Vets out there

[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,

[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?

[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!

[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

[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.

[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

[dharmon]

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

[mersenne6]

Ping Jocky on a tin can during the Vietnam era.

[tigerstripe]

6 years Air Force,
Sand Box pt. 1

[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,

[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.

[fiatfan]

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

Tom

[bjdukert]

4 years Air Force One year Viet Nam during 68 Tet Offensive

[Anonymous]

20 years of service USAF, 1983-2003
Instructor/Evaluator Navigator KC-135
52 missions in Southwest Asia and 30 missions Kosovo

God Bless all our men and women who are currently serving...

and to all Veterans...

Thank you for your service to our country

[jrbarney]

Ten years, five days and "small change" in the USAF. After flight training the rest of my career was as an Electronic Warfare Officer on B-52s. Operational duty time span went from flying airborne alerts during the Cuban crisis through 6 months in SEA in 1968. Spent next 15 years improving the ergonomics of military and space electronics as part of the Owego, NY, design team for what was then IBM's Federal Systems Division.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[willy6]

Retired USN, 20 years and 1 month, 1972-1992, served aboard FBM submarines and made 18 patrols as a Missile Technician.
USS Francis Scott Key (SSBN 657)
USS John C. Calhoun (SSBN 630)
USS Nathan Hale (SSBN 623)
USS Henry L. Stimson (SSBN 655)
[8D]

[roadrat]

I did 4 years in the NAVY aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
two weeks before coming home from the MED , Saddam invaded Kuwait and we
had to go to the gulf instead.
It took a long time but I'm glad that S.O.B.(Saddam) is rotting in a cell now.

BM3 Willaim "Spike" Robichaud

[exPalaceDog]

Let's not forget the great people at Model Railroader. It was the high point of the Old Dog's month when a new issue of MR reached the Da Nang AB base library.

Have fun

[exPalaceDog]

QUOTE: Originally posted by retsignalmtr

i was drafted into the army at age 19 in july 1969 and servrd til march 1971 with a year in vietnam. i was in an artillary battery and worked as a ground surveilance radar operator. i saw two trains while i was there. both of them were pushing several flat cars ahead of them to detonate any explosives on the tracks. i have a feeling that there are some seat banging politicians that will not let us win the war on terror like they did with the vietnam war. hug a vet today.

If the Old Dog remembers correctly, Model Railroader did an article on the railroads in Vietnam. You might want to look it up.

Have fun

[BurlingtonJohn]

retired 1 October 2004 after 23 years in the Navy, Senior Chief Yeoman. Served aboard:

USS Puget Sound (AD 38)
USS New Jersey (BB 62)
USS Missouri (BB 63)
USS Juneau (LPD 10)
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)

Can't complain about my years of service, was able to chase trains all over the world and get paid for it! :-)

Regards,
Burlington John

[Anonymous]

Air Force medic 7 years..2 years Del Rio Tx and 4 years Elmedorf AFB Anchorage Alaska..quite a climate change..great fishing though

[Anonymous]

4 years active-duty Navy, 1972-1976, USS Puget Sound (AD-38), Norfolk VA
'IC' electrician

[davekelly]

Chuck,

I"m a sailor. Spent 4 years on USS Barnstable County (LST 1197) as CICWO/AsstOps. Was then with 3/11 (Marine Battalion) for 4 years as the Naval Gunfire Officer. Was the Asst/Ops when we were in Somalia. While on the Barn was part of a amphibious squadron with Saipan. Man that ship sure sailed smooth in rough seas as compared to our flatbottomed LST lol.

[Anonymous]

USMC in the late 70's, member of Helicopter Squadron HMM-162. Aboard the USS Guadalcanal and the USS Inchon, in the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, etc. Also was in Guantanamo Bay.

CWCLARK ...... HMM162 was aboard the USS Saipan shortly after I left in Mar 1980. Small world, isn't it.

I just have a small railroad layout, along one wall in my home office. Its one of many hobbies.

Ken

[WilmJunc]

Thank you to all who have served, and those who are still serving.

[Anonymous]

My service was in the Air Force for four years and it was well worth it.

[jeffshultz]

12 1/2 years in the Army (Intel) before going Individual Ready Reserve (sort of like being on retainer).
Recalled for 7 months in 2003 to wear these odd tan colored clothes, in the IRR since then...
Now I've got a decision to make if I want to re-enlist for another 8 in the IRR or let it expire next May.

[fievel]

I served five years in the US Army. I got to ride an army troop train into West
Berlin. First train ride in my life. It was great ! Berlin had an outstanding
subway system, including a portion which was elevated. Totally awesome.[:D]
My hat is off to those of you who served, especially combat duty.

[bow]

[scubaterry]

As I suspected their are allot of Vets out there. I served a year in Viet Nam (onboard an aircraft carrier) on the USS America and over the years served on a bunch of ships from the carrier down to a little frigate. My favorite ship was the USS Valley Forge (new era Aegis Cruser). I was an Electronic Warfare specialist. Thanks for all the responses and lets hear from the rest of the Vets. This is our weekend so its ok to toot our own horn.
Terry

[jrbernier]

2 years, 4 months in the Army(10 months, 20 days in Vietnam) - funny how we remember these things!

Jim Bernier