I had the good fortune the other day of receiving a letter from a long lost bunkmate and friend from way back in the seventies. It was like getting a note from a bottle, awashed into the shores of my computer from the land of the Deutsche, famous for Beethoven, for Nietzsche, for the BMW and Mercedes Benz, and other precision engineered machines.
Leo John Quiachon was a newly recognized Fourthclassman when I graduated from the academy. He was reed-thin but a smart midshipman, quiet but academically proficient, and of average height but a dead shot on the basketball court. I knew then that he would amount to something, given his attitude and aptitude for seagoing. And I was right. He is now a retired captain, having served most of his seagoing years on board German ships.
Considering his humble beginnings, he has reached the pinnacle of his career, and is now enjoying the fruits of his labor with his lovely family. Many young men like Leo who have gone through the portals of the academy have made their respective niches in the local maritime industry and in other countries as well. The names Joe Gallego '69, Eddie Berueda '70, Tony Espiritu '71 (deceased), Odie Santos '78, and the list goes on, are graduates who have distinguished themselves overseas in their chosen career. These are some of the men who have trail-blazed the road to European shipping companies in the '80s for other Filipino seafarers to follow, now by the thousands and counting.
Its unsettling how the alumni association has been niggardly in giving recognition to these graduates. Hopefully, the newly elected officers of the PMMAAAI will undertake a special project to gather the names of outstanding graduates already living abroad, and to herald their achievements.
Enough said. Time to toss back the bottle into the waters of cyberspace with this note, in the hope that some familiar tars will fish it out and respond to this old pmmariner.
1 comment:
Sir Rey,Bunkmate,
Thanks for the memories. Until we meet again to enjoy sharing experiences and unforgetable adventures at sea. Wishing you happy days with your loved ones.
Respectfully,
LJQuiachon Cl '74-'75
Stuttgart,Germany
An Old Sailor's Poem
OLD SAILORS SIT AND CHEW THE FAT ABOUT THINGS THAT USED TO BE,
OF THE THINGS THEY'VE SEEN, THE PLACES THEY'VE BEEN, WHEN THEY VENTURED OUT TO SEA.
THEY REMEMBERED FRIENDS FROM LONG AGO, THE TIMES THEY HAD BACK THEN.
THE MONEY THEY SPENT, THE BEER THEY DRANK, IN THEIR DAYS AS SAILING MEN.
THEIR LIVES ARE LIVED IN DAYS GONE BY, WITH THOUGHTS THAT FOREVER LAST.
OF BELL BOTTOM BLUES, WINGED WHITE HATS, AND GOOD TIMES IN THEIR PAST.
THEY RECALL LONG NIGHTS WITH A MOON SO BRIGHT FAR OUT ON A LONELY SEA.
THE THOUGHTS THEY HAD AS YOUTHFUL LADS, WHEN THEIR LIVES WERE WILD AND FREE.
THEY KNEW SO WELL HOW THEIR HEARTS WOULD SWELL WHEN OLD GLORY FLUTTERED PROUD AND FREE.
THE UNDERWAY PENNANT SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT AS THEY PLOWED THROUGH AN ANGRY SEA.
THEY TALKED OF THE CHOW OL' COOKIE WOULD MAKE AND THE SHRILL OF THE BOSUN'S PIPE.
HOW SALT SPRAY WOULD FALL LIKE SPARKS FROM HELL WHEN A STORM STRUCK IN THE NIGHT.
THEY REMEMBER OLD SHIPMATES ALREADY GONE WHO FOREVER HOLD A SPOT IN THEIR HEART,
WHEN SAILORS WERE BOLD, AND FRIENDSHIPS WOULD HOLD, UNTIL DEATH RIPPED THEM APART.
THEY SPEAK OF NIGHTS SPENT IN BAWDY HOUSES ON MANY A FOREIGN SHORE,
OF THE BEER THEY'D DOWN AS GATHERING AROUND, TELLING JOKES WITH A BUSTY WHORE.
THEIR SAILING DAYS ARE GONE AWAY, NEVER AGAIN WILL THEY CROSS THE BROW.
THEY HAVE NO REGRETS, THEY KNOW THEY ARE BLESSED, FOR HONORING A SACRED VOW.
THEIR NUMBERS GROW LESS WITH EACH PASSING DAY AS THE FINAL MUSTER BEGINS,
THERE'S NOTHING TO LOSE, ALL HAVE PAID DUES, AND THEY'LL SAIL WITH SHIPMATES AGAIN.
I'VE HEARD THEM SAY BEFORE GETTING UNDERWAY THAT THERE'S STILL SOME SAILING TO DO,
THEY'LL SAY WITH A GRIN THAT THEIR SHIP HAS COME IN AND THE LORD IS COMMANDING THE CREW.
Larry Dunn, RMCM(SS)(NAC), USN (Ret.)
June 4, 2001
Post a Comment