NATTC Memphis tour of duty not once, but twice.
Hello Shipmates. I attended AFUNP school and aviation electronics A school after San Diego boot camp the summer of 1970. I recall the thousands of sailors and marines there and settling into a routine of duty and school. It was odd as I didn't ask for this schooling, but somehow ended up in aviation and electronics. I soon found my niche, and I guess the Navy somehow knew my destiny. I enjoyed the challenge and the less restrictive life at NATTC. I still recall that getting off base…
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Hello Shipmates. I attended P school and aviation electronics A school after San Diego boot camp the summer of 1970. I recall the thousands of sailors and marines there and settling into a routine of duty and school. I didn't ask for this schooling, but somehow ended up in aviation and electronics. I soon found my niche, and I guess the Navy somehow knew my destiny. I enjoyed the challenge and the less restrictive life at NATTC. I still recall that getting off base required a blood chit or some company commander willing to provide a liberty pass. I received my rating as an AX, and didn't have clue what it was. I graduated as an AXAN and received my orders to VP30 and VP24 my permanent sea duty station in PAX river MD. After several C schools, I was promptly sent to mess cooking while on deployment to Keflivik Iceland. After 5 months deployment we changed home ports to JAX FL. I made PO3 and finally got out of the Leading chief's duty and started the work I was trained for. After three more deployments to Kef, shipping over for 5 more years and making PO1 I was ready for shore duty. There were billets open at NATTC Jax so I asked the detailer to line me up for instructor duty at Jax, intending to stay at JAX and teaching the equipment troubleshooting that I had gained 5 years of experience and knowledge. Well, I got instructor duty....at NATTC Memphis A school where it all started 5 years previous. It was a good tour, but odd training methods of computerized self pace study, unlike the instructor training I received. The ironic thing was when I returned to NATTC, there were Marine Navy and ninstructors that I had in A school, that now were my teaching partners. I spent 4 years there and went to school, shopped my resume and got a job with GTE in hometown PA, developing integrated circuit test specifications for the Trident Sub program. 15 years there and then to Lockheed Martin Orlando working as a staff product quality assurance engineer in supplier quality for 8 years. The Navy did good for me.
Hello, all! I wasn't stationed at NATTC Memphis, but I more or less grew up there, and actually enlisted as an AT before switching over to EW just prior to shipping to Orlando for boot camp. For background, my adoptive father was PNCS Charles West, who served as the chief recruiter for NARU Memphis from '71-73 and again from '76-'79 when he retired. I was born in '72 and adopted, evidently the result of a night of partying at the Fleet Reserve Club in September of '71. I've been able to locate my biological mother, but all I know about my bio father is that his name was Fred Monday (or some variant thereof: Mondy, Mundy, etc), was stationed at NATTC, was Filipino, and stood about 5'2". If anyone knows anything about him, please let me know, as I'm trying to track him down...as far as I know he has no idea that I even exist.
If anyone remembers my adoptive dad, let me know as well...the only other person I can remember from his office back then (which had a great view of the VP outfits) was a lady named Shirley Brimingham. And for all you TDs out there, as I was growing up, a retired CWO TD named Glen Steiner was the Assistant Scoutmaster for my Boy Scout Scout troop.
After NTC San Diego and a 9-month stint at VT-21 NAAS Kingsville, arrived at NATTC Memphis in July 1966. The first two weeks were in transient status and temporary duty mostly involved mowing lawns in the mid-July Tennessee heat. Started AFAM-P in early August and eventually got to TD "A" School. While there, I was in the Company 7 volunteer band and we had a great time marching in a few local parades and enjoying relatively easy duty, at least as compared to the other "real" companies. My most vivid memory is when the entire Navy Exchange burned to the ground on Monday (the first day of 1966's Fire Prevention Week) and on Saturday evening, the EM Club suffered the same fate. I recall the NAS crash crews, with their crash trucks, uselessly spraying foam on the inferno, where it would instantly dry, solidify and rain down on all of us in foul-smelling clumps. Finished "A" in March of 1967 and finished out my Naval tour at ASW Tactical School in Norfolk on the 14A6 tactical simulator. Was incredibly lucky to make TD2 in late '68, owing to BUPERS opening up the billet; something that rarely happened with the TD rate. Got enticement orders for "B" School just before I got out in November 1969 but at that point, I was set on a civilian career. Kinda depressing now to see what happened to the old base at Millington and to think of all us who received their training there. All-in-all, I have nothing but positive memories of the place and wonder what kind of training today's Navy is getting?
Went to Memphis after boot camp in San Diego A-Fun P school then emergency leave for three weeks when sister in law died and first son was born then back to ADR A school and wouldn't you know it orders to Northside NAS Memphis, better than being sent to Vietnam though!!
