Previously Held NEC IC-0000-Interior Communications Electrician
IC-4774-MK NC-2 MOD 2/2A Plotting/MK 9 MOD 0/2 DRAI Technician
IC-4721-Gyrocompass Systems Maintenance Technician
NC-9502-Instructor
Retired from Active Service in 1994. Went to work with the American Red Cross Disaster Services in Port St. Lucie, Florida as a Disaster Coordinator. Transferred to Shrewsbury, New Jersey as a Disaster Director later that year. In 2000 transferred to San Bernardino California as an Emergency Services Director and then finished my career in 2005 in Palm Springs, California. One of my childhood dreams was to drive a big-rig truck, so went to truck driving school in Fontana, CAl and got my commercial drivers license. Went to work with SWIFT Transportation as an over-the-road trucker covering all 48 states and Canada. Moved to Shreveport LA in 2006 and transferred my dispatch yard to Dallas TX (Still driving with SWIFT). In 2007 had to quit doing that due to medical problems. Finally, retired for good that year. In 2013 went back to work as a Building Supervisor for Electsolve INC. The company was sold to IPKeys and I began working as a Facility Manager for Excentul Facilities and Services, where I am still working today.
Other Comments:
I was a "kiddy cruizer" so was discharged the day before my 21st birthday (19 April 1967). Worked for Pacific Gas and Electric in Hayward, California. Went back into the service in October 1967. Requested Swift Boats and got the Kitty Hawk instead. In October 1969 left the Navy for civilian life. Got a job with Pacific Telephone in Livermore, California as a cable splicer. In 1971 transfered to Pacific Northwest Bell in Portland Oregon. Transfered back to Pacific Telephone in Fresno, California in 1974. Left the phone company in 1977. Pretty much rode my motorcycle and partied until 1980 when I went back into the Navy and finished my career.
Vietnam War/Tet Counteroffensive Campaign (68)/ Yankee Station, North Vietnam
From Month/Year
January / 1968
To Month/Year
April / 1968
Description Yankee Station was a point in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam used by the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers of Task Force 77 to launch strikes in the Vietnam War. While its official designation was "Point Yankee," it was universally referred to as Yankee Station. Carriers conducting air operations at Yankee Station were said to be "on the line" and statistical summaries were based on days on the line.
The name derived from it being the geographic reference point "Y", pronounced "Yankee" in the NATO phonetic alphabet. In turn the term Point Yankee derived from the launch point for "Yankee Team" aerial reconnaissance missions over Laos conducted in 1964. It was located about 190 km due east of Dong Hoi, at 17° 30' N and 108° 30' E.
During the two periods of sustained air operations against North Vietnam (March 2, 1965-October 31, 1968 and March 30, 1972-December 29, 1972) there were normally three carriers on the line, each conducting air operations for twelve hours, then off for twelve hours. One of the carriers would operate from noon to midnight, another from midnight to noon, and one during daylight hours, which gave 24-hour coverage plus additional effort during daylight hours, when sorties were most effective. However at the end of May, 1972, six carriers were for a short period of time on the line at Yankee Station conducting Linebacker strikes.
The first aircraft carrier at Yankee Station was USS Kitty Hawk, which was ordered there in April 1964 for the Yankee Team missions. Kitty Hawk was joined by Ticonderoga in May and Constellation in June, two months prior to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Ticonderoga and Constellation launched the first bombing missions from Yankee Station on August 5, 1964. Constellation was also the last carrier conducting operations at Yankee Station on August 15, 1973. USS Forrestal suffered a major accident while at Yankee Station when a series of fires and explosions on her deck killed 134 men and injured another 161.
A corresponding Dixie Station in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta was a single carrier point for conducting strikes within South Vietnam from May 15, 1965 to August 3, 1966.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
January / 1968
To Month/Year
April / 1968
Last Updated: Dec 22, 2023
Personal Memories
Memories USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) 1 Feb 1965 - 5 Mar 1965; 15 Mar 1965 - 16 April 1965; 1 May 1965 - 27 May 1965; 24 Jun 1965 - 23 Jul 1965; 1 Oct 1965 - 14 Oct 1965; 12 Sep 1966 - 19 Oct 1966; 30 Oct 1966 - 4 dec 1966; 28 Dec 1966 - 31 Jun 1966: USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) 23 Dec 1967 - 21 Feb 1968; 4 Mar 1968 - 27 Mar 1968; 12 Apr 1968 - 1 May 1968 and 13 May 1968 - 1 Jun 1968
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