O/T: How many of you are or were in the Navy at one time.

Just curious, Im currently stationed out of Yokosuka, Japan and would love to hear about you time in, especially stories from the old timers.

 

I joined the Navy in 1967 after recieving a draft notice from Uncle Sam. I went through boot camp at San Diego and then headed for the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Millington, Tennessee. There I was in the very first "A" school class for the brand new ASE rate (Aviation Ground Support Equipment Electrician). I graduated as Class Honorman (I guess the only thing I ever got right the first time). I was assigned to VR-30 at the Air Station in Alameda, CA (now used as a place to blow up and wreck stuff by the Mythbusters). We flew support missions all over the west coast with either Grumman C1A or Convair C-131 aircraft. Our squadron was in support of Apollo 11, 12 and 13 aboard the USS Hornet. I qualified and got my wings as an aircrew "flight-mech" on the C1As. I was lucky enough to be selected and serve on the Apollo 12 recovery mission.

After VR-30 I was assigned to the Fleet Air Support Unit at DaNang Air Base, as an ASE2 I was the "night check" Petty officer in charge of fixing our support equipment. Our group supported carrier operations by doing repairs and removing "hung ordinance" on any aircraft not capable of landing aboard ship. We did some real Mickey Mouse stuff but it was just so the aircraft could return to the boat and get fixed right. The perfect job for a born "hot rodder". I stayed in Viet Nam until I was discharged in 1971.........overall, I had a pretty good time, I learned alot and it created alot of cool memories.

 

yes but this is a hot rod site sorry....FTN.

 

...some people feel that way.

 

I joined the Navy in Oct. 1960. Went to boot camp at Great Lakes. After boot camp, went to EM'A' (Electricians Mate) school, also at Great Lakes. Following school I was assigned to the sub tender USS Fulton (AS11) in New London Ct. My job on the tender was the overhaul of motors and generators which included rewinding when necessary. I was discharged from the Fulton in Sept. 1964 with rate of EM2. Joining the Navy and taking advantage of the training offered allowed me to have a great career in the nuclear power industry. I would highly recommend the Navy to any young person looking for some direction in their lives.

 

I'm a reservist who got mobilized. I'm with Navy Customs Battalion Sierra in Kuwait. We do customs inspections of soldiers and their equipment returning from Iraq and Afganistan. Our compound is on an Army section of an Air Force base; there are several other companies in our battalion in other locations in Kuwait and Iraq doing the same thing. The Navy Customs missions run about 7 months in theater with one month of training beforehand. I'm an IT1 (Information Technology Systems) and run the IT shop here.

It's pretty safe and quiet here albeit boring; they don't let us off base except for the occasional guided tour. But I'm not complaining; I volunteered.

This is my second mobilization; I volunteered right after Sept. 11 and they gave me a cushy job down in San Diego. I also have six years active. I have a total of 22 years in and will probably retire in the next year or so unless I can find another challenging mission.

 

As the name implies... almost 19 years USNR.

As for Ali Al-Saleem it sucks! Been there twice going to Iraq and coming out of Iraq. Probably going back to Iraq in the next year.

 

Joined in '66, after bombing out of college. Went to medical corpsman school in San Diego. Spent one year in Sasebo, Japan then went to play in Viet Nam as a Marine corpsman for the rest of my hitch. Never set foot on a commissioned ship and spent most of my time in Marine uniforms. Still very proud of the time spent, but get tired of telling people that I was in the war that we lost.

 

USNR

that's the only good thing I have to say about it...

 

Enlisted in 1962
Boot Camp in San Diego
U.S.S. Proteus (AS19) in Holy Loch Scotland, running the Gantry crane that loaded Polaris missiles in the boats as a Torpedoman striker.
Crossed over to the U.S.S. Odax (SS484) in Charleston as a TM3 and qualified SS.
Back to the Proteus to ride to Guam to open the Polaris base there. Back to the crane in the missile handling crew.
ET school in San Francisco, where I washed out as a TM3 (SS), and did a few months as body escort for remains coming from 'Nam for burial in their hometown.
U.S.S. Bauer (DE1025) in San Diego for a year 'cause they needed a TM aboard for a top secret mission to the Bering Straits.
Shore duty in Pearl Harbor at the Advanced Undersea Weapons shop as a TM2 (SS). They sent me to school in San Diego for the Mk 37 torpedo, and I ran a repair/build station on the line at the shop and then I was made Supply PO, and placed in charge of the warehouse. Off duty I worked as a MAA at the enlisted club for extra cash.
Back to Guam and the Proteus (AS19) in 1969, where I was discharged from in 1970.
8years 1 month 11 days
Began a career as a Police Officer in Cincinnati, and retired after 21 years.
The military is what YOU make of it. A valuable free education for the taking, a chance to serve your country, and a lot of satisfaction in doing a job many don't want to do.


Mutt

 

70-74 boot in SD then A school at Balboa naval hospital, Fleet Marine, back to Balboa then to 29 stumps. Graduated an HM3.

