Doug and I had the honor one afternoon to board the U.S.S. Shiloh for a day cruise into Tokyo Bay. Our day started at 9:30, wandering around the docks trying to find the ship. We finally found the ship wedged between the dock and the U.S.S. John S. McCain. The day was slow to start as it seemed we did nothing but wait: wait for all the guests to arrive, wait for the commencement of the tour as everyone had something to say, wait for the word for the tug boats to pull us out. But once we got going, it was Fair Winds and Smooth Seas! Thank goodness too. All week, the weather was cold, windy and rainy. I had my reservations about going out and had even anticipated sea sickness by taking half a tablet of benadryl just before pushing off.
I appreciated the Ward family's hospitality by letting us tag along for their tour. LTjg Paul Ward took us along with his wife and several children, grandchildren and a few of their Japanese friends through the bowels of the ship including the command center, bunks, mess and engineering to include a fire drill demonstration. Our cruise included a fantastic lunch featuring homemade hotdog buns, some phillipino dishes, (yum!) and of course, really huge hamburgers.
What a wonderful adventure we had. Thank you to the crew of the U.S.S. Shiloh for a really nice navy day!
