Rob’s Wine Journey

Robs Wine Journey 1-30-2012 … Observations on our changing world

No Photos with this blog. I have been thinking about how fast the world is changing. My wine journey is about finding passion and love in my life.  Wine making is just a tool that I am using to achieve that goal. Passion and love can be found in may strange places, like philosophy. When I was growing up we would have very interesting and entertaining conversations around the dinner table about current events and politics. This all started with my Grand Mother Barnes (Mothers side) who loved this.  The discussions/debates were always friendly and fun but sometimes they would get intense. Sometimes the volume level would get so high you had to shout, but always with a smile and laughter.  Often my Grandmother would change positions on an argument just to keep the conversation going. It was fantastic. It was engaging. It made us think. We all learned a lot. I can see the same environment sometimes at my sisters house with my niece and nephew who are now at Georgetown. This Christmas holiday I had a very interesting conversation with my nephew Rowley who is a very bright and articulate person. He made the point that in todays world political position all boils down to the issue of collectivism or individualism. I want you to think about that for a minute……. individualism or collectivism…..

It is my observation the that traditional political terms Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal, left or right do not really  work any longer. They are not accurate. They are not the correct way of describing how a person feels philosophically, politically, emotionally or spiritually. Issues are to complex. These terms are obsolete. I know many people who think they are liberal, but are really conservative. I know many people who think they are right but are really left. These old school terms just do not work well any longer. I believe Rowley is correct. It all comes down to collectivism or individualism.  If you ask most people this question they would say they support individualism. However then, because of a specific issue that is important to them personally, they vote for a candidate which supports collectivism. 

Collectivism is the policy that we are all part of the collective. That we are all part of society and that policies that support society in general are the best choice. This point of view taken to the extreme, is Socialism and Communism. Taken to the extreme collectivism is total government control for the benefit of “Society”, not the individual. On the other hand, policy which supports the individual, and individual thinking are individualism. Taken to the extreme, individualism is anarchy (no government). Individualism is policy where each individual is responsible for his or her own actions and it is not the governments responsibility to intervene. It is difficult to have both at the same time. I know many people who think they support individualism, but then vote for policies that are collective in nature and actually against individual control and responsibility.

In general, from my point of view, collectivism is big government. Control of society by the government. That the government is responsible for you and society. The government at the top of the food chain.

 Individualism is small government, little government control. The individual is in control of his or her own life with little interference by the government, sink or swim.  Where each individual is at the top of their own individual food chain. This is total freedom. However, freedom is a responsibility. Where this philosophy runs into trouble is when the individual takes no personal responsibility. No personal accountability. When the individual lives their life with little regards to others…. 

The issue of individualism or collectivism is very interesting.  My wine journey has taught me that simple wines are best. The vineyard does the work. The best winemakers are minimalists. Less is more. Simple is best. Is it correct for the government to totally control society and provide for the common welfare of all its citizens (the collective or collectivism)? Or is it the responsibility of the government to stand out of the way, and let people live there  own individual lives with less regards to society as a whole (individualism)?  Is it best to have policies that support individual thinking and personal accountability and responsibility? It is difficult to have both at the same time.

Obviously life is much more complicated than this. These are issues taken to the extreme. However regardless of how each person thinks, I believe that the current terms of left/right, conservative/liberal, Democrat/Republican are not accurate any longer. I look forward to the day when most candidates that are elected do not carry these labels. Where their philosophy is open to all and is either towards the collective or the individual. This would make it much easier for voters to make the correct choice for their own personal point of view.

I am sure I am going to get a lot of feedback on this. I want you to think about it….. I will write more on the subject later.

Robs Wine Journey McMinnville OR January 30, 2012

My birthday is over. I am now 55 years old. I am still in McMinnville OR. The focus has now changed to my cousin Ann.  Her birthday is Tuesday. I am exactly 3 days older than Ann. I was born Jan 28 1957 and she was born January 31 1957. Ann and I spent our 21st birthdays together in Las Vegas. We spent our 50th birthdays together at the Marine Memorial Hotel in San Francisco. And now I am in McMinnville OR to spend our 55th birthday together. We are having a lot of fun.

