MY NAVY LIFE
Hi and yes you read it right, I am a Navy Veteran. And you wonder how a girl from a
small town in Massachusetts ends up in the Navy. Well, that was the main part of the
reason I joined, I lived in a small town. I wanted to be a Dental Technician, my father in
all his wisdom seemed to think the best school around was only about 15 miles away and I
could commute to college. That was not for me, I wanted to get out of the town of
1200 people and see the world. And how would I go about doing that? The recruiting
poster read “Join the Navy and see the World”...that’s for me!!
My aunt had joined the Coast Guard during WWII and she became a “Spar.” I could do
that. Dad thought it was a good plan too.
Off I went on a January morning in 1966, leaving my small town, family and boyfriend
behind. I was going to see the world. First stop Springfield, MA recruiting office and
then on to Albany, NY to be sworn in. The next day 2 other innocent travelers of the
world and myself set off on the bus for the Whistle Stop in Bainbridge, Maryland, where
ever that was.
Basic training was not too bad, food was good, I made a lot of friends, cleaned floors,
washed heads (bathrooms) and learned how to march. The Navy was good to us, we
were treated like ladies. I thought only the guys had to wear dog tags, get all those shots, and learn to spit shine shoes. Boy, I sure learned a lot! They asked us what we wanted to do in the Navy and gave us
tests to see what we were good at. I told them, a Dental Technician was what I wanted to
be, the A School was in San Diego, I would love to go there, I’d never been to California.
Our Company Commander YN Houston’s brother was killed in Vietnam while we were in
boot camp. It suddenly made us all realize the that the war was looming out there and
that some of us would be part of it soon.
Company 4 of 1966, with YN2 Houston at our lead was a polished group when we
graduated from bootcamp in April.
Company # 4 of 1966 on Grinder 1 NRTC Bainbridge, MD
(I'm the second one from the left)
Our orders had come out the week before. The Navy
sure didn’t listen to me. They assigned me to Aviation Maintenance “A” School at
NATTC Memphis, TN. OK, so now I was going to be a secretary in the aircraft
maintenance hangar instead of cleaning teeth, but now I had to miss CA.
I was off again to new adventures, more new friends and more new places. First they sent
me off the General Aviation Training, with 500 Sailor and Marines in a two weeks school
and 4 of us WAVES. That really was different then living in the small town. In that school
I learned lots of skills none of my friends back home were learning. Like how to land in
the water in a parachute harness and how to use your trousers for a floatation device at
sea. I hope I never have to use this information. Then on to Aviation Maintenance
Administrationman School. With a lot of typing and bookkeeping and I was ready for new
orders. The guys in the class all teased us that we had better not get their shore duty billets.
But that was why we were there, to free up manpower to go to sea. They didn’t see it
that way.
Does anyone remember this uniform?
(this is a model, not me)
Orders came out again this time for Glynco Naval Air Station, Brunswick, GA...where is
that? Is this what they meant by Join the Navy see the World? I never even saw the
west side of the Mississippi River. Where is that recruiter???
If you were ever stationed at USNTC Bainbridge/NAPS please look at the USNTC Bainbridge/NAPS Association Newsletter
International Hall of Honor
In Memory of my friend and classmate who gave his life for our freedom.
Kenneth Allen Berube, USMC, Monson, MA
Donald Lee Sparks, US Army, Carroll, Iowa
Kenneth B. Goff Jr, US Army, Warwick, RI
These are just a few of my favorite military links.
The Navy Memorial
Women In Military Service to America Memorial (WIMSA)
Military Women Home Page
American Women in Uniform, Veterans Too!
Al Varelas'US Marine Corp Site
Firebase Higgy
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