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Service Details |
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Last Rank
Chief Petty Officer
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Last Primary NEC
HT-9502-Instructor
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Last Rating/NEC Group
Hull Maintenance Technician
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Primary Unit
1974-1975, HT-4955, USS Buchanan (DDG-14)
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Service Years
1955 - 1975
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Official/Unofficial US Navy Certificates
Plank Owner
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Last Photo |
Personal Details
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Home State
Michigan | |
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Year of Birth 1938 |
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This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Henry W. Piel (Hank, KQ1V, VPA), RM2
to remember
Jussila, Earl, HTC USN(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
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Contact Info
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Last Address Bonita, California
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Date of Passing Jun 20, 2019 |
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Last Known Activity:
Not a whole lot. When I retired from the Navy in 75, went to San Diego City College for appliance repair. Got a job with then Montgomery Ward repairing all major appliances.Stayed with them for about 17 yrs.
Opportunity came along in 93 to go back to teaching at weld school Naval Station San Diego. They now had civilian instructors.
The school moved to the Great Lakes in 95. Around six of us instructors went with the school, then put it in commission the first part of 96.
My last class with the school was Oct.99.
Now fully retired in San Diego.
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Other Comments:
OBITUARY
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/bonita-ca/earl-jussila-8757693
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1955-1956, HQ, RTC Great Lakes, IL (Company Commander/Staff)
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1956-1957, USS Intrepid (CVA-11)
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1957-1958, Commander Atlantic Reserve Fleet (COMLANTRESFLT)
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1958-1959, SF-0000, USS Bordelon (DD-881)
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1959-1960, SF-0000, Break in Service
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1960-1960, SF-0000, USS John Paul Jones (DD-932)
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1961-1962, SF-0000, USS Cony (DD-508)
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1962-1964, SF-0000, USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25)
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1964-1965, HT-4955, USS Edward Mcdonnell (FF-1043)
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1965-1966, HT-4955, USS Bausell (DD-845)
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1966-1967, HT-4955, USS Dixie (AD-14)
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1971-1974, HT-4955, USS England (DLG-22)
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1974-1975, HT-4955, USS Buchanan (DDG-14)
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Reflections on CPO Jussila's
US Navy Service
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TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT INFLUENCED HIS/HER DECISION TO JOIN THE NAVY?
One big reason is: I didn't want to go work in the copper mines where I lived. There was a Chief Navy Recruiter, he would start in the south of Upper Michigan, and stay a few days in small towns, working his way north. When he got up to Calumet Michigan, his last stop, my buddy and I went to see him. He told us that if we joined we could go to boot camp under what they called the Buddy Program. So when I turned 17 on November 3, 1955, (with my Mothers consent) on November 16, 1955, I joined the Navy. Arrived Great Lakes, I went into Company 670, my buddy went into Company 671. So much for the buddy program.
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TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH HE/SHE TOOK IN HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE. WHERE DID THEY GO TO BOOT CAMP AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, SHIPS OR SQUADRONS WERE THEY ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS HIS/HER REASON FOR LEAVING?
1956 - Out of boot camp, I received orders to my first ship USS Intrepid CVA-11. I recall standing in front of the gigantic hunk of steel, I said to my self, how the hell does this thing float? I was assigned to work in the O2N2 plant. making oxygen for the pilots. Man this ship was big, got lost several times finding my way around. First thing you learn, where you sleep, eat, work, the head, and the pay line. Made one med trip on Intrepid. 1957 - Received orders to (COMLANRESFLT) moth ball fleet Philadelphia. Was working out of the ship-fitter shop. That is when I started to strike for Ship-fitter Pipe (SFP). 1958 - Saw me getting orders to my second ship USS Bordelon DDR-881 out of Norfolk. Assigned to R division. Made third class pipe fitter on Bordelon. I was discharged from the Navy, stayed out for abut 6 months and then reenlisted back into the Navy. 1960 - Received orders to my third ship as a third class to, USS John Paul Jones DD-932, out of Rhode Island. Short stay aboard about six months. 