All of us boy-kids of course scribbled pictures of battles - ships firing at aircraft and aircraft firing at them. Lots of explosions. The war was only a few years over and Korea was going strong.

But then those afternoons alone, watching the real deal. The aircraft being pushed over the side. The burial at sea. That music. The human beings trying to make the best of an unbelievable cruel existence.

Later, there was the draft. I knew that if I had to go, it had to be Navy, and I hoped I'd be a photographer. I got my wish, and then some. 

This was the first record album I bought. With a bag of pennies. I didn't know about sales tax, but they gave me a break. Although I've replaced it, I still have it, and it's still playable. They made records tough back then. 

"New Orthophonic"

My monaural world grew to stereo when I found myself assigned to the descendant of the Combat Camera Units that Edward Steichen organized. Yes - the successors to the ones who filmed "Victory at Sea." I was told that the billeting for the Atlantic Fleet Mobile Photographic Group was E-6 and E-7. I was just graduated from photo school - an E-2. A bit over my head, but that's another tale.

The first VoS album cover photo is of the USS Yorktown at Midway. More on that later...