What drives a 17-year-old to falsify his age and enlist in the Navy during one of history's most tumultuous periods? Meet James Crider, a Navy veteran whose extraordinary journey began in 1945. From his rebellious enlistment decision to the swift transition from a dairy job to basic training in Maryland, James' story is a rich tapestry of youthful courage and sacrifice. Hear about his life before the Navy, the shock of his parents when they found out he enlisted, and the rapid changes that set the stage for his military career.
Travel through the stark contrasts of James' naval service. Experience the tension and anticipation aboard the USS Juno during the Korean War, where strategic bombardments and the constant threat of attack earned his ship the nickname "Galloping Ghosts." Amidst the intensity, James shares lighter moments, like 'shooting craps' aboard the ship and clever tactics to outsmart commanders. You'll also hear about the heartwarming celebration of the Korean War's end and his serendipitous encounter with his future spouse in Key West.
Finally, accompany James as he navigates his return to civilian life, transitioning from military service to finding long-term employment. His career spanned three major wars—World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam—offering a unique perspective on the bonds formed during service and the connections that resurface years later. This heartfelt conversation, set up by our new friend Conrad Ogletree, captures the honor and gratitude felt by both the host and the veteran, making it an unforgettable episode. Don’t miss this touching tribute to a life of service and the remarkable stories that come with it.
What drives a 17-year-old to falsify his age and enlist in the Navy during one of history's most tumultuous periods? Meet James Crider, a Navy veteran whose extraordinary journey began in 1945. From his rebellious enlistment decision to the swift transition from a dairy job to basic training in Maryland, James' story is a rich tapestry of youthful courage and sacrifice. Hear about his life before the Navy, the shock of his parents when they found out he enlisted, and the rapid changes that set the stage for his military career.
Travel through the stark contrasts of James' naval service. Experience the tension and anticipation aboard the USS Juno during the Korean War, where strategic bombardments and the constant threat of attack earned his ship the nickname "Galloping Ghosts." Amidst the intensity, James shares lighter moments, like 'shooting craps' aboard the ship and clever tactics to outsmart commanders. You'll also hear about the heartwarming celebration of the Korean War's end and his serendipitous encounter with his future spouse in Key West.
Finally, accompany James as he navigates his return to civilian life, transitioning from military service to finding long-term employment. His career spanned three major wars—World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam—offering a unique perspective on the bonds formed during service and the connections that resurface years later. This heartfelt conversation, set up by our new friend Conrad Ogletree, captures the honor and gratitude felt by both the host and the veteran, making it an unforgettable episode. Don’t miss this touching tribute to a life of service and the remarkable stories that come with it.
hello, james speaking.
Speaker 2:Hi, james, this is scott mcleain. I spoke to you the other day about interviewing you today. Yeah, is that okay? Is this a good time for you? Yeah, oh, great, great, let me ask you a question.
Speaker 1:What you said, the interview was about.
Speaker 2:So I'm doing a podcast on veterans and services that offer help to veterans, nonprofits that help, uh, veterans, and I'm also interviewing veterans that uh, you know, older veterans from Vietnam, korea and World War II uh, just to kind of get their story. So is that okay story? So is that okay? Yeah, yeah, oh, great, great, uh. Well, first, I appreciate your time, I appreciate and thank you for your service. I know you've heard that a million times, but thank you very much. Because of you, you laid the groundwork for me. I served for 10 years in the air force, so, thank you, I thank you. Thank you for your service too. You're more than welcome and nobody has ever said thank you for your service and meant more to me than when you just said that, so thank you.
Speaker 2:So let's start from the beginning. How old were you when you went in and what year was it?
Speaker 1:17, 17, 1945.
Speaker 2:Ah, okay. And what branch of the service did you go into? You went in the Navy, okay, yeah. What was the now? What was the reason for your wanting to join the military, and the Navy especially?
Speaker 1:Really it was a long story. I didn't really want to join it, but what I did? I'm going to try to make it short. I put my age up to be drafted. What do you call?
Speaker 2:it Registered to be drafted, yeah.
Speaker 1:At the time I did it, I was only 16. And I did it to have a card so I could prove to the tour. You know what a tour officer is.
Speaker 2:Yes for schools right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and he would get after us. And so we got a registration card. We said look, man, I'm 18 years of age, I ain't got to go to school, but I was only 16. So when I got the draft notice to report, that's when I decided I didn't want to go in the Army. So I said, well, so I went to recruitment and signed up for the Navy. At that time I was 17 years of age.
Speaker 2:Ah, okay, so you went in the Navy at 17 years old. You're supposed to be 18, right, I believe. Yeah, yeah, okay, okay. How did you get around that? You, you had the uh, uh, what? Uh? A false, a false birth date, or how did you get around that?
Speaker 1:well, you know back in the day that when they had the technology, like you, got everything from hand to mouth, so so if, if I knew what I knew. Now I could have signed them papers myself. I could have saved myself a lot of trouble. They gave me the papers in my hand and told me to go home and get my parents to sign it.
