Steve's Album

  Steve, at the Helm of the Saratoga.   He was 8 when this one was taken, and was aboard the ship visiting while we were in port.  The next year, at the end of our 86 Med cruise, Steve and George came with a group of about 100 other fathers and sons of Saratoga men, and had the opportunity to cross the Atlantic with us, on our return the the US.  It was pretty special to have my dad, and son, on board, and they had a great time.  They were given tours of many of the departments of the ship, watched flight operations from the flight deck, and lived as sailors for 12 days.  They slept in our berthing compartment, ate in our chowlines (Steve liked the fast-food line best, and preferred the 'Sliders', or cheeseburgers, to the regular meals.)  Steve's luggage was lost on the flight to Spain, where they met up with us, so he came aboard with only the clothes he was wearing, and another set of underwear in his carry on bag.  Finding clothes for a kid, on the ship, is just about impossible, but we bought a few ship's t-shirts for him, and washed his trousers and underwear every other day . . luckily the photo lab had its own washer and dryer.  He didn't mind, and wore his Sara shirts, and flight deck jersey's happily.  I gave my dad, a retired Air Force Senior Master Sergent, a Sara hat, with the Senior Chief anchor, and he wore that proudly during his visit, and often wore it when he was home. I have the hat now, and wear it in his memory.   Steve was the only child guest of the photo lab crew, but two other fathers of Photomates were aboard.  Steve already knew all of the men in the lab, and they took turns being his guide and shipmate when I had to work.  He and dad recieved Honorary Sailor Certificates at the end of the cruise, for having completed a series of orientation and skills tests in 'being a SaraMan'.  Dad framed his, and it hung in his den, with his Air Force certificates. 

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