“Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was Oh no, not again.”
Stranded, stranded and broke, Broke, broke and stranded. Repeat.
The navy left me stranded three times, twice without any money. My university sent me overseas with the promise of financial aid but did not send it and leaving me starving. A certain airline in the US stole my travel voucher and left me stranded in Japan with no way to return home with time left on my visa rapidly running out.
Shipping off to Great Lakes Naval Training Center, we were told that once we arrived at Chicago’s Union Station there would be someone to meet us and take us to Great Lakes. Nope. I and a few others wondered around bewildered trying to find anyone in naval uniform. Strangle, probably the only time in the history of the station, there were not several uniformed squids at the station.not even one. We waited for hours, and were getting quite worried. What happens to those who arrive to boot camp late? Eventually we laid lookouts upon a naval recruiter and made chase. Upon our hail, he hove to and learned our situation. He laid a course for a pay phone and returned to our anchorage with news of which train to board and where to get off. Again, we were told there would be someone to take us from the train to the camp. Again, if this person was indeed there, they were both invisible and silent. Clueless, we hailed a cab which dropped off at the main gate just as they were securing it for the night. A group of squids in their whites grabbed us and our gear and threw us through the gate which was closed after us.
When I was in, we had several uniforms. Our dungarees, the light blue shirt with dark blue denim like trousers you’ve seen in WW2 naval movies were not authorized for wear off base. We could wear them in navy vehicles that transported us between bases or ships and bases as I was to deliver water tight fittings to the flame sprayer at San Diego Naval Station, my ship then being in the yards of a contractor. However, my ship’s van never returned to pick me up after knock off. All the offices were closed, so I couldn’t call the ship and request a pick up. I did not know the phone number and I did not have any money on me, so I could not call with a pay phone. Time for duty section muster was fast approaching. If I walk back, it was not that far, in my dungarees there would be hell to pay. As I walked around the vacant shops of the base trying to conjure up a way to get to my ship, a duty van from another command drove towards me. Luckily, I was able to flag him down and he gave me a lift back to my ship where I was chewed out for being away for so long.
The other time was a big one. The stranding was not the navy’s fault but that lack of funds was. I arrived in Japan while my bird farm was deployed to The Gulf. We were put up in TPU, Transient Personnel Unit. We were treated like we were on restriction. The work parties were not an issue, they are not going to let us just sit around as we await being flown out to the boat. But we were mustered many times daily and cursed at while in formation, as restricted personnel are and not allowed any liberty. Could not even go to the bank or exchange money. The exchange and vending machines were off limits. So when I was rather roughly ordered to change out of my dungarees and grab my shit to board the bus in 5 minutes we did not have any money for anything for the trip.
We were bused to an Air Force airbase to be flown to Diego Garcia. After we were hurriedly ushered through immigration we ended up waiting all night in the mini departure lounge as the Air Farce’s plane broke down and they had to await the repair party. Just through the door were ATMs and vending machines, but we could not go through that door for we had already passed through immigration. The Air Farces’ load master told us that there were sandwiches aboard the air plane. However, once they finally fixed their broken bird, the sandwiches were long past the safe to eat time. No food, now for 24 hours for me. The plane landed many hours later in Singapore. I do not recall if it was scheduled to land but I do know we were not scheduled to deplane there. Plane was broken again so we had to wait until they fix it again. This time we were dropped off at a hotel but we did not have money to get a room. Luckily, amongst us castaways was a Master Chief who had a massive wad of cash and a ledger. He happily loaned, interest free, cash to us and had us sign his ledger so that we could repay him once aboard ship.
With the loan, I was able to secure a room and food, the first I ate in over 36 hours. We were told that we would be informed of when to board the bus back to the plane. I never got word and when I went down to the front desk the next morning to ask, the bus was already boarding so I ran to grab my sea bag and back to the bus. Came within a few minutes away from being really stranded. Again, no food on the plane for the long flight to Diego Garcia from Singapore.
Once we got to Diego Garcia, I found the one bar open for enlisted. Our plane’s load master had several shots of whiskey lined up which he ordered refilled after downing one after another. “Whoa buddy! What gives?” “We almost didn’t make it. Half way here from Singapore the pilot had the copilot flip a coin to decide whether we press on to Diego Garcia or turn back to Singapore because they didn’t think we could make either.” It can always be worse.