Speaker 1:But I didn't give it to my parents. I gave it to a friend of my parents who I found out give it to my parents. I gave it to a friend of my parents who I found out later was illiterate and I felt sorry that I did that, you know. But I got him to sign the papers. But, like I said, if I knew what I knew, I could sign them. I had them in my hand. All I had to do was sign my daddy's name on it and take it back and give it to him.
Speaker 2:And where did you grow up? Where was this? West Virginia, you were in West Virginia. Okay, okay, yeah, and so what's the next step? So okay, they take the paperwork and please, you don't have to make it quick for me. We could have a nice long conversation. It's all up to you, my friend, however long you want to tell a story, I'm all ears. I'm just, I'm honored to hear this. So you get the papers signed and you bring them back to your recruiter. And what happens after that?
Speaker 1:and what happens after that. They sent me to all about 70 miles away to have a physical. I passed the physical. I thought they were going to let me go back home, but after I passed the physical, they put me right on the train and sent me to my basic training, which is in Maryland. So they said, so I left right on a Go on.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. Go ahead, no, go ahead. So right there. So you don't get a chance to go home, you don't get a chance to tell your parents. They put you on a train, you're now part of the US, the US military, and we're sending you to Maryland. How did you handle that? How did you let your parents know? How did you let your friends know, like, what was going on?
Speaker 1:Well, they didn't know for a while because they didn't know where I was at and I didn't tell nobody where I was at. And after I got tell nobody where I was at, and after I got the train basic train then I rode home and let them know who I was at.
Speaker 2:Ah, okay, and what was the reaction?
Speaker 1:Well, you know they were disappointed that I Well, they were just more disappointed the way that I did it. You know, more like behind the back. And then I think they would have accepted it the way they sound like they would have accepted it if I had told them in advance what I was doing. But see, I wasn't staying home at that time. I had left home and I had a job working and I had my own little room. I rented an apartment, so I was more like on my own. That's why, really, I didn't have to tell anybody what I was doing.
Speaker 2:What was your job? What were you doing at that time?
Speaker 1:I was working at a dairy as a help on a milk truck.
Speaker 2:Okay, back when we used to have milkmen right In the bottle, the glass bottle. Yes, my generation. I was born in 1963. I think my generation was the last generation to see that old school way of doing things. The milkman, yeah.
Speaker 1:You were born in 63?.
Speaker 2:Yes, sir.
Speaker 2:I retired in 66 from the Navy oh well, I want you to tell me a story all the way up to 1966 and maybe beyond. If that's okay with you, I would love that. I would love that, but at any time, if you have to go or anything we can, we can continue this another time, but I, I really, I really, I can't stress enough. I've been looking forward to talking to you since we spoke the other day. So if I seem like a pest, it's only because I'm really really excited about doing this and talking to you. So you go to Maryland. What was basic training like back then?
Speaker 1:for the Navy it was rough.
Speaker 2:It was rough.
Speaker 1:They were just trying to get bodies ready as soon as possible. So after four weeks I think it was four weeks, five weeks, it wasn't long that we finished our basic training and they sent me to a base in Shumaker, California. Okay, Okay. Okay, and and guess what while we're there, guess who I met. You may not remember because you're so young.
Speaker 2:Joe Louis. I remember, I know Joe, I know of Joe Louis absolutely. He's a legend, he's an icon. How did you meet Joe Louis?
Speaker 1:They were. They were. They was in the gym practicing one, you know whatever they called it training or whatever and I had to try to duck my duty. So I run into the gym to hang out and they were there in the ring doing the shadow boxing or whatever, and that's how I got in on Joe Louis.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's amazing. That's amazing. So I was wondering. So the Navy has a swimming test right and you grew up in West Virginia, so I'm wondering. So the Navy has a swimming test right and you grew up in West Virginia, so I'm sure there was a body of water around somewhere and you know how to swim. Did you have any troubles with that? Was that a thing? What swimming? Yeah, the swim test that the Navy gives.
Speaker 1:No, I was a good swimmer. I used to swim all the way. We used to have a river it wasn't too far from where I lived, but I used to go there all the time and I had learned to swim all the way across the river and swim over and back.
Speaker 2:So you're a strong swimmer.
Speaker 1:So when I went to the Navy to swim in, it wasn't no problem for me. The only thing I was concerned about was dad jumping off that 9-foot tower. Oh, and how was that? It took me a while to get up and go up there. I was always afraid of heights. I don't know why. Right today I'm scared of height. I don't like the flock, I'm scared of height. But once I got up there and looked down at that water that swimming pool looked like a little small bathtub I said I ain't going to jump down there. So I turned around to walk back and get back down off of there. And next thing I know I was on the way down to the water. They pushed. I thought if I got fallen I thought I would never hit that water. Then when I hit the water, I thought I'd never stop going down.
Speaker 2:So they pushed you off.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Now, had they done that to anybody prior to you going up there Like, was this something that you were? Like, oh, I better jump or they're going to push me off, or were you the first?
Speaker 1:one. No, no, no. I'm sure they had done it before, but I was the first one. I seen what they were doing. They were marching by companies Ah okay, and line you up, and everybody had to take a turn going up, jumping, and I never seen them push anybody off, but I've seen guys jump off before you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So that's a memorable experience, needless to say, but once I hit the water the swimming was no problem, all right. So once you get up you get your breath back. Then you have to swim the length of the pool and back.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it wasn't the water or the swimming, it was getting to the water. That was your problem, right? I don't know if I'm going to jump off that tower.
