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Comment by Mike Newton on March 21, 2008 at 2:57pm

This is cargo hatch No5. When it was just cadets on the ship we had the nets rigged so we could play football, cricket and other games without the ball going over the side of the ship. But when the Vietnamese arrived we threw lifeboat and winch covers, even blankets, over the netting to provide some shelter for the first few days. Fortunately it was warm and dry....but a little crowded.........and even though the steel deck was hard I remember everyone slept very peacefully!

Comment by Marcie Nguyen, aka Vu~Thanh Ha` on April 25, 2008 at 3:24pm

Mike: I remember those white canvas tents, and the hatch no.5... Believe me, the steel deck was heaven sent to us after days on the rough sea... Thank you so much for taking care of us!

Comment by Mike Newton on April 25, 2008 at 3:44pm

I actually took some photos during the rescue in the dark. But when I came to rewind the film into the cassette it jammed. I was 10,000 miles and three months from home so I tried to force rewind it. The film tore and that is why you see a white bit in the top left of the photo. All the photos before this one were lost forever!

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