Rank
Petty Officer Second Class
Enlisted Rating
Navy Counselor (Counselor)
Where were you or your family stationed?
Originally from the Hawthorne/Wyckoff area of northeastern New Jersey.
Recruited at the Midland Park NJ Navy office.
--Oct to Dec 1976 NTC Great Lakes Illinois
--Jan to Mar 1977 Mess Management Cooking School, NTC, San Diego CA
--From abt April 1977 to abt April 1979 I was stationed at COMNAVAIRLANT, NAS, Norfolk Virginia as a cook(chef) stewart (MS3) for Admiral Greer and than Admiral "Gus" Kinnear.
Because of my childhood background (mother was a Druggie and Alcoholic) and close relationship with Admiral Kinnear, the Admiral recommended me to be a Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counselor (nec9522*). After specialized school, I became one of two same* on the USS Nimitz. Served onboard 1979 to 1981. Great memories on a great ship. I was onboard for the 2 beer celebration at 150+ days at sea, the hostage attempt with helo maintenance support and the take over of the ship by the Polly Wogs (to Shellbacks) as we crossed the Equator on 9 Jan 1980, 3 degrees short of being a Golden Shellback, then onto Indian Ocean (round Cape Hope), then GONZO Station, till the unfortunate hostage attempt of Operation Eagle Claw (Expeditionary Force mission).
After Oct 1980,
I was in the following Navy Reserve units: ---
Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Earl, New Jersey (weekends were in Armory in Garfield, New Jersey),
-Mobil Inshore Undersea Warfare (MIUWU) 806 Little Creek Amphib Base, Navy and Marine Center, Virginia,
-USS Boulder (Mine sweeper).
---Later, I joined the North Carolina Army National Guard Reserves, 2nd Batt, 119th Infantry (Mechanized) CoC, Elizabeth City NC as the Retention Sergeant.
Total Service Time: 16 years, but unfortunately not retired, and disabled.
-I am now member of VFW 6060 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
I met my beautiful wife (of now 23 years) Elaine Hughes VanDuren when I was the Singles Sunday School teacher at Calvary Baptist Church, Elizabeth City NC - she was one of my students. Updated 21Jun2017 :-)
P.S. And call me by my nickname "Cookie".
--Veteran of Foreign War--:
Operation Eagle Claw, Operation Evening Light, (attempted rescue of 53 American hostages in Tehran Iran. Both Delta Force and Army Ranges flew off of my ship aircraft carrier USS Nimitz).
Current Status with the US Navy
Honorably Discharged
Start date of your service
August 15, 1976
Comments
Hey bud, I'm sorry to hear that your having all of those problems. I wish you a speedy recovery Its hell getting old I'm 75 now. And so far still in pretty good health(knock on wood)
Hello Cookie;
I hope your feeling better. The last I heard from you, you said that you were not feeling well and you were going to bed. haven't heard anything from you since. Sure hope your doing better bud. If not get well soon!
"WOW" another wow. I was born on April 14 1942 just about 4 months and a week after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941.
In my navy career I was involved in the Bay of Pigs with Cuba, the Cuban missle crisis, Viet Nam, a secret mission into the Indian ocean in 1964 known as "Concord Squadron one, then, came dessert storm, dessert shield ,Just Cause Panama with Manuel Noriega and that just about brings me up to my active duty service in the Navy. Figured that was about enough for me.
I'm sorry to hear that your not feeling well.. I hope you'll get better soon mate I do hope that you are enrolled in the veterans health care program, its free to all veterans. Won't cost you a cent,
thank you for your many years of honorable service "Cookie'
I was known as Dino while in the service.
Ron Shaffer
All you have to do is to join Navy Vets with an e-mail address and when a new member comes on board you'll get a notice from Navy vets with their info.. Hopes this helps youi bud.
How old are you now ? Are you married, any kids?
Ron Shaffer
"WOW"What a history. Welcome aboard mate we're glad your here.
I, too became a" trusty shellback" in the Indian ocean in April of 1964 on board the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA-31
Ronald L> Shaffer AMH-3/PO-3