 

Joined out of high school in 1962 on a "Kiddie Cruise" (could get out at age 21 and be credited with a full 4 years - kept you out of the active reserves). Went to boot camp in San Diego (Hiya Mutt...wonder if we were there together?) then on to Electronics Tech school in Treasure Island, CA. From there to Moffett Field, CA, then to Danang, Vietnam. From there to Thurso, Scotland, then on to Fort Allen, Puerto Rico. From there to Newport, RI, then to Iceland. Left Iceland for recruiting duty in Carrollton, GA, then up to Bayonne, NJ with Military Sealift Command. Anyone seeing a pattern?? 22 years without stepping foot on a ship! Couldn't keep up the string though, ended up in Holy Loch, Scotland on the USS Hunley and then cross-decked to the USS Simon Lake. I spent a total of 5 days at sea on the two of them. Left there and ended up in Gulfport, MS where I retired with 28+ years of service. Got a job with the Navy at the shipyard in Pascagoula and have had more sea time in this job than I had in the Navy. Retiring for good on the 31st of August.

Daughter married a sailor, son is a Commander at the EOD School in NJ.

Life has been good...I'd recommend a military career for anyone.

 

Nope, real service. ARMY!! Dang squids!!

 

coming up on 7 years in as an aviation structural mechanic on the superhornet. lots of good times, lots of ports i will never remember, countless busted knuckles and LONG nights in the name of freedom. i wouldnt change my time in for anything.

 

I must be the only NUKE here.
Enlisted in 81, Boot Camp in Orlando, MM A School Great Lakes
Nuke School Orlando Fl, Prototype MARK in West Milton New York
SSBN 625(B) Charleston and Holy Loch. Squadron 4 SMMS PMT Charleston. SSBN 633(B) Charleston and Kings Bay. Medically retired when I became allegeric to Submarines

 

Dec '63 - 'Nov '67 ... San Diego boot, Great Lakes BT "A" school, then out to Bremerton PSNSY to board the USS Dennis J. Buckley (DD808) going thru FRAM II conversion from a radar picket ship ... San Diego home port, 2 Westpac cruises. 3 years on the tin can, then orders to the world's only guided missile seaplane tender at Port Hueneme for 3 months. Bremerton & The Port Hueneme auto hobby shop are the 2 best memories.

 

Sorry fella's, I spent 10 years in the USAF as Munitions Systems Specialist. 78-88

 

joined in 68, went to nam, river patrol, then charleston, SC on a mine sweeper.Hated every minute of it!!lol
JimV

 

early 80's, MM3, nothing special.

 

I just spit beer all over my computer. The words ARMY and REAL SERVICE don't ever belong in the same sentence. Haha. Just kidding pal.

I'm not a squid but I've had some stationed with me.

Sgt/USMC
Purple Heart Recipient
Iraq/Afghanistan

Semper Fi sucka!

 

Brandon, Look out in back of the FTG building and see if my 55 Chev wagon is still setting there on blocks.

Chief Petty Officer, U.S.N., Retired

 

DD 976 USS MERRILL , STG3! Anchors away my boys!!! -Jimmy-

 

I spent 9 years in the USAF "Chair Force." Go ahead and laugh, but if I had a quarter for every time some grunt, jarhead, or squid said "I wish *I* would have joined the Air Force" I'd be a retired millionaire right now!

However, I've got an uncle who is a retired deck-swabber. He used to give me all kinds of crap about the Navy being better than the Air Force until I reminded him about the one thing the Navy has that no other branch of service will EVER have - boatloads and boatloads of seamen!

 

Nov 1967 to Aug 1971. San Diego for boot. Naval Weather "A" School Lakehurst New Jersey, NAS Willow Grove PA. and Fleet Weather Central, Pearl Harbor Hawaii.

 

Hello all..USN..1961, boot camp in San Diego..Shore duty, waiting on welding school opening..32 weeks in school..went aboard the USS Cogswell DD 651..2100 class..Worked in the repair shop..I was a Pipe Fitter by class..Went back to welding school. HTS welding, it was cool..Went aboard the USS Richmond K. Turner DLG 20.. Went to Nucular school but never welded on a Nucular ship..Left in 1970 as a CPO..
I grew up..it needed it..
Duane...

 

It's M.A.R.F.
Get it right Bubble head.
Just another F'ing NUKE.
I was on a real Submarine as opposed to a floating hotel.
Built third flight '88's
Did some stuff that makes for real good reading that I still can't talk about. Still can't figure that one out.

 

Any of you Nuke guys ever know of a guy by the name of Glenn West? We graduated high school in '91, and the last I heard, he was at Pearl driving new subs when they went out on shakedowns or something of that nature.

I'd be curious if anyone knows him or of him.

 

82-86 served on the uss coral sea , worked on the flight deck ....tractor driver , chock & chain , aircraft director . when i wasnt at sea i smoked a LOT of pot and chased a bunch of skirt

 

I was an IPO...instant petty officer UT2 in the Sea Bees 1968-69 MCB3. They needed construction workers that they didn't have to train. I had it so easy I'm embarrassed to talk about it. I only spent about 6 months just north of DaNang on the beach!! I never got onto a ship. The Marines liked our warm showers and flush toilets when they got out of the bush. I just did what they told me to do. I grew up a lot in the Navy. One of those things that you hate at the time but look back fondly of the memories and friends that you made.

 

There is some interesting shit out there, spent a short time on a US Sub when I was an SASR medic, worked with your Delta and SEAL's in some far off fun places.
Cant say much for the SEAL's but the D were awesome.