What an awesome story - and bunch of pics - even extending to those seaplane tenders, including Pine Island herself! I had no idea those ships, essentially unchanged since WWII (unlike the modernized Essexes), provided so much service in Vietnam. And all the cool planes - not only the Marlins, but those Super-Constellations, as well.

THANK YOU for these GREAT contributions, David - posting them is our pleasure, I can assure you, buddy!

Cheers,

-Matty