1961-1962 - Ordered to to my fourth ship USS Cony DD-508. This ship was assigned to Task Force Alpha out of Norfolk. Out two weeks, in two weeks. Understand they extended that later to 3 or 4 weeks, I made second class on Cony. 1962-1964 - Saw me getting orders to my fifth ship, USS Bainbridge DLGN-25. Part of the crew was sent to Four River Shipyard, Quincy, MA where the ship was being built. We slept and ate on a APL close to the ship. The rest of the crew was at Rhode Island, Pre Com. Our job was to go aboard and look for discrepancies, and any found we would write up a report as to the nature of the problem and submit it to the ship builders. We put Bainbridge in commission Oct.1962, four months later we were in the Med with the Enterprise, and Long Beach, the first nuclear surface task force. Made three Med. cruises on Bainbridge.Had some of the best times down in Charleston, SC when we where home ported there. I agreed to ship over upon receipt of orders to Class C1 weld school San Diego, CA. Request was granted, got orders, shipped over on Bainbridge and headed west. 1964 - Started school, thought I knew a lot about welding, come to find out, I didn't know Jack. Started to pay attention to the Instructors, went through Intermediate, Advanced, and Nuclear welding, total 32 wks. Come out of school with a NEC 4955 high pressure. Had the opportunity for the Nuc. code. Didn't want that NEC because the only orders at the time was you might end up on a bird farm or a sub tender. 1964-1965 - Sixth ship, out of school and received orders back east to USS Edward Mcdonnell DD-1043 out of Charleston. While at school I took the test for E6,and the results came in while I was in transit. When I arrived on board I asked Personnel to see if they could find out if I had made first class, a few days later they told me that I was now Ship-fitter First Class Jussila.The ship went to Gitmo for training (that sucked). One day the Chief Master at Arms threw a badge at me and said you are now MA. That is how they did it in those days. Stayed aboard about a year, took leave went back to San Diego, got married to a woman I'd met while at school, and we are still together today. While there, I went from ship to ship there at the base looking for a swap. Went On the USS Bausell DD-845, found a First Class Ship-fitter who wanted to get back east, we submitted requests and I ended up back west. 1965-1966 - Seventh ship USS Bausell. I did a lot of work down in the fire rooms and engine rooms. A Second Class Ship-fitter made first class so that made me eligible for transfer 1966-1967 - Received orders off Bausell to my eight ship USS Dixie AD-14. I can say this was one of the most enjoyable duties I had. Went aboard, saw the repair officer, said he was putting me in the sheet-metal shop. Told him I was a tin can sailor and didn't know Jack about sheet metal. He said by looking at my record, I would learn. Indeed I did. Never having things to work with on tin cans and now had all kinds of good stuff to work with is what I mean when I say it was enjoyable. Some of the big jobs we did on Dixie was to replace a boiler floor on one can, and renew a complete stack from the main deck to the 01 level, working 24/7 on that job. When a man got transferred out of the weld shop, I had the NEC so the repair officer put me in the weld shop. I made one WestPac, shipped over to get orders to Instructor Training School. 1968-1971 - Showed me at IT school San Diego, 6 wks. Then to Class C1 weld school as a instructor. I enjoyed my 3 1/2 years teaching. My students left that school with a good knowledge of welding technology. 1971-1974 - Out of instructor duty finds me with orders to my ninth ship USS England DLG-22 out of San Diego. Made two WesPacs on England. Got to know NSAR in the Tonkin Gulf real well. Up and down that coast many times. During those trips up in the Gulf (in the combat zone), I made repairs on super-heater tubes that had ruptured in 1A boiler while the other boiler was lit off. About 130 degree in that fire-room, everything you touched was hot. Back in San Diego, the ship was about to make another West Pac cruise. A Ship-fitter Chief on USS Buchanan DDG-14 wanted to get back to Subic, so he could get married, he and I swapped ships after request was granted. 1974-1975 - Tenth ship, USS Buchanan, this would be my last duty station, I just felt burnt out. So, I retired off Buchanan while it was in the yards, about a week before a detailer had come aboard and he said to me, that he would give me shore duty if I extended, I declined. Went down to San Diego, got my physical and retired Aug 1,1975.
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IF HE/SHE PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE YOU FEEL WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO HIM/HER AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY.
April 1961, Bay Of Pigs. I was on board USS Cony DDE-508. We left Norfolk thinking we were going out to our normal patrol area, the north Atlantic. We belonged to Task Group Alpha, in two weeks, out to weeks. What happened we ended up down off the coast of Cuba. We didn't know why. Our hull number 5 had been painted over, the Cony name on the stern was painted over. We went to General Quarters, I was a young Ship-fitter Third Class in charge of Repair 3. What happened was our motor whale boat went an picked up Brigade survivors. The boat was fired upon by a Cuban helicopter, and Cony received small arms fire. We stayed at GQ for about five days. We were told not to say anything about what went on. When we got back to the states, the civilians knew more that we did. In 1965, as a first class Ship-fitter serving on USS Bausell DD-845 out of San Diego, while on the gun line of the coast of Vietnam, the Captain had to get fire as far inland as he could. He pulled up close to the shore, thought we might run aground. Firing our guns, shell casings all over the decks, paint smoking on the gun barrel's we had a hang fire in one of the barrel's on Mt 52. Chief Gunner after a lot of debate, put a short charge in and blew it over the side (I had visions of that gun mount blowing up), but all went well. 1972 On board USS England DLG-22 England was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for meritorious service from 30 May 1972 to 3 December 1972. While participating in combat operations in southeast Asia. On 11 September 1972, England directed two F4 Phantom Fighters to a intercept of two North Vietnamese Migs. One Mig was destroyed the other one was damaged. One of the F-4 aircraft was hit by a surface to air missile. The crew were forced to eject over the Gulf of Tonkin. England had a helicopter aboard, and within minutes had picked the crew up. To this day I often wondered where those Migs were headed.
