Pics from my deployment...

So...I thought I'd randomly take a break from my More Than a Carpenter series and throw in some pictures from this past fall deployment. Realize way back that I posted the Facebook links for my pictures...but I ended up closing out that account so now those are no longer available. So I figured you all might appreciate seeing them. So I'll start from the beginning of the deployment to the last port. Throwing in some facts about each port...I hope you enjoy the pics...


Our first port visit was Guam. I was able to meet up with people from Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, and they had me over to their house between the services. I had an awesome time. Two of the girls who are teachers at the Academy attached to the church, took me on a tour of the island between the services. So I have a few pictures below from that.


So this picture is of the "Normandy of Guam." Back in WW2 the Island of Guam was invaded by the Japanese, and this is the beach where the Allied forces landed so that they could take back the island. Oh, and another random fact...did you know that on December 8th, 1941, military bases on Guam were bombed, just like Pearl Harbor...but because of the time difference...it was actually the next day in Guam...so there wasn't as much focus on it. And of course it was not as big of a strike as they had in Hawaii.


Guam coastline...


Just like Iwo Jima...the Japanese had a lot of time to prepare for the Allied forces to invade...so they had filled this hillside with tunnels. And as the Allied forces invaded Guam...the Japanese just kept coming out of holes in the ground. Needless to the say the Allied forces suffered great losses durring the battle for Guam.


Helo...more specifically I think it's and SH-60 Seahawk. This picture I actually think was taken from another deployment...but I figured I would post it for you all to see.


My ship...


We had a "steel beach picnic" one of our days underway...and I took a bunch of pictures of the water...


The area that we had the Steel Beach Picnic is known as the "doldrums" because the water is so still. It's beautiful isn't it?


Remote Pacific Island...


When we got to New Caledonia I went on a tour to this island of the coast of the main island...as as you can see...they had a lighthouse. It was so beautiful!


New Caledonia is a beautiful little island...very picturesque.


Me attempting to play the didgeridoo...lets just say I wasn't exactly awesome at playing it...


Canyon near the Blue Mountains near Sydney...


Standing for a picture by the Canyon. Durring the tour I went on I met a very nice Christian lady from Orlando Florida who was on vacation in Sydney...and she took this picture for me. We had an awesome time together.


Sunset on the River...


Sydney Opera House...


Horseback riding in Cairns. This was actually my first time Horback riding...it was pretty fun!


Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.


Supreme Court Building in Singapore.


Merlion...the symbol of Singapore.


Our next port was Da Nang, Vietnam. This is the "My Son" (pronounced "Me Son") Temple.


We found a random formation that looked like a throne. So my friends and I took some random pics with it. Of course I doctored this picture a little...


"China Beach" Da Nang, Vietnam.


We didn't stop here...so I had to take a random picture out the window. This is an old abandoned U.S. Air Force Base from back in the Vietnam War. Vietnam is a very poor country...and I think they just can't afford to pay for it to be torn down. So it just sits here...crumbling into ruins.


One of the Marble Mountains in Da Nang. Pretty cool looking isn't it?


Picture taken at the top of one of the Marble Mountains.


I was trying to be all "artsy" by taking a picture of a flower...and I decided to take this candid picture of our tour guide. She was really funny...and really nice.

So...that's all the pictures I'll be posting. I hope you enjoyed them. I would have to say that for having fun...Cairns was my favorite port...but for just all around interesting...Vietnam would win that one. It was just such an intriguing country. It's a communist country as you all probably already know...and it's just so poor. I've never seen a country quite like it...

Anyways...my deployment was a blast. And like I said...I hope you all enjoyed the pictures.

Comments

Rebekah said…
Cool Pictures!!!!
Meg said…
Hey Jay! Those pics are awesome! Of course, you know me, my favorite was definitely the one of you horseback riding. Wish I could have done it too!! I love how it says "Blazing Saddles" on there. Very funny! Anywho, thanks for the pictures. Love you, miss you, and praying for you!!

MEG
Katie said…
Awesome pictures, it's all so beautiful! I envy you for getting to see it all, but I'm gonna make it outside of the USA one of these days! lol Thabks for sharing them!
Amanda said…
The pictures are so neat - thanks for posting! Vietnam does seem to be an interesting country; I would like to visit one day...
Hey I like em...I'm jealous of all the history that you get to see first hand...or rather the remains of the history! :P
I really like the marble mountain!
Rachel said…
God's creation is so beautiful!
Thanks for sharing.

In Christ,
Rachel M.
Ana said…
Haha! I can finally comment again! Wahoo!! :) I'm very excited to comment on this post. You have such WONDERFUL pictures. I am especially taken with the "water" pictures. They look so blue and such an expanse of openness (not trying to be redundant there. :) Thanks for the really cool pictures!