|
Comments :
Bob was my father he died in 1999, he loved his time in the Navy.
He was a Chief Radioman. any comments from someone who knew him would be welcomed.
Some Email exchange between Alan and myself:
From: Joseph Betters To: Alan Grissom
Thanks for the log entry. You didn't leave your first name. It would make it easier for the crew to answer you.
I was a radioman and the Chief taught me things I needed to know. He could sit at a receiver with a coffee and sandwich eat and still copy "the bug". He was quite the man. I remember him being fair but stern. It was great to work under his leadership. Joe Betters RM3 1965-68 From: Alan Grissom To: Joseph Betters Joe, Thank you for the the note, It's great to hear from someone that knew him. My name is Alan I am the middle son of 5 of bob's kids. He retired in 67 at treasure island then ended up in Kansas City, MO. He worked for Santa Fe RR until he retired from them and bought a small farm above Springfield MO. A little town of humansville, he loved to hunt and fish and that was the place. He got the big C in 99 and went pretty quick. miss him so. He was a tough minded guy but very fair. Mom died in 85 of cancer too. After your parents are gone seems you have a lot of questions and no one to ask. Were you on the ship when the Arnhiter thing happened and if so would you be willing to talk about it? I live in Hot Springs, AR. Once again thank you for the response you are the first person that I have talked to. Sorry for rambling on. Alan B Grissom From: Joseph Betters To: Alan Grissom Hello, Alan. I would like to add this note to the comment section of the entry you made. I think you'll find crew who will write back to you. Just about everyone knew the Chief. Yes I was aboard those "99" days. It's a shame but that is what the ship is remembered for. On the other hand, those "99" days have brought many of the crew together. If you have questions I will do what I can to answer them. Just be warned I only had to deal with a small portion of those days. For example, engineman didn't have to deal with the same things I did. I think you know what I mean. I will guess Chief has mentioned a thing or two about that time. Also, Alan, if you have any photos related to Vance and your dad please send me a copy for the site. I think I have a picture of him moving a fender in Subic Bay. That was the only time 3 or 4 radioman were seen doing actual work on ship. I'm pretty sure it was him, but could have been Chief Goad. The picture is in my photo section on the shipmate photo page. Can't tell you where off hand. Talk about ramble… You are also welcomed to stop in at any of our reunions. Even just to say hello and introduce yourself. I do know about the loss of parents too. My dad died Christmas day in 71 and my mom 30 years later 2 days before Christmas. Enough ramble. Joe From: Alan Grissom To: Joseph Betters Joe, Sorry about the delay in my response, feel free to post any and all to the web site. I would like to hear from people that spent time with him. I have very little in the way of pictures of him but I have a Plack of the Vance, says watchdog of the pacific, he painted it with the bulldog in Yellow. Sorry to hear about your parents. Christmas is hard enough with out that, We lost my mom on Easter. Don't know much about the web site just stumbled on to it but was glad to see it, all my best childhood memory's seem to have the Ocean and Navy shipyards in them. We were stationed at Bremerton just before the Navy's wisdom sent us to Key West before the missle crisis and again when JFK was killed then to Pearl from there. Mom said I went to 15 Schools before I went to high School. Loved being a dependent and feel my childhood was in Hawaii, Sure I sold news papers to Grunts that didn't come home. Dad didn't talk much about the 99 thing and to this day don't know what side he was on, Remember Mom talking about Ray Harding think he was he might have been XO you I'm sure would know more about that. I served in a VP-8 Squadron in Brunswick MA. in the early 70's, went to boot in San Diego and A School as an ADJ in Millington, TN. deployed to Bermuda, sounds good but sure sucks our sister company seemed to do all the work witch meant other duty for most. That Island was all bars and Churches. My oldest son was Navy too, he was stationed in Norfolk on the DDG-55 Stout and my Daughter went Air force and ended up in DC at DIA after 35 Country's in a time not good to be there. always felt the old man's clearance helped her later in life, she works at a private computer security now but seem's to travel a lot anyway. We keep telling her to take a job on the west coast were the real waves are but no luck so far. Once again here I go rambling on, they say I love to talk but i'm not... well I guess it's true. That's all for now but would love to her from you and anyone that might have known him. Alan Grissom |