I entered bootcamp on 07 jan 1970 in great lakes illinois after failing my initial swim test i was asmowed to another division i started in 19th division and ended up graduating in 43 division. I did learn to swim, after boot camp i was sent to the USS Butte AE 27 stationed in nofuck va i did 4 carribbean and two meds and then in 1972 the boat did a west pac where i ended up in vietnam for a longer period that i thought i would be, i was taken off the boat, and TAD they said and i was put on small boats, in danang vietnam and my greatest memories was trolling down the ravines searching for pows and lost souls, i was able to save a few and lost a few, i ended up getting out of the navy even after the navy offered me $10,000 to re-enlist. I got a job being a police man in national City for 7 years, and after being involved in 37 shootings i decided to get back in the navy, the navy said i was too old i got ahold of a family friend us congressman melvin price acting armed services chairman and i was back in the navy in 10 days, i was then stationed in yokosuka japan on again sea duty on the USS Midway CV 41 for a year then re-assigned to san diego ca on board the USS Ranger CV 41, did a couple of west pacs and again I got out of the navy for 4 months I went to the Beverly Hills Polce Dept for three months, didnt like the politics so because my current wife was six months pregnant i did a stupid mistake, tried getting back in the navy the navy wouldnt take me so i contact mr price again and got back in within 10 days, the navy felt sorry for me a wife with a new born child i was sent to yokosuka japan agan this time on the blue ridge and i loved the ship but i felt the C.O. was a real racist against Whites, well from there its another story if you want to know more about bono then email me at peterbono13@yahoo.com i have lead a very interested life totalling 34 yrs of Navy 18 Yrs law enforcement, currently 100% PTSD and 14 other disabilities, I did have the pleasure of serving with Admiral Mike Boorda on the blue ridge, he would come out ot the gunmounts at night and talked to me and the other gms, fcs, and he even played with the guns in the ships armory. he was a good man.forever a sailor!!
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Thanks for sharing this memory, I hope you have more good ones.