Slattengren, Michael, AE2

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE NAVY.
My father was a Navy EM1 in WWII. He joined in Oct 1940 the day after he turned 18. He was at Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941, hit by shrapnel and sustaining 3rd-degree burns from the USS Shaw. After 4 months in the hospital at Mare Island, CA, he asked the Doc to let him rejoin his ship.

My father shared all of his service time with his family and wrote a book for us on his time in the Navy.

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?
Starting out as any other airman apprentice, I swept, mopped and waxed floors in a flight training school every night. But I studied each day to make rate, wanting to be an Aviation Electrician. I made E3, Six months after boot camp and then AE3 after another 10 months and then AE2 a year later.

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?
I deployed with my squadron VP22, twice to West Pac. First to Okinawa in 1968 and to the Philippines in 1969 and 1970 with both deployments going TAD to Viet Nam. No combat operation, but did spend "boots on the ground" on both deployments.

OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
Best memories are on my 2nd deployment to West Pac to Sangley Point, Philippines with TAD assignments to Viet Nam and Thailand working on aircraft. My electric shop had me move every 2 weeks between these 3 duty assignments.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
I remember my electric shop supervisor one day telling me to pull a 28-day battery check on a P-2 aircraft. Since I had recently joined the shop, I told him I didn't know how to do that. He simply said, "well you won't be able to say that tomorrow". This has been at the back of my mind the rest of my life, pushing me to always try something new, because tomorrow "I wouldn't be able to say, I hadn't done that before".

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
Our squadron received a Navy Unit Citation for our accomplishments patrolling the coast of Viet Nam.

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?
I am most proud of my Viet Nam Service Medal. That was a tough time for all Viet Nam Veterans, returning home to a country that just didn't disapprove of the war, but of us too for answering the call to serve our country. We didn't want to share with anyone that we were a veteran. But now, our country seeks out Viet Nam veterans to thank us for serving. Quite a turn around in the patriotism of our country and I am most proud of my service there.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
My shop supervisor (1968 - 1970) AE1 Burns taught me so much about electricity and in troubleshooting/ problem-solving. I have taken his belief in me and turned it into confidence I have carried through my civilian life.

LIST THE NAMES OF OLD FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH, AT WHICH LOCATIONS, AND RECOUNT WHAT YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT THEM. INDICATE THOSE YOU ARE ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH AND THOSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH.
Joseph A Whitehead (JAW) was with me in VP22 from Aug 1968 - Apr 1970. He was a Boatswain mate and from Port Arthur, TX.

My Electric Shop supervisor in VP22 was AE1 Bob Burns. One of the greatest men I ever met.

I found and visited AT2 Floyd Kling from VP22 at Barbers Pt, HI (1969) in 2015 after not seeing him since 1972. We sat down and it was like we had just seen and spoken to each other the previous week.

I'd like to find ADJ2 Michael W. "No Sweat" Turcsanyi in VP22 at Barbers Pt and deployed to Sangley Pt, PI, Cam Ranh Bay, VN and U-tapao, Thailand in 1969 and 1970.

I served with my younger brother Gary AT2 (flight crew radio operator) from Jan1969 - April of 1970 at Barbers Pt, HI, Sangley Pt, PI, Cam Ranh Bay, VN and U-Tapao, Thailand.

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?
This incident doesn't make me laugh but does make me smile. Christmas Eve of 1969, I had been repairing aircraft in U-Tapao, Thailand all day. At the end of the day, I was told to pack my AWOL bag and get my toolbox, as I was flying back to Sangley Point, Philippines in a WWII C-47 taildragger. I hit the rack at 0200 hrs of Christmas Day in the Philippines. My buddy Joseph A Whitehead (we called him JAW), woke me at 0600, saying we had to go to Elsie Gaches Village (an orphanage our squadron helped support) to help distribute gifts to the kids. So with 4 hours of sleep, we went along with 11 other squadron personnel to distribute gifts and sing songs to the children. A most rewarding day. It still puts a smile on my face every Christmas when I think back to that day in 1969.

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?
Upon discharge, I started work as a Cable splicer for Pacific Bell while attending college in the evening using the GI bill. Five years later I graduated with a BS in Business and was promoted to management in the IT department. Forty-One years after the Navy, I was supervising 175 computer programmers in the US, Philippines, and India and finally decided to retire. I had worked 1 year after high school as a forest firefighter, 4 years in the Navy and then the 41 years at Pacific Bell/SBC/ATT/Amdocs so I figured 46 years of work was enough! I am now retired and keep busy as a veterans advocate, volunteering my time on numerous veteran activities.

WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
I joined the VFW in 1969 while home on leave before heading back to Viet Nam for a 2nd deployment. I am a member and now Past President of the Viet Nam Veterans of Diablo Valley, but moving on to the position of Treasurer of the organization.

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?
The Navy trained me to always do my best and to not be concerned about trying something and failing. It has guided me to always push myself to the edge of the envelope. After all, I've already "been there, done that and got the T-shirt". People who I've just met, usually comment, "you must have been in the military, you walk so erectly and straight".

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE NAVY?
Enjoy every day and be a proud United States Navy sailor. Have fun, but be sure to study and apply yourself to make rate. Don't seek an assignment near home to be close to family and friends, but ask for a seagoing assignment so that you can see the world. It is a most wondrous place.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.

TWS and the US Navy

I read about others assignments and the lingo comes floating back and the memories of those days some 45 years ago become familiar and fun to remember. I am no longer a senior citizen, but again a young Sailor.

DS 3/5/18
ES 02/07/19