Welcome Aboard
I served on the USS HERMITAGE (LSD-34, from 1969 to 1972. My photographic career began when I was "nominated" to be the ship's photographer. The Captain was on the admiral track (he made it). He wanted his command on the HERMITAGE documented.
I was sent for a week's training at the NAVPHIBASE photo lab. At the photo lab, I learned abo
I served on the USS HERMITAGE (LSD-34, from 1969 to 1972. My photographic career began when I was "nominated" to be the ship's photographer. The Captain was on the admiral track (he made it). He wanted his command on the HERMITAGE documented.
I was sent for a week's training at the NAVPHIBASE photo lab. At the photo lab, I learned about bankruptcy. A second class photographer's mate bragged how after he filed for bankruptcy, he was beseiged with credit card offers. Now that he was broke, his credit was better than ever.
MM3 Nelson A. Rolon and I operated a darkroom in the Athletic Gear Locker. We found a cheap hobby-style enlarger, some cans of Navy developer, old photo paper, a print dryer, and developing trays. We upgraded the lab. Welfare and Recreation funds were used to purchase a Durst enlarger, and new chemicals. We bought our own paper. We developed film and printed photographs we took on board. Most of the photographs in our cruisebook, Horizons, were printed there.
I received training on the ship's intelligence camera, a Mamiya C-3. This camera was a twin-lens reflex. It is held at the waist and focused through a ground glass. The camera is difficult to focus and slow to set up shots. However, the 2-1/4 inch square negatives are wonderful in the darkroom. My photographs with the Mamiya, often b
I received training on the ship's intelligence camera, a Mamiya C-3. This camera was a twin-lens reflex. It is held at the waist and focused through a ground glass. The camera is difficult to focus and slow to set up shots. However, the 2-1/4 inch square negatives are wonderful in the darkroom. My photographs with the Mamiya, often backlit, though often posed, show a starkness absent from my later, more candid photographs.
Before our Med cruise of November 1970, LTJG Redmond gave me a catalog from Kinephoto, Ltd., in Hong Kong. I purchased a Minolta SRT-101 single lens reflex. This camera was the state of the art, mid-priced camera. Only the light meter was electronic. All other controls were manual. I picked the Minolta for its clean lines.
The other m
Before our Med cruise of November 1970, LTJG Redmond gave me a catalog from Kinephoto, Ltd., in Hong Kong. I purchased a Minolta SRT-101 single lens reflex. This camera was the state of the art, mid-priced camera. Only the light meter was electronic. All other controls were manual. I picked the Minolta for its clean lines.
The other mid-priced cameras were the Canon, Pentax and Mamiya-Sekor. They cost about $200. The low price cameras were the Yashica, Ricoh and Petri, which cost about $160. The "Cadillac" was the Nikon, costing about $400. It was heavy and very smoothly engineered. LTJG Goddard, a talented photographer, had one.
After five decades and two or three overhauls, the Minolta still takes great photos. I use it for flash and color. It has been my partner for rolls and rolls and rolls of film.
In the days before digital, photographers made contact prints. Developed film was cut into strips of six shots. The negatives were placed on a piece of photo paper. Glass was placed on top of the negatives to keep them flat. This sandwich was placed under an enlarger and exposed for about five seconds. The result, direct prints of the
In the days before digital, photographers made contact prints. Developed film was cut into strips of six shots. The negatives were placed on a piece of photo paper. Glass was placed on top of the negatives to keep them flat. This sandwich was placed under an enlarger and exposed for about five seconds. The result, direct prints of the exposures, about the size of a large postage stamp.
Contact prints were like a cutting room floor for still photographers. Most of the contact prints were junk, the stuff photographers did not enlarge. But contact prints are also a rich archive. Contact prints give perspective to the shots which are selected and enlarged. Contract prints show the context in which the photographer worked, a sense of time and place.
Unrep
In December 2011, I examined a contact sheet of an "UNREP" (underway replenishment). This exercise took place in the Caribbean around 1972. The HERMITAGE and the YORK COUNTY (LST-1175) both refueled from the MARIAS (T-AO-57), one ship on each side of the oiler.
