Memorial Day 2023
I miss my dad, Charles R Hastings, who was at sea during WWII on the Liberty Ship John T Holt 4 times in the Arctic Convoy of the Murmansk Run.
He was cold, frightened, seasick as well as constipated from the rations.
Rejected by the Navy because of young age, he joined the merchant marine Armed Guard,
and they had only sidearms for defense, and not much in the way of convoy defense.
He went to DC, and got a copy of the captain's log for the John T Holt, which I got to read.
A humorous entry was when he discovered, one typically foggy day, that his men were firing on fish, thinking they were German submarines.
He entered "the war on fish may never be won".
The Merchant Marine participants were under-defended, and not considered real Navy for a long time,
although many years later, they were fully recognized.
Dad was also annoyed that the Navy veterans were awarded "Heros of the Soviet Union" medals and he wasn't.
He pestered the Soviet embassy until Gorbachev gave him a medal and a signed letter.
A lifelong Republican, he puzzled his veterans group one time when he wore the hammer and sickle.
He took me out to see Sputnik in 1957 at the age of 5, an event that I remember well,
and that gave me a lifelong interest in astronomy.
He is buried at Indian Town Gap National Cemetary in Lebanon, PA with my mom Susan.
I miss them.
I miss my dad, Charles R Hastings, who was at sea during WWII on the Liberty Ship John T Holt 4 times in the Arctic Convoy of the Murmansk Run.
He was cold, frightened, seasick as well as constipated from the rations.
Rejected by the Navy because of young age, he joined the merchant marine Armed Guard,
and they had only sidearms for defense, and not much in the way of convoy defense.
He went to DC, and got a copy of the captain's log for the John T Holt, which I got to read.
A humorous entry was when he discovered, one typically foggy day, that his men were firing on fish, thinking they were German submarines.
He entered "the war on fish may never be won".
The Merchant Marine participants were under-defended, and not considered real Navy for a long time,
although many years later, they were fully recognized.
Dad was also annoyed that the Navy veterans were awarded "Heros of the Soviet Union" medals and he wasn't.
He pestered the Soviet embassy until Gorbachev gave him a medal and a signed letter.
A lifelong Republican, he puzzled his veterans group one time when he wore the hammer and sickle.
He took me out to see Sputnik in 1957 at the age of 5, an event that I remember well,
and that gave me a lifelong interest in astronomy.
He is buried at Indian Town Gap National Cemetary in Lebanon, PA with my mom Susan.
I miss them.
