Aviation Electronics Technician Radio & Radio Navigation Equipment |
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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
8331-A-6 System Organization Maintenance Technician
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Current/Last Rating/NEC Group
Aviation Electronics Technician Radio & Radio Navigation Equipment
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Primary Unit
1970-1972, AT-6649, VA-115 Arabs
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Previously Held NEC
ATR-0000-Aviation Electronics Technician Radar and Radar Navigation Equipment
AT-6649-ECM/Simulator IMA Technician
AT-6651-ASM-347 (GT-1) SACE Programmer/Maintenance IMA Technician
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Service Years
1968 - 1972
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2003, Veterans of the Vietnam War
- Assoc. Page
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2003, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Chapter 32 (Member) (Dallas, Texas)
- Chap. Page
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2005, American Legion, Post 231 (Member) (Lake Texoma , Texas)
- Chap. Page
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2005, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)
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2008, USS Midway Veterans Association
- Assoc. Page
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2008, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Chapter 137 (Member) (Dallas, Texas)
- Chap. Page
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2014, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), Post 7873, Lake Texoma Post (Member) (Pottsboro, Texas)
- Chap. Page
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What are you doing now:
I am disabled and retired. Mostly home bound and surfing the Net!
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1969-1970, ATR-0000, VA-128
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1970-1971, ATR-0000, VA-52 Knightriders
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1970-1972, AT-6649, VA-115 Arabs
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1971-1971, AT-6651, USS Midway (CV-41)
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1972-1972, AT-6651, USS Midway (CV-41)
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2003, Veterans of the Vietnam War
- Assoc. Page
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2003, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Chapter 32 (Member) (Dallas, Texas)
- Chap. Page
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2005, American Legion, Post 231 (Member) (Lake Texoma , Texas)
- Chap. Page
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2005, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)
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2008, USS Midway Veterans Association
- Assoc. Page
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2008, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Chapter 137 (Member) (Dallas, Texas)
- Chap. Page
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2014, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), Post 7873, Lake Texoma Post (Member) (Pottsboro, Texas)
- Chap. Page
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Reflections on PO2 Hayes's
US Navy Service
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PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE NAVY.
Basically I was dodging the draft by taking service into my own hands. The Navy allowed me to have much more control over my rank and other things than the other services.
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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?
I entered the Navy as an E-3 Airman going to Memphis Electronics schools before being assigned to VA-128 for further training. October of 1969 I took the test for E-4 ATN3 and made it on the first try. I was transfered to VA-52 the next year and tested for E-5 in November making ATN2 on the first attempt also. When VA-115 was reformed I was picked to join them by my shop chief. March of 1971 I was flown down to Alameda Air Station to begin Quals on the Midway for the April to November cruise to Vietnam and other ports in the area. In 1972 around March my squadron returned to the Midway for more Quals and another Cruise to Nam. In August of 1972 I was flown off the Midway to Da Nang, Subic Bay, Clark Air Force Base, and then to Treasure Island, Ca for my separation from the Navy.
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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?
In April 1971, VA-115 joined the USS Midway crew and headed for South Vietnam. Just out of San Francisco that night we hit a major storm that punched a rather large hole in the Starboard front sponson under one of the remaining 5-38 guns! Our stop in Pearl Harbor became a 7 day vacation for those of us who were not on duty or involved in the repairs on the ship! It certainly was better than playing war games which we were supposed to be part of. Once repaired and sans gun, we proceeded to Subic Bay and my first encounter of many with the Philippine Islands. After 3-4 days we headed once again to the Gulf of Tonkin off of South Vietnam. This was the beginning of almost countless cycles between South Vietnam and Subic Bay, with side tours to Hong Kong and Yokosuka. Our activity in port was pretty much like being a tourist, except of course, when on duty. On station we encountered several storms with waterspouts for extra drama, several general quarters that were not drills, had 4 Migs fly over our ship and others on what was apparently a "joy flight" since all they did was fly by and then back to land, had one of our(VA-115) A-6's return to ship with blood all over the Navigators cockpit side, and we got to stay out on station for over 60 days once due to a fire and elevator problem on the Big E! The A-6 that had blood on it was during a general quarters in the middle of the night and I got to run from my bunk just ahead of the Hangar Deck through half of the Hangar Deck and up the stairs to my duty station in our AIMD shop 690. As I was on the hangar Deck the forward elevator was descending with the bloody A-6 on it which added a bit of trauma to the general quarters as I recall and I was distracted enough to trip over tie down chains and mash my knee quite well! We later learned that the Navigator that was on that A-6 was killed almost instantly by an anti-aircraft bullet. It was one of the most painful moments of my Navy years since this man was one of the best officers in our squadron and was well liked by everyone! When it came time to leave Yankee Station for the last time that year in October, we headed up to South Korea for some war "games" with Russian ships unofficially in attendance. We had one of the younger airmen jump/slip overboard while at night and in very rough seas. If it had not been for the aft watch seeing him and throwing him a life ring this kid would have been certainly lost or picked up by the Russians. The other very bad thing that occurred during our "games" was the launch of one of our anti-sub birds and subsequent crash! As it was told to me they put it up just to show the Russians that we could have anti-sub coverage which was not true since all of the anti-sub planes were down for one reason or another and the one the launched had no radio! The plane was only supposed to launch and circle around to land. Unfortunately this was not known to everyone and an A-7 was trying to land at the same time the Anti-sub plane was and they collided. The A-7 was able to limp back towards Japan successfully but the wing had been totally severed on the Anti-sub bird and it went straight down and sank with 4 people onboard. Needless to say we were all shocked at the deaths of these people and the loss of a plane over what wecould only see as a useless gesture to the Russians. After the games ended we docked in Sasebo and had several days of R&R before heading for San Francisco.
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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?
My fondest memories were on the Midway and on Whidbey Island! My other duty stations were of short, limited terms with little time to get to know the areas. Middleton, Tennessee was my least favorite due to the area! The only thing that I remember the most was former President Dwight Eisenhower dying in the spring of 1969.
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WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
All of the medals and awards I received were mostly for group participation and/or performance! My Squadron and AIMD shop were very well in synch with one another and our performance as teams helped us t o receive some of these medals and I am very proud of my contribution to that and of my shipmates contributions as well!
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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?
Chief Charles Charlton of VA-128 and VA-115. He was my training Chief for my benches and picked me to go into VA-115 with him. He was always there for all of his people and I would have trusted him for anything!
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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 went from working on the insides of computers in the Navy to programming the software to run computers. I worked up to a Senior Software Engineer in my 24 years of being a Programmer-Analyst. In 2001 I became disabled from MS, Diabetes, Arthritus, and other diseases/physical injuries. The MS and Diabetes were connected to Agent Orange and my service in the Navy.
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WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
Paralyzed Veterans of America - They help me to deal with the VA. Disabled Veterans of America - They helped me get qualified for my Agent Orangs benefits. Together We Served.com Military.com Midway Museum.com
The last 3 have helped in finding old friends, making new ones, and finding closure for many things that occurred while I was active but never received the whole stories on!
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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?
The Influence of the Navy has stayed with me throughout my life. The discipline I experienced and the respect I gained for others have helped me to be a much better person in all my endeavors.
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BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE NAVY?
Get all the education that is available, make as many friends as possible, and enjoy the comoraderie! You will think back upon these years for the rest of your life!
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IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
I am just starting so I am looking forward to meeting many old friends and making new ones. I have not run across any shipmates as of yet but the stories I have read have filled me in on missing info from my Navy years and gave me a much better overall look at what was going on during those years!
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