Hello John:
I was an AT2 also but was one year behind you. I was in boot camp in San
Diego July 1958 to October 1958 and went to Norman, OK and then Millington
and then to Norfolk. I worked my way across the US. I was a kitty cruiser
also. I got out of the Navy in Norfolk, VA the day that Gus Grissiom lost
him spacecraft "Liberty Bell 7" In fact I had to wait in dispersing to get
my mustering out pay until Gus was picked up. I was in HS-7 in Norfolk.
You were lucky to get in a flight status. We had damn black shoe Sonarmen
flying in our birds. I also had bad vision and was interview for Navcad at
boot camp, Norman, Ok Aviations Fundamentals, Millington, TN AT School and
and again when I got to my squadron. I was an AT2 drawing Pro Pay 2. I
wanted to fly real bad but my vision kept me out. I did use my GI Bill to
get my pilots license. I have SMEL with Instrument rating and had an
instructors license but gave it up when you had to start attending those
$400 seminars every two years to renew your license. Parttime instructing
really sucks. All I got was the goof offs that didn't want to learn they
just wanted to use the GI Bill to fly for fun.
I was the Tacan ARN21 specialist in my squadron and also worked on ADF,
Radar Altimeters. ARC55 Non pressureized ARC27 UHF transceivers. I also
worked on APX-6s. In fact my first assignment when I reported to the
squardron was to install the SIF modifications to the APX6s. I modified 10
of the 12 units we had and all worked the first time. I did this while I
was waiting for them to return from a cruise.
While at Millington I stood all my watched at W4ODR on northside. I picked
up the key Special Services at 1730 and open the ham shack by 1800 and
closed it up at 2200 and returned the key to SS and went to sleep. No
midwatches for me..LOL
While in Norfolk I lived in the NAS Ham Shack W4NPT. I had my own room
there and when we were on the beach I lived there rather than the barracks.
I studied very little while in Millington because I had 2 years of
electronics in high school just before joining the Navy I didn't have to
study until we got into radar.
I got out of the Navy and went to work for Federal Electric Corp in Paramas,
NJ as a Field Engineer on the URN-3A Tacan ground beacon. My first
assignment was right back to Norfolk to work on the Tacan on the brand new
USS Enterprise.
I told Kirk that one morning while in boot camp awaiting inspection on the
grinder I saw a chief walk up to my company commander and ask if he had a
recruit named Younce and he said yes. Well I just knew I had done something
wrong and my CC yelled at me to fall out and speak to the Chief. I saluted
and stood at attention and he said relax I talked to your dad on 15 meters
last night and you are coming to my house on your next liberty and talk to
your dad. I was scared to death. I cant remember his call but his name was
JC Ellison.
It is a very small world. Two years ago I went to see the Blues perform at
Pensacola and the SARS demo in the air show to my surprise was performed by
a crew from my old squadron HS-7. It was neat to see HS-7 on the side of an
aircraft after 45 years. I went over and chatted with them for a few
minutes.
Jim Younce K4ZM
K2 SN:18
K2 Field Tester
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