Bobbin Around The Austin Gazebo

 

Seaman Bernard-Mike Fowler Reports For Duty Onboard The USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), 1969

 In 1969 Austin was a town of approximately 700 people.

The USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) was an aircraft carrier with over 4000 people onboard.  It was a floating small city. Flight deck, hospital, barber shop, ship's store, etc. It was an Awesome site to see.

Since I was non-rated, I had to do 90 days as a mess cook. I was assigned to the bake shop

About two (2) weeks before the 90 days were up, I was called to report to the ship's personnel office for an interview with CWO-2 George W. Gadaire, the Personnel Officer, to find out where I would be working during my time on the ship.

I wanted to be a postal worker, but Mr. Gadaire said there were no openings in the post office and he was going to assign me to the Captain's Office to do clerical work. He jokingly stated that an added benefit to having such a good assignment was that he was going to be my boss as he was being promoted to the position of Ship's Secretary and would be my boss.

Once I  started working in the Captain's Office, I immediately began preparing to take the Seaman's exam. We were at sea when I took it and I passed. I was now in pay grade E-3.

During time of War, the required time you must spend in grade before being eligible for promotion to the next grade is waived. So, I immediately completed the course requirements for Yeoman Third Class, pay grade E-4. A month later I would take the YN3 exam and pass it.

And he was telling the truth. Mr. George W Gadaire was a great boss to work for. He called out Bingo when we were out to sea and everyone knew him  and liked him. 

The USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) was homeported in Alameda, California which is next to Oakland and across the bay from San Francisco.

We would spend the next 2-3 months doing training exercises up and down the coast of California.

I was a baseball fan so in my off-duty hours I would go to the Oakland As and San Francisco Giants Baseball games. Since we would pull into port in San Diego after completing a training exercise, I was able to see The Padres play also.

I was having the time of my life watching Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Rollie Fingers and the 1969 Oakland As play. Across the bay was the great Willie Mays, McCovey, Marchial and the Giants  playing against the National League teams. I believe Winfield was playing for the Padres.

Our WestPac cruise was scheduled to last six (6) months, but ended up being a nine (9) month tour of duty as Korea would create hate and discontent during this period of time and we were extended.

We stopped in Hawaii going over and coming back.

We visited Subic Bay, Philippines, Sasebo and Yokosuka, Japan, a number of times and Hong Kong. As a reward for our  tour being extended, we were allowed to visit Sydney, Australia. for a week.

Hawaii was a disappointment with all it's hotels and lack of pretty ladies waiting for me.

Was robbed at knife point the first trip across the bridge into Olongapo City.

Japan was cold and dreary,

I was extremely homesick on Christmas Day out at sea.

Hong Kong was amazing with all it's' tailors, bars, nightclubs and beautiful women, But the thing I remember most was reading the front page headlines of the Stars and Stripes newspaper informing the military world thar Bob Lanier of St. Bonaventure University had injured his knee and was would not  play again in the NCAA tournament. Tiny Bonaventure made the final four. I am a St. Bona fan.

The Shellback Initiation was a lot of fun when we crossed the equator.

Sydney, Australia was far and away our best port of call.

Some guys from the Ship's Post Office joined us from the Captain's Office and we rented two rooms in a fancy hotel downtown Sydney.  There were no places off-limits, but the ship passed out a list of places where it was recommended we not visit.

So, we frequented the first place on the list and hit the jackpot. It was a large nightclub with great music and pretty women and cold beer. Many of our shipmates did the same. The place was packed every night during our stay.

Australian beer is second only to German beer.

The women outnumbered the men by about 3 to 1.

Sydney is a beautiful city.

Our waitress was a beautiful, blue-eyed young women  I began hitting in her from the first order of beer.  About half-way through the night, I asked her if she was going to take me home with her and when she said yes, I didn't believe it. However, she did and I would spend every night with her, but one. She was honest with me and said that she had made a date with a local guy before she met me and needed to keep it.

During our week's stay in Sydney, the Captain declared max liberty with only a skeleton crew being required to stay onboard during any given day. What this meant to me was that I would have to muster one morning and if nothing needed to be done, I could leave the ship at 1PM. When that day came, I said fuck it and stayed in the hotel. I knew I would loose a stripe and didn't care.

As the old saying goes, all good things must end. At the time I was the Classified Material Control Clerk and worked inside a vault in the Captain's Office. When I entered the office Mr. Gadaire wasn't there yet so I went inside the vault to wait for him to come.

It seemed like forever before he entered the office and hollered, "Where's Fowler?" I hollered back from inside the vault, "Here, sir." He said, "You're lucky. I didn't come back either". and that was the end of it. I kept my stripe.

Bernard-Mike Fowler Enlists in the U.S. Navy

I am getting ready to fly South to spend the remainder of February.

Lately, the lyrics to the Peter, Paul and Mary song Leaving on a Jet Plane, is implanted in my mind.

This song was popular back in the 1960s when I was facing the draft into the U.S, Military Service.

I was 18 and had dropped out of the Williamsport School of Commerce.

Thirty (30) days later I received notification from the Selective Service that my classification had changed from School Exempt to Draft Eligible.

Protests were taking place all over the county.

Four (4)  college kids had been shot and killed at Kent State University by our own National Guard.

A good friend of mine had been killed in Vietnam,

The U.S, Navy Recruiter called.

I was ready to do my time and get it over with,

I left for boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center.

After completion of Boot Camp, I received orders to report to the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), an aircraft carrier homeported in Alameda, California.

The Coral Sea was known as the Ageless Warrior.

They had just returned from a deployment to the Gulf of Tonkin which is located off the shores of Vietnam and were preparing for  yet another trip to WestPac.

