Cover
letter from the 1970 Commanding Officer's WELCOME brochure
THANKS
Special thanks to Tony Basile
for the extensive unit information he provided -- Tony's initial packet
of info really kick-started this page into reality. The only unit
info I had prior to Tony's first email came from my own personal recollections
of 1972.
Much thanks to David I. Peterson
for providing the 1966 through 1971 HCU-1 Command Histories and the roster
information "gleaned from the official end-of-the-year records" of 1971.
Thanks (again) to David for his account of the 1998 HCU-1 Reunion.
Blake's line art graces many
of these WEBpages. I scanned his line art images from the unit documents that
Tony Basile had forwarded to me and modified them to suit my page format.
I couldn't find much written about Blake. According to Joe Cantrell
. "I believe Blake was the guy, possibly a PO2, who sat in that little office
on the starboard side of the passageway to the wardroom of the YRST during
most of 1970. If I remember correctly, he was a friend of Lt. Bill
Mathers, who encouraged his art. He was a sensitive and excellent artist,
among many highly talented and intelligent men in the unit. Again,
if I remember correctly, Blake became somewhat disillusioned with the war
and military in general; I have often wondered what happened to him. Seems
like he was from Tennessee, but it's been a long time... these are
my best recollections, but that doesn't verify their accuracy. "
Thanks to Rick Lockhart for
the 1972-1975 manpower rosters that he compiled from official records.
Thanks to John
Schafer for providing the 1974 Change of Command Program and his many private
photos --- too numerous to publish. I knew most of the shipmates in John's
photos, and they brought back good memories. Thanks again, John!
To
all of the IRON MEN of the Salvage Navy, wherever they may be, this
WEB site is respectfully dedicated.