Navy Buddy Don

 

My Navy friend Don.  Here is Don showing off his blackeye he received when he was caught making fun of a Maine dancing at the E.M. Club when we were snowed in.  The other picture is Don at the Navy Pier in Chicago with his Naval Officer uniform on.

The near two years I worked with Don was funny watching him being envious of officers.  Whenever an officer would come into our office, toss his officer hat on the coat and hat rack and go back to shoot the shit with our division officer Don, more times than not, try the officer’s hat on.  He had balls.  I know I would get caught wearing an Office’s hat.

And at clubs and bars when meeting girls he usually introduced himself as a Navy Officer that flew helicopters.  I remember it impressed a flock of New York school teachers we met at Seaside Heights who jointly bought a beach house.  Wha made it even more interesting our division officer went with us to try his luck but he used he story he was the only enlisted man in the bunch.

And another interesting combo was when they introduced us to real Naval pilots, actually  from our squadron.  They went alone with the joke in lieu of bringing us up Impersonating  An Officer charges.

When we both got off  Active duty in July 1965.  Don went back to his parents in Chicago and his old job at The Chicago Tribune.  He told people he was a writer, but did not elaborate.  Actually he wrote want ads.

He also returned to college (in the evenings), got his degree, became a working professor himself and got his Naval Commission where he was in he reserves.

For about ten years he would drop by for a visit on his way to visit is grandmother in Hollywood, Florida.  And I and we drove to Chicago to visit him.  We also communicated by mail keeping each up with what was new with us.

We had a political difference and quit communicating for years.  Then I learned Don. had a stroke or something and was nearly blind.  I called him about two years ago, and he did not seem interested in what I was up to.   Time flies.