JD after the Navy post 1 1st night as a civilian

    I walked out of the gates of Naval Supply Depot as an SK3 but was told that as of 2400 tonight your new rank is PFC, Private F'inn  Citizen. I thought about my time in the Navy about Midway and Nam about the guys I left behind. About the good times and the bad and wondered where I was headed now.
   I was scheduled to go to my Sister Phyllis house in Corning so I grabbed a ticket to San Francisco and planned to grab a flight to Chico from there.  I was in dress whites,  I loved the Navy uniforms, no tie to choke you, bell bottoms, and the neckerchief, but was ready to be a civilian.  The short flight from Seattle-Tacoma went quickly, and I found my self in San Francisco International. I inquired about a flight to Chico Ca. and found out there would not be a flight for 12 hours. I was ready to party and did not want to be stuck in the Airport over night so I asked about a flight to San Diego.  I was told there was one loading right then and I had to hurry. I bought the ticket and ran through the airport like a TV commercial Made it aboard and headed to my Sister Pats House. With my sudden change of plans no one knew I was coming so I had to wait until we landed to call them.
      After touchdown, and gathering my bags, I headed for the phones. Pat answered and I asked "How long does it take you to get to the airport? She told me and I replied well then you have that amount of time to get your butt over here and pick me up.  She was excited and hung up to get re4ady. (this was late at night probably 10:30)  I went to the bar and had a couple of quick drinks to celebrated and went outside to wait.  I looked at my watch and it was 0003  I was a Civilian!~~!~!
     I decided I didn't need my uniform but didn't want to go to the bathroom to change, so I simply started removing my jumper to replace it with my shirt. An old Navy Chief was there and Jumped my case. I told him I am a civilian and bite me I was going to look like a civilian.  We got into an argument and I explained that as of Midnight he had no say over me.  He got all excited and was calling the Shore Patrol to have me arrested for out of uniform. I completed the change and he was looking for the SP. About this time I saw Pats car coming, her and Sam pulled over and I jumped into the back seat. They pulled away with Chief still cussing me lol  It was great to see family again, but it was my first look at Pat & Sam as "Hippies" I had no problems with that anyway, just was a shock to see clean cut former Air Force Sam with long hair and a beard!!!!!!

My Car Wreck

  It was April 1967 I was on my way to see the recruiter and get my report date for active duty. I was approaching the intersection of Hwy 80 and Highway 111 when The car died I looked down and turned the key to start it again and when I looked up the light was red and a pickup had started across the intersection.  The car had re stared so I was under power, and I hit the brakes but too late, my left front met his right front and *Crunch*. We got out of the cars and checked, we were both uninjured, and we exchanged insurance info, before CHP arrived. His truck was drivable and after the officer finished, he went on his way. My car, actually my Dad's car" on the other hand was not.  I had the CHP push me off the road and I called my cousin to help me.  We used a Farmall tractor to tow the car  back to the house and park it behind the fence. I knew my dad was going to be really mad so I called my sister Pat to come get me. She took me on to the recruiters office and then to her house in Brawley, and we waited until time for dad to get home and called and told him what happened. He was pissed but we knew he would calm down by the time we got back to Holtville lol.
  The car was totaled and dad wound up buying a pink  1953 Cadillac from my Uncle Andrew to have transportation. This was the last incident to happen before leaving Holtville for the US Navy so this string of blogs is at an end. My memories from birth until I joined the US Navy in June 1967

Those were the best days America had to offer. No locked doors, we kids could run all over town, lots of friends homes to visit, people had good times without drugs families picnicked and did things together. Kids could pop up a lemonade stand on a hot summer after noon everything was cooler back then