The plan was to use my approved financial aid in addition to my GI Bill to cover expenses while studying at my college’s campus in Japan. Earlier I told you that my GI bill stopped while here. Well, I did not get the financial aid either, at least not while I was in Japan. I slept much of the day to conserve energy as I could only afford one meal a day. When I got back home, I charged into the Financial Aid Office and demanded to know why I did not receive my approved financial aid. The answer, “Approval does not always mean you get it.” I would eventually get it but really needed it when I was starving I Japan. I would not have participated in the program if I even thought either of my funding sources would fall through while in Japan. Both did!
When I returned to study in Japan a second time it was as an exchange student at a well known private university in Tokyo. I purchased an open ended ticket from Korean Air with an American flagged carrier as the connecting flight from near my college to LAX where I would catch the KA flight the next day. In fact, it was a package deal, connecting flight to LAX, overnight in a hotel then KA to Narita airport in Chiba prefecture.
Having some experience with international travel, I arrived early at the airport. In fact, I was the first person to be seen by the ticket agent for my flight. Yet, I almost missed my flight. I had to run off without kissing either my mother or my girlfriend, both of whom came to see me off. I sprinted to the plane and got there just as they were closing the door. Safe by an inch. The ticket agent lived up to every stereotype I ever heard for blondes. I do not recall the details now, but besides the big mistake she made, she messed up my luggage in some way too. It took her forever to figure out and input my destination in to the computer. She never asked either. Eventually, like hours later, a supervisor came over and asked what the deal was. Bubble headed ticket agent answered that she could not find where in CHINA, Narita was. Overhearing, I told her that Narita is not in China, in is in Chiba, Japan. “Oh! I thought it said “China”. He he, so sorry.”
The next morning, I am once again the first in line for my flight, this time with Korean Air from LAX to Narita, Japan. Confused, the ticket agent asked me for my destination. I told her. “Sir, you do not have a ticket for this flight.” Reading my expression, she asked if I flew in on another flight. When informed I had, she began to ask from where but arrested herself with “AH! I see what happened. The ticket agent for X Airline pulled the wrong travel coupon yesterday. They pulled the one for this flight.” Thus began part one of my nightmare. She could not do anything but directed me to X Airline’s ticket counter and to explain the situation to them. “Once they issue you a new travel coupon, you talk to him (and she beckoned a security guard to the counter) and he’ll escort you back to me.” He and I nodded to each other and off I ran, with all my luggage across the airport.
X Airline refused to help. They refused to accept responsibility. I told them that was unacceptable, their ticket agent pulled the wrong coupon and they have to issue another one. They flatly refused. In my engine room voice I made it clear that they STOLE my ticket and they had best replace. This got the attention of two security guards and a manager for X airline. Then the next problem. KA allowed at the time for open ended return tickets. X Airline did but only up to 6 months. I chose KA because they allowed these for over a year. X Airline illegally took my open ended ticket for KA so they had better replace it. They issued me a new travel voucher with X Airline as the main flight and KA as the connecting flight. I asked if it was opened ended for 18 months like KA’s was and they applied in the affirmative. With the new ticket in hand, I raced back to KA and was once again the last to board the plane. They actually held it up for me.
A year passes and I attempt to activate my return ticket. Roll part 2 of the nightmare. It is open ended so once the return date is set, I needed to inform XA of the date. I did so several months before hand. “Sorry sir. We have no record of the ticket you claim to have. Sorry sir, the situation as you describe is impossible as X Airline does not issue open ended tickets beyond six months.” What in the hell am I going to do?
Spent an anxious several months as I called and called various XA offices and my parents to work things from that side of the pond. Nothing. XA is not budging. A week before I was to depart my phone rings. Through the wires a heavenly female voice introduces herself as representing KA. They were aware of my situation. As I originally purchased my ticket with them, they concidered me their customer. On the day of departure I was to go to their office in Narita airport and they would have my return ticket waiting for me. And they did.
The KA flight from Narita to LAX was delayed for a reason I no longer recall. Again, I had to sprint across LAX to catch my flight and got aboard just as they were preparing to depart. The flight attendant grabbed my carry on bag, threw it down the aisle and shoved me down the same as she shouted “Grab your Faucing seat NOW. My flight is NOT going to be late!” With all other passengers staring at me wide-eyed, I spun around and replied, “Excuse me?”. The first class flight attendant rushed towards me, picked up my bag and stowed it, apologized and tended to me personally for the entire flight. That was the last time I hoped I would ever fly XA.
I have flown with other airlines that left no reason to complain but Korean Airlines remains my favorite. Sadly, I have not been able to fly with them again. They have earned my loyalty but I have not been able to repay them with further patronage.