Posted by Julian Bailey on January 30, 2012, 1:58 pm, in reply to "Re: MS Blenheim"
Words are insufficient to express my gratitude for your having taken the time to so fully respond to my inquiry. Following the voyage describe by you, my father was in Washington and learned that the navy was looking for blimp pilots. He went thru flight training and spent the remaining years of the war in LTA. He returned to So. Calif. and stayed in the reserves doing his active duty time at the Tustin LTA base in Orange County. When the navy scrapped its use of blimps in the mid 1950's he retired as a LCDR with 18 years of service. In later years I know he wished that he had stayed those last 2 years and received the additional benefits. He got his commission from a program I believe called V-7. He left UCLA without graduating and went to Northwestern University for 90 days. Shortly after that he found himself aboard the Nevada as a 21 year old ensign when Pearl Harbor was attacked. My sister, brother and I are now in our 60's and cherish the memories of our parents. Thanks for helping fill in some gaps in our family's history. JB San Clemente, CA