THE OWASCO CHRONICLES

By Dave Moyer

Dedicated to Captain William Fearn who has crossed the bar.

Updated Thursday, April 13, 2000

 

Webmaster's Comments -- During March of this year after some exchange of email with CWO4 Bob Berry, I received these stories written many years ago by QM1 Dave Moyer, a former crewman of the Owasco.

Bob said, "Jack, the material needs some editing and retyping, but I thought that they would be of great interest to students of Coast Guard history during the Vietnam era relating to the sometimes confusing and rather boring missions assigned by the U.S. Navy and touching on the administrative and command conflicts between the two services. ........ These stories are personal accounts and very candid much like the style you'd see and hear on the History Channel."

Upon receiving them I went through them and decided these stories were too good to die. I contacted RMCS Don Gardner and asked him to retype and edit them. I am pretty good at it but Don is better. Within ten days the stories were back and I posted them one by one on this website. Don intends to use the stories as one in a forthcoming anthology called, "Coast Guard Stories II."

The Owasco left her long time home port, New London, Connecticut on 20 May 1968 and returned 23 April 1969 back to New London.

The CO was CDR William R Fearn, XO Richard H. Beiter, EO Hubert T. Blomquist, and OPS LT Francis Nicolai.

CWO4 (ENG) John Kilgore wrote and said, "Jack, ....... there is something of importance that needs mentioning. Commander Fearn and I later served on the Morganthau. It seems the only conversations we had were recalls of the 'Big O,' that in itself was not surprising. Later, years after Captain Fearn retired our paths again crossed in the Officer's Club at Governor's Island. It was there I learned that the Morganthau was a new and fine cutter, but it was not the Owasco. The Owasco was Captain Fearn. He loved that cutter, it's missions, and most of all it's men. That night at the 'O' Club he recalled the Owasco by the names of the men who sailed to 'Nam with him. And with pride he told me of the ones he was able to keep track of. During the rest of the evening Owasco was the topic of conversation. I sailed on six cutters, and was never to meet another dedicated person to a cutter as was Captain Fearn to his men and to the Owasco -- John."

What is it about the 255's? In the two years Jack's Joint has been open more 255 stories have been received than for any other class of cutter. They have a mystique of their own.

Here are Dave Moyer's stories, written over 25 years ago and until recently lay in the bottom of a dresser drawer. They are not in chronological order, so purist's, please don't fret about that.

·        Owasco - by Dave Moyer - [1073 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles.

·        Sometimes Size Does Make a Difference By Dave Moyer - [918 words] - Another tale from the Owasco Chronicles.

·        Wanna Try That Again Sir? By Dave Moyer – [556 words] Without Ensigns there would be no comic relief …. 

·        Always Ready by Dave Moyer - [728 words] - Another story added to the Owasco Chronicles.

·        China by Dave Moyer - [1478 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles.

·        Painting by Dave Moyer - [1160 words] - The Owasco Chronicles.

·        Dave by Dave L. Moyer - [271 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles - The effect of a sailor's last words.

·        A Hero is Discovered by Dave Moyer - [1417 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles.

·        Operation Market Time by Dave Moyer - [638 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles.

·        Batangan Peninsula by Dave Moyer - [1353 words] - Part of the Owasco Chronicles.

·        Boarding by Dave Moyer - [1305 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles.

·        Tet by Dave Moyer - [867 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles.

·        Brits by Dave Moyer - [921 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles.

·        Sinking by Dave Moyer - [1881 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles.

·        The Chaplain by Dave Moyer - [1334 words] - From the Owasco Chronicles.

·        ·A Coastie…And Proud Of It! By Dave L. Moyer -[1287 words]  A postscript to the Owasco Chronicles……….

 

 

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