CORBIN FOSS/RACHEL/USS CONSTELLATION – 9/18/14
September 18, 2014
LATITUDE: 7 15.7 N
LONGITUDE: 79 40.2 W
DISTANCE FROM BALBOA: 93.7
DISTANCE TO GO VALPARAISO: 2,577.6
ETA: 10/6/2014
AVE SPEED: 6.2 K
WEATHER: WIND: NORTHERLY 5-10 K; SEAS: NORTHERLY 1′; SWELL: SOUTHWEST 3′; SKY: BROKEN OVERCAST
DEPARTED PANAMA 9/17/2014 14:55
I grew up in San Diego county. The comings and goings of the Connie were a big part of our lives in the sixties and seventies. Later as a Navy employee I spent a lot of time providing trucking services to her CAG movements between North Island and Miramar. The Connie was special to everyone in San Diego. Ronald Reagan declared her to be, “America’s Flagship”. But the Connie belonged to San Diego. I just wish it was the Connie here as a museum instead of the Midway.
I reported aboard her in May 1969 at North Island after riding the ferry from downtown San Diego to North Island. The bridge was completed when we returned from Westpac May 1969 so vehicles could drive to North Island. Before the bridge vehicles had to drive around the Imperial Beach Strip to North Island. The shore patrol hauled me back to the ship in summer of 1969 by driving that way. I had a few good liberties in downtown San Diego and needed the shore patrol help to get back to the ship.