I also have business reasons for being in McMinnville. Last October/November, Artesy produced two barrels of high quality Syrah from Red Willow Vineyard outside Yakima WA. It was produced at Panther Creek Cellars which is located in downtown McMinnville. The cellar is walking distance from Ann’s house. I spent almost a month here producing the latest Artesy wine. This will be my first time evaluating the progress of the wine since it was barreled in early November 2011. The wine will be aged for 20 months. It should go through ML (Malo Lactic Fermentation) in the early spring. I will return again at that time to pull a sample and send it to the lab for analysis. I will also rack the wine. Then I can start to see how it is shaping up. I shared a piece of birthday cake and had a beer with Michael, the head wine maker at Panther Creek Saturday night. Everything is on schedule to take a peek and barrel taste my wine Monday.

McMinnville is a great town. the people are very friendly and “real”. The town is just the right size. Not too big. Not to small. There are a lot of vineyards and wine cellars in the area. The town has an old school feel to it. It is very traditional. It is also “ground zero” for the Pinto Noir industry in Oregon. I will look forward to traveling to McMinnville over the next 20 months to visit Ann and continue checking my wine.

And now….. the continuing voyages of U-28

Captains Log January 28, 2012.

We are of the coast of Oregon looking for our dreaded enemy…. bad wine. I ordered the crew to stand down and take a little R & R. The weather has been good and we have been at anchor in a small protected harbor off the coast of Coos Bay. We are still pirates without a home, endlessly sailing the seven seas on a seek and destroy mission to eliminate all the bad wine in the world. But we are happy. We are chasing our dream.

U-28 has recently taken on a new crew member who is the worlds best dog named Mocha. Mocha is a Chocolate Lab that we found adrift on a raft in the north pacific. She has become quite a wonderful addition to our crew. The love and passion that she brings to the boat and the crew has to be experienced to be appreciated. The crew all adores her. She takes turns sleeping with the various crew members. Our cook in the galley makes special food for her. Mocha’s favorite is spaghetti. When we are on the surface Mocha can usually be found on deck or up on the bridge.  The chief constructed a special ladder for her so she can go swimming and get back up on deck. The crew loves to throw the ball for her. They will throw it way out to sea and Mocha will leap off the deck, into the water and bring it back. Mocha swims like a fish. This has now become one of the top activities of the crew. We have been at anchor trying to get a little rest. We have been drinking a lot of Oregon Pinot Noir. Specifically we have been drinking a single vineyard Pinot from Freedom Hills vineyard that is produced by Panther Creek in Oregon. It is a classic Oregon Pinot. Light in body, but with a wonderful flavor. Much different than the Pinot Noir  produced down the coast in California. The boat is at rest today to celebrate the birthday of some of the crew members. We have been drinking great wine from both the forward and aft Euro Cave wine storage lockers. The chef in the galley has prepared some of the crews favorite foods including fresh Salmon sushi that the chief caught off the deck of the boat. The crew is in good spirits and health. We will be ready for our next mission. But until then we are celebrating ……

Robs Wine Journey January 28, 2012 - McMinnville OR

Today is my birthday. I have traveled to McMinnville OR. I am eating breakfast… Eggs over easy, bacon and rye toast. I am here to share my birthday with my cousin Ann who is exactly 3 days younger than me (Jan 31). I am 55 years old today. Ann will be 55 on Tuesday. I want to wish Ann a early “Happy Birthday”. Ann and I spent our 21st birthday together in Las Vegas. We spent our 50th birthday together at the Marine Memorial hotel in San Francisco. Now we will celebrate the 34th anniversary of our 21st birthday together in McMinnville OR. I am also here to check on my wine, which is in the cellar at Panther Creek. We will do some barrel tasting on Monday.

