cannes, Bob Hores introduced me to Pablo Picasso.  He shook my hand, and we stood and talked with him for a few minutes.  I'll never forget that.  Thank you Dr. Bob.  I would have never noticed him, with so many bikini's on the beach.  I think Bowman and Salazar were there too.   Our big band played a gig in Antibes one summer evening at a school, which was really well received.  Shorty Parker and I met a guy in a bar in Cannes one afternoon.  He introduced us to drinking Anisette.  He invited me to his home in Grasse for dinner the following evening.  His wife made a nice meal.  I took along cartons of cigarettes as gifts, and something for their young son, including my hat - which got me in trouble when I got back to fleet landing uncovered.  While in Grasse, they took me to a perfume factory shop, and I bought a bottle of Joy.  Really enjoyed the south of France. I think I got stuck with SP duty for this party and couldn't have anything to drink.  I remember having a nice conversation with the Forrestal's Catholic Chaplin.  I wasn't Catholic at that time. Parlez-vous Français? UB #194 IN FRANCE This was a nice outdoor concert in a beautiful big garden . . . really nice setting, and a big audience.  Our big band sounded good, and the people were very appreciative.  This was probably one of the nicest concerts we played on the tour.  But my favorite gigs were the combo gigs for the Admiral's formal receptions for high level foreign dignitaries, even heads of State. Thanks Admiral.  (I always thought that Admiral Hyland was one excellent leader.) Spending money in Cannes! Spending money in Nice! Spending more money in Cannes! 20 DEC 1962 COMCARDIV FOUR threw a Christmas Party at "LES ALLEES" on Allees de la Liberte, Cannes, France.  It was good to be in Cannes again, but it was better in the summer though.  I missed Christine's vegetable soup.  I wen there most every day for lunch.  I remember going to the Command Christmas Party the 20th & 21st of December.  I remember having a conversation with the Catholic Chaplin.  Bob Bowman and I bought a Christmas tree, and carried it aboard and decorated it in the band room.  One of the few trees aboard. Spending money in Cannes! Christine & Cathy Cannes, France 1962 This is Christine and her baby.  The MU's went to Christine's Restaurant near Fleet Landing in Cannes a lot.  We always had a big turrine of her homemade vegtable soup . . . it was the best!  Christine always treated us very well.  (This was usually before we went drinking, so we were probably tolerable.)  I cant remember the name of her restaurant. Bob Bowman and I carried this tree aboard the Forrestal at Christmastime in Cannes France.  They weren't going to let it on board, but we told them it was for the Admiral (and flashed our COMCARDIV 4 patch).  Ha!  And by the way, who left their axe on the bulkhead.  (That's "who left their clarinet case on the wall" for you land lubbers.) Our Unit had "Unlimited" liberty privileges due to being on the Admiral's staff . . . no port and starboard or time limits for us.  And the Admiral allowed us to do overnights occasionally.  I don't think many other enlisteds had those privileges. I remember our Jazz Combo played at a restaurant/bar in Cannes New Year's Eve, 12/31/62 - 1/1/63.  I think it was at the Restaurant "Cote D'Azur" at 3 Rue Jean Daumas, Cannes, France.  I remember the owner telling us that Rock Hudson is an occasional patron.  We had met the owner previously while out on the town, and Bob Bowman arranged the gig.  We got paid a nominal amount, dinner and free Champagne all night.  The group was Bob Bowman (bass), Steve Bergstrom (drums), Ken Poorman (electric piano), Bob Hores (tenor), Jerry Brown (alto), Jack Ingram (bone).

Prior Lv FDR for Shang	Dechesser in Palermo	Hodge in Palermo	DJ & Bob in Barcelona
More sea stories . . . so here's Joe Prior and our band leaving the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA-42 headed for a tour on the USS Shangri-La CVA-38, both out of Mayport FL.  I remember bumping into Glenn Doebler of Lock Haven on the Shang.  We went to the Dominican Republic on the Rosey.  Master Chief Doebler retired and returned to Lock Haven. - Then - there's DJ in the Catacombs in Palermo Italy.  Steve Bergstrom was there, and I can't remember who else.  Hodge is the typical tourist, seeing all the historic sites, taking pictures.

	GREECE
Prior-Treaster-Poorman-Migatz	Migatz-Poorman-Prior-Bergstrom	Migatz-Poorman in Athens Greece
Liberty in Athens Greece.  How many drachma are there in a dollar - or is it how many dollars in a drachma?  You wouldn't take advantage of a poor dumb sailor would you Ο κύριος?  Remember the roasted chestnuts from the street vendors?  What historic sights?  I remember the taverna.  I remember the Ouzo!
Didn't we play for Queen Frederica here?  . . . or some royalty?  I think she came aboard the Forrestal?  Anyway, I remember that we didn't have the music for the Greek National Anthem, and we had to go aboard the HMS Hermes at sea and copy it from the Brits's charts  before we pulled into port at Piraeus/Athens.  Hold the grog mates.  HMS Hermes (R12) was a British Centaur-class aircraft carrier, launched in 1953.		HMS HERMES R12

