US Naval Station Midway Island.

   After my 14 days leave I was to report to US Naval Station Midway Island, I had my ticket for my first airplane ride in my paperwork. I went to The airport in San Diego, and boarded a flight for Honolulu Hawaii. Once in Hawaii I was transferred to Hickam AFB for a military contract flight to Midway. The flight from Diego to Hono was great, pretty stewardesses, nice seats, everything I expected.  Then We saw the plane we would fly to Midway on. It looked like something out of Skyking. An old DC-3 from Northwest Orient Airlines, Propeller driven. And when they started the motors, the belched smoke and fire and shook real bad.  We boarded our "luxury Flight" and were taxing to the runway when the pilot announced we had to turn around and go back to change aircraft because ours had engine problems. Very reassuring to all of us already nervous passengers.  Well we got our other aircraft and made the flight to Midway safely. It was new Years Eve 1969-70.
      
      Midway Island lies in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, The main Island of 2 is Sand Island, approximately 1250 acres.  Famous for a turning point in WWII, There is not much there. But it was home to a couple of  thousand Sailors, Seabees, and US Air force personnel in 1968. Mostly it is home to thousands and thousands of Laysan Albatross, fondly referred to as "Gooney Birds".   These Birds are very beautiful and graceful in flight, but when they land it is a comedy of errors. With most making a three point landing every time.  Take off is better but requires a long run before getting airborne.  They spend part of the year on Midway for breeding and the rest I am not sure where, but on the Island they are thick and they have the right of way. There are a few stories about these birds so remember them.

  As I mentioned earlier I arrived on Midway on New Years Eve. After checking in at the transit barracks, I went to explore my new home.  I walked down to an area where we had deep water piers, It was beautiful. The water around us was so blue, white sand and even where the largest ships docked to unload supplies, the water was so clear you could see the bottom of the ocean.  A bunch of people were fishing there, and I noticed a lot of activity near  the corner of the pier so I walked over to check it out. There you could see a small octopus on the bottom, and about 3 guys were trying to catch it. They would cast their bait out and drag it near or over the octopus but it would not react in any way.
I watched for a bit and then walked to the other side of the pier and saw a fishing line hanging there, I pulled it up and on the end was a dead eel. I took it over to the others, and we cut the body off and left just the head. I threw it out and dragged it past the octopus and the octopus moved, I threw it a second time and  the octopus grabbed it. I started pulling, and the others assisted and we got the octopus up on the dock. I remember someone was filming this with an old movie camera, and have always wished I had a copy of it. We kept the octopus on shore for a few minutes, prodding it with sticks, and admiring my catch, then used boards to push It back into the ocean. When it hit the water It took off leaving a thick cloud of black ink behind it.  Very exciting day for my first day to say the least.
    The Enlisted Men's Club or "EM" Club on Midway was the center of our off duty life. That evening I ventured to the "EM" Club, as the drinking age on station was 18 for beer, and 21 for hard liquor. I still had my tropical white uniform on and I heard a couple of guys say "Hey Keys!" the insignia for Storekeeper was crossed keys,  and asked them whats up. They told me they were from the supply department and we would probably be working around each other and invited me to have a beer with them. Soon there was a large group of "Keys" gathered and I was meeting my shipmates for the next year.
     Midway was a refueling stop for Navy Ships back then, and that evening 4 Destroyers (AKA Tin Cans) docked for refueling and to celebrate the new year. Well on Midway we wore civilian clothes when off duty,  so it was fairly simple to see who was Midway, and who was "Fleet" except for me cause I was still in uniform. The drinks flowed and at some point the Fleet sailors, got into a disagreement with  some Sea Bees, and next thing everyone was fighting. Fleet against Midway sailors. I held my own and managed to escape before the MP's got there, but the next day when i passed the club it was a mess, broken chairs and tables. Man glad I didn't have to clean that up. I had my first real hangover and felt like crap!!!