My Navy

I enlisted in My Navy in May of 1966

I was working and going to school at night at the University of Bridgeport

 I worked at Norden Div. of United Aircraft so I had a work Deferment from the Draft...

One night in an Ice/Snow Storm I rolled my car not much Damage...

But a big fight with my Father...

But the next day I showed him...I went and joined the Navy....LOL

He Laughed like Hell...he thought that was the Funnest thing he had ever heard...

Well I entered the Navy and did 16 weeks of Boot Camp...I had put in for all the Electronic/Electrical Schools that the Navy had....

But the Navy had other Ideas...They were short of Corpsmen...

So I received orders to

 Naval Hospital Corps School, Great Lakes, IL

I was going home on two weeks leave, just to return to Great Lakes,IL

It took me Two weeks from the day I arrived there to when I was leaving on another Two weeks leave...

I had to go and Stand in Front of an Admiral who asked me why I did not like his Navy...

I told him (a deuce seaman w/hat in hand) that I liked his Navy and wanted to stay...

I knew Electronics and nothing about being a Corpsmen...

He told me I would have to go to the Fleet...I said Aye Aye Sir...

So from there it's History...

The first ship I was on

USS. Truckee AO-147 1966-1969

Made (2) Med. Cruises and many Caribbean and at times just off the East Coast..

She was a Good Ship with a Good Crew..

The second ship I was on...USS. Waccama AO-109

Older and smaller but I wanted to go on a North Atlantic Cruise with her...

Only problem was it was in the Winter October of 1969 to March of 1970

You don't want to know how COLD it was...But I did earn a Blue Nose..

The Third ship I was on was the Vulcan AR-5...just the last 6 months of my Enlistment..

They said she was welded to the pier, but they were able to get a few Tugboats and drag

her to the yards...Out Sept. 1970...I did not spend that much time on the Vulcan but I did make some good friends...Two guys that I will always remember they were the core group of the SEALS...Both were UDT and crazy as Hell...but in a good way....

I ended my First Enlistment in the Navy in Sept.1970...

I Re-Enlisted in Sept.1973 my first duty station wile awaiting orders...Was at the Brooklyn Navy yard...I pulled duty as a Brig Chaser (The Last Detail) was good duty wile waiting on orders...

In true Navy fashion I received orders to go to France to meet my New Ship USS.Glover AGDE-1..

So I get to France the French Navy base at Villefranche on the Riviera...And there is no American ship there, and no one seems to know anything and it's a Sunday afternoon and some crazy American is looking for a American Ship. You know how much HELP I received....Luckily I had some money with me...Make a long story short..I was ABLE TO GET A ROOM FOR THE NIGHT....Next Day was able to contact American Council and found out my Ship was on it's way to Israel...1973 Israeli war had started wile I was Flying....LOL...

So I ended up staying on the French Riviera with the US Government Giving me advance money to live and eat for a month...LOL...until they could arrange transportation to  my ship, Also crossing a border to Italy without a passport....I finally got to Naples, It. spent a day or two don't remember...anyway get a Wake up at 4 AM for a flight to the Carrier America did not leave till 1400 or 2PM.... Carrier Landing (trap) about 1530 or 3:30 PM...run to Helicopter for a short trip to the USS.Glover...This is what she looked like back then....

The Helicopter crewman told me to stand in the door way wile he put the harness on me...and when he taped me to just step out backward...RIGHT...This what it looked like maybe a little higher...

A little bit closer....

That little white Square is where they have to put me....hanging on a 1/2 inch  wire outside a Perfectly Good Flying Helicopter dropping about 75 to 100 feet as the Ship is moving forward and up and down and I'm swinging in the Wind.....

This may or may not be my arrival...but it's close enough that you get the Idea....Remember the Navy is an Adventure...

Of course in the Navy wisdom, the Glover pulled into the Port of Naples the very next day...

Got too LOVE the Navy....

The History of the USS.GLOVER

A GREAT SHIP SAILED BY GREAT MEN

I just want to add some memories....

Sign seen around Norfolk, Va.

You try and hold on to everything with one arm...and eat with the other hand...

The reason for holding on to Eat....If you could...LOL

The Sailor's 23rd Psalm

The Lord is my pilot, I shall not go adrift;
He lighteth my passage across dark channels;
He steereth me through the deep waters,
He keepeth my log.

He guideth me by the evening star for my safety's sake.
Yea, though I sail mid the thunders and tempests of life,
I shall fear no peril, for Thou art with me,
Thy stars and heavens, they comfort me.

The vastness of thy sea upholds me.
Surely fair winds and safe harbors shall be found,
All the days of my life;
And I shall moor, fast and secure, forever.

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