I joined the Navy while I was still in high school however October 09, 1969 was my first day of active service.
3 years, 1 month, 19 days
Vietnam 11 months, 22 days
Here are some pictures I found
Boot Camp class picture, where am I?
Answer below
This picture is of me and my brother Richard, from the date it must be after leave from bootcamp and on my way to Pensacola, Florida for A School at NCTC Naval Communication Training Center Corry Field.
This is my A School class. I can only remember two names. Chief Cooper and the guy to the right of me is Kyle I don’t remember is last name. When I graduated from A School I ended up being the 20,000th sailor to graduate from the school. They made a big deal about having graduated the 20,000th sailor. The Admiral in charge of Naval Security Group NSG came to Pensacola for the class graduation.
The next three pictures are from Vietnam
I don’t remember why this group picture was taken, however I’m not in it because I took the picture.
This is Dean Carstens and me taken August 20, 1972 (date was written on the back), my guess is Dean and I were going on watch. We were responsible for manning fire point number 13 (I think that was the number) it was a short distance from our workspaces.
Again, don’t know why or when the picture was taken but it is in front of our workspaces. The gate is open and the gate was never left open so we weren’t there very long.
This has to be when my folks picked me up at SeaTac Airport on my way home from Vietnam and out of the Navy.
50 years ago today I went into the Navy. 50 years sounds like such a long time ago, I guess it was a long time ago.
Bootcamp – San Diego, CA
A School – Pensacola, FL
First Duty Station – Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, DC – CT (Communication Technician) Detailing (Duty Station) Assignment Office
SERE School – Coronado, CA
Fleet Support Detachment – Danang, Vietnam
Boot Camp picture – Three rows down, three in from the right
