Harry Mayer
USS FLINT (AE-32)
Naval Weapons Station Concord, California
June 1988
Naval Weapons Station Concord, California
June 1988
Dear Sandy,
I already miss you.
We checked aboard FLINT yesterday around 1600. The team is settling in and adapting to shipboard life. This is the first time Petty Officers James and Stevens have been aboard a ship. Believe me, they’re in culture shock.
Since leaving Hawaii, you’ve been on my mind day and night. I know things were rocky before I left. Sometimes I forget how hard it is for you to be alone. The good news is I’m pretty sure I’ll be home for Christmas.
At night, you’re the last thing I think about before I fall asleep. I miss the feeling of you lying beside me.
The next time you hear from me, I’ll be somewhere in the Pacific. I keep your picture taped inside my locker to remind me how beautiful you are.
I’ll write as often as I can.
Love Always,
Hank
I already miss you.
We checked aboard FLINT yesterday around 1600. The team is settling in and adapting to shipboard life. This is the first time Petty Officers James and Stevens have been aboard a ship. Believe me, they’re in culture shock.
Since leaving Hawaii, you’ve been on my mind day and night. I know things were rocky before I left. Sometimes I forget how hard it is for you to be alone. The good news is I’m pretty sure I’ll be home for Christmas.
At night, you’re the last thing I think about before I fall asleep. I miss the feeling of you lying beside me.
The next time you hear from me, I’ll be somewhere in the Pacific. I keep your picture taped inside my locker to remind me how beautiful you are.
I’ll write as often as I can.
Love Always,
Hank
USS FLINT (AE-32)
Bering Sea, Near the Aleutian Islands
June 1988
Hello Honey,
Tonight I’m writing from the forecastle, freezing my ass off in the Bering Sea. Hard to believe it’s June. The Soviet Union is just over the horizon.
Before sunset, a humpback whale breached off our port side. You should have seen it.
We’re anchored now, and it’s dark and quiet except for waves slapping against the hull. In the silence my mind drifts to you until the stillness breaks — a hatch slamming shut, or another announcement over the 1MC.
The northern lights are dancing above the ship tonight. The aurora borealis takes my breath away. I wish you were here to see it. It reminds me of that Fourth of July on the beach at Long Point watching fireworks together. That was the summer I knew you were the only one for me.
Write soon. I want to hear everything I’m missing while I’m gone.
If you lost my address, here it is again:
LT Hank Mathews
EODMU ONE, Det Two
USS FLINT (AE-32)
FPO San Francisco, CA 94105
And if there’s an emergency, call the command ombudsman.
Your loving husband,
Hank
Bering Sea, Near the Aleutian Islands
June 1988
Hello Honey,
Tonight I’m writing from the forecastle, freezing my ass off in the Bering Sea. Hard to believe it’s June. The Soviet Union is just over the horizon.
Before sunset, a humpback whale breached off our port side. You should have seen it.
We’re anchored now, and it’s dark and quiet except for waves slapping against the hull. In the silence my mind drifts to you until the stillness breaks — a hatch slamming shut, or another announcement over the 1MC.
The northern lights are dancing above the ship tonight. The aurora borealis takes my breath away. I wish you were here to see it. It reminds me of that Fourth of July on the beach at Long Point watching fireworks together. That was the summer I knew you were the only one for me.
Write soon. I want to hear everything I’m missing while I’m gone.
If you lost my address, here it is again:
LT Hank Mathews
EODMU ONE, Det Two
USS FLINT (AE-32)
FPO San Francisco, CA 94105
And if there’s an emergency, call the command ombudsman.
Your loving husband,
Hank
USS FLINT (AE-32)
International Date Line
July 1988
Dear Sandy,
Today we crossed the International Date Line, and I received a certificate declaring me a member of the Order of the Golden Dragon. I went to bed Monday night and woke up Wednesday morning.
The days are already starting to blur together. Soon the weeks will run into months. There are no weekends at sea, no time off — just work. We start at six in the morning and usually finish around ten at night.
Today the captain briefed us in the wardroom. We are officially part of Operation Earnest Will now. During the briefing he told us the Iranians are using children as human minesweepers, marching them through Iraqi minefields. It makes me think about how lucky we are to live in America.