Speaker 1:The reason they do that is a board ship. If you have to bun the ship, you have to jump, and so generally, about the highest ship is about 90 feet out of the water. That's where the big aircraft carriers and so what they do, they do that jumping to let you get used to jumping off a ship if necessary.
Speaker 2:Did you have to do it more than once?
Speaker 1:No, I had to do swimming more than once, but then jump off the tower just one time, Just one time, and you were happy that that was over, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you got that right. So okay. So what's the next step? So you get assigned a ship.
Speaker 1:In Shoemaker, california. That's where I'm from. From there I went to my first ship.
Speaker 2:And which ship was that?
Speaker 1:Back in the day, small ships didn't have names. They had classification and a whole number, the name of the USS PCS. I mean USS PC TN-81. And what was the purpose? Small ship didn't have a name.
Speaker 2:It was a submarine chaser, sub chaser. Wow, okay, yeah, okay. So where do you go from there? Where does that ship take you?
Speaker 1:California, I mean Hawaii and Ireland.
Speaker 2:And so how long did you serve? 21 and a half years. 21 and a half years, so this is during World War II, correct? When you first signed, yeah, and did you so? World War II ends and what was the feeling. World War II ends and what was the feeling.
Speaker 1:Well, the night the day the war ended, I can't tell you what I was doing, but I wasn't asleep, I wasn't home, I was in. And I went by a drawing line here and somebody said World War II is over. But I didn't believe home. I was in and I went by a joint and I heard somebody say World War II is over. But I didn't believe it. I just kept doing what I was doing, Doing what I was. We won't get into that.
Speaker 2:We won't get into that, but you just were doing what you were doing.
Speaker 1:We won't get into that, but you just were doing what you were doing. I can't get into that. And the next morning I heard it again. So I began to inquire, and the first time I thought you didn't know the one. I said no, I didn't know him. I've been in the bed all night Well, in the bed, but no, in the bed, but no. So anyway, next day everybody was celebrating, having fun, and so I joined right in with the two you know yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:so then you continued your service. You re-enlisted? I take it. Yeah, yes, what year do you remember the year you re-enlisted? I take it, yeah, yes, what?
Speaker 1:year. Do you remember the year you re-enlisted? I get to. Sometimes I get confused on dates. I think it was 19, when I re-enlisted. I think it was 1948, but I'm not quite sure.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, so you re-enlist and you stay in California.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, okay, okay, so you re-enlist and you stay in california. Yeah, yeah, okay. From from the, from that little ship I was on, I went to board two other smaller ships. Both of them was landing crafts. You know doing after war they were trying to get rid of as many men as I can. They were discharging a thousand a day. Anyway, on the subchaser I went to an LCI LCI is Landing Craft Infantry and from LCI I went to LSM LSM is Landing Ship Medium. So I went to two amph LSM and land the ship medium. So I went to two amphib ships right behind one another.
Speaker 2:ah, about three or four months different okay, so you're doing your time and then the Korean War kicks off?
Speaker 1:no, that was before the Korean War, so that, yeah, that was before the Korean.
Speaker 2:War kicks off. No, that was before the Korean War. So yeah, that was before the Korean War. And so where did you go from there? Where did that take you?
Speaker 1:Yeah well, from Atlanta, since I went to Namer Station and Astoria, oregon In Oregon.
Speaker 2:Oregon, in Oregon.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, and from there I'm going to transfer to Seattle Washington, the neighbor station in Seattle Washington.
Speaker 2:Okay, and what were you assigned to there?
Speaker 1:No, I went there for further transfer. Oh okay, I went there to transfer to another ship or station. So I would transfer to another ship, uss Silver, an oil tanker.
Speaker 2:And where did that stay? No, it went over the sea.
Speaker 1:I went aboard, I think, around July, between July and August.
Speaker 2:And we left there and went to Pearl.
Speaker 1:Harbor and from there we went to Arabia. What we were doing, we were hauling oil from Arabia to the Pacific, guam, japan, the Philippines.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and how long did you do?
Speaker 1:that for Three years. Oh, I remember the date now, 1947. That's when I went aboard the USS Severn. So I stayed on the Severn from 47 to 1950. And from Severn I went back to Seattle Washington to be transferred for the assignment and from Seattle Washington I was transferred to the USS Juno. Now, that's how I got a career. That was February 1950 when I went aboard the USS Juno. If you want to look at the history of the Juno, you can pull it up USS Juno, cla 119. You get the whole story of what we did in and out of Korea.
Speaker 2:Give me some memorable moments when you were out there.
Speaker 1:In Korea.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:I think, now that I'm able to sit down and think about it, I think what was really nerve-wracking was you know it's coming, but you're waiting and you don't know whether it's coming north, east, south or west, from underneath the water, from the air or where. And so the thing is sitting there, waiting all that time, you don't know what you hear, you're ready to jump out of your clothes. So the longest thing, the worst thing I found out is that you have to wait to see what's going to happen. And then, when it happened, you're still jumping out of your clothes. But it happened. You're still talking about your clothes, but it happened so quick and was that an attack on the ship?