NORWAY
Now I'm sure you figured out that Norway is not in the Med.  But I met these two sailors from the M/S Skagen when I was in Genoa Italy, and went drinking with them a few times.  They also invited me to dinner on their ship, and I had a great time meeting their crew and their chef! M/S Skagen Norway
Thoralf Lagestrand, Norwegian M/S Skagen	I met Thoralf Lagestrand and Charlie Bartnes in Genoa, Italy.  Thor was sailing on the M/S Skagen, and Charlie on a different Norweigen ship.  We met several times while we were there, and Thor took me to his ship for dinner once, introduced me around, neat.
Charlie Bartnes, Norway

LEBANON		I remember a combo gig on the rooftop of a hotel in Beriut, Lebanon . . . the goats in the streets . . . the street vendors negotiating prices, etc.
SPAIN	Barcelona Dechesser & Bowman	28 JAN 63 We were anchored Barcelona, Spain.  This was the first time I tasted Cognac.  I was in a bar with Bowman and Bergstrom... I remember a lot of b girls being there, lighting our Cognac.  We had a big band gig scheduled in a square in the city, but it got cancelled due to a Communist rally, so we all went drinking.  We were all at a nice restaurant one day, and I remember having steak and spaghetti, but I liked it rare.  Salizar wanted it cooked, but everyone's came out rare.  I don't think it ever hit a pan.  He tried to send it back, and the Chef was insulted.  He came out to the table and gave Sal a really hard time-we all thought it was funny-except Sal!
SICILY	Palermo Alfie Hodge	Here's a shot of Alfie Hodge in Palermo, Sicily

On 18 FEB 63 we had a turnover with USS ENTERPRISE CVAN-65.  Steaming in company with USS SPRINGFIELD CLG-7, USS TURNER DDR-834, USS MYLES C. FOX DDR-829, USS FARRAGUT DLG-6, USS GOODRICH DDR-831, USS LUCE DLG-7, and KENNETH D. BAILEY DDR-713 enroute to Pollensa Bay, Mallorca. 0747 we were anchored at Pollensa Bay, Mallorca in 12 fathoms of water with 60 fathoms of chain out to the port anchor.  Ships present include USS ENTERPRISE CVAN-65 and USS BAINBRIDGE DLGN-25, and USS SPRINGFIELD CLG-7. 1700 upon completion of turnover, Pollensa Bay, Mallorca, Task Unit 60.1.1 assumed Task Unit 60.8.1 composed of USS FORRESTAL, USS FARRAGUT, USS KENNETH D. BAILEY, USS GOODRICH, USS TURNER, USS LUCE, and USS MYLES C. FOX.  I remember this day well.  I went to the Enterprise on the Admiral's Barge and onboard the USS Enterprise we transferred some boxes of documents from our COMCARDIV 4 staff to their Flag.  I think Admiral Hyland was meeting with the Commander while we made the transfer.  First time I was on a nuclear powered ship.  I think Bob Bowman and Jack Ingram were with me, and others from CARDIVFOUR Staff.  I remember the Flag Admin Yeoman was there, but can't remember his name.  Admiral Hyland had invited us to go to Vietnam with him, but I had put in for shore duty on the East Coast, and was anxiously expecting orders any day.

On 01 MAR 63 the Forrestal commenced its Air Group Fly Off in preparation for our return to the States.  On 02 MAR 63 FORRESTAL returned from Deployment, steaming independently enroute to Norfolk, VA, and at 1027 we moored starboard side to berth 123, Pier 12, Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, VA.

Commander-In-Chief US Atlantic Fleet CINCLANTFLT

On 04 APR 63 I reported to CINCLANTFLT NB NORVA Admiral Robert L. Dennison at 1562 Mitscher Ave, Norfolk Va. 23551 - 757-836-3644.  He was also Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT), a NATO post.  Shortly after I went to CINCLANT/SACLANT, we played for a change of command when Adm. Dennison was replaced by Admiral Harold P. Smith.  I was attached to Navy Band #85.  The Bandleader was George L. Briley, CWO, USN.  I played duty gigs for daily colors, concert band appearances, the aero club at Langley AFB near Hampton VA, and christening new ships, one I remember was a submarine at Newport News shipyard.  I played off-duty gigs with Charlie's Band at American Legion Oceanview, VFW near Oceana or Dam Neck, Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base Enlisted Club, others; and another civvy band.  I lived out Little Creek Road on Carnarvon Drive at Azalea Gardens near the Norfolk airport.

Bergstrom Bowman Brown Caldon Corcoran Dechesser Gallagher Hores Hodge Ingram Migatz Parker Poorman Prior Salazar Sipe Treaster Zelio

	Jack Ingram Annapolis 1964	Ken Poorman - Jack Caldon - Larry Treaster 2010 Diane, Beverly & Carol were with us at Sellersville PA

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