In 1966, I was 21 years old, and I was married for the first time. I even had a child. We were involved in Vietnam. Some people got college deferments and others got out for whatever reason.

I joined the navy to avoid being drafted into the army. I had a selective service number. I had to get on a bus in San Jose and Drive up to the induction center in Oakland. I took the physical and mental tests. Those who became 1-A, And I was one of them, would be in the army in 30 days!

But my wife at the time knew someone who knew an officer. By knowing someone I was able to get on the list to join the navy prior to being drafted. I was on a ship, the USS Cowell, sailing out of San Francisco. She was a reserve trainer.

About a year afterwards I was transferred to the USS Porterfield. They had been to Vietnam but I was lucky enough to be transferred when they came back. We were discharged in San Diego and I got an early out because the navy was over-enlisted and didn’t need all the sailors it had.

I was lucky. I wasn’t two ships; the first only went as far as Portland, Oregon and the farthest point south was Ensenada, Mexico. We weren’t on active duty. We were ready to be activated if need be. We basically trained two-week reservists.

We had people that were four-year people; we had lifers on that ship, too.