Speaker 1:no, we were doing. They didn't attack, but we attacked them. Now the war started on the 25th of June. In the morning of the 27th I was in Korea. The ship was in Japan the time the war started. On the Sunday it started. We were not too far from Korea, but we was in Japan, a little city called Kakushima. Japan Puts it right across the straits from Korea.
Speaker 2:So they put you right into action and you headed over there. And how? Long were you there for?
Speaker 1:From one straight year, from June to June.
Speaker 2:So there was some nerve-wracking moments in there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we got the nickname the Galloping Ghosts, and how did that come about? The Korean, they had some. We got the nickname the Galloping Ghosts, and how did that come about? Well, the Koreans, they had some kind of broadcast. I forget now what they called it, and they were something like have you heard about Tokyo Rose doing World War II? Yes, how she used to get on and pretend like she knew what a fleet was and how many got shipped. It was something like that. They called us the Galloping Ghosts. We would attack the east coast of Korea, maybe in the morning or late at night. Then we'd go around on the east coast and attack that by the time the North Korean catch up with us We'd be down at South China Sea around Pomosa and Tom. They'd get down there at South China Sea. We'd be back in the Sea of Japan and when they get near the Sea of Japan we'd be back on the East Coast from here. Shelling again, Bombardment rather.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so this was pretty exciting. You did that for a year straight. Huh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So how did everybody?
Speaker 2:pass the time during all this. What was the mindset on the ship? How did that work?
Speaker 1:Well, you know those type warships, you know they got things that keep you busy. Matter of fact, they show movies all day long. People want to watch movies. Or you can sleep, or you can go to the small library, or you can go down the hole and shoot crap, as long as you don't get caught, and shoot crap as long as they don't get caught.
Speaker 2:I have a funny feeling. There was a lot of people down in the hole shooting craps, right.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you a story of what happened. Yes, when you shoot crap and all that's still there, you can hear it over the next room or next compartment or whatever. So we would put a blanket down on the deck. So when the dice hit the deck, you couldn't hear it next door or the next compartment. And so this day I want to pay that About four or five. We were gambling big time, which is a no-no in the military, and so all of a sudden, the commander walked in.
Speaker 1:And we had a guy there from. He's a Filipino. He had the dice in hand and the commander said what you got doing? And the Filipino says oh, we're just getting ready to say our prayer. He said send your prayer. Yes, sir, we're getting ready to say our prayer. That's all he got. We're getting ready to say our prayer. He had the dice in his hand. So the commander said well, what's the money for? Oh, captain, we're going to take up a treasure and give it to the welfare center so we can have a picnic apart. So the commander said well, since y'all are going to give it to the welfare I'm the welfare of the apartment Let me take that money. So he took all the money away Game over. We're lucky we didn't go to jail, man.
Speaker 2:You were glad to give him the money.
Speaker 1:You were happier to see him leave, right you had a money we're going to turn into recreation. There's something we have a part in when we get back in port again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I'm sure you have a lot of those stories from that one year on that ship. How many men were on that ship? Do you remember 800. 800?.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right, it was a cruiser, it was an aircraft cruiser, did you make a lot of friends on that ship? Oh yeah, did you make a lot of friends on that ship? Oh yeah, especially when you see what you do, you go around talking to God and you get to know a lot of the group. Now I'm almost at the last ship with the aircraft carrier. It had 5500 men on there, so I didn't get to know too many people, just a guy I worked with. I knew on that ship.
Speaker 2:But the guy who I worked with because so many people on there- yeah, yeah, yeah, and you kept that friendship for as long as they last correct.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, I'm sure most of the guys I served, with all of them, passed away by now.
Speaker 2:When I think about my age age I know they couldn't because most of the guys I served with.
Speaker 1:They were strict alcoholics and I know they couldn't live long doing that. Now I used to try to drink but I'd give it up. I never did like. I never did like alcohol. I only did hang out with the guys when we'd go to the bar or something like that. I may take a beer, but I never finished one. I just sat down at the bar and sipped it and made God think I'm one of the guys.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and how old are you, james? 96. 96. Yeah, and how old are you, james? 96. 96. Well, I think that not drinking was probably a blessing in disguise, wouldn't you say?
Speaker 1:I think so too. I always say that, yes, that's why I didn't live long. I never drank. I drank, but not that much. I guess I could say I never. Well, I drank, but not that much. I guess I could say I probably didn't drink a whole gallon in my lifetime.
Speaker 2:God bless you for that. Okay, so the year is up, and what happens after that? Where do you go?
Speaker 1:When we left Korea, we went to Japan to be finished get through the water. After that, where do you go when we left the river with Japan to get through the water and from there we went to Long Beach, california.
Speaker 2:Ah, Long Beach, and that's the. What naval base is that? That's.
Speaker 1:Navy Shipyard.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the Navy Shipyard, that's right, long Beach Naval Shipyard. So then, how long were you there for?
