He was a genuine, gentle, and kind person. We had similar religious and political leanings.
Mike had many medical issues (most of them caused by exposure to Agent Orange) and was under care at the local VA Hospital in Portland. We spent a memorable evening together at beautiful restaurant catching up and reminiscing. Most of the time, Mike and I would just have great phone conversations updating each on the latest in our lives and trying to solve the world’s problems! My wife and I made a trip to Portland a few years ago, and the highlight was a visit with Mike. Sometimes we were successful!!įollowing the war, we made contact again. We tried to meet girls and he used his camera as an introduction. We would often go on Liberty together in Honolulu and various Asian ports which were visited by thousands of Westpac ships during the Vietnam War. He did some weddings and other jobs for the officers, which got him out of a lot of the mundane Military duties on the ship. Mike used his photographic skills to become the official ship’s photographer. Built in 1945, the ship was nicknamed the “Dirty Ernie”, a much deserved title! We were both E-3 Seaman aboard one of the oldest ships in the 7th fleet. Mike and I were friends for most of 1967-69. Just heard the bad news that my best buddy on the USS Ernest G. We will always be dear friends for all eternity. We will be looking a lot better, a lot younger, compared to how our mortal bodies have aged over the last 33 years. We will all be in our prime of life at that time in the future with immortal bodies. Mike, we will see you again on Resurrection Morning. He was always ready to help me if I needed help. He was, and still is, one of my most dearest, most trusted friends I have every had. Jeannie would hold his hand the entire time and kept telling him we love him.
He loved taking pictures and took some remarkable pictures of me in the woods of Larch Mountain that I still have hanging on my wall in the break room of our medical clinic.ĭuring his last days in the hospital we visited with him weekly. In his last year of life he could not get out much so he called our office and spoke for hours every week over the phone, taking turns talking to either me or Jeannie. He visited us on a regular basis for many years. We hit it off right away because we had a lot in common. We met while practice shooting in the woods of Larch Mountain Oregon.
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