I did great in boot camp, Academic Honorman and Yeoman of 50-State Flag team — my only duty was to take muster at the Padre’s ball games when we were color guard. But the first four weeks of boot camp were tough on an 18-year old, first time away from home. The main thing that got me through was just before I left for boot camp, the biggest dweeb in high school, Clarence A. parading around town in his Cracker Jacks home on Christmas leave.
The thought, “If Clarence can make, surely I can,” kept me going those first couple weeks. When I got home on my boot leave, come to find out, Clarence washed out the day after uniform issue in his boot camp. Wonder what how it would have turned out had I known that?
What started off with me hailing a cab at SeaTac with $7.34 in my pocket for a $15 fare to Lockheed Shipbuilding, turned out to be the dream duty for this 19 year old.
I was a Centerfold
One claim to fame… One of our lady engineers brings me a calendar because she was nice and knew I like sailing. We’re looking through it and tell her, “I have a boat that looks like this — Oh wait – 40451? That is my boat AND that’s me in the green shirt!” She asks, “You didn’t know you were in there?” “Nope,” then I joked, “Maybe I’d better check the Playgirl calendars – I might be Mr. August in there TOO!”
About a week latter I was paying for gas at BP and found the same picture on a post card. My dear friends Brenda Steffy’s photo lab processed the this picture, she and Dennis (the guy who named Squirrel) gave me a full size print for Christmas that still hangs on my dinning room wall.
Deliverance Light!
Rick Ales
FF1073.2021@gmail.com Regarding REP Reunion Stuff
Hi! I’ m Rick Ales, former Chief Sonar Technician in the US Navy.
After the Navy, I earned my BSEE from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. I have worked as a design engineer and in executive positions at these fine companies:
- GE Lighting, Advanced Technology
- Rockwell Automation — Allen Bradley
- Picker X-Ray — Nuclear Imaging Div.
- Swagelok
- NatGasCar (Start-up that no longer with us.)
Since 2009, I’ve been doing business as R. Ales Consulting LLC. Now, semi-retired, I am only working part-time, serving select clients. My last full time gig was Infotainment Program Manager at Honda R&D Americas, Raymond Ohio. 2018-2021 Odyssey and Pilot were my vehicles. Here’s my brochure…
Once a Sailor…
I went on my first sail when I was 16, I’m probably gonna be buried at sea. I grew up in the tavern my Grandpa built, the Grand River Manor so I guess it’s only fitting I joined the Navy, the Christmas after graduating from Geneva High School in 1970.
USN
That symbol under the Crow is headphones with a directional arrow indicating my NEC or Navy Job specialty was Sonar Technician. When I got home on leave form Sonar A school, Mom ask what I had been studying. Well, Mom’s loved Kirk Douglas, so I took the opportunity to pull her leg, “Indian fighting, Ma!” “What?? You mean like Kirk Douglas?” she asks. So I continued the skylarking, “See this patch Ma, its a covered wagon with an arrow through it. It says I’m an Indian fighter, just like Kirk Douglas Ma!”
But what I really did on the Bob E was operate an maintain the computer that directed all the Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) weapons. I was top of my sonar A school so I got to pick my specialty, I picked computers. In 1971 that’s gonna be the next big thing, right? Wow what that a poor choice! The MK114 Underwater Fire Control Computer would have been modern in like — 1947! It was an ANALOG COMPUTER, all gears, servos and resolvers and such, not a digital circuit in sight! But I did get to play with nuclear depth charges — So, I guess it was worth it. Later in life i was “the Circuit King” of my junior year analog circuits class at Case!
My First ship, the Bob E. They say you first ship is like you first love. Serving on board Robert E Peary was some of the most satisfying and personally rewarding times in my life. You are welcome read about my naval adventures under the Sea Stories tab.
Yatchsman
In 1969, my new stepdad, a used car salesman named Glen Scott, everyone called Scotty, traded a $25 old, used, taxicab for the sorriest wooden sail boat in all the Great Lakes — a 21 foot 1921 Chesapeake Bay sailing sloop. After sinking it 3 or 4 times teaching ourselves to sail, we had some great adventures. Drove my mom nuts, I think the Coast Guard got pretty tired of her calls!
After my last USN hitch in 1980, Scotty and I bought a proper “fiberglass” sailboat named Blue Ruin. A week after we took delivery in Vermillion, Scotty was rear-ended by a school bus in a minor fender bender. But everyone mistakenly thought that it was a settlement form the school board that paid for the Blue Ruin. Scotty could be quite the prankster so decide we should re-name our new boat Whiplash. The funny part was, we’d be rafted off at regattas, everyone asked, “Are you guys chiropractors?”
