laststandonzombieisland

Happy National Send a Handwritten Letter Day, observed on 17 January, is dedicated to the practice of sending handwritten letters, citing Benjamin Franklin’s birthday as the reason for the date, as he was the first postmaster general.

Official period caption, circa October 1987, Persian Gulf: “A yeoman reads a letter from his wife while standing starboard lookout watch at an M2 .50-caliber machine gun station aboard the dock landing ship USS Mount Vernon (LSD 39).”

Note the talker set over his head and neck (the Mk II talker helmet is on the deck), the classic Navy dungaree cutoffs, and the sandbagged M60 GPMG on the bow. The Eastland boat shoes– a must-have in the 80s!– are most likely unauthorized while the Ma Deuce is probably older than the lookout.