My last post gave some of the details of my dad’s service in the Navy. Here are a few stories he shared with me.
Serving as Chief Boatswain’s Mate, dad had a lot of duties he was responsible for while on the ship. He’s told me several times how much he enjoyed going out early morning and drinking his coffee while he watched the men clean the deck. He’s often missed being on the ship and enjoying the rock of the boat.
During his first six years, the USS New got caught in a typhoon. The ship rocked back and forth and dad said,
“At the time, I thought it was pretty neat.”
As he worked inside the bridge, he noticed the list of the ship rocked from 45 degrees to the right, then 45 degrees to the left. It was then he noticed his captain white-knuckling the chair in front of him. The young seaman realized that if the captain was that concerned, perhaps he should be as well!
A ship dad was on, listing from side to side.
One cold January in Norfolk, the ship’s mooring lines started to break off as a storm tossed the ship. The mooring lines secured the ship to the harbor. Usually, when a storm comes in, the lines are loosened so they don’t break away and keep the ship tethered.
Other vessels came in to try and help out, to untether the ship as everyone on board worked to get the lines fixed. After that, dad developed frost bite on the back of his hands.
When I asked him what he wanted kids to know and understand about the military, he said,
“The military is a great opportunity. You get out of it what you put into it. Go in and do the best you can and get advancements and be successful.”
As a former teacher, my dad has a burden for kids and their futures. Teaching in rural Kansas and rural schools in Arkansas, it’s easy to see the cycle of poverty from parents to children. He used to tell his kids,
“There are three things you can do to become successful. Get your high school diploma, don’t have kids and get a good job.”
He wanted them to see their potential, no matter the circumstances from where they came. There were some students that learned those lessons easily, some the hard way. There were a few of his students that went into the military service because of the lessons he taught.
Dad taught P.E., elementary level classes and then on to junior high classes in civics and history before he retired.
Being a veteran and a teacher has always defined my dad, its just part of who he is. And now, he’s a grandfather and I think that defines him even more!
With my kids last year.
My daughter’s birthday this year.
