I am enjoying full retirement life here in St. Marys, Georgia playing with my 1946 Plymouth Club Coupe, 2004 BMW Z-4 Convertible Sports Car, and riding my 2010 Kawasaki 900 cc Vulcan Motorcycle. I Play golf twice a week a week with my buddies and once on the weekend with my wife. My most important achievement in 10 years of playing golf was getting a "Hole in One" on the 16th hole of the Trident Lakes Golf Course on SUBASE Kings Bay, Georgia in October 2009. I also swim laps at the SUBASE Kings Bay Olympic size pool three times a week. In addition I also stay actively involved with the St. Marys Submarine Museum and Submarine Veterans Organizations locally as a Past Base Commander and SubVets WWII Georgia Vice Commander. I try to accomplish ONE small "Honey Doo" item each day to feel I accomplished something! My primary responsibility and full time job is devoting the majority of my time trying my hardest to keep my lovely wife happy every day!!!
Other Comments:
I was proud to serve as a member of the Secretary of the Navy Retiree Council from 1999 through 2002.
WORST MEMORY OF NAVAL CAREER
While assigned to COMSUBDEVGRU TWO Staff in April 1963 I was told I would be required to drive the Commodore up to Kittery, Maine and ride the USS THRESHER (SSN 593) out on sea trials with him to get my sea time for Submarine Pay. The night before we were scheduled to leave, the Commodore received a call from Admiral Grenfell (COMSUBLANT) telling him to cancel his trip to THRESHER and come to Norfolk for an important meeting. Three days after our trip to THRESHER was cancelled we received a message that THRESHER was missing. Later it was determined that THRESHER had sunk at sea in the Atlantic Ocean with 126 men aboard. Everyone in the Submarine Force was shocked. We had not lost a submarine since WWII. I felt very lucky that fate had left me back in New London instead of riding the THRESHER out on sea trials. I was extremely saddened at the loss of all those men. I had served with both of the THRESHER Yeoman while on the ALBACORE. I also lost a 19 year old Seaman {cousin of mine} who I had helped get assigned to THRESHER and an Uncle (a shipyard worker} who were both from Portsmouth, NH. I had also been shipmates with several of the other navy men that went down with THRESHER. It was a terrible tragedy that will never be forgotten by those who have served in the U.S. Naval Submarine Force.
BEST MEMORY OF MY NAVAL CAREER
In February 1977, USS GRAYBACK (SS 574) home ported in Subic Bay, Philippines needed a leading yeoman. Considering that I was a "single chief" and didn't want to have to place this burden on my married constituents, I quickly volunteered to represent my country in the Philippines for a 15-month tour. Upon arrival in the Philippines I was amazed to learn that all the "Wonderful Sea Stories" I had heard being stationed there were all true and even better than I had imagined. I felt like a kid in a candy store with a hundred dollar bill. I thought I had died and gone to Heaven! Needless to say I was so happy there that I agreed to keep extending and stayed there for 3 1/2 years. Six months prior to transfer back to the "real world" a "sweet and innocent" 19-year old Filipino Ship Repair Facility Apprentice worker (Madelyn Borja) came on board the GRAYBACK to put some tile in the Wardroom. I had a touch of temporary insanity. I allowed myself to be captured, married Mady, and brought my newly acquired "Philippine Souvenir" back to "reality" in the good old USA! It turned out to be the best decision I've ever made!!!