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FROM THEIR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY PERSONAL MEMORIES, YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, WHICH IMPACTED HIM/HER THE MOST.
One morning at quarters, at weld school in San Diego, they announced they had received names of people that made Chief. I was standing in front of my class when they called out my name saying I had made Chief. I got so excited I threw my white hat on the ground and stomped on it. Ever one got a laugh out of that. You'll always remember when you were told you made Chief, the day you put the hat on, and your initiation into the Brotherhood of the Chiefs, at the Chiefs Mess they made me wear a dress, wig, big old boon dockers, and with pitchers of beer serve the Chiefs. I'll always remember that day. What I hear now is that they no longer do things like that anymore. What a shame.
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OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES HE/SHE RECEIVED, WHICH WERE THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO HIM/HER AND WHY?
Only received seven, back in the day they didn't hand out that many, if I had to pin point any it would be the Navy Achievement Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. The NAM for a lot of sweat and hard work, and the MUC USS England DLG-22 received for actions in the combat zone.
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IF KNOWN, PLEASE LIST ANY INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM HIS/HER TIME IN THE MILITARY WHO STOOD OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEM AND WHY?
Over a period of twenty years there would have been many. I guess I could say I learned a lot from the bad leaders, how not to be like them, and from the good leaders to try to be like them.
One person that stands out was First Class Ship-fitter Gearing. The man was a good leader, he was a fair man. If ever you had messed up, you could count on a good chewing out. When ever you had a problem with either your job, or a personal one. he would talk it over with you, showed what you done wrong. The man had great patience in dealing with the people that worked for him.
Sometime even after working hours he would hold training in the shop. I learned a lot from the man, and had great respect for him.
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ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM HIS/HER SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MADE THEM LAUGH LATER ON?
When aboard ship, you need to know your drainage systems. If you don't you may have some surprises when clearing out stopped up drains.
For instance when clearing out one drain on one of the tin cans I was on (I believe I was a 3rd class at the time), I proceeded to use a suicide nozzle with fire main pressure on certain drain, and thought all was going real good. I stopped what I was doing secured all the gear, then over the 1MC I heard Duty Ship-fitter lay to the Captains cabin on the double. So as the story unfolds what happened is this.
While clearing the drain it had backed into another drain up into the Captains head, you should have seen all the crap and stuff (to put it mildly) that came out. But I was blessed, the Captain wasn't aboard at the time. So after holding field day, when all was done, my first class started to go up one side of me and down the other side with a good ass chewing, to this day I will never forget that. Ask me if I learned some thing that day. You betcha your ditty bag I did.
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IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, WHAT PROFESSION(S) DID HE/SHE FOLLOW AFTER DISCHARGE?
After retiring from the Navy, Aug 1,1975 I took a month off.
In September I went to San Diego City College for appliance repair. After I finished the course, I went to work at San Diego Marine shipyard. While working there, I had put in applications for employment at then Montgomery Ward, and Sears. Got laid off from the shipyard, about a month later Wards called me in for a interview, got the job repairing all major appliances. Stayed with them for 17 years, opportunity came along in 93 to go back teaching at weld school NavSta San Diego. They had civilians teaching there now. Got hired there. The school moved to Great Lakes the last part of 95. Some of us instructors went with the school, and then put the new school in commission first part of 96. My last class with the school was Oct 99. Now I am retired and live in Southern California .
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IF KNOWN, WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS WAS HE OR SHE A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY SPECIFIC BENEFITS THEY DERIVED FROM THEIR MEMBERSHIPS?
Fleet Reserve Association, receive monthly magazine, able to keep up with current events.
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IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU BELIEVE HIS/HER SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY THEY APPROACHED THEIR PERSONAL LIFE, FAMILY LIFE AND CAREER?
It's made me realize the important things in life. Dedication to God, Family, and Country.
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IF THEY WERE HERE TODAY, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU THINK HE OR SHE WOULD GIVE TO THOSE WHO FOLLOWED IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS AND RECENTLY ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE?
For all you leading petty officers out there, and the Chiefs; "Hold your Petty Officers accountable". My meaning, each and every time they earn another stripe, they should also be willing to accept more responsibility that stripe represents. If they are not capable of that, then maybe they shouldn't be Petty Officers.That was my message to the Petty Officers I had. My pet peeve was, Sailors were willing to accept the raise in pay they were to receive, but not the responsibility that went along with the rank. If they accept the whole package, then maybe they will be a good leader.
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HOW EFFECTIVE HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM BEEN IN HELPING YOU RECORD YOUR REMEMBERED PERSONS MILITARY SERVICE? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE?
| TWS and the US Navy |
By being a member of Together We Served, I have found a lot of my former students, and other Sailors that have been on the various ships I have been on, but at different periods of time. It also keeps me informed about the workings of today's Navy. DS 12/20/16
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