Friday, October 3, 2025
As children, Mike & I were like brothers. I'm the big brother & Mike the little brother. Each weekend for years, we spent time together at Uncle Gerry & Aunt Glady's camp. We played & woodchuck hunted together. When I got my driver's license, I took Mike (& Joneen) for rides on my motorcycle, where he got the bug for motorcycles. After 2 years of sea duty in the Navy, I got shore duty in Philadelphia. On my way back to the base, I asked Mike if he wanted to spend the week with me at the shipyard. I ran the personnel office of Naval Inactive Ship (aka mothball fleet). I was going to take him aboard both 2 of the biggest battle ships the US ever made, the USS IOWA BB-61 & USS WISCONSIN BB-64. Mike was so sad that his Mom would not let him join the Navy for a week. Months later, I invited Mike to spend the week at the New London Submarine Base with me. I was to take him aboard a nuclear sub & show him the Top Secret Sub, The "NR-1" sub. Mom said no again. We talked about this many times years later. We figured Mom was afraid Mike would go to sea & not come home. After the Navy, I had a camp on the West Canada Creek. I gave Mike the keys to the place so he could go there whenever he liked. He did so often. We had a particularly fun trip to Boston to catch a Red Sox-Yankees game that won't be forgotten anytime soon. Then, as the years went by, children came along & sadly, Mike & I drifted apart. Mike & I had many laughs, fun times, & trips together. Oh, the memories, lots of memories. You are already missed my friend. RIP Mike.