Comments

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  John R Sellars MLC USN RET January 13, 2009 at 4:17pm

  Went thru MLA School in May 1973, served aboard 5 ships in the foundry, and am blessed to have been associated with a great group of people. Would love to see a reunion put together for Molders before too many of them are gone forever. We have lost several great ones, Charley Whitesides and Jack Sellars to start with. I will always have great memories of my time in the various foundries and the crazy things we used to do. I retired in 1993 and am now seeing the country via Truck Driving. If I ever get to anyones area I will surely give a call if you will send me your number. God Speed everyone.
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  Donna McElvaney January 9, 2009 at 9:24pm

  I went to Molder "A" school in 1985. I was a ML up untill 1997 when I had to cross rate to SK. I served at SIMA San Diego, SIMA Norfolk, and onboard USS Puget Sound as a ML.
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  George E. Demand January 9, 2009 at 8:58pm

  Molder A school in 1981 on 32nd street. I believe the class was 81002. If anyone has a class photo I would love a copy.
  First ship was Prairie AD-15 . Good shop, good ship, Great friends. Lonnie Ray was always there for me. I wil try to get pictures up. Dennis Pennington and Albert (Meller with an E) came aboard my last year.
  My first West-Pac was interesting... Dennis Briggs, Carol Hafer, Sheldon (Much Cuz) Young Mlc Celeridad Cw04 Remy Demadura... My other R-2 friends: Larry Sebastion, Vernon Elmore, Doug Runion, Don & Ron Hensley, Dean Atkins, Bill Hinders, Brian Thomas. Too many to list. Amazing time of my life! Long Beach was Great back then.
  Some reserve time attached to Sub support Facility New London. Worked with molders there, Homer Balan..good man.
  Went to the old Pro (Uss Proteus) Guam was awesome!! What an island. Reynaldo Pamolo, Dan Osborne, Dave McKown..he gave me MMOMM (master manipulator of molten metals) Another Great man Shawn Greene (not a molder)
  Last tour as a molder was Uss Yellowstone. My first Med-cruise MLC Brewer, Pmc Heberling Only a year onboard. Nice shop but not as user friendly as an old boat.
  Went Physical Security next, then the Molder Rate disappeared. Too much time in by then , had to change rate. Became an AS(aviation support equipment technician) . more ships Uss Guam LPH-9, Uss Harry S. Truman CVN-75. Still a molder at heart.
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  Dennis Pennington January 6, 2009 at 10:07pm

  

  Molders- Matt Farr, Matt Hazen, Don Dodge ML "A" School(1985)
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  Dennis Pennington January 6, 2009 at 10:05pm

  

  USS Prairie AD-15 Foundry 81-A (1987)
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  Dennis Pennington January 6, 2009 at 10:03pm

  

  ML2 Dave Todd ML "A" School 1985
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  Dennis Pennington January 2, 2009 at 7:01pm

  Great page Chief!
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  JIM COWAN December 21, 2008 at 9:09pm

  ALL SHIPBOARD FOUNDRYS ARE NO MORE. ALL BUT TWO TENDERS ARE GONE. THERE ARE NO MORE MOLDERS OR PATTERNMAKERS. MOLDERS SERVED ABOARD TENDERS , REPAIR SHIPS AND SHORE BASED FOUNDRYS. THEY EVEN HAD MOLDERS ON THE BATTLESHIPS IN BEARING SHOPS. WHEN I WAS A STUDENT IN MOLDER "A" SCHOOL, WAY BACK IN 1974.........I HAD AN INSTRUCTOR TELL ME NOT TO GET ATTACHED TO THE MOLDER RATE AS IT WOULD BE OBSOLETE WITH IN A FEW YEARS. I SURE AM GLAD I DIDN'T LISTEN. I RETIRED AS A CHIEF MOLDER IN 1994. I CONSIDER MYSELF FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN A MOLDER IN THE US NAVY. MY FIRST MENTORS ABOARD THE USS ORION AS-18 WERE MLC J.B.SAYMKEN, ML1 ROY THORNLEY, AND ML1 JESSE SMITH. I WELCOME ALL MOLDERS AND PATTERNMAKERS TO SEND IN THEIR COMMENTS AND STORIES . LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM BROTHER AND SISTERS THAT SERVED IN THE RATES.