Back in March of 1964 I had to make a decision. Join up or wait to get drafted. I decided to join the Navy. So off to Great Lakes Navy boot camp. The recruiter gave me a choice of boot camps. San Diego, or Illinois. I have never been back east so why not Great Lakes. Someone should have told me it still snows back there in March. Being a California boy that was quite a shock. After boot camp I I went to Tennessee for aircraft engine mechanic school on radial engines. Then to San Diego to join a sea plane patrol squadron. We had 12 planes (water landing only) Out of four years I was on a ship only one month. That was a sea plane tender anchored in Cam Rah Vietnam. The planes were used for flying patrols off the coast looking for the bad guys. The rest of the time we were in Japan, or the Philippines. Later we got 12 locked Electra planes, and were stationed in the San Francisco bay area. Mofett Field. I Had to learn jet engines. Later on I was asked if I wanted to go to Adak Alaska. with the rest of the squadron. Since my four \years were about over I said NO to that in a hurry. I liked the decision to join the Navy. After boot camp and school. It was almost like a regular 8 hr a day job, except every four days we had to stay on the base, if needed. That's my story, Stan
