L-R Ken Monroe & Steve Moncur Passon
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And so it was that we became acquainted with Ken Monroe, from
Kansas, who was awaiting his own Permanent Duty Station.
It wasn't long before Ken and I found things that we had in
common and became friends.
I remember I use to call him "Johnny Yuma" because
he resembled Nick Adams who was starring in a familiar TV program during this time called "The Rebel"
which I had enjoyed watching.
A lot of time has passed, but my memory of that time is fairly
clear. This was in August of '62. But I cannot remember Ken ever telling us he was also awaiting the Hancock (or
I just forgot), and when the ship finally came in, I didn't even see that Ken was also mustering with Steve and
I aboard the Hangar Deck of the Hancock, or I didn't notice that he was there, so this part of the past became
a mystery to me, and continued until around the year 2002.
However, the truth is that Ken was also assigned to the Hancock
like Steve and myself, so we marched up to the ship, unaware of each others presence.
I was assigned to X-Division and Steve went to First Division,
and Ken, I found out much later (like 38 years later) was assigned to V-2 Cats Division, since he was an "Airdale."
We never crossed paths during my Two years aboard ship, and
I never knew he was also aboard during all the experiences our ship encountered in WestPac '63, where we may have
been able to continue our friendship.
However, my memory of Ken was bright, and often, over the
years, I wondered what became of him. That mystery came to an end when in 2000, I was reading the Hannah News,
our Association's Newsletter, and saw the name "Ken Monroe" come up at least two times. I thought, "naw,
that couldn't be Ken, since 'he didn't come aboard the Hancock.." although I really wanted it to be him!
But then another Newsletter came to my door, and again, I
saw Ken's name appear, due to a Roster address change, and so this time, I decided I'd write to him to see if he
was the Ken Monroe that I was seeking all these years, and lo and behold, I got a phone call from him, and he stated
that he was indeed, the Ken Monroe of NAS, Alameda Fame, and that was when I discovered that he definitely was
aboard ship. I was dumbfounded, but also joyful that I had at last found my old friend and shipmate.
These two pictures from LOG-19 WestPac '63 Cruise Book shows
that he was aboard all the time, and I just didn't know it.
V-2 Division - WestPac '63
Ken is Middle Row, 2nd from Right - Jim Barbour, our Admin Flight Deck Coordinator
is to his left
Ken and V-2 Catch some Much-Needed 'Z's during a Break in Air
Operations. He's the Sailor by the Arrow
V-2 Division worked many Long and Hard hours during WestPac
'63 and on through the Vietnam War Years. Here you see how worn out these 12 hour shifts made our Shipmates. Ken
is in the Center of the Picture, with his legs up on the shelf, head on his arms. No Pillow? Heck, all were pillows
for each other, as you can see here!
So you see, Ken was a hard working Airdale on the Hancock,
and I have found my old friend and Shipmate, Ken Monroe. Hand Salute to Ken and all his hardworking shipmates!
Job Well Done!
After Ken mustered out of the Navy, he became a State Trooper
for the State of Kansas, and put in a full career there, and finally retiring to Pharr, Texas, where he has found
other interests to keep him busy such as Golf and travel with his wife visiting kids in other states.
James R. Barbour, AN (Aviation Boatswain Mate striker), Hancock Memorial Flight Deck Historian and Admin Assistant
Click for Jim today
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Later I met up with another one of Ken's shipmates from V-2 Arrresting
Gear, Jim Barbour. Not sure if he's in the photo above, but he was delighted to learn that I knew one of his Division
mates, Ken Monroe.
Jim is living in Northern California now and is currently
serving as this Website's Flight Deck Administrator and Admin Assistant in our Admin Department.
Jim and Ken both are great guys and I feel blessed to know
these guys. Ken is living in Texas, near Brownsville and enjoying his retirement.
But back to Steve Passon and myself...
But even an earlier Reunion took place with Steve and myself..
Back in 1995, my old friend Steve Passon, then an 'over-the-road'
trucker, made a trip to Wausau, Wisconsin where I was living at the time.
Steve told me that he has left Hancock sometime in 1963, and
went on with other duty stations, one of which was on a Destroyer, Navy Schools, etc., Later he left the Navy,
went to work with the Merchant Marines, enlisted in the Air Force Reserve, and finished a long career in the Military,
then became a trucker, putting his kids through college..
My own life seemed to be uninteresting and paled compared
with his, except I also became a trucker as well, and did a fair share of traveling across the country.
We had a great day talking about old times...
Steve posing next to his 'Big Rig' - Fall 1995
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Steve Pason - Fall 1995
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So it was good catching up on old times - later that day,
we went back to his truck where he continued his trip and we took leave our each other.
We've tried to stay in touch, and I'm sure he and I will remain
close friends the rest of our lives. You can't share such poignant times in your 'Coming of Age' years without
a Bond that can last a lifetime.
Recently I was reunited with an old Shipmate from my time
aboard Ship - 1962-1964 when I was joining a Free Navy Shipmate Registry at the Lone Sailor Navy Memorial Website. This old friend and I hadn't talked to each other in over 41 years.
His name Boyd H. Leonhardt, but I always had called him Lenny.
Seeing his Photo and listing on the Lone Sailor Website, I
was naturally excited to get in touch with him. Luckily he left his Email address there.
"Lenny" more than any other man, other than our
Master Chief and Ship's Secretary, Dewey L. Alexander, taught me how to be a Sailor and even then, he couldn't
keep me from getting in trouble from mistakes I made in the Office, but for the most part, I did OK, thanks to
Lenny's help.
When I called him on the phone, he was surprised I still called
him Lenny, but it is something you don't lose quickly, since we knew each other by nick names. He knew me as Jake
and I knew him as Lenny. That was pretty much SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) in the Navy. I'm sure it still
is. So without further scuttlebutt, I'd like to introduce you to Boyd H. "Lenny" Leonhardt, YN2, USN..
Captain's Office Yeoman 1961-1963.. a great guy and someone I had missed for many years.
Boyd H. 'Lenny' Leonhardt, YN2, USN
Hancock Captain's Office 1961-1963
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Boyd 'Lenny' Leonhardt is pictured here sitting next to
Master Chief Dewey L. Alexander far left first Row
I am in the back row about middle, or the "Peak" of the row. This was taken in Hawaii, 1963 on our ORI
visit there.
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~ Jake
Submitted 8/11/06
To write to any of these Shipmates, write Admin
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