While in Guam for a us Navy Special warfare exercise in 1986, a bunch of us took a Royal Australian c-130, loaded it with dive gear and Tooey's Beer (Aussie beer) and about 35 Australian SAS, US Navy SEALs, some US Special Forces, Australian Air Force pilots (the c-130 doesn't fly itself) and a Special Boat Unit Intel Officer (your humble author) and flew to Truk for a weekend of diving and hydration. To this day, I remember vividly spending the evening with Kimeo over a couple of beers and hearing his amazing stories of life under the Japanese rule, and his witnessing from the ground, Operation Hailstorm (the US Navy air attacks on the Japanese fleet that was at anchor in Truck Lagoon). He was a humble man that I have often though about over the years since, and I was saddened by learning of his passing some years ago. We stayed at the Blue Lagoon and one of the statements that was made by the locals was that they were not that happy with live aboard boats, since these boats added little to the local economy. Unfortunately, I've not had the opportunity to return since then, but I hope to make one more dive there in my life. Digging through the debris of where a 500lb bomb hit the bridge area of a destroyer escort and finding the skull of an IJN sailor 41 years after the attack was a real sobering moment for me.
Mike Sanservino, Lt.
USN(R)