Military Service

Like Bugsy said, there is nothing like being out at sea. It's beautiful. Up near Greenland in the Summer and the sun goes down around 10PM and rises again at 2AM. The Winter storms with high winds and seas and waves that look like mountains. We were in such a violent storm in 1970 that the waves cracked the armour plating, 5 inches thick, on our 5" gun. The sunsets are spectacular and it's total darkness at night. My brother and I were on the same ship at the same time.

I miss the sea alot also. Especially on a calm night and starlight reflecting off the water. Night was pure hell though when you were on a search and rescue!!!!!!!!!! Can't see nuthin with overcast skies and choppy water.

We were always about 1800 miles out, so not much in the way of rescue. I took an SOS message from the Radioman of a merchant ship one day. They had lost power in stormy seas and that pretty much dooms you. His code was so bad that he must have been shaking in his boots. The ship went down before we got there and all that was left were SeaLand containers floating all over the place.

We would meet our relief ship and transfer mail and movies from one to the other. In the picture below, the seas were rough and you can barely make out the line in the water between us. The ships would be moved to place tension on the line and then the supplies were moved across by pulley. Well, this time, the ships couldn't maintain distance and the seas pushed us close and then apart a few times and the line snapped and all the mail and supplies went deep six.

Joined the navy in 1962, was only 17. Right out of boot camp in Great Lakes i caught shore duty on a communication station just south of DC, then 2 1/2 years aboard an oil tanker based at Norfolk. Spent most of that time running along side the USS Enterprise refueling her and her accompaning destroyers. It was pretty good duty. Got out just before all hell broke loose in Viet-nam. Saw too many guys come back from there messed up.

I love America, but don't much care for those down in DC messing her up.

Lots of navy.

USAF MBAFB & KFIA Desert Storm & Shield
354 CES Stationed with the A-10s

Holy *censored* I'm surrounded by squids.

All three of my uncles were in the Navy. They tried to get me to go in but I preferred the army. That was three years of taking a lot of *censored* from those guys. Never got near the water. I love the ocean as long as I'm on the beach. Swimming like a rock must have something to do with it.

Served from Jan 85 - Jan 91

Boot camp Orlando, FL
BE/E school Orlando, FL
'A' School for Electronics Grest Lakes, IL
'C' School Crypto Mare Island, CA
USS Frank Cable AS-40 Sept 86 - Jan 91

Misc schools while on there.

Doug

Joined the USN in 1970 right after graduation from HS.
Boot camp in Camp Moffet Great Lakes and then to engineman A school.
Assigned to HC-6 Helicopter Combat support squadron at NAS Norfolk, E-3 Aircrewman on an CH-46 chopper.
Mostly land based on and off loading munitions and did a brief Gitmo cruise on the Intrepid for war game exercizes.
Got out in '74 and went directly to prison for 25 to life. Retired from there in 2000 because they pay me to stay home.

Just do minor home repairs and build furniture and restore big Altec audio speakers these days when I feel like it.
Just started rescuing a couple nice coal & wood stoves and refurbishing them this year for some winter projects.

Gary

USN from 1959-1963
First duty station NAS Jacksonville, Fla.
Last 2 1/2 years aboard the USS Intrepid. BT3 when I Left the service.
LTJG J. S. MCCAIN was also a pilot in VA-65 aboard the Intrepid on our 1961-1962 Med. Cruise.

US Army, 10th Special Forces, 3rd Battalion Fort Devens, MA. 1981-1984, 11th SFG 1984-1989. Primary MOS- 18E (communications), Secondary MOS- 18B (light weapons, anything from a Flintlock to a 60MM mortar, current and obsolete, foreign and domestic) Inducted at Fort jackson, basic at Fort Gordon, AIT at Fort Gordon, Jump School Fort Benning, Special Forces School at Fort Bragg.

I sometimes feel that it was all for nothing, seeing where the country is headed. I am grateful for the skills that I have, as I can survive in any type of environment, especially a hostile one. That is where I shine.

Mike

Joined the Army when I turned 17 in 1976. I did boot camp at Fort Knox Kentucky then went to Ft. Sill Ok. for A.I.T. After that I went straight to Korea, Camp Page. After returning to the states I completed my three years at Ft. Sill Ok My MOS was 15F10, nuclear weapons.

My father, who I only met a few times, was a Merchant Marine Chief Engineer. He survived being torpedoed twice during WWII. He had scars on his legs from going overboard into hot oil. My older brothers told me a story from my dad, of a Chinese cook who was told to put together some sandwiches and hurry to the lifeboats as the ship was sinking. Someone asked him if he was OK as he made his way to the lifeboat, and he replied, "Cookie no scared, Cookie no scared!!", as he clenched his fists and squeezed the sandwiches out between his fingers. I remember seeing the engine room of a ship with him at The Port of Albany, NY when I was a little kid. It was immense. My father was a heavy alcoholic and could drink a quart of whiskey like it was a beer.
My older brother joined the Marine reserves during Viet Nam, around 1970. He went to boot camp at 185lbs, and he weighed 135 when he came out. At that point he had the eye of the tiger and knew 51 ways to kill you with his bare hands. He was in the Coast Guard for a while and fell off an 80' high yardarm into the drink, on the sister ship of The Coast Guard Eagle. He was ordered to go back up.
My uncle was a captain in the army, don't know anything about his service.
To all you vets, I don't do enough and there is no way I can thank you enough for your service. My deep respect, admiration and appreciation for your sacrifices.
Dan

I didn't go with the Eagle in '72, when it went to Europe, preferring to stay in Virginia. My brother did. I now wish I could remake that decision. Did you know that the Eagle was Hitler's personal ship that we took as a war prize? I'm not aware that it had a sister ship.

I joined in June 69, MOS B-11 infantry Ft. Jackson, NCO scool Ft. Benning, Vietnam April 70. Served with
2nd Bn 29th Arty
1st battalion 12th infantry, 4th Inf. Div.
1st battalion 6th infantry, Americal division (23)

OOPS, thats me in the middle.
Ray