February 17 ,1983 - 'Winds' Spurs MemoriesFebruary 17,1983 aft cuff Ork Irimtg Page 13
'Winds' Spurs Memories
By PAULSTOUTENBURGH
The majority of TV is pretty bad, but
occasionally a program comes along that
you can associate with such as the one
shown recently leading up to World War II.
I enjoyed this program mainly because I'd
been involved in that struggle and wanted
to see how they presented the facts.
Of course, like many programs it was
jazzed up a bit, but that's okay. As I
watched the series unfold, I slowly became
aware that I was fascinated by the young
man who played one of the roles in the
movie. He was energetic, carefree and like
most of us in those days, adventurous.
Usually I can watch a program like that,
enjoy it and then pass on to other things
but last night there was a scene where the
young man left his newly- married bride
that hit home with me. I didn't experience
quite that parting, but did experience the
good -byes and the lump in the throat
feeling of leaving loved ones behind. This
and other things about the show swirled
about in my mind as I lay in bed that night
rehashing the memories of years ago and
thinking what a long time ago it all
happened.
I was fortunate in the service that the
lure of the natural world always traveled
with me wherever I went. Whether it was
bouncing around on an 83- footer on anti-
submarine patrol in the Atlantic or quietly
gliding along in the splendor of a Pacific
sunset, the lure of the outdoors would
make my day stay palatable.
Even on those long night watches when
the sky burst with uncountable stars I
seemed to find peace and amazement in
them. Constellations became my friends.
There's no sky quite like a brilliant night
sky aboard a blacked out ship when there's
no other light on the horizon. Often the
spell was so great upon us, we would sleep
topside with the clean, warm air bathing
us to sleep and sometimes during the night
qaQn� oM
MaQMU,g
the "fitt fitt" of the blowing porpoise could
be heard from below as the ship sliced
through the waters on its journey into the
unknown.
Often we carried high octane gasoline
and ammunition for small outposts along
the New Guinea coast. It was here I saw
my first live volcanoes as they glowed in
the night and steamed during the day. Our
ports were merely outposts hacked out of
the jungle where our ship would come in
and unload its cargo.
When we weren't busy aboard we'd often
go exploring. One of the most memorable
trips was a day's hike up a fast- running
river. It started out down by the bay as a
wide delta but in a short time turned into a
clear, fast - flowing river. In some areas
there were deep holes, in other spots the
river broadened out to shallow rock -
strewn flats with boulders all about.
Took Lunch from Ship's Stores
We had packed a lunch from the ship's
stores; mostly dried raisins, some peanut
butter sandwiches and the proverbial
Coke. Along with this was my trusty 35 nim
Kodak and an inflatable Air Force raft
that was neatly packed into its yellow
rescue pouch. We walked most of the
morning and a part of the afternoon up the
river.
Along the shore there were diggings
from wild boars or some other kind of
animal and crayfish scurried underfoot.
But the most impressive sight was the
beautiful big butterflies that seemed to use
the corridor of the river to flit and glide
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TIME OUT FROM WAR - -One of the rivers, photographed 40 years ago, that
fed the Pacific Ocean from the highlands of New Guinea.
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
aimlessly about. It was a fairyland of
enchantment; beautifully warm air, cool
water underfoot, and blue skies above with
birds calling and butterflies flitting about.
Occasionally a dash of color of some
strange tropical bird would cross the river
corridor flanked in green. We ate our
peanut butter sandwiches and drank our
Coke on one of the warm boulders along
the river's edge while our feet dangled in
the cool water.
Late in the afternoon `Guns" suggested
we turn back. It was good he had a mind of
reality for I'm afraid I'd have continued on
forever in this world of enchantment. I
pulled the pin of the Air Force inflatable
raft and instantly it burst into its
prescribed yellow shape of a life raft. The
trip down would be a float session. And so
we climbed in and started our drift. By
now, the sun was low and the water and
forest had lost some of their sparkle as a
haze quietly took over. We hardly talked as
we drifted aimlessly along.
At one spot we could hear natives
chanting way up on the hillside. We had
seen none on our trip up but now we
became aware we were not the only ones in
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this magnificent land. Then almost, as if
on a stage, stood a lone native atop a rock
in the middle of the river. A beam of
sunlight had found its way through the
greenery of the forest and shone on him.
"What a sight!" His colorful draped
tunic and his raised fish spear gave him
God -like features. No, there was no danger
from us as we drifted by. He barely took
notice of us. He was intent on fishing. As
the river turned we lost sight of him but
never in our minds. Departing, we
wondered what he was thinking. What was
important to him.
On we drifted. The singing faded away
and in its place an hour later the drone of a
generator could be heard. We were
approaching our terminal. I don't
remember whatever happened to that
magic carpet (the life raft) but it put us in
a world we'd never forget. I'm sure when it
was made it was never intended for that.
But like so many of the great adventures in
life that stick with you, they are never
planned. It just unfolded and to this day I
shall thank the Lord above for urging me
to take the necessary step and shun the
confines of the ordinary.
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