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"I dropped anchor in North Ogden, Utah. If I want to smell"
"Veteran's organizations such as the VFW, American Legion, NCOA, Disabled American Vets, etc. are doing a bang up job presenting transition classes to those veterans that are leaving the service. Unfortunately, all veterans leaving are not afforded…"
"I earned my Combat Action Ribbon aboard the USS Bagley FF-1069 while taking part in Operation Praying Mantis in the Persian Gulf in the 80's."
"Wally, you were never a Seaman, you were a Fireman. All the time you spent down in the hot Engine Room allowed you to wear the "Red" stripes of a Fireman.
I was nice to hear from you. I went on and served 30 years and retired as the last Command…"
I was nice to hear from you. I went on and served 30 years and retired as the last Command…"
"Ken,
I remember you being in the group of us that went there from "A" School in Great Lakes. I didn't realize at the time that you also went to RTC San Diego. We may have been in the same Division as I was in Company 309 which started in June…"
I remember you being in the group of us that went there from "A" School in Great Lakes. I didn't realize at the time that you also went to RTC San Diego. We may have been in the same Division as I was in Company 309 which started in June…"
"I agree Fred. I'll try to drum up some members, especially as I was connected with the Bagley twice, once as staff for Commander Destroyer Squadron-17 and once as the Command Master Chief.
Let's see what happens."
Let's see what happens."
"John Dahlstedt mentioned the EM Club, now determined to be the Flamingo Club at AFSOUTH. I remember making many a run to the port to get beer for the club as I worked at the motor pool and they always needed our help in something. They would also…"
"I joined the Coral Maru about midway through that 67-68 Cruise. I remember the first time I saw her, from the window of a COD flight. That was my first arrested landing, and my last. I had an opportunity to partake in a catapault shot off the USS…"
"We need to figure out how to get more members into this group. I get emails from GMGC Matthews all the time and I don't understand why he doesn't join. I was back on the Bagley for three years as the Command Master Chief, from April '86 to…"
"I was attached to the International Motor Pool at AFSOUTH and I had the opportunity to partake of all the holidays. We observed all holidays of NATO member countries at the time. You could take a day off sometime and it would end up being almost a…"
"I remember the remote site "Proto" and made many a trip there, I even got to drive Admiral Kidd down into the mountain tunnel. During my time there we lost a bus that went off the side of the mountain. Luckily there were no passengers on it, only…"
"I've seen some of the Fiats here, they look nice, a little bigger than what we remember and the I believe the door opens differently. Who would have believed that those little things also served as taxis in some of the cities.
We had an exchange…"
We had an exchange…"
"Finding information about it being hard to find is probably due to its classification. Unless you had something to do with the site, you really never heard too much about it. I'm surprised to hear that it is closed down now. If that is true than…"
"I agree with you about staying there for 20 then retiring. I felt the same but when I was ready to ship-over for the first time and I asked for another tour there, they just laughed in my face and told me that as a Machinists Mate it was time for…"
"It would seem to me that with a site like this we should be able to get a lot more members. I know that the LinkedIn site has a really good following of the SEA. "
"Tom, you got there just as I was leaving. I made Master Chief during that tour and was privileged to come back three years later as the last Command Master Chief at RTC San Diego. I enjoyed both tours, but especially liked my first because I was…"
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Location
Bloomington, IN
Birthday:
July 5
Rank
Command Master Chief Petty Officer
Enlisted Rating
Machinist's Mate
Where were you or your family stationed?
RTC San Diego (1st, Last and a CC tour in between); AFSouth, Naples, Italy; USS Coral Sea (CVA43); DLIEC (Vietnamese); USS F D Rooselvelt (CV42); PE School, GLakes, Il, Instructor MM"A" School; RCC, RTC, SDiego; USS Bagley (FF1069), Command MC; RTC SDiego, Command MC, Retired.
Veteran of Foreign War
The Cold War, Vietnam, Iran
Current Status with the US Navy
Retired
Start date of your service
May 13, 1965
End date of your service
April 30, 1994
Comments
I got out after my 4 years, went home to Michigan got married we had 4 children we had one that passed away at age 4, I worked for General Motors for 30 years retired in 2005 , always wondered what would have happened if I had a better attitude while in the Navy
Hey Ski, Sorry I'm just getting back to you. Yeah, I drove for the Chief of Staff at AirSouth. There was only one AF guy in the MP, think his name was Langston, he drove for the Commander AirSouth. I took over from MM2 Blanton when he left Naples. Started off with a two star who retired, his replacement was a one star, youngest in the AF at the time. He went up to Germany for some surgery, decided to drive his Massarati and ended up killing himself there.
That is some career. Thank you for your service.
I got out June '68 and went to work for American Airlines. Worked the ramp, became and agent and then supervisor at airports around the country. About 1981 I got into the computer end of the airline world, joined the Hardware Help Desk in Tulsa, OK, helped people fix their hardware problems over the phone or dispatched the vendor. From there I went to the engineering group writing test scripts and doing acceptance testing on Automated Baggage Systems at airports.
Next I started designing Flight Information Display Systems (FIDS) for our terminal and eventually became the Team Lead for a group of eight engineers. From there I became the Account/Project Manager to Canadian Airlines putting in new systems world wide. When Air Canada bought them I went back to lead the FIDS Group again. Retired in 2009.
I loft around for a couple of years but couldn't handle it anymore but wanted a job where I didn't bring it home with me anymore. I went to work for O'Reilly Auto Parts as a delivery driver to various shops. It was great for three years.
My wife and I (43 years) just bought our first RV, a Class A 34 foot long gas engine. We are in the process of packing up the house to put the stuff in storage and sell the house. Planning on living in the RV and travel for at least two years. May be longer as I already have our plans set through September 2016. Lake George, NY this summer, Florida next winter and then May, 2016 we will head to Alaska for the summer to visit out oldest and family who just moved back there.
We want to see as many National Parks and other sights as we can, while we can.
How are you enjoying permanent shore life? I know you had a number shore assignments but now there is no sea break for you.
Take care, Ken
Hello Ski, don't know if you remember me but after MM A School we were both assigned to the International Motor Pool at AFSOUTH along with five others. I remember that there were a bunch of us who arrived on the same day, they guys we were replacing picked us up in a couple of Fiat Mini Busses. Lot's of great memories of that time.
I was surprised to read that you shipped over for 30 years in the Navy, I didn't think any of us would become lifers. I believe we were all very lucky to go to Naples for our 1st duty station.
I left Naples about mid June 1968, spent a week in Brooklyn to muster out. The last night they wanted to assign me to chaser duty to go to Boston to pick up a prisoner. Told them I was out of there in the morning and I wasn't going.
Also read you were the last Command Master Chief at San Diego RTC. Took our sons our for a visit back in 1995 before our oldest went into the AF. Drove past the base and was surprised to see it had shut down. I remember Nimitz side had just opened when I got there June '65 (Company 305 - MMC Stockton was our Company Commander). Spent eight weeks there before they moved us to the Advanced Side for the last four weeks. As I remember, the new classes coming in were cut down to just eight weeks of Boot.
Have you been in touch with any of the other guys we were stationed in Naples with? As I remember you had a best bud named Mike or Mac or something like that.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Ken Baker
Hello, Ski, I'm not that good with computers but the photos I see here look great, so I guess that you figured out the problem. If you are still having any problems, contact my son Doug, who created this site.
Bill Karr
I'm Bill Karr. My son Doug created this site and I help him out a bit. We hope that you enjoy it.
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