Howard N King's Page

Yes, my first duty station after boot camp also. Got there in late 1965 as I recall, been a long time. Nothing there now but a parking lot I believe and from what I have read the BUPERS building was torn down to expand Arlington National Cemetery. 

Howard,

I was stationed at Argentia form 05/61 until my discharge 10/63, with VW-11. When I applied for an extension in 1962, I was sent to the base counselor, who upon learning of my reasoning, chuckled and granted my application.

As a lifelong single man age 74, it is my opinion that Newfie women of that era were the warmest alive. To the best of my recollection, I have neither ever read or heard of any sailor that found that duty a speck less than great.

Argentia was my first active duty station. Never knew how great a duty station it was, till I left. As an Engineman, I stood watch on the generator shop at the Fac. I learned a great deal there. The meals in the Chow Hall were great! Lived a lifetime or two there, boy howdy!!. The history we discovered, hiking all over the base was amazing. Sid Stovall (active duty personnel at the Exchange), I believe that was his name; was my diving instructor, received my NAUI open water certification there. Just a flash of memories rattling by. Thank you for awakening them!! -Jim "Sherb"

Howard.
The pay is much better today, but the Navy, as you say, is not the same...I joined at 17
and went to boot in S. Diego. I will tell you a story that happened on the McKean..We had a PO1 Baker in charge of our mess. He was a hard ass. He made the best sweet rolls I have ever had and on the mid-watches we would always try to get something to eat..nothing doing with that guy. Hell I thought we were special...we were Radiomen...ha Well we were on our way to westpac and he had left his wife very pregnant and about to deliver.. He got a letter that she was having problems and he really got to be hard to get along with. We put our heads together and decided to hook him up with KMI Oakland and let him call home.He made several calls and the delivery went well..From that day on Radio had sweet rolls and ice cream for every Mid Watch the rest of the cruise...Turned out to be a real nice guy...
I extended a year in Kami Seya after making RM2 and tried to extend for another year when I had just a few months to go up for RM1. OIC said no...six or nothing
so I went home and went to college. As a vet I was exempt from PE but had to get
a sign off each semester. The coach was a Navy Commander and over the reserve
base in Paris Texas close to home in Dallas. He found out that I had been an RM
with ship and shore duty and told me If I would sign up he would get me OCS andput me over the Radio crew..Promised me Lt JG out of OCS, I was having some wife
problems, at the time, and we moved to south Texas to get away from her Mother.
Sooo I missed two good chances for a Navy retirement. Often wish I had gone one
way or the other, but life has not been all that bad as a civilian. BUT we sure had
some good times back in the day...miss them still....