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Andy Anderson

Here is a First Day Cover mailed off Collett on July 22, 1966. This would have been about two months after we left Long Beach for WestPac. The cover celebrates the participation of Collett in Project Gemini Recovery Operations in the Pacific Fleet. I do not know the addressee, but I am sure someone out there does. I bought this item off e-Bay about 5 years ago.

Ship's lighter from the HMAS Hobart.

This was given to me by a sailor off the Hobart named Bill Stewart. He also gave me the boomerang you will see in a later picture and can see some of in this one. We had a swap of personnel while on station in the Gulf and he was one of the sailors that came on the Collett. We made port together a couple of times, and I remember his favorite saying being "Let me take 'im, Mate!". This fellow definitely enjoyed his beer and barroom brawls.

Lighters lined up under the boomerang.

From left to right they are: Shitkicker Bar lighter, Windjammer Club lighter, HMAS Hobart lighter, Collett Asiatic Squadron '66-'68 lighter, Collett Asiatic Squadron '62-'64 lighter, and finally a USS Chicago CG-11 ship's lighter.

Close-up of the Windjammer Club, Yokosuka lighter.

As I recall this was the starting place for many a good night's steaming on Honcho Street. The Windjammer Club, The Swingin' Red Doors, then on to bigger and better things. I am sure I don't have to elaborate on the Red Doors.

Collett lighter.

I ran across some of the lighters I collected while aboard the Collett. this is a pix of a Collett lighter showing the Desron 9 shield and the script "ASIATIC SQUADRON 1966-1968" (This is the lighter I carried while aboard-it must have lit a million Pall-Malls!).

Collett lighter.

This is the reverse side of the same lighter showing Ships' Crest and the script "USS COLLETT DD-730". The third picture is of a lighter I got at one of the bars I hung out in Yokuska. It was the Hitching Post Bar, and I am sure I spent many a night there, while in port, working on some magnificent hangovers. The fourth is the reverse of the "Shitkicker Lighter" with a little cartoon sailor.

Shitkicker's lighter.

This is a picture is of a lighter I got at one of the bars I hung out in Yokuska. It was the Hitching Post Bar, and I am sure I spent many a night there, while in port, working on some magnificent hangovers. .

Shitkicker's lighter.

The fourth is the reverse of the "Shitkicker Lighter" with a little cartoon sailor

At Sea in the Bashi Channel

Collett down at the stern, deck awash.

Rolling hard to starboard, bow down.

Whitecap of starboard side.

Another Whitecap off starboard.

In a trough, bow up.

Starboard roll, probably coming out of a trough

Deck awash again and rolling to port, looking aft.

Starboard roll bow down, looking toward bow.

Rolling to port, looking aft.

Rolling hard to port, bow down, looking toward stern.

 

Collett Souvenirs

The plan of the day for Sunday, 4 June 1967 signed by LCDR Wardell, the XO (lovingly referred to as "Shakey Jake" by the crew). Movie was a double feature, Uniform of the day was Dungarees, so we were most likely out to sea, and it appears we were using too much fresh water. I do not recall the signifigance of the 42's across the top, under the ship's picture.

This was mimeographed, state of the art stuff then, seems hard to imagine such pre-historic methods being used back then, what with all the computers and printers we have today.

One of my old Sun Laundry tickets from Yokosuka. I wonder if I ever got that batch of laundry. Man, I can still feel the stiffness of those whites that they used to starch until they resembled boards. No trouble standing at attention when you first donned a fresh white uniform. A few hours on Honcho Street softened them right up, though.

 

 

5 Inch 38 Shell Case Ashtray

This is an ashtray I made out of a 5 inch 38 shell that we fired into the shore in Viet Nam. This particular shell is dated 1944 - 11. I looked for one that had my birthday (10/44), but 11/44 is as close as I could come. I had the engraving done in Yokosuka - it is two dragons. Seemed appropriate at the time. I no longer smoke, but I have enjoyed this piece ever since I made it. It still has a place of honor on my fireplace mantle. As you can see in the last three pictures, it polishes up beautifully.

I made the ashtray by cutting off the top of the shell about 3 inches up from the bottom and then using a file to cut four cigarette slots in the perimeter.

The first picture is of the ash tray is on the bench in the ET shop aboard Collett.

The second is the same as the first, only cropped to show the engraving. You will notice I was smoking Pall Malls then.

The third picture is a current one of the base showing the markings from the armory and manufacturer.

The fourth is from the side showing the dragon.

 

 

 

The fifth is with the addition of a .38 special cartridge for size comparison.

MPC, Philippine Pesos, Hong Kong and Australian Dollars

This is the front side of a genuine 5 cent MPC bill. Can you imagine the printing costs on something like this these days?

This is the back side of the previously described bill. Neat picture of our astronaut in a space walk.

Here is the front of a 1 dollar MPC script. MPC script was for use by service men overseas to spend rather than genuine green-backs to prevent the Commies from counterfeiting our money and the like. As I recall, this script was changed periodically, and the bases were locked down during the exchange, and whoever missed out then had a bunch of worthless paper.

This is the backside of the previous bill. Don't know how I managed to make it out of the bars with this much money still to my name. Juding from the wrinkles it it, I must have had a death grip on it!

This bill came from Hong Kong. Seems to me that the exchange rate back then was about 6 or 7 Hong Kong Dollars to one American.

Here is the reverse side. Lot of memories from the times we visited Hong Kong. The last being brought to Mast for going AWOL. Darned near missed ship's movement over that one!

