P. O. Allen was an ET3 who made the full '66 cruise and separated USN from Honolulu/Pearl in early summer of '67. He was the personification of a good old Georgia boy.

I hung the "PO" on him after the name of a local discjockey in my hometown. I always enjoyed his good nature and smile. I also found much to envy in his good fortune and charm. He could get out of a work detail or "turn to" with the best of them, and, with an absolute minimum of irritation to his shipmates.

Despite his unassuming looks and slight stature, he had a local Hawaiian girlfriend when the rest of us mostly had our noses pressed to the glass or bottle in '67. To top it off he was incredibly lucky or skilled with the dice and cards. If you made the '66 cruise, do you remember the games back in the GM compartment? The CMAA's occasionally raided them. P.O. won more than his share as some of the losers will probably recall. He hit the BX's big time for lots of treasure to take home before separating. Among his bounty was a new hunting rifle.

Those of us who remained behind envied his departure for separation in the summer of '67. In the fall of '67 after I had joined a new ship, on another WestPac cruise, I got a letter from his brother saying he had been killed in a hunting accident.

I still think about him when I'm tempted to envy another's good fortune.

Phil roomed with Leathers and me (and temporarily Witter) in town while we were in the yards in '67 up to his discharge. Helluva guy. His local girlfriend (Merle)stayed with us for months after he left (waiting for him to bring her to Georgia, we thought) and we (Leathers and me) wondered if the report of the accident was only to end the deal with her. We never actually got any sort of confirmation, just via the rumor mill. Every time I went to Georgia on biz I thought about trying to confirm....but it seemed in bad form to do it after all the years.

Thanks Paul for posting the note. I thought about it but since I wasn't 100% sure.....



"Ski" ETN2 (June 66 to Aug 68)

Do you remember what town he was from in GA? I can't remember.

Paul,

It seems like he was from Columbus, or there-a-bouts, but I'm not sure.

Glad to see you signed on here, it's been fun remembering all the stuff every one keeps bringing up.

Jim