As – for the first time in more than half a century – I think about the SA at Fleet Sonar School who had four hash marks on his sleeve, I am inclined to conjecture that he may have been one of the very few perfectly contented individuals I have ever been even peripheriallly been associated with.

He enlisted – or was drafted – in 1942 when WWII was not yet going well for the US. Perhaps he came from the coal fields of WVA or – even worse – from the coal fields of southeastern KY where, even now, more than 40% of the population of some counties live below the poverty line.

If so, he may have escaped the mines where the ability to read and write was not a requirement for employment, and black-lung was the reward for years spent below ground.

In the Navy, he found three meals a day, medical and dental care, adequate housing, and, in 1960, a salary of $78 a month: relative affluence.

Content with the status quo and free from all the distracting realities of a more normal life, he sought no advancement, and may, if regulations then permitted, have spent 30 years as an SA before retiring. He may even have had a free burial.

Bottom line: if you don't have high expectations, you can be content with what others would consider to be very little.

I didn't think I remember hearing about that individual but he certainly would have been a "character". We had characters in the Navy but I look back now and wish there had been more. Obviously, any organization needs a large degree of conformity but it's equally clear characters can add uniqueness and, well....character! I'm not talking constant trouble makers or anything....just the type you never forget and who make you smile while reflecting back.
I would add that that guy could have stayed an SA not because of lack of expectations but having a penchant for simplicity. Most of us were motivated and wanted a higher rank and greater responsibility but, reflecting back with hopefully wiser perspective, it could have been rewarding to be around somebody who had the attitude of " I'm here to serve and don't want much in return".
I probably address my ancestors too often on here but I've become connected with them and it helps keeps me grounded. They were farmers from the 1700's until the later 1800's, and most served in the military or militia. Their aspirations were probably to see the children survive and have a good crop each year. And I'm sure with their Scot-Irish roots there were characters.

Well, most of us are certainly aware of at least one character in the "Scott Clan".

J

good one john

Thanks Jack!! Randy must be on a short leash as I certainly didn't expect to get away with the barb so easily!!!!

J

Noticed this post and it reminded me of an individual I ran across during my first hitch (before my days in the system). I was stationed at the PacRes Fleet in San Diego and we had a BT3 with 18 plus years. Older than some of the tied up ships. Anyway, what stood out about him was he had a tattoo of a spiders web on his head and when he couldn't see his tattoo, it was time to get a haircut.

Haven't been around a lot of sailors lately but don't think you would see many guys like that these days. Frog

Two quickies that might make you all smile....

In the summer of 1971, I was in Boot Camp at Great Lakes. One of the MAA'a at our chow hall was a red-headed third class with 5 red hash marks on his crackerjacks. He had the most highly spit-shined boondockers I ever saw. When he screamed nut-to-butt, he wasn't joking. Saw him kick many a slow boot in the ass. Never get away with that today.

Ten years later I'm in Yokosuka and the Special Projects Chiefs (Upham, Mathews, Scarborough and others) are bugging the crap out of me to produce my construction project...which I hadn't even started. Finally decided to get over to the hobby shop and see what I could do.

The fella at the hobby shop was devoid of front teeth, looked older than my father and was incredulous that I had been selected for CPO already. After giving me a full ration for being too young to be a Chief, he agreed to help me with my project.

Directly after initiation, I went away for 7 months and in the summer of '82, I was down on the piers for something and run into the guy from the hobby shop.
Turned out he was a BM1 (if memory serves, he was on the Blue Ridge) getting ready to finish a 30 year career.

We had a good laugh over the fact that he joined the Navy about three years before I was born.

Great story Nick! Glad you're back. Miss the humor!!

J