HYMAN CREW ON JERUSALEM TOUR -1962

INFORMATION ON THE TOUR AND PHOTO BELOW PROVIDED BY LT. JG. MICHAEL COHEN.

Junior:

 

Here’s a picture of part of the HYMAN crew in 1962 on a tour of the old city of Jerusalem (then still being governed by Jordan) just before we sailed from Beirut to Bahrein for duty with COMIDEASTFOR (which then consisted of a converted seaplane tender and 2 destroyers on TAD from the 6th Fleet). I’m the guy in civvies on the right. As a jg I was in charge of the tour. The fellow on the left in the striped shirt was the guide. Next to him in civvies is ENS Jeff Ball and next to Jeff, ENS Reinhardt. So many faces of the sailors look familiar, but I can’t remember any of their names. No doubt some of them are former HYMAN snipes and will be able to identify themselves and others.

 

What I do remember is that some of them were PALs who had been disciplined at Captain’s Mast and had received special permission to go on the tour with me because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. A lot of them had been choir boys at Church and they were very moved by the sights on the Stations of the Cross as well as in Bethlehem. Some though, I recall, were a little put off by all of the incense in the Holy Places which were administered by the Greek, Russian, Armenian and Syrian Orthodox Churches. About 20 years later I went back and found the tour that walked you through Hezekiah’s Tunnel between the Spring of Gihon and the City of David (outside the Turkish walls that we all recognize as now enclosing the Old City). The Tunnel had been carved through solid rock to give the city access to water in case of a seige. Our HYMAN group would have loved that!

 

Regards

 

Michael

 

Michael Marks Cohen
270 Riverside Drive Apt. 8D
New York, NY 10025
212-865-2683
mcohen108@nyc.rr.com

 

 

HYMAN CREW ON TOUR IN JERUSALEM IN 1962. MICHAEL COHEN IS IN CIVIES AT RIGHT.