Memorial Day 2026

USS Indianapolis, CA-35

It's Memorial Day in the USA, and this year I am saluting the US Navy men of the Second World War.  The picture above is the USS Indianapolis monument in its namesake city.  In July of 1944, the Indianapolis was given the job delivering the components of the Little Boy atomic bomb to Tinian Island in the Marianas, and none of the men on board other than two "artillery officers" knew what was in those crates.  (My own father had served on Tinian in the 112th Seabees, one of several units that built the huge air base there.)  After delivering the cargo, the Indianapolis sailed to Guam and then into the Philippine Sea where she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine just after midnight on July 30, 1945.  The ship sank in 12 minutes without radioing her location.  Over 300 men went down with the ship, and 583 died in the water under horrific conditions over the next several days.  Only 316 were rescued.  Those 883 men were the worst loss at sea in the history of the US Navy.  Below is the reverse side of the monument with the names of the dead inscribed.

So while we enjoy our barbecues, excursions to the lake, or a trip to the beach, 

stop for just a moment and remember these men and all the others like them.  

They deserve our eternal respect.

A two part photo series follows.

 

Memorial Day Navy, Part 1 - Shirtless Sailors

For part one of our Navy photo series, we have some shirtless navy men.

These guys are said to be from the USS Texas, a battleship which fought

in both World Wars and in the Atlantic and Pacific in the second.

 

Buddies

We don't know who these three buddies were or what ship they served on,

but it's obvious that they had a stong bond of friendship.

 

USS Bunker Hill

This is the boxing team of the USS Bunker Hill aka CV-17, an escort aircraft carrier in the Pacific Theater.  The men are posing in front of the ship's scoreboard, showing all the Japanese ships and aircraft they had a significant part in destroying.  In something of a rarity, we have the names 

and ranks for all these brave and handsome men.  See below:

 

PT 305

Most of us think of PT boats as being part of the Pacific war,

but PT 305 saw duty in the Mediterranean Sea.

 

1942

Closing the shirtless sailors section of today's set with a picture for which I have only the year, 1942.

 

Memorial Day Navy - Intermission

For our first intermission picture, we have my all-time favorite WWII line crossing photo.

The guy on his knees is removing a grape (or olive) from the big guy's navel with his tongue.

 

Sailor and Dog

This sailor holding a happy looking dog is trying to grow beard,

and makes a perfect seque into part two of today's series.

 

Memorial Day Navy, Part 2 - Beards

In a more civilized era than today, the U.S. Navy allowed men to wear beards and even staged 

contests for growing them.  Today we look at some World War II bearded swabbies. 

 I'd go on shore leave with any of these three fine sailors.

 

USS Pensacola 1944

These hirsute fellows served on the USS Pensacola in 1944.

 

16 inch

This sailor's waxed mustache measured sixteen inches from tip to tip.  His beard ain't bad, either.

 

1944

All the info I have on this one is "American Sailors, 1944."

 

U.S.S. Scorpion

Ending our Memorial Day Navy series with the winners 

of the U.S.S. Scorpion beard growing contest.

To all who served and sacrificed for our freedom, thank you!

 

Honcho Day

The first male nude magazine other than Playgirl that I ever bought was Honcho.  I got it 

in a now defunct drugstore on Royal Street in the French Quarter in the summer of '78.  

Today we'll look at ten pages from 1978 to 1985, starting with this guy whom I've

 seen referred to only as Frank.  He appeared in August of 1985.

 

Roy Dean Ad

Sometimes the ads in Honcho were almost as good as the features.

This one for the great Roy Dean was in the June, 1978 issue.

 

Steve Cole

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Gunther Keller

Colt produced the photo of Gunther Keller that stretched over two pages in October, 1978.

 

Inset

They may or may not have stolen the concept for this 

inset from Playgirl.  It appeared in February of 1985,

 

Subscription page

Even the subscription form page in April, 1979 was well decorated.

 

Rear view

I feel like I should know the model in this derriere 

photo from December of 1985, but I don't.

 

Falcon Ad

Jim Fisk is the main attraction in this unusually subdued Falcon ad from July, 1978.

 

Rooftop

This rooftop shot is from December of 1982.

 

Best for last

I saved my favorite of Honcho Day for last.

He appeared in June, 1979.

 

Models Named Mike Day

All our models today are named Mike, starting with Mike Wilson by Pat Milo.

 

Mike Dubel

I just posted another photo of Mike Dubel less than a week ago,

but I had to include this Doug Juleff treasure for Mike day.

 

Mike North

This is Mike North by Troy Saxon, aka Stuart "Pinkie" Rosenberg.

 

Mike Mangione

Mark One Studio of Montreal, Canada produced this picture of Mike Mangione.

 

Mike Bradburn

One of my favorite Kris Studio models is Mike Bradburn.  Even in a posing strap, 

as above, he looks mighty fine.  Since I know some of you will whine about not 

getting a full frontal, I putting one below that I posted several years ago.

 

Mike Norlan

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Mike Kelley

Mel Roberts took this desert photo of Mike Kelley.

 

Mike Jones

Mike Jones was a Stanford U football player when he posed for Dave Martin.

 

Mike Anderson

Bruce of LA took this well lighted photo of Mike Anderson.

 

Mike Dunn

Closing out the set with another Mile photo.

This time it's Mike Dunn on some steps.