The captain is worried about enemy combat swimmers attacking ships in port, so I’ve increased my team’s readiness for anti-limpet responses. I suggested we begin diving hull inspections prior to getting underway.
It’s been two months, and I still haven’t heard from you. Is everything alright? I’m starting to worry.
Love,
Hank
International Date Line
July 1988
Dear Sandy,
Today we crossed the International Date Line, and I received a certificate declaring me a member of the Order of the Golden Dragon. I went to bed Monday night and woke up Wednesday morning.
The days are already starting to blur together. Soon the weeks will run into months. There are no weekends at sea, no time off — just work. We start at six in the morning and usually finish around ten at night.
Today the captain briefed us in the wardroom. We are officially part of Operation Earnest Will now. During the briefing he told us the Iranians are using children as human minesweepers, marching them through Iraqi minefields. It makes me think about how lucky we are to live in America.
The captain is worried about enemy combat swimmers attacking ships in port, so I’ve increased my team’s readiness for anti-limpet responses. I suggested we begin diving hull inspections prior to getting underway.
It’s been two months, and I still haven’t heard from you. Is everything alright? I’m starting to worry.
Love,
Hank
USS FLINT (AE-32)
Subic Bay, Philippines
August 1988
Dear Sandy,
We spent the last few days in Subic Bay. Monday, we went to the demolition range to maintain our qualifications. The range safety officer warned us about Filipino teenagers darting onto the range to steal blasting caps while the time fuse was still burning. A local terrorist group called the New People’s Army pays kids to steal explosives for IEDs.
We also went through jungle survival training. I’m not sure why considering we’re on our way to the desert.
The guys nicknamed the giant snake at the training site “Slinky.” I swear it was the biggest snake I’ve ever seen.
I made three parachute jumps before heading back to sea. On the last jump I missed the drop zone and landed in the jungle. Good thing I paid attention during survival training.
It still looks like I’ll be home in December. Maybe we can spend Christmas on the Big Island.
I miss you.
Love,
Hank
Subic Bay, Philippines
August 1988
Dear Sandy,
We spent the last few days in Subic Bay. Monday, we went to the demolition range to maintain our qualifications. The range safety officer warned us about Filipino teenagers darting onto the range to steal blasting caps while the time fuse was still burning. A local terrorist group called the New People’s Army pays kids to steal explosives for IEDs.
We also went through jungle survival training. I’m not sure why considering we’re on our way to the desert.
The guys nicknamed the giant snake at the training site “Slinky.” I swear it was the biggest snake I’ve ever seen.
I made three parachute jumps before heading back to sea. On the last jump I missed the drop zone and landed in the jungle. Good thing I paid attention during survival training.
It still looks like I’ll be home in December. Maybe we can spend Christmas on the Big Island.
I miss you.
Love,
Hank
USS FLINT (AE-32)
Royal Domain of the Great Sea Lord
July 1988
Royal Domain of the Great Sea Lord
July 1988
Dear Sandy,
Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, we found out the USS VINCENNES shot down an Iranian Airbus. Two hundred ninety civilians dead.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, we found out the USS VINCENNES shot down an Iranian Airbus. Two hundred ninety civilians dead.
But what the hell is going on? It’s been four months and still nothing from you.
Nothing.
Hank
Nothing.
Hank
USS FLINT (AE-32)
Hostile Fire Zone, Persian Gulf
August 1988
Hostile Fire Zone, Persian Gulf
August 1988
Dear Sandy,
We crossed the 225th parallel and entered the hostile fire zone. It was eerie transiting the Straits of Hormuz. Several tankers anchored outside the straits still showed burn marks and shell holes from Iranian attacks.
We just secured from General Quarters after an Iranian P-3 buzzed us. The operations officer thinks they were targeting us.
It makes me nervous being aboard an ammunition ship carrying thousands of pounds of explosives with only a single three-inch gun for defense.
Don’t worry about me. I’ll be alright.
But what the hell is going on? It’s been four months and still nothing from you.
Nothing.
