Service Photo |
Service Details |
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Current Service Status
USN Veteran
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Current/Last Rank
Petty Officer Second Class
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Current/Last Primary NEC
SM-0000-Signalman
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Current/Last Rating/NEC Group
Signalman
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Primary Unit
1968-1970, SM-0000, USS Hollister (DD-788)
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Service Years
1967 - 1971
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Official/Unofficial US Navy Certificates
Gulf of Tonkin Yacht Club
Order of the Shellback
Order of the Golden Dragon
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What are you doing now:
Retired from the construction industry after almost 46 years. (1971-2017)
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Other Comments:
VISIT MY BROTHER VIET NAM WAR VETS:
USS DEHAVEN DD727- PIC&CREWS (1968)
http://ussdehaven.org/
USS HOLLISTER DD788-PIC&CREWS (1969-1970)
http://www.destroyersonline.com/usndd/dd788/
http://www.usshollister.org/
http://www.hullnumber.com/DD-788
https://www.navysite.de/crewlist/commandlist.php?commandid=1122
USS HENRY W TUCKER DD875-PICS & CREWS (1971)
http://www.hwtucker2000.com/
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1967-1968, SM-0000, Naval Station (NAVSTA) Pearl Harbor, HI
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1968-1968, SM-0000, Naval Station (NAVSTA) Subic Bay, PI
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1968-1968, SM-0000, Naval Support Activity, Taipei, Taiwan
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1968-1968, SM-0000, USS DeHaven (DD-727)
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1968-1970, SM-0000, Naval Station (NAVSTA) Yokosuka, Japan
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1968-1970, SM-0000, Naval Station (NAVSTA) Long Beach, CA
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1968-1970, SM-0000, USS Hollister (DD-788)
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1968-1971, SM-0000, Destroyer Squadron 9 (DESRON 9), COMNAVSURFGRU PACNORWEST
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1970-1971, SM-0000, USS Henry W. Tucker (DDR-875)
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1971-1971, SM-0000, Naval Station (NAVSTA) San Diego
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Reflections on PO2 Krueger's
US Navy Service
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PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE NAVY.
It was 1967 in Wisconsin and in the middle of the Vietnam War. My girlfriend's father was a retired Navy Chief and he sat me down and we had the talk. My older brother had been drafted into the Army and I was concerned my time was short. He told me the advantages of being in the Navy. My job at Neenah Foundry shoveling coke for the blast furnace melting steel was not my dream job. School wanted more money then I had ever seen and as I was kicking the enlistment thing around, I looked at my other options. There weren't any. So rather then wait and get drafted, I went to the Navy recruiter and enlisted. He made me a deal that I couldn't beat: Guaranteed school and rating. I had to present two choices and the Navy assigned me one of them. The GI bill was attractive and I was sick of bowling and bars so I signed up for six years to see the world. Glad I did.
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WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BOOT CAMP AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, SHIPS OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
My two enlistment choices were Sonarman in a submarine and Signalman in a destroyer. If I got Sonarman then I was going to go to school during the shore time and study at sea and if I got Signalman then I was going to play and go to school on the GI bill when I got out. Let the Navy decide if I was going to play or study. The Navy chose PLAY.
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IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
OPNAV NOTICE 1650, UNIT AWARDS AND CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION, AE Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, NU Navy Unit Commendation, VS Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal DESRON 9 VS 24-APR-1968 13-MAY-1968 DEHAVEN DD 727 VS 02-APR-1968 06-APR-1968 24-APR-1968 13-MAY-1968 26-JUN-1968 08-JUL-1968 Navy Unit Commendation DESRON 9 NU 15-JUN-1966 06-SEP-1968 DEHAVEN DD 727 NU 15-JUN-1966 20-AUG-1968 Vietnam Service Medal HOLLISTER DD 788 AE 23-OCT-1969 16-NOV-1969 30-NOV-1969 18-DEC-1969 AE Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea) HOLLISTER DD 788 AE 03-JAN-1970 08-JAN-1970 J 15-DEC-1970 15-JAN-1971 J Released to San Diego Naval Station for Honorable Discharge from active duty. HENRY W TUCKER DD 875 1971 My first view of Vietnam was when the USS De Haven DD-727 was in the combat zone from 2 April 1968 until 13 May 1968. SAR (search and rescue), Yankee Station and Piraz Station were duty assignments. We were back in the combat zone of Vietnam, Yankee Station, by 26 Jun 1968 until 17 Jul 1968. USS DEHAVEN DD-727 COMBAT AWARDS: MAR 1968 TO AUG 1968 Cited Unit Merit Start Merit End Merit Mons/Days Recmd Award