[formerE36M3/4/5]

Only recently joined Bimmerpost as I put a G05 x5 x40i on order (will be one of the last ‘24’s built).

I was USN (enlisted) from Dec ‘77 - Dec ‘83, rating was FTM (missile fire control technician) back when they differentiated between missile’s and guns. Other than my time in boot and school my entire enlistment was stationed on board ship which is what I went in for, I loved being on the ocean.

Both of my ships were the old oil fired boiler vessels even though the gas turbine ships had been out for a bit. First was DDG-8 the USS Lynde McCormick and the 2nd was the USS Brooke FFG-1. That ship was anything but fast….. kept steaming only by the hard work of our snipes! 3 WestPac deployments during my 6 years.

Only significant events my ships were involved in was floating around the Indian Ocean during the Iran Hostage Crisis and looking for “survivors ” after the Russians shot down KAL007. Most of the rest of my time was typical Tin Can Navy ops.

I was older than most of my contemporaries on board ship so I knew why I was there and what I would have been doing if I hadn’t joined so I appreciated it more but was glad when I got out (BS like painting the entire pier side of the ship just because an admiral was going to be driving by to visit another ship on our pier didn’t sit well with me). Otherwise my time was a hugely beneficial experience for me.

Anyhow, happy to read and share our various experiences in Uncle Sam’s Canoe Club.