Vets out there

[fiatfan]

4 years Air Police in the Air Force, two years aircraft security, two years as Desk Sergeant in law enforcement. 66-70

Tom

[georgev]

6 years in the Navy for me, in Aviation, 74-80. Made two Med deployments flying F-14s with VF 142, on the USS America, and the USS Eisenhower.

Was saddened to read that the Navy sank the USS America earlier this month, doing tests to see how much punishment a carrier can take. I can understand needing the tests but it hurts to think the old gal is gone.

George V.

[bogp40]

6 years in US Navy, VP-92 patrol aircraft acoustic equipment operator (sub chasers). Flew in the P-3 Orion. Mine was only a small part, I admire all those who's service and sacrifice, allows us to have the freedoms we cheri***oday.
Bob K,

[tigerstripe]

6 years Air Force,
Sand Box pt. 1

[mersenne6]

Ping Jocky on a tin can during the Vietnam era.

[dharmon]

Active duty Navy P-3 pilot. 16 years 8 days ago, but who's counting....

[cefinkjr]

36 months in the Army -- 21 months in the Far East (12 in Korea [1st Cav/2nd Inf Divisions] and 9 in Viet Nam [4th Inf Div]).

Somehow managed to miss seeing railroads in Korea and Viet Nam [:(] [D)]

Chuck

[JohnT14808]

4 years, 45 days in the US Navy. I was a Postal Clerk 2nd Class. I was stationed at several land bases on Oahu from Nov 1968 thru June of 1971. Got shipped out to Souda Bay, Greece in June and got creamed (head-on motorcycle crash) in January of 1972.
Spent the whole last year of my enlistment in the hospital, left leg in traction for two months then a body cast for another two months, once I got back to Balboa Hospital in San Diego. Once I was finally able to get out of bed, I spent a LOT of time at the RR layout in Balboa Park.
I have great concern for our fighting men and women all over the world. You don't have to be in a "shooting war" to be placed in jeapardy. Thank you to all current members of the Armed Forces.

[samgolden]

Navy 4 years became an Electronics Tech. served 2 years on land and 2yr on a Mine Sweeper (ocean going).
135 foot bobing cork. Was an ET2 when I was discharged. Saw some of Europe and England, between Korea and Vietnam conflicks.

Sam

[csmith9474]

I did my four years active Air Force as a Cable Dawg and am currently Air National Guard combat weather. Comm to weather, what the hell was I thinking?? Anyhow, my wife is active Air Force and I will soon be full on dependant, excuse me, "family member". Got to keep this politically correct!

[davekelly]

dharmon,

You at North Island? Gonna be in Coronado in mid June for a two week school. Hope the weather is good there! Is Long's still worth the drive from San Diego?

[mikebonellisr]

3 years,3 months and 4 days in u.s.army.17 months in korea.Spent a lot of the time at the railhead trainloads of ammo.All types of steam,but had not been bitten by the rr bug yet and just assumed that steam would be around forever,lost a great chance to photograph it.Then again,we were pretty busy,

[oleirish]

I was in the army for 23years,and every place I was stationed, when it was possable I had H.O. railroad with me.(nam 68-69 1STCAV).

OLE'IRISH
(JIM)

[rvanparys]

25 years USAF (active/reserve) 2 wars and I am now back in Afghanistan rebuilding the country.

[Anonymous]

I served 3.5 years in the Army. 1st Cav 91 ENG . I did 9 months in Bosnia, back in 1999, other than that I was in Fort Hood ,TX . As of Feb 2 2000 I retired from military service as a CPL[:D]

HOAH !!!

[Doug Goulbourn]

Six years U.S. Army - 13 months Vietnam (Pleiku area) balance with 1st Cav . Father was combat engineer with first wave to hit Omaha Beach on D-Day. Father-in-law was bombadier with USAAFon B-25 in No. Africa. One friend was at Guadalcanal (WW II)with U.S. Navy. Another friend was with U.S. Army in Korea during that "police action". As Shakespeare wrote: "We band of Brothers". And yes, we are/were all model railroaders too!

Doug

[RedGrey62]

Still in, Active Duty Air Force, 24 years, at Ft Campbell, KY

HO Scale, Burlington Route, no layout right now (my wife tore it out to put in new windows in our home in Omaha, NE!)

Moody AFB, GA
Ansbach, Germany
Offutt AFB, NE
Yongsan, Korea
Kuwait
Bosnia
Ft Campbell
Iraq

Rick

[wt259]

2 years, 11 months and 7 days in the Army, 3d I.D., when it was still in Germany. My oldest son is a S/Sgt, USMC, been in 15 1/2 years, GW1 and Somalia, currently on Okinawa.

[rtraincollector]

17 years U.S. Navy
U.S.S. INDEPENDENCE CV-62 1975-1978
INDIAN HEAD ,MD. NAVAL WEAPONS SCHOOL (EOD)(STAFF IN GALLEY) 78-80
U.S.S. PORTLAND LSD-37
NAVAL AIR STATION MEMPHIS MILLINGTON, TN.
NAVAIDS GROUP GULFPORT , MS
U.S.S. WISCONSIN BB-64 (most favorite command something about being stationed on a battle ship you ever were you never forget it .)
USS ELPASO- LKA117

I enjoyed it and would do it all over again only left because got tired of fighting my weight problem.

