Comments

• 

  Christopher James Cook April 18, 2019 at 1:41am

   Hey David, you still live in Washington?
• 

  Roger Varo March 28, 2019 at 4:18pm

  I got a ton of stories after just a couple years on the Point D. Loved shooting the 3"50s. Great fun, I owed that to the best loading crew on the ship. But I would have to say the most standout memory was a 2 day train trip in Taiwan. I loved that country and its people. The little farms the train passed was most interesting. I grew up on a dairy farm and returned there after the Navy. I wanted so bad to check out just everything on their farming methods. I know, that was kind of lame. LOL!
• 

  John R. O'Rourke March 26, 2019 at 12:40am

  Well, I've been retired 23 years, come Dec. My first recollection as an airdale goes like this. My first Command (VA 34) : We were just going out on work ups on Big John       (CV 67). Anyway, I was showing a fiend of mine (AO2 Parker) around, before we left Pier 12. Being new in the Navy and first time on a carrier, was overwelmed. Like a little kid in a toy store. Got excited and jumped up going thru the hatches, smacked top of head, to this day, still have that bump on top of head. lol, near forgot that day
• 

  Thomas Roy Lewis Jr March 25, 2019 at 9:54pm

  Me dad was on

  USS ARKANSAS

  USS COSSAOT

  USS COLONIAL

  HMS ARIADNE

  Don't have Ships for Uncle Joe - much research

  Don't have Ships for Great Uncle Richard Gaffney more research

   will deliver soon for other Navy Family Members. 

  Vietnam wasn't anything more than routine and hard work.  Load up during the day, Go out and Strike at Night. But we did a lot of it. Almost got me head blown off with a North Vietnamese 3 inch shell.  Had my rebellious moments but nothing serious. Four tours, two different ships, three dry dock visits two in Long Beach, one in Sasebo Japan.  I do love the sea,and I didn't mind the guys that I worked with, as they say your all in the same boat. 

  Gave me a humble understanding of my fellow sailors, their plight, not always good, but mostly they were reasonable men, with common sense.  Was part of the event "Into the Lions Den"  aboard the USS Robison DDG-12.  Lived off based when ever we had dry dock duty.  Was aboard the USS Mahan DLG-11 during the Earth Quake that hit Long Beach.  Ship was in Dry Dock at the time and scared the living daylights out of all of us. 

  Saw some crazy Admirals, went to Hong Kong, Subic, Yokosuka, Hawaii, Midway, Guam, San Diego and Long Beach a lot of times.  Got a lot of electronic Training, which put me to work up in Silicon Valley once I got out via Treasure Island.  Honorable Discharged. 
• 

  Bernhard W Behling March 18, 2019 at 2:27pm

  I can't say I completely enjoyed my time in.  Losing my E4 stripes less than 36 hours after earning them hurt quite a bit, though I completely acknowledge it was my own screwup that lead to that.  I just think the punishment was harsher than it needed to be.  That's what directly lead to my getting out as an E2 after six years instead of making it a career as I'd intended going in.  Ah well, I was young and stupid and actions sometimes have bad consequences. I've gotten smarter about that in the past 40 some odd years.

  Navy duty did have its moments though. I'd love to spend time in the Carribean again (my wife refuses to move anywhere south of Virginia), or retire to Mallorca, Spain, a place I totally fell in love with on my first Med cruise. I got to see parts of the world I'd never have seen otherwise, got to play with some really nice "bang-bang" stuff, and generally met and interacted with some really wonderful people.
• 

  Tom Witman March 18, 2019 at 9:56am

  Thanks David and Jim.

  That's quite a ccareer shift, Jim!  Glad it worked out for you.

  Yep, I was and always will be a 'submariner'.  It's a 'family' thing amongst us.  I still communicate with shipmates 50 years later.  I served on a missile boat in the Pacific out of Guam but also did TDY's on a diesel boat out of San Diego (USS Pomfret) and a fast attack (USS Scamp).  Like a fool, I served 4 1/2 years of active duty as a LT in Radio and Sonar as well as in the engineering spaces.

  Loved every minute!

  Tom
• 

  Dave Worley March 17, 2019 at 6:19pm

  Thanks David, happy to be back. I will post some pics soon.
• 

  James Vinci March 17, 2019 at 10:02am

  Dear David,

  As requested:

  I was commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy in 1966 after completing OCS in Newport RI, and my first assignment was aboard the USS Hickman County, LST 825 in December 1966 as her communications officer. Doing the year+, I was aboard, we operated in the Vietnam delta, various Vietnam costal cities and on the DMZ. My next assignment was with Naval Beach Group One (NBG-1) in Coronado, Ca., albeit I did several TDYs to other locations. Doing that time I was promoted to LTJG and was tentatively going to Monterey for post graduate training but In September 1969, I was transferred to the US Army by the Secretary of Defense and immediately promoted to the Army rank of Captain.

  I remained in the Army, reaching the rank of Colonel, with various assignments and worldwide post until I retired in 1992. 

  Best Regards,

  Jim

  
• 

  Bernhard W Behling March 16, 2019 at 9:52pm

  I just posted a few photos you might enjoy. These are about all I have left of the hundreds I took when I was in. I lost everything I owned but a few pics I had in an album my dad had when a ruptured gas line and resulting fire destroyed my home and left me living on the streets for a couple years.
• 

  JOEL B Williams JR March 16, 2019 at 7:25pm

  I am new to this wonderful website, so bare with me (plus I am now 71)!

  Joel B. Williams JR (aka "Willie" / "Bennie Williams USNR ADJ3, NAS ATLANTA/MARIETTA. Charter member of VA205 /A4's, F8's, 1972/1975 NAS ATLANTA/MARIETTA GA (I was 22 years old then).

  A FEW HIGHLIGHTS/MEMORIES: * My father (now deceased) was Chief J.B. "Willie" Williams UNSNR CPO ADRC  NAS ATLANTA, Chamblee/Marietta, 1940 thru 1968, VP?? and VR54??? He was a rare "lifer' at one base his entire career in the USNR NAS ATLANTA due to his undeniable expertise with aviation and a leader of men. He was hand picked to set up the "NEW: NAS Atlanta Base move from NAS ATLANTA Chamblee (1966/69) and completed that task! * I Graduating Bootcamp (2x6  program, extended to 3 years to get shore duty) @ NAS Memphis in top 10% (1972) and as a result got my pick of shore station, which of course was...NAS ATLANTA/MARIETTA! Yes,  I was a military brat! *Going to the Allatoona Lake NAS Atlanta Recreational Site where a Seabee with last name MINGO was on site manager. * Flying to and from bootcamp from NAS Atlanta to NAS Memphis in a P3 ORION! * Getting PAID to drive my 1963 VW Bug to NAS Mayport for fire fighting school (per diem gas pay)! *Going on summer 2 week cruises with our 4x4 weekend warrior squardrons 3 to 4 times a year...on USN A/C Carriers...Rossevelt, Independence and the Forrestal, MCAS? Yuma, NAS JAX, NAS NOR, NAS Mayport and GITMO (Guantanimo Bay Cuba)! I have hundreds of stories to share and WOULD NOT TRADE ANYTHING FOR ALL THE FRIENDS AND MY TIME in the USNR. ...more to come! Sorry for the ramble!