I Found My Book! – The Keel

I Found My Book - The Keel Well, after not seeing my boot camp book for more than 36 years and actively searching for it more than 19 years on a daily basis...I finally found it. Here's how it happened. I have searched eBay on a DAILY basis (literally) searching for this book, (here's a …

My First Day of Boot Camp

NOTE: if you offended by graphic talk, skip this story. I love telling the story of my first day in Navy boot camp. It was both terrifying and funny as hell. We arrived by bus at the base about midnight or so, and these really nice Navy guys were perfect gentleman...till we hit the base …

Rick Nelson – My Navy Recruiter Story

OK...yesterday a dear friend passed from this life Richard V. Nelson, or Rick as I called him. Was Rick a close friend, NO. But he was a DEAR friend tor whom I had great respect and who influenced my life from my teenage years up until NOW. I remember Rick as a family friend...more specifically …

Kinda Bummed About Book

I was in the US Navy from June 10, 1973 until September 10, 1977. My Boot Camp for the Navy was in Great Lakes, IL and I was in the 22nd Battalion Company 73-192. My Company Commander (CC) was 1st Class Hambrick or who we called "Blue Beard" for his sadistic and overly difficult "Happy …

Coming Home from Boot Camp

Admittedly, the last weeks and especially the last day of Boot Camp is a blur. But one of best feelings I have ever felt was coming off the plane in Memphis, TN and walking into the terminal to see my Mom, my Brother's and my girlfriend waiting for me. And then to have my girlfriend …