Appr Award Campaign DEHAVEN DD 727 02-Apr-1968 06-Apr-1968 1/5 - VS - DEHAVEN DD 727 24-Apr-1968 13-May-1968 2/20 - VS - DEHAVEN DD 727 26-Jun-1968 08-Jul-1968 2/13 - VS - DEHAVEN DD 727 15-Jun-1966 20-Aug-1968 27/798 - NU - USS HOLLISTER DD-788 COMBAT AWARDS: from SEP 1969 to ARP 1970. Cited Unit Merit Start Merit End Merit Mons/Days Recommended Award Appr Award Campaign HOLLISTER DD 777 23-Oct-1969 16-Nov-1969 2/25 - VS - HOLLISTER DD 777 30-Nov-1969 18-Dec-1969 2/19 - VS - HOLLISTER DD 777 03-Jan-1970 08-Jan-1970 1/6 - AE - Battles: Tet Counter-offensive (1968) Vietnam War*/Vietnam Counter-offensive IV (1968 - 1969) Vietnam War*/Vietnam Counter-offensive V (1968 - 1969) Vietnam War*/Vietnam Counter-offensive VI (1968 - 1969) Operation Market Time, Operation Sea Dragon, Operation Sealords and naval gunfire support. Info: Naval gunfire support (NGFS). Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces (RVNAF). Free World Military Assistance Forces of The Vietnam War (FWMAF) Corps Tactical Zone (CTZ). 1. I Corps-The area south of the DMZ to the northern ridges of the Central Highlands. 2. II Corps-The Central Highlands region. 3. III Corps-The densely populated region between Saigon and the Highlands 4. IV Corps-The Mekong Delta are: Commander, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. (COMUSMACV) Naval Gunfire Liaison Officers (NGLO, pronounced "no-glow"). Operation Market Time was the United States Navy's effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was one of four Navy duties begun after the Tonkin Gulf Incident, along with Operation Sea Dragon, Operation Sealords and naval gunfire support. THE GUN LINE: Operation Market Time, Operation Sea Dragon, Operation Sealords and naval gunfire support. a. Units of the US Seventh Fleet provide NGFS to US, RVNAF, and FWMAF in unilateral and combined operations in the RVN. This support has one objective - to assist the ground commander. To this end, flexibility and responsiveness to his needs are paramount. The basis of this support is the continuous presence of both qualified NGFS ships and spotting teams along the entire coast of the RVN. b. Cruiser/Destroyer Group, 7th Fleet (CTG 70.8) provides NGFS for the four CTZs, plus the Rung Sat Special Zone. CTU 70.8.9, as the designated NGFS Unit Commander, exercises operational control and allocates ships assigned, as requested by COMUSMACV. Additional NGFS from US Coast Guard ships assigned to Coastal Surveillance Forces (TF 115) is available on request through Corps NGLOs when it does not interfere with their Market Time operations. Typical targets for NGFS are: (1) Known or suspected infiltration points on off-shore islands and along the RVN coast. (2) Designated SSZs. (3) Specific targets such as enemy: Facilities, installations, and supply dumps. Command centers. Troop concentrations. Artillery, mortar, and rocket positions. (4) Sensor activated targets.
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OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
I married Pam while serving aboard the USS Hollister DD 788 and my best man was a Signalman friend on the Hollister. Pam and I dated on the Hollister when I had duty or was otherwise restricted to the ship. She got me in so much trouble that the ship restrictions were a frequent event.
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FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
Homecoming after WesPac.
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WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon. DESTROYER SQUADRON NINE. For service as set forth in the following CITATION: For exceptionally meritorious service during the period 15 June 1966 to 6 September 1968 in the conduct of sustained combat operations against enemy aggressor forces in Southeast Asia. Displaying outstanding professional competence, resourcefulness, and | |
endurance, the ships of Destroyer Squadron NINE were committed to continuous combat-support operations in support of Free World ground forces in the Republic of Vietnam, and in offensive operations against North Vietnam. During this period of more than two years, the Squadron expanded over 148,000 rounds of ammunition while inflicting major damage and casualties on the enemy. In combat operations against the territory of North Vietnam, the Squadron's ships destroyed 385 waterborne logistics craft, suppressed 90 coastal defense artillery positions, disrupted the enemy's main land lines of communications, and were engaged in direct combat with North Vietnamese artillery units on 50 occasions. While providing support for United States air operations against North Vietnam, the Squadron participated directly in the rescue of twenty-six aircrew members downed in the Gulf of Tonkin. Destroyer Squadron NINE outstanding contributions during extended service were if exceptional significance to the prosecution of the war against communist forces in Southeast Asia, and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. All Personnel attached to and serving with Destroyer Squadron NINE during the above-designated period, or any part thereof, are hereby authorized to wear the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon. JOHN H CHAFEE, Secretary of the Navy To justify this award, the unit must have performed service of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of a Silver Star Medal.