Speaker 1:Well, after we went there, for the team we had on that ship, we had World War II guns on there, so they went in port to change, put in a new type of anti-aircraft gun. So we were there long enough I think six months or so for them to change new guns on there, and then the ship went back to Korea again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you went over there a second time. Yeah, so I'm sure everybody enjoyed that six months in Long Beach California.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, they brought on a brand new crew, a lot of guys you know the reservists. They were getting out, so we had to change it, put a brand new crew on there and unfortunately I wasn't one of the new crew they brought on there. They left me all by myself.
Speaker 2:They left you by yourself.
Speaker 1:Most of the guys I knew. They all got discharged, you know.
Speaker 2:So you're there and now it's a whole new group of guys. Yeah, and you had to kind of start all over again.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, ah. But all the way back back to real, you do all your training. Go on the exercise man on the board. Five drills commission, you name it. That's what they're going to do when we go to see.
Speaker 2:We do all kinds of exercises, you know, including barrel drills so you were with the original crew of guys for a year, and now you're with a whole new crew of guys, and so that must have been kind of disheartening in a sense, right kind of lonely. You have to start all over again. What was, what were?
Speaker 1:you going through with that? No, no, you're not local. You sort of expect, uh, the crew will change sooner or later. Okay, and so so you almost got your mind made up because, of course, not only that the guys are getting discharged, they let you, let you know every day I'll be out next week, next month, I got two more months, I got 30 days.
Speaker 2:So you, you hear, you hear that every day and every night they become the house, the date, the month, the year well, I guess I do remember back, because I did 10 years in the air force and I now that you mentioned that to me. Yes, that is, it just became the norm. So you know, you make friends with somebody and they're pcsing, they're going to another base or they're getting out.
Speaker 2:You miss them, but you have to press forward, you have to carry on right yeah, yeah, yeah okay, you go back over to korea with this new group of guys, and how long did you do that tour?
Speaker 1:well, I stayed six months after that. Come on, this movie getting to end, so I would try for back to seattle was.
Speaker 2:What happens from there. When you get to Seattle, you're back there.
Speaker 1:You're back at stateside, not Seattle, san Diego, california, San Diego, okay, yeah. So I got discharged there and I re-enlisted in San Diego and from there they sent me to North of Virginia.
Speaker 2:And now, do you remember what year that was? Early 50s, yeah.
Speaker 1:The Korean. War was still going on then, because I remember it had to be 50, early 53, 53, I think, something like that so the Korean War is still going on and you're in San Diego and from San Diego, we went to Norfolk Virginia then you went to Norfolk Virginia for the transfer again so now you're kind of like a nomad, right you?
Speaker 2:just you're bouncing around here to here to here and you're all by yourself, right? You're doing this all by yourself, right? Yeah?
Speaker 1:So, and from from North Virginia I went to born, a gasoline tanker, Ah AOG, 57 USS.
Speaker 2:Pecatonica. And where does that take you? Nowhere.
Speaker 1:I made one trip on a Pecatonica from north of Virginia with the West Palm Beach Florida for a weekend. Then back to north and in my field I was in supply and in my field there were two of us had the same rank but the other guy was about three months senior to me and so they pulled the straw. The sea front saloons had to go and I was trying to get them to send me back since I had just came. Listen, no, we're going to send the other guy because time for him to transfer anyway. But anyway, they flipped around and transferred me instead of him and I went from there to another ship called the USS Vulcan, which was a repair ship.
Speaker 2:What kind of ship was that Repair ship?
Speaker 1:A repair ship, a small repair for submarines and destroyers and stuff like that, okay, but on there I was a member of what we call the Balkan, but the flagship of Server Squadron 3. And as I went aboard the server I mean the Balkan they transferred me to the server squadron, which was a flagship, I guess like a base that got a higher command on there. Okay, I don't know what you call it in the Air Force, but in spite of the captain, you had a higher command which was the flagship of staff. So they transferred me to the staff of the service squadron 3, and for the service squadron 3 they had several different ships under their command and one of them that we went on. That's when the war was over. I remember going to the North Pole with the USS Wyandotte aka 92, on the way to the Greenland which is in the. Did you know the Air Force had a base in Greenland?
Speaker 2:Thule, Greenland yes, Thule Greenland.
Speaker 1:that's where we're going. All the way to Thule Greenland, oh boy, yeah. And then that's all the last things. The one career just ended.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And so we celebrated the boy's ship drinking Coke-Cola. That's all we had. We had no room, so we drank Coke Cola.
Speaker 2:And this was over in Thule, greenland, all the way to Greenland, to Greenland. Yeah, so you weren't in San Diego anymore, that's for sure. No, no. You were in the total opposite 20 below zero, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:I had in the total opposite 20 below zero, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I had a friend that was stationed there and he told me some stories. So you were in the Navy when World War II ended and you're still in the Navy when the Korean War ends. And what rank were you at this point?
Speaker 1:E2. I'm not even Okay.
Speaker 2:E4. E, e4, e4. So the Korean War ends and you guys celebrate drinking Coca-Cola.
Speaker 1:Korean War.
Speaker 2:We drink Coca-Cola so what transpires after that? Okay, now this war is over. Does your mission change? Do you stay in Greenland? What happens after that?
Speaker 1:No, From Greenland. They send me there Back to north of Virginia.
Speaker 2:And how long were you there for?