Then there was Sybaris, named after a city in Italy noted for the hedonistic life style of the ancient Greeks, famous for opulence, luxury, and outrageous pleasure-seeking. We did our best to live up to the name, ask anyone about our Margarita parties!
When we first started racing, it was almost 3 years before we beat my good buddy. Usually by the time we got back to the dock, all the beer kegs were dry and everyone had gone home. So when the day came we eventually beat Dennis, he would ultimately name our next boat by the way he downplayed our victory in his congratulations, “Good job Ricky,! Ya know, event a blind squirrel finds a nut.” When you register with the Coast Guard, they have to look up the registry to make sure your name applied for is unique. When I told the lady, Blind Squirrel she said, “Well this certainly won’t take long!”
We have definitely had some great racing over the years!
Sybaris & Squirrel
The lead-bottom money gobblers! It’s crazy! Sailor goes to his sailmaker says, “That Jib is only $3200, let me get my checkbook.” Same Sailor goes to Walmart and complains, “You want HOW MUCH for a 6-pack of socks??”
My Family
COMING SOON!
The Babysitter
In 1971, my mom asked me to take the babysitter home, I still have her! Our story follows these pictures. Some accuse me of being over chicked, I just think I’m blessed!
The Corvette
Different Car, same girl! We have both the fiberglass money pit addictions in common. Looks like that same van followed us to our home in Solon, Ohio — all the way from 1977 Pascagoula MS. 😉
The Doberman
Don’t read this unless you have a tissue!
Daughter Aly
Aly came along later in my life, I was 42. On the way to the hospital Darla is crying, “They’re a minute and a half apart, please hurry!” Then the check engine light came ON! That’s when I new, “Oh Crap! I ain’t ready for this,”
I was pretty gray by the time I started picking her up from day care. When I would walk in the door, all the 5-year-olds would holler, “ALY! YOUR GRANDPA”S HERE!” When she was in third grade, her class was honoring service members on Veteran’s day. Aly stood and proudly proclaimed, “My Dad was in the Navy.” Her closest friend, Tyler whispers with concern, “Did he get killed in the war? Is that why your Grandpa picks you up?
Aly starting golf was a fluke. We did lots of swimming, almost every night after daycare and before supper but but she wouldn’t put her face in the water. The first time she fell on her butt, that ended ice skating, and she had no clue about softball. Luckily, Darla had a hair appointment on my usual golf day, I’d putz around at this little 9-iron executive course. I took Aly along figuring she’d have fun riding in the golf cart and maybe sneak her a chance to drive. By the third hole, she wanted to try to hit the ball. Ten years later I watched her hole out for eagle on a par four to help her Gators win at Notre Dame. She’s now assistant pro at Blackbrook Golf Club in Mentor Ohio and girls golf coach at a prestigious high school.
Aly and I have done about 20 Father/Daughter trips to LPGA Tournaments, including two Solheim Cups, 2017 Des Moines CC in Iowa and 2019 at Glen Eagles in Auchterarder, Scotland. (we took mom on that trip). Up until COVID, we played 9-hole almost every Friday. It’s wonderful to have a low handicaper as your scramble partner! It will be a while before I recoup the cost of all her lessons, but Aly is repaying like clockwork–One Skin at a Time. 😉
In September, Solheim Cup comes to Inverness in Toledo!
Dick Devil and the Angles — my Dad
I got to come home from school to watch Dad whenever he was on TV. The man as set of pipes! Definitely 50’s, I’ve linked three of his songs below. Of note is Broken Hearted as it was #1 in Cleveland February of 1959. We used to have crates of his records around the Manor when I was a kid, my Brother Jim had one and I found two on the internet so excuse the pop, hisses and skips if you give them a listen. For my Geneva friends who know Denny Pasqualone, dad produced his band, the Haff Tones who recorded on his label, Twilight Records.
His Angles (way before Charlie) were GHS glee club seniors in about 1961 or 62. They would get that Manor rocking on Friday and Saturday after dinner. I was 8 or 9, had such a crush on Joyce, but I wasn’t allow to stay up, so had to listen through the attic window into our bedroom above the bar! Fond memories of warm summer nights and the Angels!!!
He Introduced me to celebrities’ like Specs Howard, Ernie Anderson (Goulardi), and Tom Smothers. Bill Haley (of the Comets) and Herb Score both were his overnight guest at the Manor. He was the life of any party, even into his 60s early 70s, they used to get him singing the Parakeet song all the time at the Cabin in Willoughby. He was a great little league baseball coach at Austinburg and every kid wanted him for their dad… except me.
USS Robert E Peary Reunion 