After
boot camp I was assigned to a class A boilerman school at Great Lakes. Upon
graduating from there I was assigned to NAVSPECWARCOM SCHOOL (UDT BUDS) at
Coronado. That's where I met Dennis Noble, we both washed out during the
4th week, HELL WEEK. After that we both were assigned to the Hopewell as
BT's, punishment I guess for failing.
We were tight during our tour, but I
lost contact with him. I was assigned to the forward fireroom under 2nd
class Macke, Chief Taylor was his superior. Ens McKinney was B divisions
officer, not a bad guy. I worked in B division for 18 mos. I ask for a
transfer to 1st Division and was striking for gunnermate under 2nd class
Dunlap. After about 6 months the XO W. R. Irwin ask me to work in the ships
office and strike for yeoman, so I accepted. I worked under Chief Taitano,
the Guamanian. I remember all of the guys you mentioned, especially
Miley... I have
old.....home movies of the Hopewell and crew on both of my WESTPAC
cruises.
A little about my self-- after I got out I attended Long Beach
City College, then Humboldt State in Arcata, Ca. and graduated with B. Ed
(Education Degree) from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. I ended up
living in Alaska for twenty two years. I got married in 1969 in Fairbanks,
Alaska and we are still married, 30 years. My wife and I taught in the
BUSH, {remote areas in the Alaska wilderness}. My wife and I taught
Eskimos at Noatak above the Artic Circle, Indians along the Yukon River
and in the interior, and at a one teacher school called English Bay. I
also coached wrestling for 15 years. During the summer I fought forest
fires though out Alaska and the lower 48. I began my firefighting career
in Montana on a hotshot crew and later in Alaska I began working with the
Helishots out of Fairbanks, we Rappelled from choppers and I still enjoy
fighting fire to this day. I have been doing this job for four decades,
seasonal of course. I also found time to serve my country in three
different military services, Navy 1962-66, Coast Guard 1982-85 {Law
enforcement), Alaska National Guard 197th Inf. Scouts 1985-1996. I also
worked as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer in Yellowstone National Park.
We moved to The Black Hills in South Dakota in Aug 1991. We live about 8
miles from Mount Rushmore, in a small town called Hill City. My wife owns
her own real estate business.
We have five children, all born in Alaska.
Chris is our oldest; he has a degree in physics and just graduated from
OCS. He is now an ENS in the U.S. Navy. He lives in Charleston, S.C. while
attending The Naval Nuclear Power School which is a one year school. He
will then be assigned to a carrier, as a nuclear power officer. Rachel has
two children and is attending college majoring in Occupational Therapy,
Rebecca in attending college and majoring in Chemical Engineering , she
will be a junior, Luke is attending college and might be joining the ROTC
program, and Sarah is attending college and majoring in Parks and
Recreation.
Jim |