Autobiography

Chapter VII - Age 18 - In the Navy
Last update: January 11, 2008 7:51 PM

The United States Navy

BOOT CAMP – San Diego, California

In late March of 1976 I left Pasco by Greyhound bus and traveled to Spokane where I went through the necessary physical examinations and finally was sworn in to the United States Navy as a Seaman Recruit on March 31, 1976. I arrived in San Diego, California the next day to begin my training in boot camp.

I spent about 3 months in San Diego’s naval boot camp in company 073. While in boot camp, I met David Norio Ikeno. David was from Hawaii and of Japanese ancestry. He joined the Navy with his friend Jason Nagamoto who was also in our company.

In June of 1976, it was time for me to get out of boot camp. Mom took the bus down from Washington to watch the graduation ceremonies. It was kind amusing (and slightly insulting) that when one of our guide-on bearers (the guy carrying the flag) dropped his flag, that she figured that must be me! (I wasn’t). I spent anther week in boot camp before I was able to leave. Mom stayed at a motel during that time. When I got out, we took some time together to go around town including a trip to the San Diego Zoo.

ON LEAVE

We left San Diego together and traveled by bus to Bradley, Oklahoma, where we joined Dad, ‘lisa, Darlene and Skip. Skip was now 7 years old, Darlene was 15 and Calisa 13. Little did we know at this time that this would be the last time our family would all be together at once. I wonder what we might have done differently had we known?

NAS MERIDIAN, MS

My leave time was up and now it was time for me to continue with my training at the Yeoman “A” School at the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Mississippi. Mom and I split up at this time as she was going on to Texas to visit more relatives (her mother, and sister I think).

David Ikeno, from my company in boot camp, went to school the same “A” school as I did and we were roommates in the barracks while stationed in Meridian. In fact, I don’t think he would have made it through “A” School if not for me. I had been typing for 2-3 years by this time and could type over 80/wpm. All of our classes require typing and David did not know how to type. I did not even have to try hard to get through the classes, but he was struggling. I used to make carbon copies of some of my work to help him out. He just barely squeezed by!

Yeoman “A” School lasted a little over a month, at which time we left for our permanent duty stations. We all filled out our “dream sheets” where listed places we would like to be stationed. I think I put down Hong Kong China, Bremerton Washington (on an experimental Hydrofoil), and Hawaii. I definitely wanted to get stationed on board ship so that I could travel around and see other countries. Again, my love of languages and other cultures was showing. Most of the guys in the Navy with me were all saying that they wanted to get shore duty. I did not understand why they joined the Navy if they wanted shore duty! I was told that the chances of getting shore duty for your first permanent duty station was about 5000:1.