Memories from Kenneth Shaum, Raton Shipmate

Since 12-25-04

From: "kenneth shaum" <kshaum@yahoo.com>
To: "Bill Decker" <bdecker@shentel.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2004 11:29 AM
Subject: Just Stories

Dear Bill:

What a wonderful job you do keeping our memories. you are honored in my mind.

We are in Hunter's Point. It is Christmas eve. My Mother lives but a few miles away and I am going to see her. Our quarters are shabby. The guy I share a bunk with stinks like hell. He was our corpsman. He was first class and had 20 years. I forget his name . He was to retire a few months later with a watch engraved take two aspirin and soak it.

We used to get phones call all of the time there. There was one that called for him and I asked him what to do with it. Very respectful I was of his age and grumpiness. He said you take her. This is a mystery to me. Every week she calls wanting to see me. She has such a sweet voice. I have a steady squeeze. I lose the squeeze. The call comes. A weak moment. I say yes.

She says I need to bring someone for her girlfriend. This is not easy. Everybody on liberty has a squeeze. Trullinger is looking for something to do.

Of course this one that had such a sweet voice was so big that I think there was 9 smaller ones in orbit around her. Trullinger met a 4 foot 10 inch Filipino lass that made him look like he won the Viet Nam war all by himself.

I have not been to Frisco since 70 and then only briefly going to shore duty a Sub base Pearl.

I am not proud of it now, but I think of Sitting, looking at Alcatraz and fucking up seagulls. The current was so bad under that golden Gate bridge. It might have been one of the few things that ever frightened me.

Today I received a Christmas card from my commanding officer on the Stimson (SSBN 655) We spent over 4 years together. My first marriage, was December 7th 1968 and he made every officer travel out of state to attend. Pretty cool for a kid that did not finish the 11th grade. Believe me that I did things that are still classified.

I must write my favorite and most brilliant brother. We have pieced together about our father's journey around area 51. No wonder why I was cleared for such secrets.

Your tenacity is remarkable.