Bob - The Navy Years, Chapter 7

Off to California

So, after 2 weeks Leave, a lot of time with Mary Lynn, I packed my Seabag and off to California I went.  Looking back, I'd have to say the two years I spent in California was one of, if not the most, pivotal two years of my life.
Let me tell you a little about where I was assigned. VA-125, Naval Air Station, Lemoore, California. VA-125, (Attack Squadron 125).  They flew A-4 Skyhawks. The top attack aircraft of the day.

  VA-125 was a training squadron.  They did not deploy to an Aircraft Carrier as did all the other squadrons based at NAS Lemoore. All the other squadrons spent time on Carriers, months at a time, then had shore duty, assigned to an Air Base for months, then deployed to another Carrier.  We stayed put. That was nice. We trained pilots and ground crew.  All pilots assigned to other squadrons came through our squadron, off and on, temporarily for training. As did the ground crew.  The Air Station itself opened in 1961, so it was a very new base when I reported for Duty in August, 1965.  The base was located in Central California, about 40 miles southeast of Fresno, in the Desert. It was very hot in the summer, but often got in the 40's in the winter time.  The airfield and hangers were located about 5 miles from the barracks area.  To get back and forth we took 'Cattle Cars'. These were trailers shaped exactly like the cattle wagons you see semi's hauling up and down the highway.  The only difference was that there were no holes in the sides, there were a few windows, and there was a bus door on the side.  Inside, benches to sit on were placed around the walls and a couple of polls in the middle to hold when all the seats were taken. This was our base transportation. We took them to the airfield every morning, and back to the barracks every afternoon.  Quite a sweet ride!
I reported to the base in the evening and was assigned a bunk. Now, on a Military Base, there are normal work hours, but every building, and every job, is covered by a Duty Officer or someone on Duty that Day.  So, no matter what time, there's always somebody available to receive people reporting for Duty or take care of any other thing that comes up. Reporting to my barracks, I was given a blanket, two sheets, and shown the way to my cubicle and bed, then given instructions on where to be in the morning, and what time.
As I've said before, on any base of any size, there's always more than one person reporting in at a time.  This being a training squadron, there were more people than would normally be checking in a squadron.  I'd say there were about 20 people checking in.  We reported to the Personnel Office, first stop.  You give them your records, they give you a check in sheet and a map of the base. While there, a sailor came in and said "Anybody here know how to type?".  My hand shot up. Flunkies as myself would be assigned to washing airplanes or some other menial tasks. I knew that much, so hey, maybe a window is opening up here.  I think only one other person raised his hand, so we were to told to see him when we finished checking in. Well, to cut to the chase, after checking in, the other guy, I don't remember who it was now, was assigned to the Personnel Office, and I went to the work in the Captain's Office, right next door to Personnel.  George Kellogg, the guy who asked if anyone knew how to type, was the Captain's personal secretary, and I became his assistant.  Now, I know I said secretary.  But, in the Navy, this position is called a Yeoman. So, before I go any further, I think I should give a quick lesson in Navy Ranks and Rates. Pay Grades are different. They are the same in every Service for Enlisted.  E-1 through E-9.  As you go up in rank, your pay increases.
I would recommend anyone reading this to Google U. S. Navy Ranks. It would be a quick read, and give a better understanding.  In the Navy there are two separate people, Officers and Enlisted. They don't mix.  They even have their own clubs on base to go to.  That is, Officers Club, and Enlisted Club.  This Club is just a place on base that is like a Bar and Lounge.  You can get a dinner there, or a mixed drink.  Many times on weekends they would have live music and dancing.  A lot of local girls get to come on the base to go to the clubs.
But, lets go back to the Ranks.  I was an Enlisted man. We'll stay with explanation of Enlisted Ranks. In the Navy, Enlisted men don't have Ranks, they have Rates.  This is because a Rate states what your Rank is, plus what job you do. When you join the Navy, you are an E-1, Seaman Recruit.  When you graduate Boot Camp, You are an E2, Seaman Apprentice.  Later down the line, when you pass your tests, you become an E-3, Seaman. Now, when you are a Seaman, you are training for a job.  This is called 'Striking'. Myself, working in an Office, when I became a Seaman, I was striking for Yeoman.  The next level of promotion, passing all the tests required, I would become a Yeoman 3rd Class, or YN3.

The Insignia at right is a YN1, Yeoman First Class  Stripes.  YN3 would only have one chevron.  But, the Rating Stripes show  the Rank, and the crossed quills below the eagle show that that person is a Yeoman. Engineman would have a gear, Personnelman would have a quill and book, etc.,each job having its own emblem.  But, the Navy is the only service where the stripes you wear not only show your rank, but also what job you do.
Now, coming out of Boot Camp, going to an aviation school, I was not a Seaman Apprentice, but an Airman Apprentice.  Therefore, I had to change from AA to SA, in order to strike for a Yeoman position.  Complicated? You need to follow the bouncing ball.  Anyway, George Kellogg, YN3, helped me bigtime in settling in and getting things changed that I needed changed.
So here I was, working in the Captain's Office with two other Enlisted men, a YN2, which I can't for the life of me remember his name, and a YN3, and Seaman Apprentice me. The Captain, the Executive Officer, and the Security Officer. 
This was how I started my tour of Duty in VA-125, NAS Lemoore, CA.

to be continued...............