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- Apr 9, 2022
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Speak up, 10 Year USN vet. Thank you for your service.
which countries did you serve in?Four years- 1967 to 1971; Hospital Corps, USN.
As an addendum, both Michele and I lost uncles in WW II. Her mother's brother was killed when a kamikaze hit his ship, the USS Belleau Wood, while one of my father's brothers was killed near the end of the war, but on which ship I never was able to find out, so Memorial Day carries a special meaning for us.
Well, if I were to fire up the Wayback machine, my 3x great grandfather joined the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War; my 3x great uncle fought in the War of 1812; my great grandfather fought for the Union in the Civil War, and my father, while rejected for service for being too old and having a heart murmur, had 3 younger brothers serve in WW II, while both of my brothers served- the elder USN 1958 to 1962, and the younger US Marines 1973 to 1977.I didn't come from a family with a long military tradition. My grandfather was gassed in WW1. He had health issues the rest of his life and died in his early 60's. I barely remember him, just a few little flashes of memory with no context. My grandmother outlived him by 30 years.
My first duty station was Bethesda Naval Hospital, on a thoracic and plastic surgery ward. Not pretty. After 8 months of that, I requested a transfer to 'Nam- so of course they sent me to a tin can homeported in Charleston SC. Go figure.which countries did you serve in?
They say join the Navy and see the world. At least when I was in about the only place for most of the people in Army to go to in that part of the world was the south side of the DMZ in Korea. That was the height of the Cold War so most people in the Army went to Europe, usually West Germany. Alaska and Hawaii were classified as an overseas tour unless someone was from either state. If someone was from one of those states then it didn't count as an overseas tour.I was attached to oceanographic survey ships, USNS Harkness and USNS Chauvenet , We visited the following areas, Panama I camped on an island off the Colon side. Also visited the Philippines, Australia, Singapore and Kenya. Saw Japan in transfer.
Did you get separation pay for being stationed in AK or HI? If our address started with FPO, for Fleet Post Office, we got an extra $25 per month 'sea pay'. As an E3 making less than $150 a month in '68, that was a nice bump up.They say join the Navy and see the world. At least when I was in about the only place for most of the people in Army to go to in that part of the world was the south side of the DMZ in Korea. That was the height of the Cold War so most people in the Army went to Europe, usually West Germany. Alaska and Hawaii were classified as an overseas tour unless someone was from either state. If someone was from one of those states then it didn't count as an overseas tour.