VA Military Memories Competition
SSG Victoria Ryan, U.S. Army (1973-1988)
What Favorite Automobile Did You Own During Your Military Service? What Special Memories Does This Bring Back For You?:
I arrived at my first duty station, Fort Dix, NY in spring 1974. My sister was a military police (MP) officer at West Point by then and engaged to be married. To alleviate becoming a two-car couple, my sister offered me her vehicle, a 1972 yellow Ford Pinto. I was ecstatic, because now I had wheels and could get around.
SSgt Gene Gausman, U.S. Marine Corps (1953-1963)
What Favorite Automobile Did You Own During Your Military Service? What Special Memories Does This Bring Back For You?:
The favorite car that I owned in the Marine Corps was a 1957 Mercury 4 door hardtop that I bought in November of 1959 after returning from a tour in the Far East. I owned it some nine years, total, and even after I left the Corps, courted my wife, and was married. That car and I traveled about half the states together, and I towed a boat through probably 20 states.
2LT Joshua Gorczyca, U.S. Army (2017-2022)
What Favorite Automobile Did You Own During Your Military Service? What Special Memories Does This Bring Back For You?:
The favorite car that I owned in the Marine Corps was a 1957 Mercury 4 door hardtop that I bought in November of 1959 after returning from a tour in the Far East. I owned it some nine years, total, and even after I left the Corps, courted my wife, and was married. That car and I traveled about half the states together, and I towed a boat through probably 20 states.
LCDR David W.. Hodge, U.S. Navy (1981-2011)
What Favorite Automobile Did You Own During Your Military Service? What Special Memories Does This Bring Back For You?:
My favorite car while in the Navy was a 1965 Ford Mustang. Mine wasn t the classic muscle-car version you imagine though. It was clean, however, as I had spent the eight months of my delayed entry into the Navy restoring it. I repainted the car the original Wimbledon White and kept it stock except for my Cragar mags. Under the hood, I had the small but rugged 200 cubic inch six, with a three-speed manual. The Mustang drove like a dream and would go 70 mph all day long, getting 30 miles to the gallon.
CPT Ellen Brabo, U.S. Army (2015-2020)
What Favorite Automobile Did You Own During Your Military Service? What Special Memories Does This Bring Back For You?:
During my military service in Germany from 2017 to 2020, I was the proud owner of a BMW X1 Sport, a sleek white beauty with red and black interior that I affectionately named Betty the Beamer, after the legendary Betty White. Betty wasn t just a car; she was my trusted companion on countless adventures and a vessel of unforgettable memories.
SP 4 Johnny Conroy, U.S. Army (1967-1970)
What was your primary Occupational Specialty in the Military? What was the most significant skill you learned and was this useful in your civilian life?
Like many veterans on this site, I had several PMOSs assigned to me. In the Navy, it was Boatswain’s Mate and Aviation Ordnanceman. In the Army, I was a Guided Missile Technician, Infantryman, and Infantry Instructor. I learned a lot from each of these, except the Army missile tech, which I never worked in. The Navy taught me essential military skills and something about becoming a small unit leader. 18 months supporting the war from an aircraft carrier offshore whetted my desire to become more personally involved in Vietnam. Working with ordnance that others would use in combat was not enough for me.