Comments

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  Robert Bruce Brantner February 13, 2018 at 8:25pm

  Thanks for friending me. If you get a chance check my latest post on the Holland. You will really get it. and I swear it is all true.
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  Robert Bruce Brantner February 12, 2018 at 12:24pm

  Yup that's me! Been  a heck of a long time. I went to the Sperry AS-12 out of A school and served under MLC James McCalla. In 74 I transferred to the Holland when it was in drydock  in Bremerton got out in June of 1975 the next day went to work in the Metaluragy lab and after 6 months transferred to the foundry there. They made me re enroll into their apprenticeship program. I tried for 3 years to let me take the Journeymans test but they refused so I quit. Left Bremerton went to L.A. and worked in Burkes Foundry which at the time made Edlebrock racing parts. Nixon and glenwood Marine parts. In 79 went back to Phoenix and started working as a Metal Fabricator/Welder till about 88 when I switched trades again and went to work as a Pipefitter/welder. In 2004 I switched one last time and became a Commercial HVAC Serviceman. At that point I started getting the same bull that you had commented in one of your comments I think it was to James McCalla. Ikepet getting Laid off and the comment always was things were slowing down but they always seem to have hired a few more guys just after letting me go. Finally in 2015 I went out on early retirement. In 2016 I developed Bladder Cancer had my bladder removed. Am on disability now trying to get a claim into the V A. Do you Know If James is still kicking sure would like to talk to him. I'm going to email Dave Asche about help with the Mesothelioma claim. I read in one of his comments he has some Info to share. I hope your doing O,K. You can email me at robertbrantner@hotmail.com. Good hearing from you.
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  Daniel L. Ivester May 27, 2015 at 8:52am

  I worked next door in the sheet metal shop. I got on in Charleston. Was on the Lake till 74 then went to Little Creek, VA.

  I don't know if you remember me. I think you worked with Chuck Gundilfinger.

  Do you remember John Craig from the carpenter shop? He is organizing a reunion at Annapolis in September.

  I am living in Choctaw Oklahoma now. Retired from Tinker AFB 2 years ago. Now I do welding . I just do small jobs.

  Got to go and get my day started. Email me at: divester1@cox.net .

  Dan Ivester
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  Thomas Kitchen February 7, 2015 at 9:57am

  Yes, on facebook. I had two children, a boy and a girl, and now I have 7 grandchildren. Am presently in contact with a guy up in Georgia that is a machinist who is trying to learn how to make molds with petrobond and who has his own small gas fired furnace and who has poured castings to replace broken parts in antiques. You can guess how well his castings came out when he fed the melt directly into the mold cavity from the sprue. No runner. No leggings, poured while wearing sneakers, the list goes on. He is trying to fabricate another furnace, one that can melt iron, and when he is done I will be going up to his place and hold a class on gating systems. He's only poured non ferrous material before so He'll be surprised when I tell him how much more he'll have to do. 
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  Thomas Kitchen February 5, 2015 at 1:10pm

  Howdy Craig, I'm doing good...Retired as an MLC in '91, became an armed guard for almost two years before a job opened up on the Mayport Naval Station and I eventually became a Journeyman Electrician. Retired now and , like you, enjoying the good life. Will start to draw Social Security in a few months then , with my retirement pay, will be making what a Master Chief made while I was still in. Nice!
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  Thomas Kitchen February 4, 2015 at 11:01am

  Howdy Craig, Tom Kitchen here. Glad to see you're still out and about. Lots of Molders on the site. Glad to see that the life expectancy of a Molder has improved beyond 6 years after retirement. In case you don't remember the name, I was in MLA school with you. Later!
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  Larry Allen Johnson July 9, 2012 at 11:43am

  Craig:

  Hope your doing well. Thanks for getting in touch. Did you know any of the HTs on the ship? Had a good buddy Phil Tindell.

  Take care and talk to you later

  Larry
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  Mike Moore April 10, 2011 at 1:52pm

  I reported onboard as an ML2. ML1 John Kappes was in charge and ML2 Rey Pamolo was the LPO and there was an mlfn in the shop too but I can't remember his name. I made ML1 on there and ended up running the shop when ML1 kappes retired
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  Mike Moore April 10, 2011 at 7:08am

  I checked on board while the ship was still in the yard in charleston we came out of the yard and went to diego garcia in april of 82
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  Mike Moore April 10, 2011 at 5:39am

  I was onboard from 82 to 85 worked in the foundry