I entered the U.S.Marines in September 1956. After finishing boot Camp I was sent To Camp Pendleton for infantry training. This was in January 1957. our training centered around the taking of Vietnamese villages. We know the involvement of the U.S. in Vietnam began in 1955, but the actual fighting began in the 1965. Apparently, someone knew things were going to pop in the 1950s. That is just an aside thought of mine. Following combat reining, I was sent to Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco California for Electronics training.
While in San Francisco I got to experience my first earthquake. It happened one morning while I was sitting on the toilet. It was a definite WTF moment. The overhead pipes were shaking, and the toilet was doing the rhumba beneath me. I learned just to roll with the flow. Getting out of my bunk in the morning and looking out the barracks window, I had a full view of Alcatraz Island. My fondest memory was being able to just walk into a bar, and get to hear Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, Louis Armstrong, and the Kingston Trio. As best as I can remember, Dave Brubeck was the only one with a cover charge, and it was $1.
After San Francisco I was transferred to MCRD San Diego to learn aviation radio repair. They flew me into North Island Naval Air Station. All I can remember is that I waited an hour for a bus to take to MCRD and that I was required to be in Winter Green uniform of the day. It was 90 degrees Fahrenheit and that woolen uniform was soaked by the time I got to MCRD where the uniform of the day was Dress Topicals. The school was right next to Convair a division of General Dynamics flight line. The noise at times was deafening, but we managed to learn and graduate.
From there I was transferred to MCAS Cherry Point NC for duty. More stories to follow.
