David “Rocky” Marcellus    
FTG2 Fox Div
Aton, Pennsylvania
e:mail damarc2@hotmail.com
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Served aboard
the USS Kawishiwi AO146.
from 1969-1972
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Yes, that is me standing beside Curt Meiring in the 1971 cruise book. Curt was one of my best friends. I have tried to no avail to locate him through the years. I even drove through Indianapolis when I got discharged and swore that I saw him on a motorcycle.
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The Home Port page reminded me of how sad it was for all the married guys to say goodbye. I was single, but it still tore me up to watch it. Of course, on the flip side, when we would arrive home after a cruise, all of us in dress whites, ship in full dress with us manning the rails,
I would be bursting with pride. I LOVED those days. Families waving, kids recognizing their dads, man, it was a beautiful thing.
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One thing I can say, and have said to all my veteran friends… I have never made friends as good as those I made on the K. These were guys who without question would have risked or even given their lives willingly to save mine. We knew each other’s joys and sorrows, dreams and ambitions. No matter what, we were always there for each other. They weren’t just friends, they were my brothers.

Janurary, 24, 2004
Vern, I hooked up with an old freind that I thought had died on the rivers in VietNam. I had gone to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC to look his name up years ago. It was a tearful day, as I "visited" with old High School friends who the war had claimed. Yet, to my delight, my friends name wasn't there. Now, I have located him and we have exchanged emails. I can't tell you how excited I have been. My son was bragging to his work mates about his Dad and the ship I sailed on, and he went to the K page and saw me as a young man. That made two people proud yesterday. So, God bless you and all .

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