rasierras: March 2007

No matter where you go, there you are !

ALL ABOUT ME

I was born in a small town, Fallbrook, California, U.S.A. on 23 January 1951. We didn't have much but were happy. I lost my father in 1956 to a auto accident. We lived out by Live Oak Park and I visited that park frequently. It was my back yard sort of speak. Every weekend the Marines from Camp Pendleton would go there and have picinics. I know now that what I am about to tell you was wrong, but I was a little kid and I didn't know any better. I used to go to the park especially when the Marines were there and sneak under the cement picinic tables, reach up and dip my fingers into usually the best beans I ever tasted. I thought I was pretty sneaky and I thought no one ever saw me. Until one day while I was reaching for the bean pot, a Marine grabbed my wrist and guess what happened next. Nope, to my surprise this Marine did not scolled me nor did he beat me nor did he take me home to Mom(I would have gotten my butt spanked then), but instead he said, " sit down here, nobody wants to eat beans after you stuck your dirty hands in them." Then he served me a bowl of bean, a hamburger, chips, and a soda. He told me from now on just serve myself and sit down to eat. I learned later that they followed me home and saw where I lived and decided to bring the family some relief goodies. I think my Mom turned their offer away(pride) but not sure. After that I never did go back to do that again, older brothers and sisters kept a close eye on me and kept me away. In 1967 we moved to Pomona, Calfiornia. Why? I don't know. I hated life there, the only thing that I liked about Pomona was TV channels and LA County Fair. I still don't care to ever go back to Pomona. After this period it's all military. I went to several schools in my life and high schools there were two. Fallbrook Union High School and Pomona High School. I don't remember Pomona High Schools almamater but I remember this, " On a group of rolling foothill, stands a building we adore. It's the Fallbrook Union High School, one we'll love forever more. When we leave this school for greater and hail it's colors bright. We will not forget ol Fallbrook and the dear ol red and white.

My Military History 25 Years Navy and some Army.

My first few years were not the most favorable for me. I managed to get through BOOTCAMP pretty smooth. Never got sick and never missed a step. I saw other Companies getting set back two or three week for something like not field stipping their cigarette butts and a RCMAA get nailed for calling a 1st Class Petty Officer a "Lifer". Needless to say, I didn't want to have his job. I don't know what this one company had, but it was some kind of illness that got them put back on SQUIRREL ISLAND in quarentine. Never saw those guys again nor did I look back. Anyway my first ship and first injury was on the U.S.S. Reaper MSO-467. We were slushing cable and my job was to apply grease to the wire as it was fed back onto the drum. Back then, there was no protective anything. Yep ! You guessed it. I got hooked through the right hand and the wire started pulling me into the spool. Just before I reached about three feet from the drum I heard a lot of yelling and the drum stopped turning. An old Salty Dawg by the name of BM1 Carver had stop this evolution before I knew it. BM1 Carver had a hold of my arm and wrist, said try not to move Doc is on the way. Doc got there and they tried to free my hand but couldn't. They ended up cutting the wire and took me to the hospital or something like a hospital. We were at Hunter's Point and my first time there so I really don't know where they took me. The wire got pulled out the way it went in and I got a couple of shots and was sent back to the ship to return to work. My next ship was U.S.S. Midway CVA-41, that's right CVA not CV. "Midway Magic", I couldn't get off of that ship fast enough. They made a Museum out of her in San Diego. Next was the U.S.S. Paul Revere LPA 248, why I was sent there I don't know. They were preping her for Decom. and I was gone before the official ceremony took place. I have no picture of her. Almost forgot that I was in Army about here instead of on ships. I had got out of Navy and joined the Army. Man was this great. I was in an Armor unit (TANKS) and liked it a lot. I was taught how to disassemble, clean, lube, and reassemble and fire a whole lot of different weapons. Including the M48A5 and M60A2 Heavy Combat Tanks. I got to be pretty good, ...eh! Then back to the Navy. . . Big-Bad-Ship com'n out of moth balls and I wanted it! Then came the U.S.S. Gray FF 1054 and then the U.S.S. Racine LST 1191, ho-humm, ho-hmmm... These two ships were my stepping stones to the "Big J" , not to say they weren't great ships but I wanted the "Big J". The high point of my career, what I was waiting for! The Battleship New Jersey BB 62. Forth Commissioning Crew Plankowner. From Precom. to first deployment, I was on her. This was truely a beauty of a great ship, overhauled and refurbished with an even more awesome firepower. From the Commanding Officer to the lowest man in ranks performance had to be above superior. All brightwork polished and decks gleeming. Worked hard and played hard! Next was the U.S.S. Sides FFG 14, she was a good ship and seem to have trouble keeping Chief's around. One day I found myself in charge of a Division and then a Department. I was senior enlisted. There were two guys my same rank but you know how that goes. That was kinda rough but I stayed and did my best. Then Came U.S.S. Duncan FFG 10, this was another good ship. " Duncan Donuts" had great command and good guys on her. Last but not least came the U.S.S. Wadsworth FFG 9, ray-o-vac with the black cat. Another good ship with great crew. All of these GREAT SHIPS ARE GONE, but not forgotten. I was part of Decom Crew for FFG 9. I was not involved in the Decommissioning on any others. I decided to retire when I saw my former commands in the Blue Jackets Manual, some as what happened and others lessons learned. My last watch in the Navy, I was OOD, this young guy reported on board and I thought he was 12 or 14 at best when I first saw him. He reminded me of me.