The Christy Collection

Military Stories and Articles

Service Reflections of JOC Arthur Frith, U.S. Navy (1970-1991)

Service Reflections of JOC Arthur Frith, U.S. Navy (1970-1991)

Several things influenced my decision to join the Navy. Two other classmates and I at Lemoore High School were considering joining the Air Force. Being a “Navy Brat”, I was looking at being stationed someplace I’d not lived where my father had been stationed in the Navy. We completed the physical and paperwork and had a date in July to enlist and head for San Antonio. However, when the time arrived, I received a call from the Air Force recruiter saying that my date had been moved to October. Given the fact that I’d quit my job at Boy Scout summer camp, quit my jobs with the Fresno Bee and Lemoore Advance, and the fact that Dad was PCSing to NAS Memphis in September, I had very few options other than the Draft. I drove to Visalia, picked up my package from the Air Force recruiter, and walked down the hall to the Navy’s office. There was a Chief sitting at a desk. I put my folder in front of him and asked, “Chief, how soon can I enlist?” He looked it over, looked up at me, and said: “What about tomorrow? I asked him if I could use his phone. I called Dad at his office back on NAS Lemoore: “Hey. Do you have anything going on tomorrow?” He said, “Nope.” “Good. You’re taking me up to Fresno to swear me in the Navy.” It was off to RTC San Diego the following afternoon.

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Service Reflections of MSgt Ricky Hudson, U.S. Air Force (1971-1992)

Service Reflections of MSgt Ricky Hudson, U.S. Air Force (1971-1992)

I had always wanted to enlist in the Air Force from my younger teenage years. Chuck Yeager was a hero of younger times.
When in high school my football coach, Max Townsend was a great influence on my enlisting. He had served in the Air Force and used the GI Bill to get his teaching degree. He pulled me aside and provided invaluable information and related experiences that only reinforced my desire to enlist.
I enlisted at age 17 under a program that was called delayed enlistment in December 1971 and did not report for basic training until June 1972. Coach Townsend gave me a heads up on this program as it provided a guaranteed job

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Service Reflections of OS1 Chris Walgenbach,  U.S. Navy (2004-Present)

Service Reflections of OS1 Chris Walgenbach, U.S. Navy (2004-Present)

Since many in my family were prior military, and specifically, the Navy, I knew that’s what I would do. I would hear my grandfather’s sea stories about WWII in school for Veteran’s Day and listen to my father talk about his time as a Sailor during the Vietnam War. Later I would find out about various uncles (and an aunt or two, no doubt) that had a military career (whether short or long), which further solidified my decision.

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