T
TreasurdiggrNY
Guest
Well it's 7:22 am and I was just waking up 23yrs. ago in Groton Conn. at the Naval base wow 23yrs. When I woke up I remembered the fun we had over the weekend that wasn't meant to be.
I was diagnosed with strep throat Friday May 31st, 1985 and was advised to rest for the next couple of days but I found myself in the parking lot of an auto parts store on Saturday the 1st at about 8am with my shipmate Mark from Minnesota. He came out with the red tape to fix his broken tail light, slapped some of it on and said,"We're off til Monday morning, what do you want to do?" Being 21 at the time, strep and a fever doesn't slow you down, I said, "Let's go to Brooklyn".
We get to Brooklyn 3 hrs. later just in time for lunch, Mom and Dad are totally surprised, that was cool. We all hung out together for the rest of the day and had some great Brooklyn pizza for dinner.
Went out Saturday Night, got home very early on Sunday morning and slept in.
Woke up about 11 or 12(noon) Sunday to a familiar smell. Holy it smells like Thanksgiving! Mom cooked a whole turkey with all the fixings, just the way she does on Thanksgiving. Who does this in June?
2pm Sunday and we all sit down to eat, the whole family and some friends. Everything is delicious. After we eat we head up to the VFW with my Father, he is so funny, bragging to the guys about his son the submariner, telling them about the Med Run we did, time flies when you're drinking and telling stories, time to head back to Rotten Groton.
Give Dad a big kiss and hug, tell him I love him, of course the other old timers have to break balls. "I Love You Too! lol He breaks there balls right back lol. He's gonna stay at the VFW for another but says to make sure I see Mom before I head back, DUH!
Mark and I laugh at the great time we had over the weekend on the ride back, he loves Brooklyn and NYC, it was his first time there, not leaving Minnesota til he joined the Navy. Get back to the base and hit the rack, have to work in the morning.
8am June 3rd on the boat working, my chief tells me I need to go see the Captain, Uh Oh what's up with that? Into the Captains office, he says "Have a seat Glenn" I have no clue. He says "Glenn, I am so sorry to inform you that your Mother called and said you Father passed away in his sleep last night" I remember saying "No, I just saw him last night he's fine" I don't remember much else of what was said, I was in total disbelief, how could it be, he is too young, he just turned 50 in April.
I remember the reality sinking in when the Capt. said, "Glenn you can take all the time off you need, you can head out now and get packed up to go home. The Navy never gives you time off unless there is good reason.
3 hrs. on the Amtrack to get home to Brooklyn, To this day I don't remember even being on the train. Get home and needless to say everyone is in tears, totally shocked. Went to the morgue with my mother to ID the body to be transported to the funeral parlor, have the wake, the funeral, NYPD pall bearers Military on site at the graveyard for the 21 gun salute, he would have hated it lol too much fuss, "don't go out of your way for me" he would say.
It couldn't be helped though. Once the word of his death spread OMG so many friends came and called we had to move the wake to the 3 room area, the flowers alone took up a whole room.
I still miss you soooo much Dad, so much has happened since you're gone, I still think about you often. I'm married now with 2 boys, you never met them or my wife, they know everything about you as your spirit is alive in me. I wonder what you would think of this metal detecting thing lol. I just want to say "I love you" and give you a big kiss and hug
.
Love,
Glenn
I was diagnosed with strep throat Friday May 31st, 1985 and was advised to rest for the next couple of days but I found myself in the parking lot of an auto parts store on Saturday the 1st at about 8am with my shipmate Mark from Minnesota. He came out with the red tape to fix his broken tail light, slapped some of it on and said,"We're off til Monday morning, what do you want to do?" Being 21 at the time, strep and a fever doesn't slow you down, I said, "Let's go to Brooklyn".
We get to Brooklyn 3 hrs. later just in time for lunch, Mom and Dad are totally surprised, that was cool. We all hung out together for the rest of the day and had some great Brooklyn pizza for dinner.
Went out Saturday Night, got home very early on Sunday morning and slept in.
Woke up about 11 or 12(noon) Sunday to a familiar smell. Holy it smells like Thanksgiving! Mom cooked a whole turkey with all the fixings, just the way she does on Thanksgiving. Who does this in June?
2pm Sunday and we all sit down to eat, the whole family and some friends. Everything is delicious. After we eat we head up to the VFW with my Father, he is so funny, bragging to the guys about his son the submariner, telling them about the Med Run we did, time flies when you're drinking and telling stories, time to head back to Rotten Groton.
Give Dad a big kiss and hug, tell him I love him, of course the other old timers have to break balls. "I Love You Too! lol He breaks there balls right back lol. He's gonna stay at the VFW for another but says to make sure I see Mom before I head back, DUH!
Mark and I laugh at the great time we had over the weekend on the ride back, he loves Brooklyn and NYC, it was his first time there, not leaving Minnesota til he joined the Navy. Get back to the base and hit the rack, have to work in the morning.
8am June 3rd on the boat working, my chief tells me I need to go see the Captain, Uh Oh what's up with that? Into the Captains office, he says "Have a seat Glenn" I have no clue. He says "Glenn, I am so sorry to inform you that your Mother called and said you Father passed away in his sleep last night" I remember saying "No, I just saw him last night he's fine" I don't remember much else of what was said, I was in total disbelief, how could it be, he is too young, he just turned 50 in April.
I remember the reality sinking in when the Capt. said, "Glenn you can take all the time off you need, you can head out now and get packed up to go home. The Navy never gives you time off unless there is good reason.
3 hrs. on the Amtrack to get home to Brooklyn, To this day I don't remember even being on the train. Get home and needless to say everyone is in tears, totally shocked. Went to the morgue with my mother to ID the body to be transported to the funeral parlor, have the wake, the funeral, NYPD pall bearers Military on site at the graveyard for the 21 gun salute, he would have hated it lol too much fuss, "don't go out of your way for me" he would say.
It couldn't be helped though. Once the word of his death spread OMG so many friends came and called we had to move the wake to the 3 room area, the flowers alone took up a whole room.
I still miss you soooo much Dad, so much has happened since you're gone, I still think about you often. I'm married now with 2 boys, you never met them or my wife, they know everything about you as your spirit is alive in me. I wonder what you would think of this metal detecting thing lol. I just want to say "I love you" and give you a big kiss and hug
.Love,
Glenn
So glad you got to spend time with him just before! I can't imagine ever not missing him.
