USCG 78-82. stationed on, USCGC Confidence 78-79 Station Juneau - 44' motor surf boat 79 USCGC .Cape Jellison 80-82. Went in the Coast Guard to get to Alaska. Actually managed to help save some lives. Stayed stationed in AK till my enlistment ended honorably. Haven't left yet. The only war I was in was the Cold War. I joined the guard because my brother who was in at the time assured me that If I made it thru boot camp and put in for ships stationed in Alaska. It was guaranteed I would be stationed on one. Considering I was born a displaced Alaskan . I did what I had to to get home.
Well, Thanks fellow "Coastie"!!! Great service!!! I spent 3 years on a 210' The Vigorous, WMEC-627. I loved the 210 platform. The Confidence is in Cape Canaveral Fl now. I actually saw her about 6 years ago while down in Miami. I have friends who retired from here two years ago and went back to Alaska, They went to Kodiak, they loved it there. I'll have to snap a pic of the 44' surf boat memorial we have here and post it for you.
WOW, just found this section, I'm kind of a newbie here. Thank you all for your service. Our family has served over the years. Dad, WWII Navy in the Pacific. He quit high school and talked his parents into letting him join the Navy soon after Pearl Harbor was attacked. His family picture with his folks and siblings, he in is Navy uniform right after boot camp before leaving for the Pacific, sits just above my monitor as I type this. I look at this picture EVERY day. My Brother, Vietnam twice, Army My Brother-in-law, Vietnam, Army I remember as a kid watching Walter Cronkite every night and holding my breath the whole time during the war news... Those were my big brothers over there... My wife, who I didn't know at the time, said she prayed every night at bedtime for all the soldiers. Dad's brother, 50s Army, Honor Guard in Washington DC Dad's Uncle WWII waist gunner in a B17, Dad and him got to spend a day together in Tokyo right after the war GG Grandpa, Civil War, Blue, many battles but I don't know much about it Dad's brother-in-law, 50's ground crew for a SAC bomber Wife's uncle 1, WWII, Battle of the Bulge Wife's uncle 2, WWII, bomber crew, shot down over Germany and finished the war as POW Wife's uncle 3, WWII, supply sarg in PR Their mother... I can't imagine... Wife's brother, US Army, Supply and Maintenance in the mid 70's Wife's uncle, other side, WWII, many islands including Okinowa I'm sure I'm missing someone, but they all made it home to their families and had families of their own. Thank the Lord. I fixed radios in the US Army in the early 80's in Germany. I called remote site Hoher Bogen home for 2-1/2 years. On top of the mountain at the end of Schwarzriegelweg next to Sektor F. Le Faire Vite Again, Thank you all for serving.
My wife's father is a retired Lt. Col. USAF. He flew Huey gunships for the Green Hornets in 1968-1969 providing fire support for deploying and extractions of US Army Special Forces and Montagnards in Viet Nam. He is highly decorated and has a purple heart...one of my heroes! Calm, hard working, modest, still sharp as a tack at age 87. I remember reading one of his awards about how he took out a machine gun position with his gunship's rocket, and asking him about it. He simply said "it was a lucky shot." After his military career he flew Leer jets for a private company and then was integral in developing the flight simulator training program for the 757 during his career with NW Airlines in Mpls. Our son is a Sargent US Army National Guard Combat Medic and has been deployed to the ME. My wife, his siblings and I are so proud of his accomplishments. My wife's brother is a retired Navy nuclear submarine officer with numerous deployments. He was interviewed by for his position by General Rickover. That is an interesting story in and of itself. We are proud and supportive of all our veterans. Thank you All here who have served.
My grandfather was in the USN even tho he may have still been a Canadian at the time. My Dad was USCG. Stationed on 311s Oldest brother did about 10,12 years in the Army Next oldest retired from the USCG. Next started off in the USAF. Then paramedic in the Air Guard out of Bangor Me. He served in I think every conflict since Panama. Spent a lot of time in Bosnia. Was in Iraq1 and 2 . He would have aged out or he would be in Afganistan right now. His wife , my sil is in Afghanistan as I type this. But I think she is at a base there. They spent time in Kuwait also He is the only one of our family that has been on the front lines. Most of our direct family has served tho only 2 brothers pretty much made it their career.
USAF 1971-1974 medic 71-73 Lackland, TX. Final year Thailand For everyone that has or is serving thank you.
1963-1969 Army. Most of us did the job, left it behind, moved on with life. No uniforms saved, no flag waving, metals put away, and no please: "thank you for your service". My hand to fellow vets is to sound live Taps at Honor Guard burials and memorials ( look up Bugles Across America a 501c3 .org ).
Thank you for your service and continued service. The young guys that played taps from the Air Force at my Fathe in laws funeral and folded and presented the flag bright tears to my eyes.
Make it known to all families of deceased Veterans that they are owed the sounding of live Taps at the Honor. Look up Bugles Across America. Let them know about this. This is an honest way to honor a Vet.
DBH, in the upper right hand corner at the top of the page there's a "inbox" tab, if there's a number in it you have a PM.