We crossed the 225th parallel and entered the hostile fire zone. It was eerie transiting the Straits of Hormuz. Several tankers anchored outside the straits still showed burn marks and shell holes from Iranian attacks.
We just secured from General Quarters after an Iranian P-3 buzzed us. The operations officer thinks they were targeting us.
It makes me nervous being aboard an ammunition ship carrying thousands of pounds of explosives with only a single three-inch gun for defense.
Don’t worry about me. I’ll be alright.
But what the hell is going on? It’s been four months and still nothing from you.
Nothing.
USS FLINT (AE-32)
Hostile Fire Zone, Persian Gulf
September 1988
Hostile Fire Zone, Persian Gulf
September 1988
USS FLINT (AE-32)
Hostile Fire Zone, Persian Gulf
October 1988
Hostile Fire Zone, Persian Gulf
October 1988
Dear Sandy,
The USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS struck a mine in the Gulf. I know several officers aboard from Newport. Thank God they survived.
Tomorrow, we begin escorting tankers through the minefields. My team’s job is to disarm and recover enemy mines for exploitation.
Still no letters.
Hank
The USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS struck a mine in the Gulf. I know several officers aboard from Newport. Thank God they survived.
Tomorrow, we begin escorting tankers through the minefields. My team’s job is to disarm and recover enemy mines for exploitation.
Still no letters.
Hank
15 December 1988
Homecoming
Homecoming
I stood on the signal bridge in my Service Dress Whites holding my combination cover firmly in place against the wind, eagerly searching the horizon for the towering white clouds that gathered over islands. Soon Oahu appeared in the distance.
Morale aboard FLINT was high. Sailors scrambled across the decks preparing to enter port. As we passed the USS ARIZONA, the ship’s horn sounded a long blast in tribute to the men killed during the attack in 1941.
When we finally tied up at the pier, cheers erupted from the crowd waiting ashore. Wives held signs. Children waved balloons. Sailors rushed down the brow to embrace their families.
Petty Officer Simpson elbowed James and laughed.
“Isn’t that your wife?”
James looked toward the pier and muttered, “Oh shit.”
His wife stood there in a raincoat flashing the ship every few minutes, revealing the lingerie underneath.
I scanned the crowd for Sandy.
Nothing.
Eventually the pier emptied. I returned to my stateroom, removed her photograph from inside my locker, and slipped it into my seabag.
Then I walked down the brow alone.
I was halfway down the waterfront when I finally saw her standing beside the pay phones.
We didn’t speak at first. We just looked at each other.
There was a sadness in her eyes I hadn’t seen before.
Finally, I said, “I missed you.”
With the faintest trace of a smile she replied, “I know.”
Morale aboard FLINT was high. Sailors scrambled across the decks preparing to enter port. As we passed the USS ARIZONA, the ship’s horn sounded a long blast in tribute to the men killed during the attack in 1941.
When we finally tied up at the pier, cheers erupted from the crowd waiting ashore. Wives held signs. Children waved balloons. Sailors rushed down the brow to embrace their families.
Petty Officer Simpson elbowed James and laughed.
“Isn’t that your wife?”
James looked toward the pier and muttered, “Oh shit.”
His wife stood there in a raincoat flashing the ship every few minutes, revealing the lingerie underneath.
I scanned the crowd for Sandy.
Nothing.
Eventually the pier emptied. I returned to my stateroom, removed her photograph from inside my locker, and slipped it into my seabag.
Then I walked down the brow alone.
I was halfway down the waterfront when I finally saw her standing beside the pay phones.
We didn’t speak at first. We just looked at each other.
There was a sadness in her eyes I hadn’t seen before.
Finally, I said, “I missed you.”
With the faintest trace of a smile she replied, “I know.”
Author’s Note
Mail Call is a work of autobiographical fiction inspired by the author’s experiences during Cold War and Persian Gulf deployments. Certain names, characters, dialogue, timelines, and events have been altered or condensed for literary purposes.
Mail Call is a work of autobiographical fiction inspired by the author’s experiences during Cold War and Persian Gulf deployments. Certain names, characters, dialogue, timelines, and events have been altered or condensed for literary purposes.