My military career: Jul-Sep 1966 NTC San Diego: Boot Camp, Company 408 Oct 66-Mar 67 NTC San Diego: Electicians Mate "A" School Mar 67-Apr 69 USS LOYALTY - 11/67 Promoted to EM3, 11/68 Promoted to EM2 Aug 69-Jul 70 IUWG1 Unit 4 Nha Trang 1970-80 USNR including 1973-80 Coastal River Division Eleven / Special Boat Unit Eleven at Mare Island, Vallejo CA. I was promoted to EM1 while in the Reserves.
Publications 1966-1970
Two accounts of my duty stations were published (see my Loyalty and IUWG 'Duty Stations' for transcriptions):
**The USS Loyalty was named 'Ship of the Month' by OUR NAVY Magazine (June, 1969). **The IUWG Newsletter (May 1969)including several photos (with captions of the units' activities) was received by IUWG dependents and family members.
Awards & Citations
Letter of Appreciation ExerciseALLIGATOR HIDE (April 24 - May 5, 1967), Commander Mine Division 71 Navy Achievement Medal (July 8, 1970), Secretary of the Navy
Certificate of Appreciation (September 15, 1976), Navy Recruiting District, Seattle
What an experience! I am greatful for the opportunity to attend this training - it lasted a week, first on Cornado NAS jetty where we started our SURVIVAL training tryiing to catch something to eat, then on to Warner Springs for further starvation and the EVASION, RESISTANCE and ESCAPE training. I guess they didn't consider waterboarding torture back then... I appreciated and enjoyed my time in the black box - it was cool and quiet. Amazing to see some of the guys break down from the in abuse, interrogations and psychological tricks. My successful 'survival' strategies included keeping in mind that it would be over the end of the week and that our captors were only allowed to hit us with open fists. I was really impressed with the guy who escaped the compound and was later found in the warehouse where the guards' food was kept...