Photographer's Mate |
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TWS Ribbon Bar |
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Service Photo |
Service Details |
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Current Service Status
USN Retired
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Current/Last Rank
Petty Officer First Class
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Current/Last Primary NEC
PH-8133-EH-38 Photographic Quality Control Technician
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Current/Last Rating/NEC Group
Photographer's Mate
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Primary Unit
1982-1985, PH-8133, FICEURLANT
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Previously Held NEC
PH-0000-Photographer's Mate
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Service Years
1965 - 1985
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What are you doing now:
After the Navy, I thought I would like to work a few more years with the Goverment, so I become a civial service emplyee. I started my secoud career working for the Army as a 1060 still photographer, this went up to 1991, then I found myself working for the Navy again which was great, I was doing many of the things I did while on active duty.Then in 1996 I started work for the Coast Guard.All of this was in my field photography, I compleated my tweenty Years as a 1060 grade ten and retired a 2nd time in 2006.
I now have a photography office and I still can not wait to get to work every morning.
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1966-1966, USS Buchanan (DDG-14)
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1966-1968, USS Canberra (CAG-2)
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1968-1968, 2nd ROK Marines Battalion
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1968-1969, USS Galveston (CLG-3)
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1969-1970, Naval Communications Station (NAVCOMSTA) Washington DC
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1970-1972, Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) - Naval Security Group Detachment (NSGD), COMNAVSECGRU
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1973-1975, USS Independence (CV-62)
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1975-1978, Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Homestead, FL
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1978-1982, USS Emory S. Land (AS-39)
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1980-1980, PH-0000, USS Memphis (SSN-691)
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1982-1985, PH-8133, FICEURLANT
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Reflections on PO1 Huntington's
US Navy Service
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PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE NAVY.
I was very young and felt that I wanted to join the military even more than graduation from high school.So when I learned I could get a GED while serving my country I thought it was perfect for me.Every time I heard the word Vietnam on TV I wanted to play some kind of part in it. I felt if I waited too long it would be over before I could get there.
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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?
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I knew I wanted to be a photographers Mate in the US Navy but I did not know how to get in the navy's photo school. I ask for this rating before I left boot camp I was told they did not need more photographers.I graduated from boot camp as an Aviation Structure Mechanic E2 with orders to the USS Buchanan DDG 14. After reporting aboard I was assigned to the deck force. After a few months, I have transferred again to the USS Canberra CAG2 and I learned that this ship had a photo lab so I lost my ID card and found myself in the photo lab getting my new photo to replace my lost ID Card.While I was in the photo lab I ask the Airman taking my photo What does a guy need to do to get assign in the photo lab.About ten days later I was put in X division and become the newest member of the photo lab.
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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?
I was aboard The USS Canberra Cag2 during operation Sea Dragon which brought us to North Vietnam and it was always a duel between the ships 8 inch and 5-inch guns and their shore batteries returning fire on us scoring direct hits. When I was a station on the USS Galveston, I went to PHU CAT South Vietnam ROK Marines and while there found my self-being mortared and in a foxhole waiting for the all clear to be sounded.
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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?
The USS Canberra CAG2 was the ship I liked the most and the CO Captain Rosenburg. He was the best CO I had in all my twenty years in the Navy. He took us into Harm's way. When we went to the shoreline firing our guns we would take out the Main target, then move to the secondary target and take that out. This was done while the enemy was dropping rounds very close to the ship. We did get hit and some got wounded also we lost one guy who became part of the members of Hanoi Hilton with The US Pilots.When we got into Night operations this was the most difficult for me because you could not see where the enemy's shells were landing, butt when they went screaming by, your knew they had us pegged. My duty was to photograph what was happening.
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FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
Becoming a Shell Back in 1967 and then waiting until 1981 to cross the equator as a Shellback.The ceremony in 1967 I was really impressed as a young Petty Officer Third Class. I was surprised to learn the US Navy took this tradition so seriously. Then in 1981, I found that my ship the USS Emory Land AS39 would cross I was a Shellback and I was very pleased to be able to experience this custom from the side that used the shillelagh.
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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?
The Combat Action Ribbon, this was the award for having the enemy fire at you. I found that nothing in life got my blood rushing more than this. To think that someone is trying there best to kill you is something I will never forget.
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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?
The Airman who took my photo so many years ago and told me how to go about getting into the photo lab. Then when I got into X Division that Airman became PH3 SPIKE PARKER and he becomes the leading photographer in the Lab. Without his leadership, I would not have become a photographer in the US Navy. It was he who unlocked the door for me, and I can say my whole life has been photography. For this, he will always be on the top of my list for impacting my life.Spike time was up all too soon, he had his sea bag ready to go.
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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?
While I was on the USS Emory S Land AS39 It was 1981 It was pollywog night and all the Shellbacks had to hide as the poll wogs were out to get the Shellbacks. Well I thought I had the perfect hiding place and even brag about it, but it turned out they the WOGS found me. They tied me to a chair and carried the chair and me in it as I was going to catch hell from the WOGS and I did.The next morning I had a list of WOGS to get even with and I found every one of them. That was the time I will never forget.
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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?
I retired from the US Navy in 1985 as a PH1 and moved into another twenty years in photography with the Federal Government civil service. Retiring from civil service as a GS 1060 10 grade in 2006 which brought my total service to forty years, all in photography. This is what I choose to do with my life and I am pleased I was allowed to do it. I have a small office in Hertford NC I call it IMAGERY. I do my own projects now. Weddings and transfers of 8mm films to DVD's. I have been here five years now.
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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?
While I had work in photography before I joined the US Navy, it was the Navy Schools in photography that gave me what I needed to make it a lifetime career. I had to move with the new school of thought digital photography. This was a whole new way of thinking when it came to photography. It took a while before I left the film camera behind. It is truly amazing to look back to the days of black and white and dark rooms and chemical mixing. We have come a long way.
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BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE NAVY?
What ever it is that you are in, always give it your very best. If you are in the field of work you want to be in, show this by giving even more than your best.
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IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
| TWS and the US Navy |
I have been able to find some old shipmates and this is good. Being part of this web page has in able me to put in writing my twenty years with the US Navy. I am pleased that I can inform someone what I did, where I served. I feel I can get a taste of what today's Navy is like from some of the things I can read about. DS 4/17/17
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