Speaker 1:Just overnight, so to speak, not long. And they transfer, so to speak, not long. And they transferred me to Key West, florida. Oh, that's how I got out of Florida. And once I got in Florida I found out it's summertime. I said I ain't going back to North again.
Speaker 2:So, my friend, I'm from Boston and I got hired. I got out of the Air Force in 1997 and got hired by US Customs and Border Protection in Miami and I never went back to Boston. I love. Boston but I'm never going back there to live. I'm staying, like you, my friend, I'm staying in Florida. We don't need that cold, no more.
Speaker 1:So now, you're in Key.
Speaker 2:West, which is kind of a back then, a small paradise, I'm sure, a lot quieter than it is now, and so everything's, everything's calm Life kind of levels off. Levels off, right. How long were you there?
Speaker 1:for two years, two years that's where I met my wife in T West okay, beautiful, beautiful she was down on vacation okay, now you have to tell me the rest of the story.
Speaker 2:So, anyway, I'm been on vacation.
Speaker 1:Okay, now you have to tell me the rest of the story. So, anyway, I was out patrolling one night. That's what sailors call when you're out doing your thing.
Speaker 1:We'd say we're going patrolling, so I was out patrolling and this group of girls come by and I tried to talk to them but they ran. And anyway, that same night I went over there to finish my patrol and I met a friend of mine. He says I know the girls. I said man, you don't know. And another friend of mine, he says I know the girls. I said man, you don't know, you ain't seen them. He said yeah, I know, I know exactly what they mean and everything. He said you come tomorrow, I'll take you to the house. I said oh, man, I ain't gonna come cause you don't know who I'm talking about. You didn't see the girls. And yeah, but I know who you're talking about.
Speaker 1:Though he said, well, you describe nothing. Or I'm talking about, you didn't see the girls, yeah, but I know who you're talking about. Though, well, you described another thing. And sure enough, I went back on patrol that same next night, but I didn't go to meet him because I know he did BS on me, you know. And sure enough, he took me straight to the house and they was having dinner, and so when I seen the girls, I got so shocked I couldn't say nothing. So he said now you run your mouth, now you sit up with your mouth wide open.
Speaker 2:So I assume this was love at first sight.
Speaker 1:My friend, love at first sight, yeah yeah, anyway, he and Zubin told the girls, including the family, they were hanging out with they were they were all one, all them girls, was one family cousin, cousin, nephew, niece or whatever. Wow, cousin uncles, yeah, so they're different than the family and whatnot.
Speaker 1:And of course all the girls looked good that night and so anyway, I had. About a week later I said to the guy who took me there. I said I says you know where they're now Because they were there on vacation. He said yep, I know that too. He said if you want to one of the girls, I got the phone number, I'll give it to you. So he gave me the number to this young lady and I called her and she and we talked. But the funny thing about it is that she kept asking me at that time I was wearing a civilian crew and she kept asking me were you military?
Speaker 1:But I didn't want to lie to her so I never would tell her I was just changing something. And so she kept asking me. I said make time to ask her that and I'm going to tell her and would just change the subject. I said make time, she asked me that and I'm going to tell her and see what happens. So she asked me again. So I said yeah, I'm in the military. And I said what you don't like? Military people? She said I knew you were military because you were dressed too clean, looking to be a civilian. I said no, you're dressed too clean. I knew you were military because you were dressed too clean, looking to be a civilian. That's how I heard what she told me. She said, no, you're dressed too clean. I knew you were the military. She said the military guy always dressed nice. Somebody who's bald right here doesn't dress any kind of way. So anyway, we finally got together. She invited me up one weekend, you know.
Speaker 2:And I went up, rode the Greyhound bus, went up to she lived in Homestead, Florida, which is a hundred some miles from Key West.
Speaker 1:Key West, yeah, homestead, yep, yeah, that's where she lived there and we got together and we talked and we she invited me to the house several times, big breakfast for me and lunch and dinner, you know, yeah, and we got settled down. So I finally asked her what her intentions were and she said I'll get ready to ask you the same thing. So I said, well, be frank with your friend and I ain't going to tell you no lie. So I said, well, be fine with your phone, I ain't going to tell you no lie. I'm looking for a nice lady I can settle down with in life, you know. She said really. I said, yeah, you know. And so from there we went. A year or so later we finally got married and we stayed married for 62 years. She passed away a few years ago.
Speaker 2:You're about. You know what that story? I'm not going to lie to you, my friend, I almost started crying, I started getting choked up. That's a beautiful story. That's a beautiful story. Yeah, now, how old were you when you got married? I was 28. 28. Okay, and so now it's peacetime. And how old were you when Vietnam kicked off? I get to a few.
Speaker 1:I don't really remember when the war started for real. I know it was in the late 60s. No, I'm in the early 60s but I don't remember the date when it started. I don't remember the date when it ended, but I say 75 when it ended. I'm not sure. I get confused sometimes with dates. That's about right.
Speaker 2:So where were you when Vietnam kicked off? Do you remember when you got orders, did you have to go over there?
Speaker 1:No, I was stationed somewhere, but I don't remember. I think I was aboard an aircraft carrier, I'm not sure, I don't know. When I got out in 66, I was aboard a cruising home port in France, villefranche. That was on the French Riviera, near Monaco, near Monaco.