I want to write this blog as an extension of my previous one where I wrote about the passion and bravery of Admiral Dan Callaghan. There is another military officer who I think exhibits the same characteristics. That is General Alexander Vandegrift, commanding officer of the first Marines on Guadalcanal, 18th Commandant of the Marine Corps and the first Marine 4 star general. He was also founder of the Marine Memorial Club in 1946.

Vandegrift attended the University of Virginia  for three years; then won his commission in the U.S. Marine Corps through a week-long competitive examination in 1908, becoming a second lieutenant on January 22, 1909. While at the Marine Corps Schools in 1909 he wrote a prophetic article entitled “Aviation, the Cavalry of the Future”. Later as Commandant, he would appoint the Hogenboom Board that began the USMC’s development of vertical envelopment, the use of helicopters for air assault. During his early years as a Second Lieutenant, General Vandegrift was also very nearly dismissed from the Marine Corps due to disciplinary infractions and negative evaluations. In his first evaluation from the Marine Corps, dated June 30, 1909, Vandegrift received an overall rating of “Not Good” with these remarks from the Commander of the Marine Officers School.

“This officer has not shown that he appreciates the responsibilities of his position as an officer, and unless there is a decisive improvement, his relations will not be to the advantage of the service.”

On January 1, 1944, as a lieutenant general, he was sworn in as the 18th Commandant of the Corps. On April 4, 1945, he was appointed 4 star general, with date of rank from March 21, 1945, the first Marine officer on active duty to attain a Four Star rank.

During his tenure as Commandant 1n 1946, the Marine Corps faced institutional threats from Army efforts to absorb the mission of the Marines. The Army wanted to absorb the Marines for financial reasons. Though the Navy was sympathetic to the Marine Corps’ predicament, it was ready to accept the diminishment of the Corps in exchange for keeping naval aviation from consolidation within the Air Force. The post-war discussions on the restructuring of the American defense establishment opened the door to diminishing the mission and role of the Marine Corps in a new defense structure. Proponents of such cuts included President Harry Truman and General Dwight Eisenhower.

The Bravery and passion that General Vandegrift showed at Guadalcanal was incredible. However during his tenure as Marine Commandant,  Vandegrift  made his greatest contribution.  General Vandegrift gave a passionate speech on May 6, 1946 to the Senate  Committee on Naval Affairs arguing the case for keep the Marine intact and not having the Army absorb them. This became known as the “Bended Knee Speech”. This was General Vandegrift’s finest hour. Some of the speech is below….

“Mr. Chairman, last autumn I testified before the Military Affairs Committee on the subject of unification of the armed forces. Since that time the real points at issue have been brought into sharp focus, and it is now evident that the entire  problem revolves about two fundamental theories which stand squarely at variance. On the one hand is the War Department General Staff theory implemented in S. 2044. This contends that the complexities of modern warfare justify an extension of political-military control into fields of government, which are essentially civilian in character. Standing in direct opposition to this theory is the Navy’s belief that those same complexities in modern war indicate a need for broader participation and closer attention by the civilian elements of government, all coordinated by an authority with roots in the Congress rather than in the Pentagon…….