The negatives were overexposed. While on the HERM, I printed two shots---the HERM and the MARIAS parallel and signal flags. I ignored the others as too dense to print. In December 2012, I printed most of the shots on the contact sheet. The context of the exercise were revealed. I could see the teamwork of the men on the HERM and the men on the MARIAS. I could sense the action of the water as the ships drew close. I could see the bright sun. I could see yet another ship behind the HERM. I could see the action on the bridge of the MARIAS. I could see our captain (Commander H. T. Walsh, Jr.) watch as readings were taken of our position. I felt the excitement of being underway. The HERMITAGE and crew were returned to life.
Thanks to Bill Baetzel, Bill Freed, Greg Hausler and Richard Ray for help with identifying the MARIAS and shipmates in the photos.
Greg Hausler writes: "I referenced my 1976-1977 copy of JANE'S FIGHTING SHIPS and can positively identify the Oiler as the MARIAS T-AO 57. She was a Fleet Oiler built at the Bethlehem Steel Corporation yard, Sparrow Point, Maryland in 1943. This yard was where the HERMITAGE went for refit following her 1985-1986 Med cruise. The Yard was essentially void of other vessels except for us. I recall it took about 20 minutes for the shuttle bus to take crew members from the ship to the gate. The City of Baltimore in general, and Mayor William Donald Schaefer in particular, adopted the ship and cruise and treated us to all the hospitality the area had to offer."
Highline
In late winter or early spring 1972 the HERMITAGE was engaged in an high line exercise, probably off the coast of North Carolina. Nearly four decades later I printed these pictures for the first time.
Bill Baetzel, who was on the HERMITAGE from December 1971 until March 1973, says that these photographs are of a personnel transfer at sea exercise using the high line method. He does not remember the location or name of the other ship. He guesses that the other ship was an LST. The HERMITAGE was the delivering ship. The other ship was the receiving ship. The chair used is not a boatswain's chair, but a transfer chair.
To the best of Bill's recollection, nobody was transferred on the high line. The commanding officers of the two ships probably did not want to put someone in unnecessary danger for a training exercise. Therefore, the chair was empty.
Bill says, "The second photo looks like the firing of the shot line. I remember [name withheld] fired the first shot line which was low and bounced off the side of the receiving ship. Bosun Lawrence got p.... o.... about this because it made the HERMITAGE look bad. He then yelled at the leading petty officer to get someone who could shoot the shot line across correctly. It's funny the things you remember after so many years."
Bill adds, "It's interesting to note how many of the receiving ship personnel have on hard hats and how almost nobody on the HERMITAGE has on a hard hat. Safety practices have come a long way in the Navy."
The past morphed into the present over New Year's weekend 2010, as I reviewed contact sheets from this highline exercise. My photographic sensitivities have changed. As I went over the old contact sheets, I realized that I had missed pictures showing teamwork and action. In two glorious nights in the darkroom, the past became the present. Some negatives were slightly damaged. Some negatives had been overexposed. Black and white film photography forevermore.
Liberty Call
The HERMITAGE was part of the Amphibious Fleet, called the "Gators" operating out of the Naval Amphibious Base at Little Creek, Norfolk, Virginia.
About three times a year we had exercises in the Caribbean. Training sites were Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO), Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, and Vieques, Puerto Rico. Liberty calls included San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas and Saint Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Antigua, Curacao, Colon, Panama, Baranquilla, Colombia, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Freeport, Bahamas. We also did a trip to Bermuda.
From November 1970 through May 1971, we were attached to the Mediterranean Fleet. Liberty calls included Barcellona, Spain; Genoa, Livorno and Naples, Italy; Athens, Greece; Mersin, Turkey; and Toulon and Golfe Juan, France.
Dedicated to my father, Morris Finestone, his brothers, Samuel, Saul, Israel and Roy and my grandparents, Isidore and Annie Finestone.
Morris Finestone, radio repairperson, USS VULCAN
Samuel Finestone, legal officer, NAS Pensacola
Saul Finestone, radio repairperson, with Sadye in front of the Shedd Aquarium on the Chicago lakefront.
Israel Finestone, medical officer
Roy Finestone, supply officer
Saul (l) and Morris (r) visiting Samuel at Pensacola
Annie and Isidore Finestone with Roy's daughter, Blanche, 1943. All their children returned safely from World War II.
100th wedding anniversary of Isidore and Annie Finestone, 16 May 2006. Four generations.