Speaker 2:That's where.
Speaker 1:Grace Keller used to hang out. Wow, that's where I got discharged from in 1966.
Speaker 2:So 1966, you get discharged. Where was your wife at the time?
Speaker 1:No, I had purchased a home there, Ah okay, yeah. She was stealing insurance. I purchased a home there where she lived In Homestead no, about 10 miles north of the homestead Okay Called Richmond.
Speaker 2:Heights. So she was home waiting for you and you went over to you know, to that part of the world, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Because my mom made up to get us. I told her you stay here with the kids and I'll do my last tour, Then I'm going to take retirement. And so she stayed there with the kids for two years until I did my tour and I just sent my mom and made her have to go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you were discharged in Monaco. You said is that where you were when you got out? No, they sent me back to Brooklyn. New York. Were discharged in Monaco. You said Is that where you were when you got out? No, they sent me back to Brooklyn. New York Neighbor station in Brooklyn New.
Speaker 1:York, flushing Avenue, and that's where I was discharged from in Brooklyn. I took the A train to the Nets and I took a plane out of there. Okay, yeah, I was glad to get out of there.
Speaker 2:I bet you were. You served during three wars, right? Yeah, I can't think that there's many men that served in all three of those wars right, there was some, but then Jim and I passed away.
Speaker 1:I got a good friend of mine who's 101. He served in World War II in Korea and I'm sure there are others who did the same thing with the three wars.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it can't be that many of them, though. You had to come in at a specific time right to fall into that. And stay in right. Make it a career. Yeah, which is not a high percentage of military personnel. Choose it to be a career, right.
Speaker 1:No, you got that right yeah.
Speaker 2:So okay, so you discharged in 1966. I'm three years old at the time. Just to kind of. And where does life take you after that?
Speaker 1:Well, as soon as I got home I found a job. The next day I got into Florida with a security company and I worked there about six months or so in the Air Force. Well, you know, the military found out everything they wanted to find out about people. You know they gave me a call Air Force Base. They wanted to know if I would come to work for them Back in the day once you retired. You couldn't go back and work for the government for two years. So I said I can't work but I'd like to, but I haven't been my two years out of the military. They said well, we'll get you a waiver if you want to come to work. I said I shall come to work. So I stayed there for 23 years after I retired from the Navy.
Speaker 1:And what did you do for the Air Force Supply? Same job I had in the Navy.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, and I was going to touch on that because when I was in, you know, you had the base commanders and you had your chiefs and your master sergeants and you know, and they all had some sort of power right, they all had some sort of control over things. But I have to say, nobody really had more control over things than the people that worked in supply. Everybody wanted to be friends with people that worked in supply. Everybody wanted to be friends with people that worked in supply. Am I wrong there or am I right? No, you're right. Everybody wanted to be friends with supply people.
Speaker 2:Yes, because, you could get things.
Speaker 1:When you're in supply, you do all kinds of things. Man, let me tell you an experience I had. Yes, during the Korean War. I can't think of the date, but it was during the Korean War. My nickname was Peter Pan the Midnight man. I'll tell you why they call me Peter Pan the Midnight man. I knew at night time the guy be out. They're supposed to be sleeping, but they ain't asleep. Around midnight I go down down the ladder with a big can of peanut butter in my hand and a loaf of bread. So the guy said here it comes, the peanut man, the midnight man.
Speaker 2:Peanut pan the midnight man, that's great, that's great, that's great now let me finish the story.
Speaker 1:yes, when we slept, you come up the stairs and there to the right, what we call the bake shop. That's where the cooks made and baked all the cakes and pies and bread and whatnot and what we were doing. The bakers only worked at night time and so when they cooked the bread or the cookies or whatever, they set that on a it was a sort of a screen thing that cooled off of whatever they had sitting there before they put it in storage. And when we would do it, we'd watch him go back in the back and we'd grab a whole pan of cookies or cake, whatever he had, and we'd go downstairs. Now we did that for several months, maybe a year After I got this retired.
Speaker 1:I'm working on a base. I went to the gas station when they filled my tank up and right beside me, on the other side of the pump, there was an older guy. He kept looking at me and I kept saying what did he keep looking at me for? So after he got there, he came over and he said look, I don't know your name, but you're the one who used to steal my cakes and pies.
Speaker 2:I said I don't know your name.
Speaker 1:He said I can tell you what you used to sleep.
Speaker 2:I was born chill so that must have drove him crazy. Did you so? Did you, did you fess up to it? Did you say, yeah, that was me and no?
Speaker 1:I don't know. I said, I said them were the other guys. You know, I know you, I know you I can't remember your name, but I remember your face. You know more. That's one of the reasons they call me Peter Pan the Midnight.
Speaker 2:Man, the Midnight man yeah, that's great. That's great. So you worked for the Air Force in supply. How long did you do that for? For 23 years, 22 years, and you raised your family. Yeah, yeah, and how many children did you? Have, if you don't mind me asking, four, four boys.
Speaker 1:And they wanted to go to the military. I said no, you guys ain't military material, want to go to the military? I said no, you guys ain't military material. I said I know you guys, you wouldn't fit in with military and all kinds of stuff. They didn't believe what.
