Miss America USO Tour

I deployed aboard the Bon Homme Richard for eight months.  The ship was at Yankee Station on May 2, 1970 to begin the first of five periods.  Between those combat operations, we returned to Subic Bay in the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Mail was intermittent and there was really no way to learn what was happening stateside. We had a black & white television which played a live feed of flight operations and replays of the television series Mission Impossible. There was no news channel, no internet, no email, no YouTube and thankfully no twitter or Facebook. The tour was intended to boost our morale but I found it had the opposite effect. I was reminded that how far I was from home and length of time before I could return.

"WELCOME TO THE BIGGEST DECK IN WESTPAC". I made the suggestion to my friends that we find some gray paint and change one "E" to an "I".

Welcome Miss America to the USS Bon Homme Richard

The Welcoming Committee

The air wing squadrons had their own welcoming committee I had no idea which one of these women was Miss America. They were attractive and photogenic but seeing them on a flight deck seemed very odd. I guess I was supposed to feel a connection with home, but I didn't. At least the Navy tried.

Pretty woman but way too much hairspray

Miss America Entourage on USO tour

Miss America Entourage on USO tour, a smile for the sailors

Miss America Entourage on USO tour