Merry Christmas to all you Navy Veteran's out there.
Like many others from the West, Memphis was a bit of a geographical and cultural shock for a kid that never left the state yet. Jun 24, 1971, six in the morning in Fresno CA. A bright clear blue crisp 58 degrees, made those nice new tailored Blue wools feel real good! Getting on the plane and waving bye to the family the Young fledgling sailor off to see the world..well starting with Memphis. Expectations were high on that cold dry plane ride across the Country. Touched down in the land of blues, (to steal an expression), around 1 pm. After 4-5 hours in the dehydration of the planes AC, gathered my orders and stuff and was making my way down the aisle to see the New World... (Memphis 1971 does not have Jetway ramps yet just a ladder to the tarmac and walk to the terminal, hell, neither did Fresno, that's why I remember how pretty it was.). As I stepped in the door of the plane I saw a grey glaring haze and as stepped out on to the Ladder.... My nice crisp blue wools went, WET!! I had no concept of Miss. River Valley humidity, never even really thought about the word.. On the bus to Millington up old 51 for 15 miles of nothing but jungle on both sides of the road. (Where is this place??)
Actually because it was still a reasonable hour of the day, checking in was not too bad, no one screaming like the first night of boot. One night in transit barracks and I think the following day was Friday. I had my barracks assignment and went straight there, the head compartment cleaner brought me to the Chief and processed me, got my rack and locker and cube in this WWII building, which I could tell by the look. I remember thinking while the guy was talking, "this place looks like a museum, old and original but looked like they finished building it yesterday. My first glimpse of constant Navy maintenance. I did come back to listening to the fella when he said "Careful with yer butts, these buildings are tinderboxes with a three minute ignition to on the ground rating...."! Must have been Friday cause he said I'd be assigned to him for Compartment Cleaning,(CC) Starting Monday till I got my school or transferred somewhere.. He'd been waiting 3 months...? Head CC was sort of his career...wow.. Anyway I had the weekend to gather myself to this new world about to begin. I'll stop here for now with time on my hands I walked around the base to the front gate and across the road to the airfield still amazed that I was allowed to go anywhere on a military base and walked out on to the ramp and by the hangers and right up to the planes. I could have easily been in one of those pictures taken by anybody of the P-2's from the summer of '71,I saw posted here. And this is the most poignant memory of that day.. While I was sitting off edge of the ramp having a cigarette and watching planes come and go.. a taxiing T-33 turned on the ramp not too far away, right in front of me to go out. As he made the turn the jet exhaust washed over me and the turned the world for a moment to an envelope of spent JP-4..... I have never been the same since for the rest of my life! I watched till he lifted off the runway going "somewhere", and started walking back to the Barrack thinking, "I have no idea what's coming in the next months, but it will be ok as long as I'm around Airplanes! ....more another day. CW
After RTC San Diego Boot leave attended the prelim's and ADJ A, 24 Jun 71 till late Sep. In Boot as in School, I was amazed how random "Dream" sheets truly are. In Boot I asked for CB Heavy Equip Mechanic. I'd been a Mechanic from a very early age due to necessity and I thought, this will be good way to move up from "Car Mechanic" to a later well paying career. Boot detailer looked at me and said, "Son, do you know a Congressman?". Surprised I said, "No, I'm not anybody or know anyone! Why?". He said that is was just that CB is a small population group and hard to get in. Then told me, "It's your dream sheet and I can't tell you what to put... but definitely make your second choice something you may like!". Looking through the book I saw Aviation Machinist Mate... Hmm.. Can't hurt, what chance of that happening.. I can't remember the third choice.
When Orders came I was absolutely shocked, ADJ A NATTC MEMPHIS. ?What have I gotten myself into? Really Jet engines.. My eldest brother, a black shoe ET that did his entire 4 yrs. aboard the Saratoga, was tearing his lapel and cutting my end off the table at home.. after he asked me "What's your duty?" and I said Memphis Tenn....I believe his comment was: " A F#@KING AIRDALE???!!!"...."Those guys steal anything not nailed down!"
After boot leave in December of 1967, I went to NATTC Memphis.My orders out of boot camp had me as AA ( ATN ).That didn't happen . I ended up an AQF and graduated August 22, 1968.I went to NAS Whidbey Island TAD to VA-128 before joining VA-52 on station aboard the USS Coral Sea in Feb 1969.While at NATTC Memphis I worked in the scullery at the Marine Galley. I think I might have replaced McTigue when he left to go to school.
Went to ADJ A School in late 1967 had many Jarhead buddies as well as Squids. I woould love to hear from any who might remember me from there.
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