During a visit to Manila, Philippines by the then Vice President of the United States, Richard Nixon in '54 or '55, could even have been later (don't remember so good anymore) Anyway, Vice President Richard Nixon and the President of the Philippines were giving Independence Day speeches in the plaza next to the Manila Hotel. As most of you know, the Philippines celebrate their Independence Day on July 4th as do we.

My buddy and I were atop the Manila Hotel watching the ceremonies below. Standing on the roof of the hotel, leaning against the flag staff atop the hotel, the idea occurred to me to 'take' the Philippine flag for a souvenir, where upon lowering the flag during the ceremony, I folded the flag, fitted like a cummerbund about my waist and pulled my jumper down over the flag.

Not known to us was the fact we were being watched by security, after all we were in an ideal spot for a sniper. Coming out of the attic of the hotel we were ordered to stop by security. We took off running down the stairs of the hotel, security went down the elevator waiting for us on the ground floor. We stopped at the mezzanine floor and going through the dining room on the mezzanine level, we proceeded out the service entrance in the rear of the hotel.

 A search was made aboard the Yorktown, where upon I hid the Philippine flag in the Catholic Chaplain's vestments. Having to continually change the location from hanger to hanger as each Mass required a different vestment. When the Yorktown returned to the States, I again wrapped the flag around my waist and left the ship on liberty. Boxing the flag at a local Post Office State-side I shipped the flag home.

 I still have the flag, which I treat with respect. This was indeed a no no. I do regret having done this thing, but it is a continual reminder of this incident. Ronald G. Sills lehulehu@hotmail.com

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Vice President Nixon's aborted visit to the Yorktown
in Hong Kong harbor during 1953/1954 Korean War Cruise

 

Does anyone remember that fateful day when RICHARD NIXON then on a Far East tour was to visit us in HONG KONG ? We lost a half day liberty.  The Vice President's launch came from shore and instead of coming to the starboard ladder where the Admiral, the Marine Captain, our Captain McKechtny and the Flag band patiently waited for the Vice President and future Commander in Chief the Vice President and his boat just kept on going around the ship and back to shore without even a wave!

I was the OOD (Officer of the Deck) and all those Yorktown Sailors who manned the rail that day probably never voted for 'Tricky Dick'

Remember the time when Yorktown was due at the degaussing dock at Pearl Harbor and the Captain let Cdr Jackson, the executive officer, take the con.  The XO succeeded in wiping out about half of the dock! That was on our way to Korea sometime in 1952.
Picture Caption: returning from liberty to the USS Yorktown in Hong Kong Harbour  1954

Lt. jg Joseph T. Labrum  JTL314@aol.com

Another Hong Kong Story
False Alarm causes overworked airdales to
stand watch with M1 rifles

Remember when the quarterdeck received a mysterious, midnight phone call warning that a "Chinaman" was climbing aboard the ship, port side, aft during the Yorktown's Hong Kong visit in the early fifties? The resulting tableau was truly hilarious.

 It seems that some airdales were not too thrilled with Captain Captain Huff's decision to require airdales, (after weeks at sea with flight quarters 12, 14, 16 hours a day,) to stand "boat boom" watches on the hanger deck catwalk with M1 Carbines while we were in port. No one ever found that "Chinaman", though the search through all the assorted crates and gear in bay three of the hanger deck went on for about a day and a half. Don Cole, ABAN, V-7Div, 1952-55
 

Picture: 2001 sailors on the USS Enterprise with M60 machine gun

PHOTOGRAPHING CAPTAIN'S WIVES TEA PARTY...WITH NO FILM IN CAMERA

When the Yorktown was in Long Beach, the Captain's wife and the other officers were having a "tea party" for the petty officer's wives at the Captain's house on base.  I felt real important as the Navy assigned a Official US Navy car and driver to deliver me to the Captain Bennett's residence on the base.   I photographed the old girls pouring tea for each other, talking, nibbling cookies and all that.

I did a good job, asking the ladies to "smile" and "hold that pose" while I adjusted the camera and set the flash.

When I got back to the Yorktown photo lab I couldn't help but notice that I forgot to load the camera with film!  I got hell from my Chief.  I should lied to him and said "the chemicals are bad" or "the darkroom door opened and ruined the film"  Anything BUT THE TRUTH because no one can forgive a photographer who forgets to load his camera.

We thereafter were having an open house on the Yorktown and the photo lab had a display up on the hanger deck of flight operations pictures and the like.  The Captain's wife came around and said sarcastically to my superior,  PH2 Recchio  "So, Petty Officer Photographer's Mate, do we have film in our cameras today?"

My boss, the PH2 said to the Captain's wife, in the same sarcastic tone  "No, our cameras have no film in them today."

Having failed in getting our goat, the Captain's wife then stomped off.

PH2 Bernath  (I'm still embarrassed about this 32 years later) dan@disabilitypaycheck.com

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