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  • WELCOME ABOARD GENE.  ROTA WAS GREAT, EVEN THO WE HAD TO CLEAR THE DONKEYS OFF THE RUNWAY SO THE B52'S COULD LAND.  THE STONE PIER IN ROTA WAS BUILT ON ORDERS FROM JULIUS CESAR WHILE HE WAS PROCONSUL OF SPAIN. UNTIL WE CAME I THINK THAT was the only big thing that happened there. WONDERFUL PEOPLE , GREAT FOOD. WHAT, BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE. PUERTO DE SANTA MARIA, NOW A SLEEPY LITTLE TOWN WAS IN ITS DFAY A PRETTY IMPORTANT PORT. IT IS CLOSE TO ROTA AND ONE OF COLUMBUS'S SHIPS SAILED FROM THERE ON HIS FIRST VOYAGE TO THE NEW WORLD. HISTORY ALL OVER THE PLACE. SORRY YOU MISSED IT.

  • Ronald   things in North Mississippi are fine... I moved here in '89 and this little town looked like my town in Texas in the Fifties.. We were about 25 years behind the rest of the states then but have caught up now to about 15 behind...ha  Still a nice quite place to live though compaired to the rest of the world.   You are right...it doesn't seem like it should so long since we were in the Navy...My Dad signed for me to join at seventeen and always said that was a big mistake....(I changed he said) but it was the BEST thing he ever did for me....lots of growing up in those four years I was in. I treasure  it today.

  • Ronald

    Thanks for the come back. I live in Mississippi now, but was born in Dallas ,Texas. My wife was born here ,so over twenty  five years ago, now, she got me to move here. She was born in the country in Panola county between Sardis and Batesville. This area is about like where I grew up south of dallas, in the country, so I feel at home. I am a member of Navyvets and togetherweserved and have tried to read at much as I can from the guys on both sites. I really bothers me that the Navy is no longer the Navy we knew.I don't know if I would want to join these days, but really had a great time and saw a lot of the world while I was in. Really thought a lot about a Navy career while I was in Japan near the end.

  • Ronald...

    I liked you comment about growing up in the Navy in the sixties. I joined in .59 at 17

    and got out in '63 . Had sea duty on the Uss McKean DDR-784 and then shore

    duty at Naval radio receiving Facility in Kami Seya, Japan. Had a great time and

    grew up a lot in four years...Came home as RM2 and went to college.. Wouldn't

    trade the experience for anything.

  • Ron, I was a fleet diver in the Navy, later transferred to U.D.T.
  • Ron,
    Graduation was great. Everything has changed. Everything we knew is gone and the whole boot camp thing is way different. They do NOT do their laundry and NO service week. Almost everything they do is indoors.
    It was a little emotional too. Enjoyed it.
  • Ron, I will be leaving for my Grandson's Graduation soon. He gradutes Nov.12. But I found out we can take all the pictures we want in side the graduation hall and NONE outside.
  • Will do Ron. I went by the Little Creek amphibious base in Va.last year. This was our Home port. I like you wondered what happen since I left. Nothing was the same. Also there are no more active LST's in the Navy. So sad.
  • I still have my "Donald Duck" hat somewhere. Had forgotten about it. My granson is going to boot camp in Sept.. I will go to his graduation and get a look around. I bet I will not recognise anything. A little note. 2 days ago it was 44 years since I left active duty.
  • Hi Ron,
    I was an IC3 and was on USS Churchill County LST 583 for 40 months out of 50 months I was in(extended 2 months). Boot camp has changed. If you haven't seen it check this site out. http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/
    You will see a big difference, Stan
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