I can’t remember where I was stationed with Greg….perhaps Kef or Arg. But I specifically recall him as being a humble and kind individual who always gave his best. May God receive him as the good man he was and provide his family with His loving presence.
I was stationed in Hatteras with Greg. We had a friendly rivalry type of relationship.
When I first got there, I took over a section as Supervisor. Greg was running PA.
On a mid-watch at some point, I decided to report a possible threat. The target was on a beam known for large fishing vessel activity so I analyzed the hell out of it before I reported it and it came back confirmed, and my section got a case of beer from the Captain.
Next watch I find that Greg has PA'd the contact and has downgraded it. I looked at it again, it was still running. So, I reported it again and it was confirmed again. Next watch I see that Greg has downgraded it again. This went on for quite a while, I would report it and get a confirmation, Greg would downgrade it. Finally, Bill Gessner (RIP) called us into his office, and we all sat down and discussed it. Greg had all the grams hanging and he went through showing us that he was associating it with a contact that was tracking across the beams. I pointed out that my contact wasn't tracking with that. He then pointed to another contact and another, with me pointing out why it wasn't associated with each one. He then rested on that it was probably a large fishing vessel because of the beam it was on. It never really got settled but eventually the contact disappeared, and we went on with our lives.
Go forward a while and now Greg is Supervisor of a section, and I am running PA. I stop by the building about halfway through an eve watch and he asks me to come look at something. I go in and he is asking about a contact that is blowing up the beams. I take a look and then inform him that it is was the Nautilus, showing us everything. It was louder than I had ever seen it. I inform him of that fact and then I go look at the track and got to inform him it started about 6 minutes into his watch and he was going to have to eat the time late. I thought it was funny as hell, him not so much.
We got along pretty well for the most part and eventually became friends. He was a good guy and a good OT.
He and Matt Curly, who was a mutual friend and Greg’s plotter, always talked about how they were going to Shelbourne so that they could marry a beautiful Canadian girl.
I don't recall how or where from I know Greg, but it always sad to hear of the loss of another shipmate. My thoughts and prayers to his family RIP Greg.
