Comments for Liberty Station : San Diego http://libertystation.com Its all happening here! Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:01:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Tell Us your Story by James A Dunnagan http://libertystation.com/stories/tell-us-your-story/comment-page-1#comment-259 James A Dunnagan Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:01:49 +0000 http://0316e83.netsolhost.com/wordpress/?p=7366#comment-259 I have a picture of our Company 41-48 that I could have a copy made of if interested. I enlisted April 1941, ditched in the Pacific in a B-24 Liberator called a PB4Y1 in the Navy. This was in 1944 and spent the next 25 monthys in Naval Hospitals before discharge July 1946. If you would like a copy of picture please respond. Many meories of my boot days in San Diego Jim Dunnagan I have a picture of our Company 41-48 that I could have a copy made of if interested.
I enlisted April 1941, ditched in the Pacific
in a B-24 Liberator called a PB4Y1 in the Navy. This was in 1944 and spent the next 25 monthys in Naval Hospitals before discharge July 1946.
If you would like a copy of picture please respond. Many meories of my boot days in San Diego
Jim Dunnagan

]]> Comment on Tell Us your Story by Robert Bissiri http://libertystation.com/stories/tell-us-your-story/comment-page-1#comment-153 Robert Bissiri Mon, 08 Aug 2011 04:54:22 +0000 http://0316e83.netsolhost.com/wordpress/?p=7366#comment-153 It's been 68 years since I arrived at NTC San Diego on Aug. 18, 1943 and was assigned to company 344-43. The things I still remember was the "grinder" where we lined up to go to chow among other things. The march up to Mission Bay where we jumped off a tower into the water with a life jacket on. Shooting the Springfield rifle at targets at a place I think was called Camp Mathews? Rowing the whale boats and scrapping barnacles off their bottoms. I went from Camp Decatur to Camp Laurence then qualified for the Navel Air Technical Training Center at Norman Oklahoma where I became a Aviation Machinist Mate. Thank you so much for preserving the beautiful buildings. Robert Bissiri AMM 3/C WW2 It’s been 68 years since I arrived at NTC San Diego on Aug. 18, 1943 and was assigned to company 344-43. The things I still remember
was the “grinder” where we lined up to go to chow among other things. The march up to Mission Bay where we jumped off a tower into the water with a life jacket on. Shooting the Springfield rifle at targets at a place I think was called Camp Mathews? Rowing the whale boats and scrapping barnacles off their bottoms. I went from Camp Decatur to Camp Laurence then qualified for the Navel Air Technical Training Center at Norman Oklahoma where I became a Aviation Machinist Mate. Thank you so much for preserving the beautiful buildings.
Robert Bissiri AMM 3/C WW2

]]> Comment on Tell Us your Story by Don Gaskill http://libertystation.com/stories/tell-us-your-story/comment-page-1#comment-78 Don Gaskill Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:59:05 +0000 http://0316e83.netsolhost.com/wordpress/?p=7366#comment-78 From Oklahoma to San Diego, April 1969 As many of the recruits stated, this was my first time away from home. Having just graduated from high school and started college at NEO (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M) in Miami, Ok., I really wasn’t trying to get an education!! I found out how well I wasn’t doing when I received a letter from the Department of Defense. I knew it meant I was going to be drafted. I took off from school and drove to Nowata, Ok and enlisted. There were about 12 of us from that area and all were in the same boat. Upon entering gate 3 and RTC, approx. 3 a.m., we were met by this tall lanky Bos’n Mate 1st class, Robert W. Meade Jr., yelling at each of us in language we had never heard before! Our day just started and everything that could happen did happen. As our days progressed, our CC wasn’t nearly as bad as we first thought. Our days on the grinder in the middle of April ’69 were very hot and humid. Several quake tremors and some rain. I was one of the lucky ones, being selected to the color guard. I actually carried the Oklahoma flag. We were in many parades. After boot camp and 15 days leave I managed to come back to San Diego to go through Shipfitter A School and Welding C1. I passed both in the top 10 and was actually given a promotion to SF3. Having graduated, I was given first choice as to my next duty station and chose the USS Vulcan AR5 in Norfolk, Va. My next 3 years were Pier 1. We called her Bldg. 5. After my enlistment, I came back to Okla. and joined the Reserves. Finally retiring in 1992 as Hull Technician 1st Class. I got word that in early 2005 that CC Meade has passed away. I took from him during my boot camp, that Navy tradition was to be respected. I gained self worth, respect for myself and a lifelong attitude that “I can’t” never did anything. Thanks to Mr. Meade and the US Navy, I have many memories and “sea stories” that will stay with me as I raise my children and grandchildren. To all my shipmates that have gone before me, “Fair Winds and Following Seas”. I wish you great progress in preserving NTC. Don Gaskill HT1 (ret) Copan, Ok. From Oklahoma to San Diego, April 1969

As many of the recruits stated, this was my first time away from home. Having just graduated from high school and started college at NEO (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M) in Miami, Ok., I really wasn’t trying to get an education!! I found out how well I wasn’t doing when I received a letter from the Department of Defense. I knew it meant I was going to be drafted.

I took off from school and drove to Nowata, Ok and enlisted. There were about 12 of us from that area and all were in the same boat.

Upon entering gate 3 and RTC, approx. 3 a.m., we were met by this tall lanky Bos’n Mate 1st class, Robert W. Meade Jr., yelling at each of us in language we had never heard before! Our day just started and everything that could happen did happen. As our days progressed, our CC wasn’t nearly as bad as we first thought. Our days on the grinder in the middle of April ’69 were very hot and humid. Several quake tremors and some rain.

I was one of the lucky ones, being selected to the color guard. I actually carried the Oklahoma flag. We were in many parades.

After boot camp and 15 days leave I managed to come back to San Diego to go through Shipfitter A School and Welding C1. I passed both in the top 10 and was actually given a promotion to SF3. Having graduated, I was given first choice as to my next duty station and chose the USS Vulcan AR5 in Norfolk, Va. My next 3 years were Pier 1. We called her Bldg. 5. After my enlistment, I came back to Okla. and joined the Reserves. Finally retiring in 1992 as Hull Technician 1st Class.

I got word that in early 2005 that CC Meade has passed away. I took from him during my boot camp, that Navy tradition was to be respected. I gained self worth, respect for myself and a lifelong attitude that “I can’t” never did anything. Thanks to Mr. Meade and the US Navy, I have many memories and “sea stories” that will stay with me as I raise my children and grandchildren.

To all my shipmates that have gone before me, “Fair Winds and Following Seas”.
I wish you great progress in preserving NTC.

Don Gaskill HT1 (ret)
Copan, Ok.

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