“I joined the Naval Air Reserve in Jacksonville, Florida in the spring of 1966 in the 2×6 program. I went to a 12-week boot camp in Jacksonville during the summer. I went to AFU-A electronics school in Millington, Tn. during the summer of 1968. I made E-4 as an “”AX”” rate before going on active duty in Charleston, SC in Jan of 1969. After a few weeks at Charleston I was assigned to VP-21. I left for Brunswick, Me. in February 1969. They had already left for deployment to Sigonella, Scicily. I flew commercial to Scicily to join them. I went to work in the electronics shop and after a few weeks the chief asked if I was interested in joining a aircrew. I volunteered and was assigned to the skippers crew operating all types of electronics. I switched to the new flying rate of AW shortly there after. I did alot of flying around the Mediterranean with a great trip to Palma de Majorca of Spain. We flew back to Brunswick that summer and heard we were de-commisioning. I was re-assigned in October to VP-8 in Patuxent River, Md. flying on P-3 Orions. I made one deployment to NAS Bermuda in the spring of 1970 and then returned late that summer. I made E-5 rate then. I got an early discharge in October 1970 and went home to Jacksonville. I did fly for four more years on reserve status and really enjoyed it. I took the E-6 exam but never made it. There were very few 1st class petty officer’s for AW’s in the reserves.

In 1986 I visited the Vietnam Memorial in DC. After a tearful visit I was very thankful for the luck of the draw in my Naval assignments during a very dangerous period in our lives.”