Sunset over the Pacific Ocean, from Redondo Beach Pier.
This week I had an Army reunion scheduled in North Carolina. My wife & I were originally going to drive cross country, but it wouldn’t have been fair to board our kitty Gizmo for so long. So, I changed our plan to flying east, but including a visit to my son in Maryland, and some ROTC buddies in Virginia. Then a family obligation popped up in Southern California, requiring me to chop two days off the reunion.
In the course of seven days, we flew Phoenix to Denver to Raleigh-Durham, I hiked in Carvers Creek State Park, we reunioned for a day and a half, we flew Raleigh-Durham to Nashville to Los Angeles, visited some of my old Torrance haunts, ferried to Catalina Island and back, then flew home to Phoenix. Like Danny Glover said in Lethal Weapon, “I’m getting too old for this shit.”
“Key To Command”: LTC Sandstrum, CSM Miles, and the 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced — as it is now known — really treated us old guys well. They had a static display of their latest high speed, low drag, commo gear; gave us a briefing; and provided snacks and (non-alcoholic) drinks. 🪂50th Signal Battalion guys at a Molly Hatchet club show in Fayetteville (12/83). The only one I remember is on the left: Joey Provenzano, who was deliberatetly getting Article 15s, so he would get kicked out of the Army, and could fulfill his goal of working in a grocery store produce department. I’m not joking. 😆41 years later: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and even HHC were represented at Friday evening’s pizza & booze party. Since 2017’s reunion, some guys have gone to the Great Airborne In The Sky, but TACCP was represented by Dave Frazee, Pat McNerney, myself, Wade Miller, Danko, Ranger Rob and even LT West.Redondo Beach Marina from our room in the Sonesta Hotel. Front desk, bar & grill, housekeeping, and valet couldn’t have been better. And it was a short walk to the pier!We meant to meet up with a friend from East L.A., but went to different Tacos el Goloso. Instead I had street tacos — asada, birria and a yummy pastor — while this guy scared pretty Mexican ladies outside.After driving by my high school, checking out my old house on Scott St., and condo up Hawhorne Blvd. in Rancho Palos Verdes, we had dinner at Kincaid’s on the Redondo Beach Pier. Food was good, but service was slow & inaccurate. Desert from Pier Bakery & Churros was delicious!Catalina Express ferry pulling out from under the Vincent Thomas Bridge, between San Pedro and Terminal Island. We sat outside, but halfway through the 30 mile cruise, decided it was warmer inside. At least the Pacific Ocean was calm — a matter of some concern since I used to get seasick in the harbor when my dad docked his sailboat there in the 70s.In Avalon, we met up with family, walked up the prominade to the Catalina Casino, then doubled back for lunch at Bluewater Grill. (Excellent fish & chips.) Too late, we realized there are jeep tours of Catalina’s interior. I did have time for multiple ice cream cones though. Priorities.