Austin Pennsylvania High School 2001 Boy's Varsity Basketball Team

 

Austin Pennsylvania High School Flaming Foliage and Maple Festival Queens

 

The Austin Disaster, 1911 Reposted

 

Professor Gale Largey's The Austin Disaster, 1911

Professor Largey holding his DVD and Book entitled: The Austin Disaster, 1911

Professor Gale Largey from Mansfield University grew up in St. Marys, Pennsylvania.  During his childhood, he and his grandfather would drive up to Austin in the summertime to view The Austin Dam ruins, which still stand today.

In addition to his video documentary entitled The Austin Disaster, 1911, Gale has authored a coffee-table size book by the same name.

This is also a must-have book if you're an Austinite or interested in Pennsylvania History.  The book is available at the E.O. Austin Home/Historical Society, Austin Dam Memorial Association Park and local businesses in the Community of Austin.  The cost is $35.00 plus $5.00 shipping and handling.  The telephone number of the museum is (814)647-8358.

Front Cover

Back Cover

Sinnemahoning State Park January 2024 Program Schedule

 

 

Sinnemahoning State Park

4843 Park Road

Austin, PA 16720

(814) 647-8401

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

December 29, 2023 

Contact: Matt Schenck, mschenck@pa.gov 

Ring in the New Year at Sinnemahoning State Park!

Monday, January 1st, 2024

10:00 A.M.- 12:00 P.M. –First Day Hike– Start the New Year on the right foot with an easy 2.5-mile guided hike on level trails. Learn the importance of conifer trees to wildlife as we scout for tracks and traces of the animals that live in the park. Hike will be held rain or shine.  A limited number of snowshoes available if needed. Dress for the weather and bring water. Good for all ages.  Well-behaved dogs on short leashes are welcome. 

No pre-registration required.

Meets at: 40 Maples Day Use Area

Saturday, January 6th, 2024

9:00 A.M.-9:45 A.M -Coffee with the Birds- Enjoy a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa, INDOORS, as we participate in a Project Feeder Watch bird count and learn to identify the birds visiting the feeders just outside the classroom window.

Stop by anytime.  Repeat visitors are welcome.  

No pre-registration needed. 

Meets at: Wildlife Center Classroom

 

Saturday, January 13th, 2024

10:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M -Cross-Country Skiing for Beginners- Join a park educator, for a fun lesson on the popular sport of cross-country skiing. All equipment, including skis, poles, and boots (adult sizes) will be provided. (Limited number.  Please state boot size when registering.) Program will begin indoors with an introduction to cross country skiing equipment and styles, followed by a guided practice instruction on level ground, then a short excursion on the trail. 

Program is free, but pre-registration is required by Thursday, 1/11.

When registering, please state BOOT SIZE (men's) for each participant in comment section (or let us know that you are bringing your own equipment).

Register at: https://events.dcnr.pa.gov/sinnemahoning_state_park

Meets at: The Wildlife Center

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If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a 

Disability, please contact the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks at 888-

PA-PARKS (voice) 888-537-7294 (TTY) 717-558-2711 (local or international TTY) 800-654-5984 (AT&T Relay Service).

Profile: Jimmy Nichols, Austin, PA

 Jimmy Nichols is Veteran of the U S Armed Forces having served in the Air Force.

He is in charge of the Honor Guard for the Veterans Memorial Home at Port Allegany. PA. and and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Austin. PA.

Jimmy is second from the left.

List of Programs Offered at Sinnemahoning State Park

 Sinnemahoning State Park Staff would like to wish you a very happy holiday season! Below is a list of upcoming programs being offered at the park.

 

Saturday, December 16^th, 2023

 

12:00 P.M.- 2:00 P.M. –Holiday Open House– View the Wildlife Center, all decked out in its holiday attire, while sipping a cup of hot cocoa or mulled cider and listening to holiday music.

 

Enjoy the eye-catching holiday displays created by park volunteers and Grandpa Hank’s winter village donated by Debbie Calkins of Mansfield, and of course, the Wildlife Center exhibits.

 

Light refreshments will be offered, plus an opportunity to create beautiful homemade ornaments using local natural materials.

 

All ages are welcome to this FREE event. Please join us for the festivities!

 

No pre-registration is required.

 

Meets at: Wildlife Center Classroom

 

 

Saturday, December 23rd, 2023

 

12:00 P.M.-2:00 P.M -Natural Ornaments- Create a holiday ornament from nature's bounty!

Learn how to create beautiful homemade ornaments using local natural materials like acorns, pinecones, and seed heads.

 

First hour will be basic introduction to natural ornaments, a review of materials provided, and a STEP-BY-STEP guide to creating your own animal ornament. Second hour will be FREE TIME to use the provided materials to create a new ornament from your own IMAGINATION.

 

Materials and assistance provided. Program is free. All ages and experience levels welcome. Children under age 10 require adult supervision.

 

Meets at: Wildlife Center Classroom

 

Monday, January 1st, 2023

 

12:00 P.M.-2:00 P.M -First Day Hike- Start the New Year on the right foot with an easy 2.5-mile guided hike on fairly level trails. Learn the importance of conifer trees to wildlife as we scout for tracks and traces of the animals that live in the park. Hike will be held rain or shine.  A limited number of snowshoes available if needed. Dress for the weather and bring water. Good for all ages.  Well-behaved dogs on short leashes are welcome.

 

Meets at: 40 Maples Day Use Area

 

Hope to see you at Sinnemahoning!

 

Matt Schenck | Environmental Education Specialist
PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Bureau of State Parks | Sinnemahoning State Park

4843 Park Dr | Austin, PA  16720
Phone: 814.647.8401

www.dcnr.state.pa.us / www.visitPAparks.com

Austin Dam Ruins November 30, 2023

Austin. Pennsylvania

The Photos were taken from Route 872 on November 30, 2023.