TIP-TOEING THROUGH EUROPE and ELSEWHERE..

5 years spent in the Navy was really good for me. However, by being a Medical Corpsman, I only spent the last 7 months aboard a ship. The rest was spent in hospitals in Quantico, Virginia Marine Base and in Naples, Italy where I eventually, after 2 years, was assigned aboard the USS Worcester.

It was hard to leave Italy but it was also exciting being out in the middle of the ocean and visiting those 'faraway places'. In those few months I stepped down on liberty in Nice, France on New Years Eve of 1953. Roamed the beaches of Cannes amongst the 'beautiful people' and drank absinthe in a rowdy bar with a rowdy girl in Toulon, France. Had real fish and chips and stout beer in Portsmouth, England and wandered around the streets of Barcelona, Spain for 2 days and visiting some senoritas, of course. Walked across the bridges of Dublin, Ireland and gave blood, along with 1500 shipmates, to the city of Dublin. Also had a real Irish Stew in a small cafe and listened to a young girl sing some Irish songs while we ate. Docked at San Juan, Puerto Rico but not allowed off the ship. Sat at an outside club along the beautiful waters of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and drank way too many cuba libres. Worcester Mass. was our Home Port and I spent may great liberties in Boston. (Not all of them at Eddies Western Bar).

Once, the Captain took the whole ship and crew to his birthday party in Bangor, Maine where most of us were met by the ladies and girls of Bangor and hosted us at several clubs in town. Just a nice clean time of dining and eating. Memorable!




All that was enough to wet my palate for traveling. I loved it! I pretty much followed through with adventures in travelling when I got out of the Navy.