Author: Vic Socotra

In Memory

(Culpeper National Cemetery on a lovely Saturday in May. Our little county may have been the most fought over in all of Virginia back in the day). We were drinking white wine at The Copper Fish, my favorite place on historic East Davis Street in downtown Culpeper. I was going to stop at the Culpeper […]

First in the Water

I was watching the clock like a hawk. I had been up in the small hours, read and then dozed again with the vague sense that I had to be watchful about sleeping over the moment of the official opening of the pool. Tapping on the iPad to clear the email queue that accumulated overnight, […]

The Vic Special

I was avoiding crowds, to the extent that I can, which is pretty easy since I m mostly working from home these days. That means I rarely see any coworkers on the way to the men’s room, which I have dutifully re-labeled as a multi-gender, inclusive facility to confront of the major issues of our […]

Cruise Book

(Ground Zero monument at Nagasaki). I got lost this morning, looking at papers generated on another carrier in another ocean far away from the Wine Dark Sea. I was looking to see if I had written an account of the Fighter Squadron One-Five-One visit to Nagasaki when our ship was in Sasebo, on the island […]

Island Whimsy

Life and Island Times – 23 May 2016 All state and local public buildings, schools and courthouses on these coral islands are all named after locals. There is no Roosevelt High or Washington Elementary. US Presidents might get a street (or several blocks if he was a Republican) named after them, but that is it. […]

INDEF

I had a Milestone yesterday, a minor but important one, amid the landmines in the battlefield of about to turn 65 summers old. It wasn’t about the pool, though that is the milestone of Memorial Day, and I can’t wait for it to open. I won’t go into the first one- the dreaded Medicare, Parts […]

Farewell to Paris

24 May 2016 Editor’s Note: Yeah, you can’t tell where the Daily is going to wind up on any particular morning. Yesterday we completed the agenda of events that will happen in Oahu to commemorate the Battle of Midway in 1942. I am proud to have been a 7th Fleet sailor in my time, and […]

Battle of Midway 07 JUN Formal Ceremony

Battle of Midway 07 JUN Formal Ceremony at PACFLT HQ When: 07 June 2016,1000-1100 Where: Pacific Fleet Headquarters, Building 250 Flagpole, Makalapa Crater Dress: Military- Summer Whites (Navy) Other: Duty uniform. Civilian: Aloha smart casual Questions to LTJG Manpreet Hotelling 474-4442 manpreet.hotelling@navy.mil They say that time heals all wounds. Ancient enemies can become friends, as […]

Fireflies of the Night

Life and Island Times – 22 May 2016 Fireflies of the Night Most appropriately after yesterday’s relationship advice piece, Marlow and W encountered fireflies under the light of the full moon. It occurred after they had finished a wonderful meal at a friend’s house and decided to take a dip in his backyard pool. As […]

06 June 2016 NIP Battle of Midway Week Social at Historic Hickam Officer’s Club Our newest NIP chapter extends the warm spirit aloha to former JICPAC Commander and PACOM J2 RADM Paul Becker as he returns to the lovely islands! Following the opportunity to tour the site of Station HYPO at Building 1 at the […]