It is to be realized that the Marine Corps is a small, highly skilled body of specialists which has earned world-wide professional prestige without benefit of West Point tradition or General Staff direction. Its success rests squarely on its development of a form of military service based on the premise that while the American man in uniform is a warlike individual, he does not respond to methods applicable to the conscript armies of central Europe. The Marine Corps guiding principles stem from such intangibles as democracy, recognition of the individual and the timeless value of personal leadership as opposed to machine direction. It is a Marine’s duty to be ready any time, and I am pleased to be able to report to you that the condition of readiness prevails within the Marine Corps today. Our field forces are fully prepared to take the field at a moment’s notice. They are well trained and are prepared to carry out their functions with their customary efficiency, spirit and morale at a time when the responsible heads of other services are complaining of disintegration of fighting power accompanied by problems of low morale and deterioration of discipline. I can assure you that these conditions are not existent in the Marine Corps. The Marines are ready, and if it came to a fight today, I do not know who could replace them. And as a final element of cost to the Nation, hidden in the pages of S. 2044, I feel it in point to observe that in sacrificing its Marine Corps, the country would lose more than a highly trained and thoroughly proven body of fighting men. It would lose a symbol of real democracy. A truly American form of expression of military service. Military service is an honorable thing; in the Marines, men and officers believe in it. And the relationship between officers and men of the Marine Corps have long rested on a sound basis. Our discipline is strict, but it has been humane and based on understanding. I am proud to be able to report to you that the Marine of World War II had the same regular character and steadiness in battle that distinguished his predecessors from the Revolution onward. He was the average of all American boys, but in him our system was able to develop, rather than suppress, his native American character, courage and faith. It is a notable fact that few men have ever left the Marine Corps without a feeling of undying loyalty toward it. I think these things are proof that our system is good and that it is worthy of preservation.

In placing its case in your hands, the Marine Corps remembers that it was this same Congress which, in 1798, called it into a long and useful service to the Nation. The Marine Corps feels that the question of its continued existence is likewise a matter for determination by the Congress and not one to be resolved by departmental legerdemain or a quasi-legislative process enforced by the War Department General Staff. The Marine Corps…believes that it has earned this right—to have its future decided by the legislative body which created it—nothing more. Sentiment is not a valid consideration in determining questions of national security. We have pride in ourselves and in our past, but we do not rest our case on any presumed ground of gratitude owing us from the Nation. The bended knee is not a tradition of our Corps. If the Marine as a fighting man has not made a case for himself after 170 years of service, he must go. But I think you will agree with me that he has earned the right to depart with dignity and honor, not by subjugation to the status of uselessness and servility planned for him by the War Department.”

For outstanding service as Commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1, 1944 to June 30, 1946, General Vandegrift was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. He also won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his leadership at Guadalcanal. He left active service on December 31, 1947 and was placed on the retired list on April 1, 1949. He died on May 8, 1973. His remains rest at the Arlington National Cemetery.  The Naval Frigate USS Vandegrift (FFG-48) was named after him. The main road on Camp Pendleton in Oceanside CA is named after him.  

Well…. About this time all of you are very confused and saying “Rob, you have really lost it this time… where is your journey going?”

I want you to think about this. ….  If Admiral Callaghan and the USS San Francisco had not shown  the passion and bravery that prevented the Japanese troops from landing on Guadalcanal on Nov 13 1942,  and the Japanese had successfully landed over 10,000 highly trained troops, they would have probably taken the island. General Vandegrift would probably have been killed or caputured. At the very least he would not have become the legend he is today. He probably would not have been the 18th commandant and he probably would not have been in the position to deliver a passionate speech that saved the Marine corps from being absorbed by the Army. So…. It is very likely that the Marine corps would not exist today with out the courage and passion of Admiral Callaghan and his beloved USS San Francisco who made the ultimate sacrifice and made the Marine we know today possible.

The take home message for all this is that the power of passion is extreme and it can be found in very strange and unique places…. Like a speech delivered to the Senate Subcommittee on Naval affairs May 6, 1946.

Robs Wine Journey San Francisco January 27, 2012

I am back in one of my favorite cities. It has been a long time since I was last here. I use  to travel to SF often for both business and pleasure. In fact I was in San Francisco so frequently that it was almost a second home. However since my “journey” started, I have not been back…. that was 5 years ago…… five years ago on January 28, 2007 my wine journey started during my 50th birthday party in the Marine Memorial hotel in San Francisco.  Two of my oldest friends gave me a week long wine class at the CIA in Napa as a gift. I liked it so much that I took another CIA class. Then I started taking classes at UC Davis. I networked to the OIV and that is when my travels to San Francisco stopped. The last five years have been like whirlwind. It is like a dream.  It is quite incredible when you chase your dream and have extreme passion for what you are doing. I have to pinch myself now and then to make sure I am awake and it is real. I have achieved my short term (5 year) goals. I graduated from UC Davis extension. I graduated from the OIV.  I am now an OIV master. I now hold a MS degree from the University of Paris X. I have started a wine business with my partner Alex in France (Artesy Wines). We own three 10HL stainless tanks. We own several barrels. We have produced 6 different Syrah’s in France, Spain, South Africa and Washington. We have label approvals in the EU and have sold our first wine in France. I have applied with the USA federal government (TTB) for a wine  importers  and wholesalers license. These are pending. Once I have those, I will get labels approvals for our wine so it can be imported to the USA.  I have been very busy. One Journey is ending…. another is just beginning. The journey of Artesy Wine.

