“1955, at which time I was discharged with the rank of Aviation Machinist Mate, Second Class. During the first part of my tour of duty with the squadron I was a mechanic on a check crew where I learned a great deal about aircraft engines, and developed maintenance skills under the tutoring of Chief Vic Scheele, a man I greatly admired for his knowledge, work ethic, and rapport with the men who worked under his supervision.

At some point during my tour I was assigned to a flight crew as a second mech, and then later as a plane captain. During most of my term as a plane captain, I was associated with HC 12 Flight Crew members Fred Strasser, AD, Archie Turner, AT, Jake Benner, AT, Bob (Dunk) Dunkle, AO, and George Ryan, AO. I have many fond memories of the times I spent with these guys. We worked hard together, and there were some scarey moments, but there were a lot of fun times too. Particularly impressed in my mind are the good times we had on the AirFam hops that the squadron flight crews made to many European countries during the two duty tours that VP21 spent on the island of Malta…I have reminisced about those trips and the guys on my flight crew many times during the 50 years that have gone by.

I also remember very well many other good friends I made during my years with VP21, especially guys like Carl Lazzaro and Joe Sediva, (many a good laugh was shared with these two), Glenn Harkleroad, Rich Cybulski, Jim (Ike) Iacovone, Ken Fryover (VP 21 softball teammate), Jimmy Jones (also teammate softball player and an excellent pitcher)…..If any of the men I have mentioned in this writing are reading this, I want to say to you a hearty hello…..and I hope you are doing well. Also, it would be really great to hear from you!..My email address is syledance@eccable.com

Mentioning Malta brings memories of English chow halls (fish and whatever), quonset huts, softball games, diving off rocks into the blue Med, goats, rocks, quarries with dust, the narrow winding streets of Valetta, begging kids with outstreched arms yelling “Hey Joe””, hot airplanes, hot engines, and hot, hot weather. And then the finale to the Malta tour…a return to the frigid weather of Brunswick, Maine. These are treasured memories that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

After I left the Navy, I went to college and graduated in 1959 from the University of Scranton with a degree in accounting. I then married Sylvia Caravello in December of that year and moved to Maryland where I began a 26 year career in Washington, D.C. as a Tax Law Specialist in the National Office of the Internal Revenue Service. (I was one of those really bad guys!!!)

Sylvia and I raised four children in the rural town of Clarksville, Maryland, and we now have 10 grandchildren. Our children all live in Maryland. Our youngest son was just married a few weeks ago, so there will most likely be more grandchildren.

I retired from the IRS in 1987 when I was 55. To keep myself busy, I bought a book on how to build a house, and then purchased a piece of property at Lake Anna in Virginia. For the next three summers I lived in a small trailer on the property, and physically built a four bedroom cottage there. For the last 15 years we have spent the summer months in that cottage, much to the delight of our grandchildren who love the lake and who visit us regularly.

Sylvia and I do a lot of travelling and we are active in ballroom dancing, tennis, bowling, boating and several other hobbies. We sold our home in Clarksville when I completed the cottage in Virginia, and we now reside in a townhouse in Ellicott City, Maryland during the winter months. I participate in senior activities and presently serve as the president of our local senior organization. I have been in that capacity for about 8 years (not because I’m a great president….but because no one else wants the job).”