I was at Navy Officer Candidate School at Newport, RI, on that day when, “In order that as many as possible can have the opportunity to share as fully as possible in this surpassing occasion, I, RICHARD NIXON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, July 21, 1969, to be a National Day of Participation…”
As a result, we were given the day off, and “base liberty” meaning we could go anywhere on the Navy base. I had learned that sailing from the Officers Club Marina was defined as “on the base.” So Joanne and I spent the day sailing on Narraganset Bay on one of their Rhodes 19’s with a picnic shrimp pack from the O Club. We had a transistor radio to “participate,” but have great memories of that special rime together!