So I am back in San Francisco for the first time in 5 years. It all began for me here in this hotel (Marine Memorial). I am here to reflect back on my journey and to get charged up for the next one. The Marine Memorial Club and hotel is a very unique and special place. My family has been members here for many years. My Mom and Dad had their 50th anniversary party here in the ball room on the top floor. My 50th birthday party was here…… The Marine Memorial Club is an organization to honor all the US Marines who died during WWII. It was started by General Alexander Vandegrift in 1946. It has one of the best properties in the city of San Francisco. It is a 12 story building on the corner of Sutter and Mason 2 blocks from Union Square. The club is no longer a military club financed by the government. It has gone private. Its membership is now open to civilians. The civilian members help support the club financially. The money the civilian members  pay helps provide for highly discounted rates for military personal who are on active duty. The active duty military guests pay about half the daily rate that I do. If it was not for the civilian members the club would have closed a long time ago.

SO….. I am in the Marine Memorial Club/Hotel. There have been a lot of active duty military personal in the hotel during my stay. They have been in uniform. Yesterday there was a conference for Navy Chaplins. Today there was a conference and dinner for the Naval war college. They were in Uniform. Mostly Majors and Colonel’s. At 5 pm many of them were in the bar on the 12th floor. Since I was in the bar, I thought I would take the opportunity to discuss with them about  one of my favorite subjects….. The story of Admiral “Handsome” Dan Callaghan  and his beloved ship the USS San Francisco (CA-38). The bell of the USS San Francisco rests in the lobby of the Marine Memorial hotel. I wrote a blog about Admiral Callaghan and the USS San Francisco on August 12, 2008 when I was the delegate for the California module with OIV P20. I had all the Troops of P20 stay in a hotel off Admiral Callaghan Way…..

Flash back to November 12, 1942….. 

At 1:30 AM, late at night (Nov 13 actually) Admiral Callaghan was in command of task force 67.4 on the bridge of his beloved USS San Francisco (CA-38). He was a native of San Francisco and truly loved the city, the ship and his crew. He was an Annapolis (Naval Academy) graduate and was a friend and  classmate of Admiral Bill “Bull” Halsey . The 1^st Marine division under the command of General Vandegrift was in a life or death struggle to hold  Guadalcanal. That night the Japanese made a strong push to retake the island. They came at them with a force that was much larger than Admiral Callaghan’s fleet. The Japanese had a very good navy and were highly trained in night warfare.  The Japanese task force’s mission was to land over 10,000 troops at night and then take the fight to the US Marines and re-take the island. Against a much stronger force, Admiral Callaghan held off the Japanese navy and the landing force saving the 1^st Marine division.  The fighting was intense.  The ships were closely spaced and were so close that small arms could be used. It was arguably the last and one of the greatest naval sea gun battles. The Japanese had several battle ships in their attack column. The heavy cruiser USS San Francisco was the largest American ship. The spacing of the ships was so close that the Japanese Battleships had difficulty using their main 14 inch  guns. This was the mother of all naval gun battles and it happened in the pitch black of night off Guadalcanal at 1 AM.  Admiral Callaghan had great courage and leadership skills. Against great odds he held off the Japanese task force and prevented them from landing the Japanese troops. In doing so he gave up his life and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. A street in Vallejo and two Navy ships are named after him. His Congressional medal citation reads: 

