"Great to hear from you. I knew your brother John. I met up again with Jimmy Dean when IBM transferred me to MD and he was working for IBM also. I was an IC man on the ship."
"Ron, Saw your post. I worked as a contractor for the FAA(IBM and Lockheed Martin) for 27 years of my 41 years. The first was from 1967 thru 1975 when we built the first computized Air Traffic Control System and finished working at the Jacksonville…"
"Mike,
I Saw you live in Hagerstown, MD. My grandson graduated from boot camp Great Lakes Nov 12. He is from Hagerstown and graduated from Smitsburg High this past June.
Just a connection Hagerstown and Navy."
"Jerry,
My 4 trips to Panama were from 1963 to 1966. I got out of the Navy in Aug of 1966. My brother Dave was on the LST-583 from 1966 to 1968. Would like to see pictures tho. Still knew guys that were still aboard in 1968. Good to hear from you.…"
"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.…"
Stanley,, I was stationed at Coco Solo and lived in Base housing during the year and very near where the LST583 you were riding pulled in and tied up for a few days.
I have a few snaps of some of your ship mates I'll dig out of the shoe box.
a link of the pictures of the canal zone from my time is www.picturetrail.com/jerrysplace
Stan, have a great trip and wish your Grandson well from one old swab to a new one. The picture thing doesn't surprise me, a few years back we had a ships reunion up in Jacksonville and went on a tour of a Destroyer at Mayport, no pictures allowed at all.
My sister keeps asking me if I want time to stand still in the 60's,told her it would be nice. When I was home ported at Mayport in the 60's there were two "Bird Farms" and at least 25-30 Tin Cans (at least the basin was full of DD's) went out there with a tour group a couple of years back. One Carrier and 4 Destroyers that didn't even look like ships, oh well. Have a good trip to Great Lakes.
Stan, When you go to Great Lakes take some pictures and post them on this sight, I would love to see them.
my ship DD 872 was in the yards in Charleston when I went aboard in 1964, I went back to Charleston with an old shipmate for a reunion 35 years later, I wasn't sure it was the same place.
Stan, Just checked out that boot camp site, Sure that's our Navy. My best friend for over 40 years that I served with on DD-872 went through Great Lakes the same summer as you. His claim to fame is that was the last year the "Donald Duck" hat was issued. I didn't get one in 63. Ron
Comments
I have a few snaps of some of your ship mates I'll dig out of the shoe box.
a link of the pictures of the canal zone from my time is www.picturetrail.com/jerrysplace
my ship DD 872 was in the yards in Charleston when I went aboard in 1964, I went back to Charleston with an old shipmate for a reunion 35 years later, I wasn't sure it was the same place.
Ron Bereman
PN2 1963 to 1969
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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