Rank
Command Master Chief Petty Officer
Where were you or your family stationed?
RTC San Diego (1st, Last and a CC tour in between); AFSouth, Naples, Italy; USS Coral Sea (CVA43); DLIEC (Vietnamese); USS F D Rooselvelt (CV42); PE School, GLakes, Il, Instructor MM"A" School; RCC, RTC, SDiego; USS Bagley (FF1069), Command MC; RTC SDiego, Command MC, Retired.
Veteran of Foreign War
The Cold War, Vietnam, Iran
Current Status with the US Navy
Retired
Start date of your service
May 13, 1965
Comments
I got out after my 4 years, went home to Michigan got married we had 4 children we had one that passed away at age 4, I worked for General Motors for 30 years retired in 2005 , always wondered what would have happened if I had a better attitude while in the Navy
Hey Ski, Sorry I'm just getting back to you. Yeah, I drove for the Chief of Staff at AirSouth. There was only one AF guy in the MP, think his name was Langston, he drove for the Commander AirSouth. I took over from MM2 Blanton when he left Naples. Started off with a two star who retired, his replacement was a one star, youngest in the AF at the time. He went up to Germany for some surgery, decided to drive his Massarati and ended up killing himself there.
That is some career. Thank you for your service.
I got out June '68 and went to work for American Airlines. Worked the ramp, became and agent and then supervisor at airports around the country. About 1981 I got into the computer end of the airline world, joined the Hardware Help Desk in Tulsa, OK, helped people fix their hardware problems over the phone or dispatched the vendor. From there I went to the engineering group writing test scripts and doing acceptance testing on Automated Baggage Systems at airports.
Next I started designing Flight Information Display Systems (FIDS) for our terminal and eventually became the Team Lead for a group of eight engineers. From there I became the Account/Project Manager to Canadian Airlines putting in new systems world wide. When Air Canada bought them I went back to lead the FIDS Group again. Retired in 2009.
I loft around for a couple of years but couldn't handle it anymore but wanted a job where I didn't bring it home with me anymore. I went to work for O'Reilly Auto Parts as a delivery driver to various shops. It was great for three years.
My wife and I (43 years) just bought our first RV, a Class A 34 foot long gas engine. We are in the process of packing up the house to put the stuff in storage and sell the house. Planning on living in the RV and travel for at least two years. May be longer as I already have our plans set through September 2016. Lake George, NY this summer, Florida next winter and then May, 2016 we will head to Alaska for the summer to visit out oldest and family who just moved back there.
We want to see as many National Parks and other sights as we can, while we can.
How are you enjoying permanent shore life? I know you had a number shore assignments but now there is no sea break for you.
Take care, Ken
Hello Ski, don't know if you remember me but after MM A School we were both assigned to the International Motor Pool at AFSOUTH along with five others. I remember that there were a bunch of us who arrived on the same day, they guys we were replacing picked us up in a couple of Fiat Mini Busses. Lot's of great memories of that time.
I was surprised to read that you shipped over for 30 years in the Navy, I didn't think any of us would become lifers. I believe we were all very lucky to go to Naples for our 1st duty station.
I left Naples about mid June 1968, spent a week in Brooklyn to muster out. The last night they wanted to assign me to chaser duty to go to Boston to pick up a prisoner. Told them I was out of there in the morning and I wasn't going.
Also read you were the last Command Master Chief at San Diego RTC. Took our sons our for a visit back in 1995 before our oldest went into the AF. Drove past the base and was surprised to see it had shut down. I remember Nimitz side had just opened when I got there June '65 (Company 305 - MMC Stockton was our Company Commander). Spent eight weeks there before they moved us to the Advanced Side for the last four weeks. As I remember, the new classes coming in were cut down to just eight weeks of Boot.
Have you been in touch with any of the other guys we were stationed in Naples with? As I remember you had a best bud named Mike or Mac or something like that.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Ken Baker
Hello, Ski, I'm not that good with computers but the photos I see here look great, so I guess that you figured out the problem. If you are still having any problems, contact my son Doug, who created this site.
Bill Karr
I'm Bill Karr. My son Doug created this site and I help him out a bit. We hope that you enjoy it.
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