“For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty during action against enemy Japanese forces off Savo Island on the night of 12-13 November 1942. Although out-balanced in strength and numbers by a desperate and determined enemy, Rear Adm. Callaghan, with ingenious tactical skill and superb coordination of the units under his command, led his forces into battle against tremendous odds, thereby contributing decisively to the rout of a powerful invasion fleet, and to the consequent frustration of a formidable Japanese offensive. While faithfully directing close-range operations in the face of furious bombardment by superior enemy fire power, he was killed on the bridge of his flagship. His courageous initiative, inspiring leadership, and judicious foresight in a crisis of grave responsibility were in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the defense of his country. “ 

The next morning when the smoke cleared, The USS San Francisco was still afloat. The bridge was blown to bits by many direct hits. Many were dead including Admiral Callaghan. General Vandergrift who had watched the battle all night from shore sent the following message to Admiral Halsey who was the overall commander of the operation: 

“WE BELIEVE THE ENEMY HAS SUFFERED A CRUSHING DEFEAT — WE THANK LEE FOR HIS STURDY EFFORT OF LAST NIGHT — WE THANK KINCAID FOR HIS INTERVENTION YESTERDAY — OUR OWN AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN GRAND IN ITS RELENTLESS POUNDING OF THE FOE — THOSE EFFORTS WE APPRECIATE BUT OUR GREATEST HOMAGE GOES TO CALLAGHAN AND HIS MEN WHO WITH MAGNIFICENT COURAGE AGAINST SEEMINGLY HOPELESS ODDS DROVE BACK THE FIRST HOSTILE STROKE AND MADE SUCCESS POSSIBLE — TO THEM THE MEN OF CACTUS LIFT THEIR BATTERED HELMETS IN ADMIRATION”. 

I know a few US Marines. My fathers neighbor is  Col Rauh who is a retired Marine. Most Marines do not think much of sailors or the Navy.  However to the Marines of the 1^st Marine division, Admiral Callaghan and the USS San Francisco are special. He saved their lives. To this day the battered remains  of the bridge of the USS San Francisco rest at Lands End near point Lobos in San Francisco as a monument to bravery and passion. The bell of the USS San Francisco proudly rests in the lobby of the Marine Memorial hotel in San Francisco.  Now about this time many of you will be saying “Rob, you big dummy what the hell does this have to do with your wine journey”. Well… passion can be found in many places. The power of passion can overcome great odds and tremendous difficulties. My Journey has taught me that passion can be found in many strange places… Like in a ships bell that rests in the Marine Memorial Hotel in San Francisco.

Robs Wine Journey 11-08-2011 McMinnville OR

I want to make a brief correction in a blog of a few days ago. I said that the wine was reunited by combining the press fractions and free run juice before bottling. This is not correct. It is re-united before barreling. Bottling will be after 20 months of barrel aging. I often write these blogs late at night after a full day and I am not thinking straight. Sorry

The good news is that the Artesy Washington wine has been pressed. I like to think that when a wine is pressed it is born. You rack off the free run juice into a settling tank and then remove the  grape skins and put them in the press. The grapes skins are pressed for any remaining juice and the grapes give their all . At that point the wine passes from the vineyard to the barrel and cellar. It is born. One last step remains. after a few days in the settling tank with a CO2 cap in any airspace to prevent oxidation, the wine is barreled. A specific song comes to mind when we press a wine, because the grapes give their all. All of their essence. That song is “Eclipse” by Pink Floyd from the Dark Side of the Moon album :

All that you touch

All that you see

All that you taste

All you feel

All that you love

All that you hate

All you distrust

All you save

All that you give

All that you deal

All that you buy

Beg, borrow or steal

All you create

All you destroy

All that you do

All that you say

All that you eat

Everyone you meet

All that you slight

Everyone you fight

All that is now

All that is gone

All that’s to come

And everything under the sun is in tune

But the sun is eclipsed by the moon.

