Glenn was sworn into the U.S. Navy on June 14th, 1960. He went to NRTC in San Diego, CA for basic training. After Boot Camp, he went home and married his special Loretta. He was transferred to NAAS Ream Field at Imperial Beach, California to a helicopter unit HS-4 (Helicopter Anti-Submarine Warfare-4). His unit was assigned to the USS Yorktown (CV-10) aircraft carrier, for 6 months. From there he was sent to NAS Millington for Aviation Machinist Mate Schooling. Glenn lived outside Memphis, Tennessee while he was in school. After graduation, he was classified as an ADRAN (E-3). From there he got orders to VP-31, North Island, CA for more schooling and prep for his new Squadron Patrol Squadron-17 known as VP-17. The Squadron was based on NAS Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, WN.
At this point, Loretta started drilling him on the ADR-3 (E-4) exam. Glenn said “I’m sure she could have passed the test easier than me.” He was lucky he did get promoted to ADR-3 (E-4). One of two in the Navy at the time.
As the Squadron was getting ready to go to NAS Kodiak; Kodiak, Alaska. Loretta moved back to Nebraska with their two children. As for him, he was scheduled to fly to Kodiak on one of their planes. He was an E-3 at the time and was bumped off the flight by an E-6. He was very fortunate…that plane crashed into Old Woman Mountain on Kodiak Island killing 7 of the 12 aboard.
While in Kodiak he was advanced to E-4 and started studying for the E-5 exam. (Without Loretta this time) At this time his Squadron was flying 24-hour missions to keep track of what the Russian ships were doing during Vietnam conflict. They were not whale ships. They were loaded with antenna’s and keeping an eye on the United States.
While in Kodiak, Glenn was sent to Adak Island for a few weeks to help with mechanical duties. Not much on Adak Island in 1963.
Another memory Glenn has……Was of a hurricane on Kodiak Island. Winds were strong enough that their school bus that was used around base was blown down the street like a paper cup. The winds sucked the windows of the barracks in. That was on his birthday, March 27th. One year to the day there was an earth quake. They had been released from the Navy and were on their way home. They were in Idaho checking into a motel and actually felt the ground tremble.
I was released on March 26th, 1964 as an ADR-5 (E-5). Glenn says “I truly enjoyed my time in the U.S. Navy.
