Aboard the Dutton when Bowditch was struck by a ship in Rio de Janerio, lost all sonar. Also on board when Dutton ran aground in Curacao. Went through the Panama Canal, 2 crossing of the Equator Ceremonies, Order of the Dragon. Met lots of good people and lots of good rum!

This site brought back old memories. I see that there was another Don Parker that is on the roster (not USN). The ports we hit were Copenhaugen, New Castle, and Amsterdam. We hit some of these ports several times and were in the ship yards of New Castle in the winter of 1969.

I was one of the original crew members of the Joliet Victory now USNS Michelson. I am a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. I joined the USMMA in Jan 1945 and took basic training in an Mateo, CA. In June 1945 I was assigned to sea duty aboard the SS Joliet Victory, which was built in Richmond, CA. I went on the trial run before commissioning. We sailed out of San Francisco in July 1945 to Saipan, Mariana Islands to await the invasion of Japan. In August the nuclear bomb was dropped on Japan and the war was over. The Joliet Victory picked up military equipment in Guadacanal (52 jeeps and 2 PT boats). We took them to Yokohama and our crew celebrated Christmas 1945 in Tokyo. We were then sent to Calcutta, India to load 10,000 tons of 75mm artillery shells. We took the cargo to Charleston, SC in April 1946 and the ship went to New York. I left the Joliet Victory to complete my training at the Academy at Kings Point, L.I, NY. I graduated in Dec 1947 and sailed on various merchant ships until 1951. I am now retired and live in Santa Barbara, CA.

I traveled on the Bowditch and the Dutton working both in gravity and bathymetry. I have wonderful memories of people and places. Fair winds and following seas to all that walked their decks.
Andrea "Lefort" Seals

I served as part of the crew that commissioned USNS Harkness TAGS-32 from 1970 to 1971, then on Simon Lake AS-33 from 1971 to 1973 and completed my six year enlistment on board the Bowditch, reporting on-board as she received a new bow in Baltimore, MD and staying until a few months after the cargo-hold fire in Saint John's, Newfoundland. The motorcycles of the "Bowditch Angels" were a real sanity saver, both during in-ports and at sea ! - Don -

Daughter of Wallace L. Hogle
My family lived in Yokohama, Japan while my Dad was stationed on the USNS Michelson out of Yokuska and we would live ion Sasebo when it went to dry dock ship yard. Great experiences for my brother and myself visiting and staying on my Dad's ship while it was tied up at Yokuska and my Dad was working.He let my brother and I run all around the ship. We were really close with the Captain and his family. My Dad had his own room and it was cool sleeping on ship at night when he worked, and we got see movies on board and great meals in the officers mess. My Dad ran the engine room and was MSTS. He had a lot of friends on board and all the guys were so nice to my brother and myself. I was 9 years old and my brother was 10 years old. We were in Japan from 1968 to 1971. If anyone remembers this time or was on the USNS Michelson during that time, I would love to hear from you. Thank you and have a nice day. Pat Hogle email.

Good site. Sailed all 3 as a gravity rep or SNS over several years. Would love to have some of Baker Lee's(Dutton) hot cinnamon buns. Unfortunately, I lost my records of the dates I sailed.

Hi,
I served from 1983 to 1985. I was a NAVIGATION-SURVEY supervisor. I remember Ensign French, Tech Reps Mikey Rizzo and Dr. Stephen (GRAMPS) Gage From General Instrument Corp. I logged 200,000 survey miles. Captain W.A. Harriman was a memorable soul. He helped recover the Mayuguez, and received a presidential citation. We had a great crew. I hope Butchy Cook is doing OK. God Bless all!