Miss it still today.
Bless the ones over there and here in the us who are doing there duty so we can do as we please.

Bill Rifenbury

[Anonymous]

I see we have some P-3 guys out there. I did 10 years active duty in the U.S Navy including tours in DaNang with VQ-1 and Yankee Station patrols with VP-40 out of Moffett Field. Go off active duty and went reserve with tours in VP-68 and VP-62. Retired as a Chief Avionics Technician. I work for Lockheed as an engineer on P-3s. WIll likely go my whole working career (only three years to go) working on the same airplane.

My son is in the Army. He has a Bronze and SIlver star for Afghanistan and Iraq. Proud of him and anybody who serves.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly

dharmon,

You at North Island? Gonna be in Coronado in mid June for a two week school. Hope the weather is good there! Is Long's still worth the drive from San Diego?

Yep...I'm at NASNI. Long's train dept is considerably smaller than it used to be. I doubt it will be around too much longer. They do still have some good stuff and stock isn't too bad, but unless you catch them at a sale, it's MSRP. I usually go there twice a year and load up on detail parts after the OERM swap meets. As I understand it, the guy that ran their hobby dept is the guy that owns TrainQuest not too far away in Moreno. Worth a trip? If you have nothing better to do on the weekend, swing up to the Orange Empire Railroad Museum in Perris, then hit Long's and TrainQuest, then maybe the aircraft museum at March.

Dan

[davekelly]

dharmon,

Too bad about Longs. When I was stationed in California I used to love going there. Train Quest sounds tempting. Thanks for the info.

wt259,
Who was your son with in Somalia? I was with 3/11.

[Duce]

11 years active duty navy and still counting.
1994-2000 USS Nimtitz I did two West-Pacs and a around the world cruise
2000-2004 Tried to take a little vacation on shore duty. But was wisked away to
security school due to 9-11 trained with the marines.
That was fun [xx(]. Then back to Naval Station Norfolk.
2004- USS Truman we just got back a month ago from the gulf.

I am an ABE I launch the aircraft of the flight deck. I run Catapilt #3 right now.
Ive been into MRR for as long as I can remember. However I have never done a layout. When I was young my dad would set me up on the kitchen floor and I would go to town for the weekend...lolololol Mom hated that[:D]

I just want to thank all you guys before me for your time in. What you have done is a great thing. My grandfather was a medic for the 101st airborne landed on d-day and stayed with them until Germany. Where we was transfered to the Pacific. My father and uncles were in the Marines in nam. Those were very hard times.

Thanks to everyone of you. You guys are the ones that keep me going.

[Eriediamond]

Ten years Navy 1960-1970. Served on USS Bulwark(MSO-425) USS Lucid(MSO-458) MCB-4, and Naval Aerospace Recovery Facility-El Centro, Calif. Spent a total of 4 years in Nam. Chu-Lai and Da Nang areas. Did Market time on the Lucid and run "Mike" boats. Left my last tour in Nam just before Tet. Also operated out of Gitmo back during the "Cuban Crises".My son did a tour in HS-11, deployed on the USS America during the Kuwait deal. I was fortunate to spent a few days on the old girl with him on his return trip on the "Tiger" cruise they had. My heart is out to all vets, but especailly to those old "sweep" sailors that are truely the "iron men that sailed the wooden ships". Love ya all, Ken

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Duce

11 years active duty navy and still counting.
1994-2000 USS Nimtitz I did two West-Pacs and a around the world cruise

I too was doing time on Stalag 68 for the "rush half way around the world to the gulf, then ru***he rest of the way home world cruise"

[ACRR46]

Served 3 years in US Army, 1966-1969. Spent 2+ years in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, 14th Armored Cavalry, 3rd Squardon as a surveyor, and office clerk.

Loved riding trains in Europe. Longest trip Rome, Italy to Frankfurt, Germany.

Frank

[Anonymous]

31 years Royal Canadian Navy retired in 98.

To those who serve anywhere in the world to protect freedom, thank you so much.

For those who paid the ultimate price, we shall never forget.

Happy MRRing.

[selector]

Twenty-nine years plus in the Canadian Armed Forces, first in the Cavalry in Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), a light recce unit, and then as a military psychologist. Did two peacekeeping tours, first in Cyprus in 79/80, and then in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2001.

I hope your invitation was extended to other nationalities. If not, I apologize.

[Anonymous]

I would like to take this opportunity to give a heavy hearted thank-you to those who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice(the reason we observe Memorial Day). You Will Not Be Forgotten!

In Memory
Of Our Fallen Comrades

Howard, Aaron
Jerrell, Thomas
McCoy, James
Miller, James
Moller, Nels
Powell, Dodge
Strehlow, William

TOUJOURS PRET!

[RedGrey62]

Luc and Crandell, you are always welcome. I've served along side many Canadians from Germany to the United States to a few not so nice places around the world.

Rick