24 SEP 67
Aloha,
Hawaii is truly a wonderland by day or night. The water, mountains, sky, and beaches all look right out of a picture! Three of us rented a car and drove to the other side of the island. The mountains drop straight to the ocean. There are some smaller islands just off shore and they are just beautiful.
I plan to see the Arizona today and I've taken nearly 30 pictures in color. I hope they turn out. Every one on the island seems to like it. Some of the men from the ship were unhappy but you all should save up and come out here. You'd love it.
I most likely won't be able to write you again until we get to Guam at the end of the week. So most likely (Ha! Ha! - I just caught myself using "most likely" in about 6 or 7 different sentences) you won't be able to get me any mail until Subic Bay, middle of the next week. After that we start shooting. We'll be out a good 30 - 40 days.
Must go,
Mike

13 OCT 67
From: Where the Action is - Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club

We've been on the line now since Sunday night. Today is our busiest day with 5 missions starting at 0300 and the last one is at 2245 tonight. The other night we shot up 200 rounds of 8" in 3 minutes. We have nine 8" guns and each can fire a round every 6 seconds. If we had to fight our other 3 cruisers in the Pacific we could shoot 27 rounds while all 3 of them could only get off 21 rounds together!
We're giving them hell out there right this minute. We're at GQ now on our second mission today. My job is in sickbay, itself, to help in the OR and Ward in case of a hit or other injury. We were fired on a couple times the other night but the closest missed by a 1000 yards at least. We generally, don't go in any closer that 15,000 yards and never any slower than 15 knots so you can see that they will have a hard time hitting us.
Please tell everyone "Hi" for me,
Mike

26 OCT 67

Hi there,
Doing any leaf raking lately? Or is that still to come?
That's one of the nice things about being out here is NO trees! A pretty poor place for a dog though, huh?
We're in sight of the DMZ that divides the two countries. We've been firing at least one of our guns 24 hours a day for the last two days now. They don't tell us too much about what's going on but it must be pretty big.
How are things around Galesburg? I hope you're having a pretty fall. There are so many things in life a person doesn't notice too often until these things are gone. The 4 seasons are truly on of the big things in life.
We haven't had too much excitement since Sunday when we had 7 or 8 NVN prisoners. 3 of them were wounded so we had to take care of them here on the ship. They were in a boat that was blown up by some aircraft. War is hell. We took them down to DaNang where we off loaded them and returned up North for more fire missions just before we came back down to the DMZ.
You'll never guess who walked up to the window here in the pharmacy - lab this morning. That's right - Buck Lanier from San Diego. He's a civilian newspaper reporter who just happened passed looking around and somehow he said his name and away we went. He seems to be good friend of the Admiral, here on the ship. We shot the breeze for well over an hour. (note: I never heard from this guy again!)
I'm enclosing the front page of the ship's paper from a few days ago. The paper comes out almost everyday. We have closed circuit TV movies, plus movies on the mess decks, and a radio station that plays pop music.
I am also learning a lot about anesthesia because in our two "Appy's" I was the "knocker outer".
Must close for now,
Mike

5 NOV 67

We're on our way back to the gun line for about 2 days, then we go to Japan for awhile. After that we stay our for around 35 days or so. At least until the 26th of Dec., at which time we go to Subic Bay again for two weeks. I really can't think of anything that I need for Christmas. We have a very good store here on the ship so I can buy most of my needs. Since I've been on on my diet, I don't eat a lot of food so cakes and candy are more or less out.
You might ask Peggy, if there is anything we need for our home, because now we can have the Navy move us. E-5 and above are moved free on orders from one duty station to another. I think they will move Peggy to Norfolk this time. I still have to check on that (well they didn't). We are having holiday "rooty tooty" here today which was a real surprise. I woke up at 10AM and thought that I would most likely be in trouble. But I wasn't...
We are in a storm right now and the ship is rolling quite a bit. I like the ship a lot but I miss being at home.
Love,
Mike

16 NOV 67

We're in Japan now. We got here Monday Nov. 13th. I went ashore yesterday and looked around. If you ever what knick-knacks, this is the PLACE. Some of it is junk but a lot seems pretty good. I still hope to go to Tokyo. I have a lot of news on a tape that isn't done yet and some pictures that I'll send out before we leave.
Love,
Mike

23 NOV 67

Hi,
Well how was the "Bird"? I haven't had mine yet. But I saw the spread, the pilgrims couldn't have had it so good! The Biggest Turkey and Hams I've ever seen!
I had some Pumpkin pie though and it was "almost as good as (Mother's or Peg's) or (Peg's or Mother's) used to make" If I said Grandmother's used to make I guess, I don't have to worry about Top Billing. Ha! Ha!
Have a wonderful day,
Love,
Mike

25 NOV 67

Dear Dad, Mom and Tim,
I am listening to the music you all and Peggy sent to me. It sure is good. Thanks a MILLION at least. I got the money order today but haven't been able to cash it yet. I have no other money so you can see it came just in time.
The tape recorder is yours for Christmas but I must ask you to wait a few days until the one I'm buying here has a chance to get home. OK. I won't send it until just after Christmas...
Love,
Mike

19 DEC 67

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 'God Bless us one and all',
Sorry me no write'm. I have no excuse. We have had some very interesting days of late, however. About two hours ago off the DMZ we had 12 rounds splash all around us and last evening we had around 300 - 400 rounds ALL around us. I don't tell you these things to frighten anyone but I think you should know. Last night we really gave'm HELL! We fired over 1,000 rounds at them before we left. 278 rounds of 8" in 7 minutes. You should have heard it. Boom, Boom, Boom, .................... Boom!
I am sending you some pictures of the splashes around the "Can" that's with us. I got Peg's (my wonderful wife!) package today and had some more Christmas thanks for that "Jack" (money - Daniel's) by the way. I sure do miss that girl. I got a Care Package for Granma Nier the other day. There wasn't much left in two hours. She sure knows what's good! I have a lot of news but I'll tape it so as to get it all in and straight.
Have a wonderful Yule Tide.
Your son,
Mike

(Photos Below)