WELCOME TO DAVE'S LOUNGE

Photos from the Dave Crimmen archives:

Here's a page dedicated to my favorite veteran, my Dad. Here's picture of him when he was a fireman, can't tell what class or rate from this picture though. Mom said this was from about 1937 when he was stationed in Bremmerton, Washington (State). Apparently my Mom tore this picture up as there was another girl in it with Dad. My sister Phyllis remembered and found this. I had not seen this version of the photo until early 2011.

On the left, my Mom and Dad. Dad was a Chief Machinist at this point, about 1940-41. On the right, Mom with Arline & Phyllis my two eldest sister. Arline, the eldest, is wearing Dad's Chief's hat and Phyllis is wearing, what was then, Dad's old hat from before he was a Chief.

December (2010) my brother Raymond was taking out a picture of our Dad from a frame and found this hidden gem that he and i had never seen and my sister's Arline & Phyllis had not seen since 1941. Arline's birthday is November 30th. Dad was stationed in Hawaii and had this post card made for her Birthday Nov. 30th 1941. In other words, this picture of my Dad was taken about two (2) weeks before Pearl Harbor was attacked. You can clearly see the Machinist rate on his Chief's patch.

Let's all take a moment and honor the vets from WW II especially those at Pearl Harbor. Above is a picture of the U.S.S. Craven DD-382. The Craven was a Destroyer Escort that my father was serving on that fateful day. The ship was part of the task force, along with the carrier U.S.S. Enterprise under Admiral "Bull" Halsey. They had completed their mission by dropping off Marine pilots at Wake Island and were steaming into Pearl Harbor at 11:00 A.M. four (4) hours after the bombing. My Dad was a Chief Petty Officer at this time.

My Dad after he became a Warrant officer on the left and on the right my brother Raymond as an Ensign. Ya think that they look a like, ya think? :-)

Dad made it to Warrant Officer (W01) in 1947, again with a machinist rating.

Here he is in 1950, Marin City, CA. Dad was called back for Korea but there were no paying billets for a Warrant Officer so he was put back as a Chief, this time Chief Boiller Tender. He retired at his highest rank of W01.

To all the Dads of the world I can't say Thank You enough, especially to my Dad. My sisters Arline, Phyllis and Virginia all got to experience him on active duty of some form or another. My brother Raymond and I were born after Dad was retired from the Navy.

He loved Country music and used to play guitar when he was in the Navy and was a BIG influence on my playing, especially my "Lead" guitar playing. On Saturday mornings, before the San Francisco Giants Baseball games, we used to watch a Country & Western T.V. show and the host was "Blackjack Wayne". I found out years later that it was filmed in Sacramento CA and K.T.V.U Channel 2, the local Independent station, would air the show. I remember seeing Marty Robbins, Tom Paul and the Glazer Brothers and Merle Haggard. Daddy always would point out that the guy doing the singing is "Pretty good" but he's just strummin' chords. The guy that REALLY knows how to play is always the one standing in the back doing all the Pickin'. "You want to learn to play like that boy" he used to say.

I do my best Daddy, I love Ya, I miss ya and I hope I do you proud!

Here's the "Doctored" version of the first photo you saw. This is the version I grew up seeing. Next to that one of me at about the same age. I don't look a thing like him do I?

NNNNNAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

I'll plant you now and dig you later

Dave