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OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
National Defense Service Medal will be awarded to all persons in the Naval service who served on active duty at any time in the Vietnam War, between 01 Jan 1961 and 14 Aug 1974 being the criteria for the award, both dates inclusive. This amended period of eligibility was established by Executive Order 11265 of 11 January 1966. It was my first one.
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WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
| Crossing 1968 |
CAPT Donald Anthony Franz , a great Captain and a great man. Captain Franz was a sailor's captain. When we went across the line together in 1968, he went through the Pollywog / Shellback ceremony with the crew. He had us fight hard, train hard, play hard and brought us all home safely. He handled the 'short pants incident' like a gentlemen, and got a good laugh. (Read on.)
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CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Admiral Zumwalt had relaxed the uniform of the day at sea to allow shorts as long as they were hemmed. Being a signalman we had the only sewing machine on ship to sew flags so everyone pulled there old pants to be made into shorts and hemmed on the signal bridge. Turns out the Captain only wanted his pants hemmed and I made them into shorts. Well he told his wife the story and she told the story at the wives meeting and my wife told me what happened about making the Captains pants into shorts. My wife never lets me forget that one. Pam and I just celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary and a better bride, wife, and grandmother there never was born. But, whenever she tells the story of the "Captains short Pants" I let rip the story of the Navy Wives on holiday. It happened that while the ship was at sea that the girls got together for a holiday. One of girls found a Navy signal flare that her hubby got off the ship and brought home and was flashing it around showing it off to the other wives. Well one thing led to another and they all decided to light it off in celebration of the holiday. They went into the open stairwell of the building and ignited that flare designed to locate a man overboard in the sea. It lit up the sky for miles and the red smoke bellowed in the sky like a forest fire. One of the girls took the flare and ran down the stairs and across the street and tossed it in the school yard and then ran home as the oncoming sirens blared. That flare just wouldn't go out. It just burned and burned. Hook and latter trucks, emergency vehicles, police were all up and down the street as far as you could see. Well the wives hurried into their pajamas and jumped into bed waiting for the police to arrive so they could tell their story of Innocents and wonderment at all the goings on and how scared they were with their husbands at sea. The police investigation went well into the night and the girls never got back to bed that day. If it wasn't that the kids would light the trash cans at the school on fire every so often, the girls would have been a bigger target of the investigation but as it was they all got off scot free. From then on, the wives meetings were never the same. Hehe
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WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
Heavy construction. Building buildings, tunnels and bridges all over the world.
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WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
USS DeHaven Association. USS Hollister.
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IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
When you have survived and are finally home, you realize the value of America and being born American.
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BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE NAVY?
One day at a time, just keep going one day at a time. If the Commander in Chief is only a community organizer attorney, get out quick. This President Obama and his Secretary of State abandoned our troops in Benghazi to their death and in Mexico to rot in prison. Thousands more will die in the Middle East due entirely to the President's policies. Our Nobel Peace Prize winning Commander in Chief, unprovoked by a country that was not an imminent threat, bypassed the Constitution and authorized a military strike into Libya. ABC reported that 122 American Tomahawk cruise missiles blew up some twenty Libyan air and ground defense systems. CBS News reported that three B-2 stealth bombers dropped forty bombs on a Libyan airfields and US fighter jets searching for Libyan ground forces to attack. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda works with Libyan rebels on the ground against Qaddafi and the Libyan government. So, in essence, the United States is now working with al-Qaeda. The only way a President can bypass Congress to authorize a military action is when the United States is in imminent danger by another country. No such danger existed from Libya. And Obama did not get Congressional approval prior to the attacks. In fact, it's been over a week and there is still no Congressional approval. Obama is no stranger to attacking above his Constitutional authority and with the worst Attorney General, Eric Holder, leading our Justice Department there appear to be little-to-no consequence for this and other similar actions taken by the President. Yet, there are consequences.
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IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
Watching from the signal bridge of a destroyer, the view was fantastic. The guns would eject burning packing material into our faces, as we gave gunfire support to the troops. I served in Vietnam in 1968, 1969 and 1970. TWS brings those memories back and memories of the great men I served with. DS 6/21/17
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