Into the Navy

July 9, 2010

Fifty seven years ago--

It surely doesn't seem that long ago, but the calendar doesn't lie. It was Friday, June 23, 1944, that the class graduated from Franklin High School in Highland Park, California. It was Monday June 26, 1944, when the three of us entered the Navy. I often later wondered how our mothers and fathers felt that morning. We were kids by today's' standard. Paul Starr, Bill Farley, and Bruce Swan were just 17. Each an only son in the families. We had enlisted in the Navy in our senior year in High School (V-6 program). This assured us a Navy assignment rather than Army.

We left early A.M. on the W car Street car that went by our homes. Bill was first, waving out the window at Ave 60 where I was waiting. Then we waved at Paul at Ave 52, and we were all abroad on a big adventure going to war--as most of our male classmates were going to do. I don't recall being afraid though I'm sure our parents were. At 17 with my 2 best friends with me, it was an exciting challenge.

We went to a building in central LA and took the oath and then had a physical. We were loaded on buses and off to San Diego Naval Training Station. Paul and I were in the same training company ( 400), and Bill was in company 399. We were given clothes and haircuts and then the training started. We were to be there about 16 weeks. Company 400 was made up mostly of recent high school graduates, and we were able to win most competitions: marching, obstacle course, etc. Bill's group, #399, was mostly older southern draftees with limited educational skills. We were marching, running, shooting, swimming, fighting, taking tests, but we were in the Navy doing our part. Then we all had our 18th birthday.

I guess at 18 we thought we were grown up, but looking at 18 year olds now, we were just kids. After our 12 weeks in boot camp, we were given our assignments. I went to radio school and stayed in San Diego. Paul went to the armed guard, which was a gunner on the merchant ships, and Bill went to electrician's school--I’m not sure where, but we were separated and met each other only a couple times during the remainder of the war.

I got into radio by second or 3 choice. We had signed up for the navy when we turned 16, and in our senior year in high school. By doing so, we were supposed to get choice of assignment when we were ready to go. When they asked what I'd like to do, I said I wanted to be a pharmacist's mate because that's what I would do after the war. The officer said great but with your size and strength you will be assigned to the Marines as a litter carrier. I declined, and said I would take the air corps. He said, "too big;" I said, how about the Navy Airships (dirigibles) which was a new group at the time. He said, "too heavy." He said, "You did very good on the radio test. How about that?" I had just finished a radio code class at Franklin High, so I became a radio operator. It turned out to be a very good assignment.