Story of the Picture and Calender

Here is the story of how I acquired the famous picture and the calender from 1991.

The picture was originally taken sometime around Christmas of 1990. It was taken by a ship's photographer and was to be framed and sent to Chief Hanley as a retirement gift. There were 3 copies of the original picture and they were sent to the Oil Lab in an envelope sometime after the first of the year.

According to the 1991 Kennedy Calender, the pictures turned up missing sometime around the first week of February.

A week went by and the pictures had not shown up despite many warnings from a certain Senior Chief, (who originally commissioned the picture to be taken). The result: EVERYONE was made to stay on watch until they were returned. Many were angry and some blamed each other, but after about 24 hours they mysteriously appeared at a sounding tube! I did not take them and to this day, it remains a mystery to me who did!

From the time they were returned, (Feb. 1991) until the week before I left the Kennedy, (April 1993) they sat in that announcement window thingy that hung on the wall, just beside where we used to tally the fuel oil soundings. When the time came for me to leave the Navy, (April of 1993) I was the only one left from the picture who was still on the Kennedy. Everyone, who was in the picture, or cared about it, was long gone. I even asked BT1 Fortune and Chief Wagenknect if I could have the pictures, ( notice I said pictures...,more on that later) and the calender. They said sure! No one knew anyone in the picture except for me.

The same goes for the 1991 Kennedy Calender. I still remember asking, "Does anyone want this old calender from 1991?"

Nope..., take it! They said.

So, that's the story, and I got them fair and square. But now, I get to share them with you guys and I hope they bring back some good memories for you as they've done for me.

Oh yeah..., I almost forgot. There were only two pictures. I assume Senior "B" sent Chief Hanley the other third one. (Chief Hanley, if you read this I will gladly send you a copy if you send me your address) But, I did take the other two pictures. Carl June visited me in Roanoke back in 1997 and I gave him the other copy.

BT3 Griffith (Griff)