I think that pretty much say’s it all.

For those of you who do not follow my blog on a regular basis, I often do some creative writing that is about the adventures of the submarine U-28 that represents the vessel of my OIV and wine journey. It’s on going mission is the seek out and destroy all the bad wine in the world. When we last left the crew of U-28 they were off the coast of South Africa and had just sank a ship flying the flag of the evil wine cooperative…. And now the continuing voyages of U-28…….

Captains log November 8, 2011

The crew has been in good sprits after successful combat with a freighter from the evil wine cooperative. During the battle our radio operator had intercepted a distress signal from the ship. I was sure that the evil wine cooperative would send out a destroyer to intercept us. I ordered the lookouts and crew below deck. We closed all main vents and switched from main to auxiliary power. I flooded the main ballast tanks and ordered 15 degrees down on the forward dive plains. Slowly and silently we slide beneath the waves into the cold abyss that is the Atlantic ocean. . I steadied  up on a course of 176 degrees true and a keel depth of 30 meters. Our course was across the atlantic ocean around Cape Horn, into the Pacific and up to Washington State where I was hoping we could secure some excellent Syrah for the crew. We settled into a nice 12 knot cruise speed. “Engineer Dave” had adjusted the auxiliary power plant and she was purring like a kitten.

We settled into the long journey that is across the Atlantic, into the Pacific and up to Washington. I had the crew stand down and relax for the long journey. We drank one of our favorite wines from the aft Euro Cave wine cooler Dominio de Pingus from our friend Peter Sissick and the Ribera del Duro DO in Spain. We enjoyed the wine and played Cribbage along the way.

Just then “Sonar man Steve” had a contact bering 135 degrees. I raised the scope and looked around. It was a destroyer from the evil wine cooperative who was pinging aggressively and looking for us. I ordered the crew to battle stations and brought her around smartly. I was going to do a bow shot head on. I had one chance and I had to make it count. I loaded the forward tubes loaded with “La Tache” which is the sister wine of Romanee-Conte from the village of Vosne-Romanee in Burgundy and is one of only two Monopoles in all of Burgundy. I waited and waited. I had to close the range and make the shot count. I opened the outer doors. At 1000 meters I fired a spread two shots with  a tight spread of 2 degrees. I asked the fire control officer for the running time…22 seconds. It was going to be a quick.  I closed the outer tubes and ordered a crash dive. I had all the compartment doors shut and 30 degrees on the down plains. I took her deep just incase we missed….. 19 seconds, 20, 21, 22… then we felt a big explosion. and then a second one. The crew rejoiced . I cancelled the dive and brought her to periscope depth. I raised the scope and looked around. The ship was gone. There was just bits an pieces floating in the water. Then to my surprise I spotted a raft with a dog on it. I blew the main tanks and surfaced immediately. I cracked the hatch and went up to the bridge. Off our port Qtr was this raft with a beautiful dog on it. I closed the distance. When we got close I could see it was a chocolate lab. I broke out a raft and sent engineer Dave and sonar man Steve over. When they returned with the dog she jumped right on board and started wagging her tail and licking everyone with love and passion in her eyes. She ran up to the bridge and jumped into my arms. I could see a collar with a tag on it. It was a red shaped heart with the single word “MOCHA”. I started to cry. The crew started to cry. We now had a mascot. A passionate and loving chocolate lab named Mocha. The crew loved her immediately. We had been blessed. Mocha will sail the seven seas with the crew of U-28 for all time. Our beloved U-28 with a pirate crew who have no home and a loving dog with a huge heart. So now in addition to the original OIV crew we have “Engineer Dave” who we commandeered off a Greek cruise ship, “Sonar Man Steve” who we commandeered of the pier at the sub base in San Diego and Mocha, our beloved chocolate lab who will sail with us always.

So if any of you go looking for Mocha, go not further than this blog and the journeys of U-28 where her spirit and big heart will be with us forever.