The Voice for Kitsap County’s Veterans, Active-Duty Personnel,
and their Families
Veterans Life
KitsapVeteransLife.com
August 2015
“Beep, beep, beep. ‘Battle stations, battle stations.’ We realized this was the real thing .”
Help rename Veterans Life
Dear reader, Veterans Life needs a new name. We want this publication to be of interest to active-duty personnel and their families, as well as veterans. We want it to be a reflection of the lives you live, of your interests and involvements on and off base. We want it to report on issues that you are concerned about. We want it to be a source of information that you can use. We want it to be entertaining, to be fun, to be you. The name sets the tone. But what should it be? We’ve tossed ideas around, debated, paced the room. Then, the best idea yet: Let’s ask you, our readers, to suggest a name. Here’s the deal: Suggest a new name for Veterans Life and if we choose your suggestion, we’ll treat you to dinner and movie for two. Send your suggestion to Editor, Veterans Life, P.O. Box 278, Poulsbo, WA 98370. Or email rwalker@ soundpublishing. com. — Richard Walker, editor (U.S. Navy, 1980—84)
— Ken Meinke, U.S. Coast Guard, 1941-45
America’s ‘Forgotten Fleet’ During World War II, 75 former Navy frigates were manned and commanded by the U.S. Coast Guard By SARA N. MILLER
smiller@soundpublishing.com
“I
never drank coffee in the service, I never did until I got married,” said Kenneth Meinke, who served in the Coast Guard during World War II. He is 92 years old and prefers to be called Ken. “My late wife is from Finland and the Finns drink it all the time. Consequently, I became addicted.” Meinke lives in Poulsbo and frequents Coffee Oasis, where he orders a 16-ounce black coffee and proudly shares how he knows all of the baristas.
Seventy-four years ago, however, he was an 18-year-old boy from the Midwest who entered the service and began his training in New Orleans. “I was stationed on a lifeboat station that was so isolated, you could only get there by boat,” Meinke said. “My chief asked if I wanted to go to school and I said, ‘Yes sir, I do.’ So off I went to New York City.” The school was on Ellis Island. On Dec. 7, 1941, Meinke was in a movie theater when the film stopped and a man came on the stage. “All military personnel need to report back to base immediately,”
he said. Meinke described that day as mixed up. “Nobody knew what to do. They stopped the school entirely, cancelled it. I had a date that night, and I never knew what happened to her.” He was put on a dock to patrol in New Jersey. There were now ships, he didn’t have a weapon, and it was dark and cold. “One night I was walking by the hospital, and I’ll never forget this. I was walking by myself and a door opened, and a nurse came out and said, ‘Sailor, would you like a cup of cocoa?’ I said, ‘Yes, ma’am. I would.’ And she went and brought me out a
cup of cocoa.” It was mundane for weeks as Meinke guarded the trainees of Ellis Island and did shore patrol. Some nights, he would work on a small boat with one other guy. “There was nothing to do during nights,” said Meinke. “We had this big searchlight, and periodically after we scanned the river, we would take it and scan across lovers lane, and you would see cars take off when the light hit them.” Meinke makes hand gestures and sound effects whenever he tells of the cars quickly dispersing. See ROCKFORD, Page 2
SALUTING THE U.S. COAST GUARD, ESTABLISHED 225 YEARS AGO ON AUG. 4, 1790