This is a 1 peso note from the Philippines. This one had to come from one of our visits to Alongapo City. Quite an interesting place. First time we hit Alongapo, we had our division party for us newly designated petty officers. Serviing as our guide, was Roy Habegger, who had been there before, and claimed to know all the really good places to go. Started at the 3 B's, and when that turned into a brawl and the SP's had been called, we hastily retired to "Mom's Bar (Place?).

The rear of the previously mentioned bill. Getting back to Mom's Bar, this joint must have been world renowned for OLD and UGLY women! A word of caution, if you ever go to Alongapo, don't use Roy as a guide, and above all, stay away from Mom's Bar! Thank God we were already pretty well swacked when we arrived.

Another Peso bill in a 2 peso denomination. As previously mentiond, the girls at Mom's, in spite of our well lubricated state, still needed some more beautification elixer, but as the evening progress and we imbibed San Miguel Beer, they all began to look pretty decent. Truth be known, aside from one, I doubt there was any of them under a hundred or so. I think they all may have been "Mom's" grandmothers.

Back side of the aforementioned bill. The bad thing about Alongapo is that the girls in the bars there latch on to you, and once you have bought one a few drinks, you are hers, and you cannot get away. If you go to another bar, she will find your and a fight will ensue. I will post a picture later of this Mom's Bar episode so you can see for yourself I am not exaggerating.

This is a 1 dollar Australian bill that I got from a seaman off the Hobart. Mentioned this fellow in one of my earlier submissions.

Backside of the same bill. Always thought I would get spend this one in Australia, but the ship never got there till after I left.

3 B's and Mom's Bar

Here is a picture of the rating party group before the festivities really got started at the 3 B's. I can't tell you any of the girl's names, but the crewmen from left to right are: 1st on left I cannot remember his name for the life of me, 2nd from left, looking over the girl in the hat is myself, 3rd from left is Bill Rose, 4th from left-under the palm frond- is Paul Lang, and on the right is Bill West. Bill Rose has since passed on.

(Thanks to Bill Ross the 1st sailor on the left has been identified as Gary Clement.)

This is a picture taken later same day at the infamous Mom's Bar. On the left with Mom's Grandmother is myself, and on the right is "Wild Bill" Hickox (who has been on the missing list for many years now). Conspeciously missing in both these pictures is our intrepid (but sadly misguided) tour guide, Roy Habegger.

Official Underground Newspaper/Scuttlebutt Sheet "Ragalwem"

This may be the last remaining copy of "Ragalwem", the Collett "Underground" Newspaper. This copy is undated, but references our visit to Minamata, which according to chronological list of activities submitted by Steve Blanchard would have made it in July of '66. I remember the visit, but somehow I had it in my mind it was later. Time clouds the memory.

Volunteering for a Mail Buoy Watch? What dedication to duty ... none higher! I'm sure the subjects of these news flashes can elaborate better than I. I seem to remember some talk about Benjo Ditch wading in a couple of different ports o' call.

I am glad that I was not the only Anderson to lose a watch in Japan.

Mine was actually lost by proxy. I purchased a watch at the petty officer's club in Yokosuka from another sailor, and as I had one on, I asked "Wild Bill" to wear one for me till we got back to the ship. As the evening wore on, we were separated, and when I saw him again the next morning and requested my watch, he informed me that he had traded it for some time with one of the local bar girls. Thanks a lot! I didn't loan "Wild Bill" much after that.

CAPTAIN'S CORNER

WE HEAR THAT A CERTAIN SEAMAN ENJOYS SERVING UNDER A CERTAIN CAPTAIN ON A CERTAIN SHIP SO MUCH THAT TO SHOW HIS APPRECIATION, HE BOUGHT THAT CAPTAIN (AND HIMSELF) A DRINK WITH THAT CAPTAIN'S YEN......"SORRY ABOUT THAT FISHEEEEEEE SIR"

EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S CORNER

NOW HEAR THIS!

WE THOUGHT WE SAW AND HEARD THE XO SERENADING THE CO IN A ROWBOAT COMING BACK TO THE SHIP AFTER MIDNIGHT ONE NIGHT.

ANY SIMILARITY BETWEEN PERSONS LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY INTENTIONAL!!

Whaleboat and Gunfire Photos

This is the famous Collett Motor Whale Boat. It seemed that this boat could always get "There" under power, but most often the crew had to row back.

This picture was taken in DaNang harbor. I am not sure of most of the names here, but I believe that the officer standing midships in front of the oarsman was The XO, LCDR Wardell. The last white-hat toward the stern was our ship's Mail Clerk, Dan Rich. I think also that the forth white-hat from the bow (partially hidden) was Joe Kozerski.

One way to blow a smoke ring! shore bombardment, Mount 51, I think.

Fire and Brimstone. Looks like a two gun salvo from mount 52?

Sunset in Hong Kong from Mount Victoria. Quite the picture of serenity after the previous two pix.

Hong Kong Memorabilia

Greetings shipmates from the palatial home of Andy Anderson here in beautiful Poverty Acres, Arizona.  The following are some pictures of a few Collett mementos I found while cleaning the attic of our humble mansion.  I imagine many of us have spent at least a little time in one or more of these fine establishments in Hong Kong. 

 

This and the following are pictures of some of the advertising lures thrown up onto the deck of the ship by the bum boats that came along side as we entered port. I imagine many of us have spent at least a little time in one or more of these fine establishments in Hong Kong.

This is a guide book I purchased in Hong Kong, and the following are some of the write-ups it contained avout the bars above.

 

Photo of Bill Rose and myself working on I. F. F. transponders in the Radar Transmitter Room.  I am the one standing with the sound powered phones on.  Looks like we could have been at GQ.

 

 

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Last updated: Tuesday, December 30, 2008