I entered the Navy from Harrisburg PA in 1953. I completed Recruit Training at Bainbridge MD. Upon completion of Boot Camp I was sent to Great Lakes for a 32 week ET'A' School. While on Recruit Leave (Dec'53) I managed to get a severe cold. Their I was in G/Lakes, sicker than a dog waiting for ET'A' School to start, when a call went out for volunteers for a new 44 week FT'A" School at Anacosta (DC). Only 100 miles from home. It was a good thing I travelled with several others to DC because I was so sick that I didn't remember changing trains in my home town.
Midway through FT'A' School a call went out from SUBLANT for FT's. Five of us volunteered and was sent over to the Naval Gun Factory for pressure testing and passed, all being transferred to N/Lon upon completion of school in Dec '54.
Upon completion of Submarine and Submarine Fire Control Schools I was sent to the TRUMPETFISH (SS425) at Key West FL. Shortly after going on board the T-FISH, we went into a 6 month overhaul at Charleston Naval Shipyard. During this time all qualifications were suspended,I'm not sure just when I qualified, I use 04/56 to be safe. What I do know is that on the day I qualified, a whole bunch of us went flying through the air and into the drink. A highlight of my tour on the T-FISH was that when NAUTILUS came to Key West my CO got me a ride on her, a mere FT3, in a time when only senior officers and ranking politicians were guests.
In July '56 I was sent to SALMON(SSR573) as part of the Precommission Detail. SALMON was to be homeported in San Diego CA. After sea trials and shakedown we took her around to San Diego. At the time our CO was married to the Peruvian Ambassador to the US. Instead of going up to San Diego, we went south to Lima, Peru for the 4th of July, and on the way I was duly inducted int the realm of Kng Neptune. Shortly after arriving in San Diego we were sent on a WestPac run. While in WestPac, Sub Pac sent out a request for technical rating volunteers for Nuclear Power School and Bupers was looking for volunteers for the pilot program for the Polaris Missle System. I know if I was the victim of someones sense of humor or not, but I received orders to Nuke U.
I completed my nulcear training at N/Lon and went to the S3G Protoype at West Milton NY. As soon as I had qualified at West Milton I was sent to TRITON (SSRN586) to relieve one of the reactor operators who was being sent to one of the advanced college programs. I went aboard as an FT2, made FTC and converted to ICC because of the source rating concept. While on board TRITON I made the historic around the world submerged cruise. The most meaningful part of my time on TRITON was to be selected as an enlisted engineering watch officer.
In 1964 I transferred to FLASHER (SSN613) as part of the commissioning crew. FLASHER was to be the first submarine to come out of the yards Certified Sub Safe. It was during this time that I had to make the decision to convert to ET or lose my nuclear. Since I had never been accused of being incompetent, I elected not to convert and was granted to revert to my FT rating. I took FLASHER through a major portion of her sea trials and was transferred shortly before commissioning.
In July 1966 I went to CORPORAL (SS346) as COB. I made a Med deployment and shortly after received orders to G/Lakes as Area Supervisor for the FT'C' Underwater Fire Control Systems. On completing my tour of duty at G/Lakes in 1969I went to COBBLER (SS344) where I made 2 Med trips and a 6 month yard overhaul at Philadelphia. A highlite of my time on COBBLER was to qualify as an Officer of the Deck-Surfaced. Time was getting short and COBBLER was deploying, I was sent to NAS, Quonset Point RI to finish out my career.
After the service, I went off-shore commercial fishing. During the 15 years in the fishing fleet, I fished the Atlantic Seaboard from Cape May NJ to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. I worked seven years as an engineer, seven years as a captain and my final year as an industry rep for joint US- Whoever ventures.
In 1986 I moved to where I'm presently residing in Chocorua NH. In 1989 a met some ex-sub sailors at a private lecture and we became Thresher Base. I have been serving as Secretary since our Chartering.
Last updated by Kevin Galeaz on March 15, 2007 19:15
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