Speaker 2:I was telling them.
Speaker 1:I took two of them to the base with me. They let them stay the whole day. I sat down and said I want you to sit here and listen when the guys come in, listen what they be saying. And the guys come in, of course they've been busy, but they come to the airport to be a pilot and I was supposed to be this and that and they got me up here in the supply and all I said, see I done, went home. I said see them guys complaining.
Speaker 2:I said the airport told them they're going to do one thing, but they got to do something else and they're just pleading they can't get out.
Speaker 1:I said you guys the same way, because I know how you are around the house. You don't like to be told to do things. You don't like to do things on time, you like to stay out late at night. I said you won't work in the military. I said best you stay right here and go to school and get your education and go ahead from there. And that's what they did. They stayed at home, yeah.
Speaker 2:That was sage advice.
Speaker 1:I tell them right today that they could have been an ex-military, but I knew you wouldn't make it, so I think they're agreeing now. Dad, I'm glad you told them to go in there.
Speaker 2:So they listened when it's kind of like, the way you did it was like I'm just going to do this, I'm not asking permission, I'm just gonna do this, I'm not asking permission, I'm just going to do this. But you were there to tell them don't do it, don't do it. That's funny how things came full circle, huh no, no, my baby son.
Speaker 1:He wouldn't take this physical labor thing and see, he was a college grad. I was his son. All they gonna give you is an arm and a fur clad tent and go jump in the lake. I said you should at least go to a hostage candidate school. You know, yes, but anyway he changed his mind. He said no, dad, I better stay home you know, Okay, all right, did you?
Speaker 1:And that's who I'm living with today, my baby son. What's that? I said, that's who I'm living with today, my baby son. Ah, okay, after I got sick, he didn't want me to stay by myself anymore. So he said I'm coming to get you oh.
Speaker 2:So he came to.
Speaker 1:Miami got me and brought me up here to Tampa.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, but you would not leave Florida, that's for sure, right you would not have left Florida.
Speaker 1:No, I would have died right here in Florida. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So did you keep anything from the military? Did you keep any uniforms or any type of uh like mementos from your time in the Navy clothes?
Speaker 1:Because when I came home I put the whole bag in the closet and one day I went to look for them and I couldn't find the bag. I think my wife threw all that stuff in the garbage. I never did anything. I'm paying my bag. I just set the whole thing in the closet and I'm finished. Yeah, Unfortunately.
Speaker 2:I'm one of those people. I um, unfortunately I I'm one of those, one of those people that I lived it. So I didn't really keep much from the time that I was in, uh, and I kind of look back and like maybe I should have. You know, as we get older, as you know, we start to look back and see things a little differently and I kind of like say, well, a little differently, and I kind of like say, well, maybe I should have kept something, but it's, everything is for a reason, right, everything is for a reason. So.
Speaker 2:Well, listen, james, I I've been talking to you for an hour and I could probably talk to you for another two hours, but I don't want to take up any more of your time. I I can't tell you enough. I I know I've said this more than a couple times. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for talking to me. This was an amazing conversation. This is you made my day, you made my week, you made my year, and I'm not making that up. This was an extreme honor to be able to talk to you and now that I have your phone number, we might be talking again, if that's okay.
Speaker 2:Well then call me anytime you like. That would be wonderful. That would be wonderful.
Speaker 1:I'll talk to Conrad quite a bit.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I'm going to thank him for connecting us very much. This was amazing, and if I'm ever up in the Tampa area, I will call you and, and I'll take you to lunch, I'll take you to breakfast, whatever I can do. I would love to meet you personally, though.
Speaker 1:Don't forget the peanut pan and midnight.
Speaker 2:How can I forget that that's a great story and the fact that the Baker remembered you all those? Years later at a gas station of all places. That's a great story, my friend.
Speaker 1:That's a great story.
Speaker 2:So okay, James, again I know I've said it already, I said it too much Thank you so much and thank you for your service. Thank you for laying the groundwork for people like me that went into the military. You guys were the backbone of it, the greatest generation. I appreciate you, sir, and I look forward to talking to you and I definitely look forward to meeting you.
Speaker 1:Okay, I appreciate the conversation with you.
Speaker 2:Yes, and we will talk again, absolutely, we will talk again All right then you have a good day now, you too, my friend. Thank you very much.
Speaker 1:You're welcome. Bye, bye-bye.
Speaker 2:Well, there you have it. I don't even know what to say. That was amazing. I just can't say that enough. Amazing, I just can't say that enough. Well, I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. This was truly an honor, something that I didn't see. It wasn't even on my radar, but my new friend, Conrad Ogletree. He set this up, this conversation that I just had. I'm kind of reeling, if you can't tell. I really am so with that, I want to thank you for listening. I appreciate your support. I appreciate the nonprofits that I'm trying to get them out there. I appreciate the VA. I'm in a very good mood right now. I'm in a great space right now. So again, thank you. Thank you. If you like the podcast, share it. If you're listening on any of the podcast platforms, give me a like, and well, that's it. I'm just going to go glow for a little while and you'll hear me next Monday.