UPDATE
I finally located O.B.'s daughter Kristin after much looking and research on the internet and she informed me that our good friend and shipmate passed away in 1993. I know that all the Lualualei crew are truly sorry that we missed seeing and talking with O.B. just one more time. Every conversation that I had with our shipmates that knew O.B. always asked about him and if I had found him yet. They all had their own funny stories of the times spent with O.B. O.B. will continue to be in our memories and I am sure that we will all recall many more stories about O.B. I will never forget those times that O.B. entertained us on those normally boring duty nights with his wit and humor and made life easier for a bunch of sailors so far away from home. I can just picture somewhere up in Heaven that there is a crowd dressed in Navy dungarees gathered around and listening to O.B. Centers tell sea stories.
Where is O.B. Centers?
O.B. Centers was stationed with us at Lualualei Naval Radio Communication Station - Lualualei, Hawaii.
He always said he was from Hog's Jaw, Kentucky. I have been unable to find OB or Hog's Jaw. He was one of the funniest guys that I can remember. He had stories from his one day college career at UK to his answer to Chief Gilliam when asked "didn't you go to boot camp" which was "naw chief, I just walked up to the gate and asked for a job". I also remember the time someone was trying to hypnotize another sailor by saying "you are sleepy" with no luck until we heard OB snoring several racks down from the demonstration.
I think the last I heard was that OB re-upped and Lew Parker saw him at Norfolk still with stories. Anyone know where OB is now? Help us find him and I hope he is well.
Left to right
Orson McKinney (boot camp friend of Ron Cook) Ron Cook, O.B. Centers, Ron West
If you know anything about O.B. Centers - Please email Bobby