I guess I first saw this poster a long time ago. It must have induced me to join the Navy. Because that's what I did within eight months of graduating from high school in 1970. I joined to become an Electronics Technician (ET).
I was sent to "boot camp" at Recruit Training Center (RTC), Great Lakes, IL Feb 1971. It sure can get cold there in February! During boot camp you have to see this Petty Officer they call the "Classifier". Well he told me the Navy already was filled up with ET's so I had to choose another rating. Of all the selections he put forth the Radarman (RD) sounded the best and besides they still got half of the electronics training the ET's got. So I opted for RD. After boot camp I attended RD 'A' school, also in Great Lakes, IL. However, I was in the first class to go though in the new training program. That meant I would not get the electronics training that I had signed up for. The Classifer lied to me. He had to know! But it didn't hurt me none. In the long haul.
Then after some leave back in Ohio, spending time with my girlfriend and my family, I was off to San Diego, CA for the USS DENVER (LPD-9). San Diego was great, but the Navy didn't let me stay there long because the ship wasn't there.
I (too soon) left on a plane, flying out to Hawaii, Wake, Midway, then Guam. Stayed at Guam for a couple of days before flying on to Saigon, Vietnam. Spent the night there, then it was on to Hong Kong. I was supposed to fly into Australia to pick up my ship, but the travel Sargeant behind the desk said he wasn't going to send me if he couldn't go too! Needless to say I didn't go to Australia.
I spent three days in Hong Kong. Then on to Okinawa to await the arrival of my ship. Hong Kong was GREAT! Thanks Sarge!
Finally made it to the ship Dec 1971. Lost my girlfriend back home shortly afterwards (Dear John type letter). Spent the next five years on board. I even shipped over to stay on board. Unlike some others, I was having a good time. Somewhere along the way the Navy changed my rating, shortly after being promoted to Radarman Third Class (RD3). So overnight Radarmen (RD) were dubbed Operation Specialists (OS). When the Navy created Electronic Technicians (ET) and Electronic Warfare Technicians(EW), they were using Radarmen as the backbone of the new ratings. Those of us who did not get electronics became strictly operators, hence, Operations Specialists. So I became an OS3.
I was on board the USS DENVER from Dec 1971 to May? 1976. Did a lot of training. Three Western Pacific (WESTPAC) cruises. All ending up off the coast of Vietnam. Sat in an amphibious holding area off Tiger Island. Sat in the North Search and Rescue (SAR) station 80 miles from Hanoi. Did a lot of lazy circles, waiting most of the time.
1972 Participated in landing South Vietnamese troops at Quang-Tri on the coast just outside of Hue. My battle station was Port Alidae (gave visual bearings to the wave guide commander in order to track the landing party from ship to shore) up on the 04 level below the signal bridge. Had the USS NEWPORT NEWS sitting on the Line Of Departure (LOD) right off of the beach where we were trying to land our boats. The boats had to go around the USS NEWPORT NEWS. There were two other cruisers (USS CHICAGO and USS OKLAHOMA CITY)and five destroyers (don't remember who) in the immediate vincinity shooting at targets of opportunity. Three B52s came by and dropped their ordinance with pin-point accuracy. Had to because the USS NEWPORT NEWS was anchored 2000 yards off the beach. After the dust of the B52 raid cleared several F4s came in and dropped napalm. Sent the South Vietnamese grunts ashore. They walked ashore without a fight. The 52's and F4's took care of the more than 300 VietCong in the vincinity preparing to try and repel them. As our boats were returning a single shore battery opened fire on the gathered amphibious vessels (USS DENVER, USS MOBILE LKA-115, USS TUCALOOSA LST-1197). We all went to ALL AHEAD FLANK, HARD RIGHT RUDDER. We got out of there fast. If we hadn't we'd of had damage as that shore battery had a good eye for range. A Shell fell in the wake of one of the departing ships. As we were moving I thought it was just like they told us at Naval GunFire Support (NGFS) school. Smoke from the counter battery fire comes right up through the trees, marking where the target is. Some where I have pictures of the USS OKLAHOMA CITY returning fire and silencing the gun.
Later we picked up Marine Cobras (7) on board (new helicopter at the time). Did some marine interdiction with the Chinese Communist merchants trying to re-supply the Viet Cong. Lots of night time fireworks! Somewhere along the way obtained the collateral duty as ships photographer.
1975? Was there for the evacuation of Saigon. Watched as six Hueys landed at the same time (3 starboard, 3 port) their rotors only a foot or two apart on our flight deck with two designated helo spots. Flight crew went crazy and dove for the cover of the catwalks. We threw a brand new Huey helo over the side to make room for the seventh helo still circling the ship waiting for a spot to land. Couldn't convince any of the six pilots to get their helos back in the air. Those pilots had their families with them and their war was over as far as they were concerned. That started the evacuation. We tossed five helos over the side. Kept two on board. CH-46's and CH-53's would ferry people from Siagon to us and other amphibs in the area. As soon as the last person step off of the helo it went airborne. Made the flight deck crew very nervous. We would put them on LCM-8 boats and ferry them to some merchants in the area who arrived to help transport the civilians. Who called them, I don't know. We conducted searches of everyone coming abaord. Threw alot of weapons and drugs over the side. The Gunnersmates did keep a nickle plated 45 cal sub machine gun. The firing pin was removed and it was mounted and given to the CO. Don't know where it's at anymore. One of the merchants had over 9000 evacuees on board. The DENVER had over 500 Vietnamese and over 100 US citizens, which we transported to the Phillipines and placed the Vietnamese on Grandie Island, in the middle of Subic Bay for disposition.
Air Boss was a helo pilot and the two helos we kept became his private helos for the rest of the cruise. That is, until the Air Boss landed one of those helos on the US American Ambassador's private resident during a his afternoon lawn party. I don't believe the Air Boss ever made Captain.
When the Mayguez incident went down, we were pierside in Okinawa. Ordered by COMPHIBFORSEVENTHFLT to get under way to assist. The only problem was the local tugs were at the other end of the island and we had gale force winds pushing us into the pier. If you've ever been to white beach pier in Okinawa you know it's a long pier. We tried to pull the ship away from the pier with four LCM-8's (mike boats) and an LCU craft. Didn't work. Our new skipper, who had spent eight years in the "Hanoi Hilton" as a POW, took command. He almost cleared the end of the pier, but we ended up hitting the end of the pier, putting about a 20-30 foot slice down the starboard side about 10-20 feet above the water line. Emergency crews set about to make it water tight as we continued out of the harbor, out to sea and underway as ordered. We were about 24 hours out when the Mayguez incident was over. So the skipper lowered the motor whale boat (remember I said I was ship's photographer?), well I was in that little boat bouncing all over the ocean trying to take some decent pictures of the damage as the Chief Engineer hung over the side in a boatswain's chair inspecting the damage up close. Of course the Denver was rock solid in those calm seas. Was definately glad to return aboard when we were through.
Left the Denver as a OS1 in 1976.
Transferred to NAS Moffet Feild, CA. Got married along the way. Two years there. Then went to OS'C' School
Transferred to the USS POINT DEFIANCE (LSD-31). Back to WESTPAC.(1978)
Transferred to the USS NEW ORLEANS (LPH-11). Back to WESTPAC. (1979)
Got out of the Navy in May 1980 as an OS1 (Operation Specialist First Class). Wanted to spend some time with the new wife and our three very young daughters.
Moved to OH. Drifted for a year, then settled into school. Got a Degree in Electronics and rejoined the Navy in 1984, reserves this time.
