Michael J. Rapp
Preparing to write a post about my dad is a little daunting. He is much more apt to discuss the other men he served with or those who have long passed and their stories. To get information out of him just doesn’t come as easily as when he discusses others.
But since he was stuck in a chair after his knee replacement surgery and after discussing a good friend of his, I decided to at least attempt to get a few comments out of him.
In 1960, Michael Rapp signed up for a six year hitch in the Navy. He still had half a year of school left, but he really wanted to see the world. So, after graduation, he shipped out for boot camp, then was assigned to the USS New.
During peacetime, the USS New had one purpose, to travel and make friends with those countries they docked with. They travelled to the Caribbean, South America, Africa, Northern Europe and the Persian Gulf. For the most part, they made friends with only a few skirmishes here and there!
Even though this was before the official start of the Vietnam War, American forces were still involved in Vietnam. He served on ship or in land, wherever needed. When asked, he filled in as a corpsman on occasion.
Going into the Reserves
After his six years was up, he left the Navy and went to college to eventually receive his teaching degree. After that, he went back into the Navy as a reservist.
Dad also served during the first Gulf War on the USS Racine and the USS Simon Lake.
As Chief Boatswain Mate (pronounced bosun), part of dad’s duties were keeping the rigging in shape, maintain the ship’s deck equipment, boats, seamanship tasks as well as many other supervisory positions. Being in charge of loading and unloading cargo and serve as coxswains- steering and directing inflatable boats, was another addition to his job.
He was also in charge of piping orders on his boatswain pipe. A boatswain’s pipe is an instrument unlike anything I knew from band. Using just your hand and fingers and controlling the length of call, it’s high pitch can be heard across a busy ship.
Every month, dad spent a weekend working at a reserve center, usually only a few hours away. Then, during summertime, he would spend two weeks a year going wherever he was told. Generally, this meant overseas working as a boarding/liaison officer, store keeper/supply officer and shore patrol.
Look for my continued post about my dad on Wednesday. If you haven’t already signed up for my annual newsletter and recieved your free gift, please click here! Signing up means you’ll get all the updates for my new release coming out in September 2020.