I was born July 14, 1941 at Bon Secour, son of Roy & Rhinetta Dukes. I have two older brothers: Thomas R. & Charles G.
I joined the United States Marine Corps August 13, 1958 and completed basic training at Parris Island, S.C. I was transferred to MCAS New River, North Carolina;
Feb. 1960, transferred to Marine Aircraft Group 16, Futema, Okinawa, Japan;
March 1961 sent to Udorn, Thailand;
July 1961 transferred to MCAS, Cherry Point, N.C.;
January 1962 transferred to Marine Air Reserved Training Detachment, Willow Grove, Pa., where I met Winifred Mary Mellor from Manchester, England. We were married in Philadelphia, Pa..
January 30, 1863 our first daughter Donna Marie was born on a snowy night at the US Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, and our second Daughter Paula Ann was born Dec 6, 1964.
January 1965 transferred to Marine Aircraft Group 11, Atsugi, Japan;
March 1965 transferred to Da Nang Republic of Vietnam with VMFA-541;
April 1966 transferred to MAG-31, MCAS Beaufort, S. C.;
January 1967 transferred to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S. C.;
December 1968 transferred to MAG-11, Chu Lai, Vietnam;
January 1969 transferred to MCAS, Cherry Point, N.C.;
February 1973 transferred to MAG-36, Futema, Okinawa, Japan;
March 1974 transferred to MCDET, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Va., where our son Steven P. was born Sept. 1974.
I retired from the Marine Corps in August 1978 as a SSgt.
I returned to Baldwin County and bought a house in Daphne, and in 1984 opened my own heating and air conditioning company (BALDWIN HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING, INC.) in Bay Minette. In 1995 we moved the company to Hwy 64 in Daphne, where we have 25 employees.
Win and I like to travel and have been to England twice, three Caribbean cruises, one Alaskan cruise, several South American fishing trips including two to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. We like to travel in the U.S. as well.
My Hobbies include deep sea fishing, boating, golf and hunting.
