# 245 years!



## P A Tracy (Oct 13, 2020)

.

Both of my sons served.


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## hollydolly (Oct 13, 2020)

P A Tracy said:


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Is that 2 different sons?..are they twins..?

I was a naval wife, my first husband served in the Royal Navy .. happy Birthday to the US Navy , and all who sail in her


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## P A Tracy (Oct 13, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> Is that 2 different sons?..are they twins..?
> 
> They do look much alike but no, not twins. 21 months apart so close in age. I can't believe the elder will be 50 in Feb.


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## hollydolly (Oct 13, 2020)

Goodness me, they could really pass as  twins, well at least in those photos.. I know what you mean about age.. my daughter is coming up to 45.. how on earth did that happen , really ? *shakes head*


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## ClassicRockr (Oct 13, 2020)

Happy Birthday, Navy!!
Enlisted during Vietnam, right before high school graduation in 1968. Knew the Draft would be after me and got my Notice while at Basic Training in Great Lakes, IL. Spent 99% of my Navy career onboard Destroyers in both San Diego and Long Beach, California.


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## P A Tracy (Oct 13, 2020)

ClassicRockr said:


> Happy Birthday, Navy!!
> Enlisted during Vietnam, right before high school graduation in 1968. Knew the Draft would be after me and got my Notice while at Basic Training in Great Lakes, IL. Spent 99% of my Navy career onboard Destroyers in both San Diego and Long Beach, California.


Thank you for your service, you had the right idea to enlist before they made the decision for you.
Both my sons spent most of their time on the east cost. 
One out on duty aboard The Kennedy. He was able to see much of the world from that ship.


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## hawkdon (Oct 13, 2020)

Happy Birthday USN, from an old salt!!!!


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## Pecos (Oct 13, 2020)

Thirty one years in the Navy for me from 1960 to 1991.

My son also served in the Navy as AW (Anti-submarine Warfare Operator), and as a Rescue Swimmer. 

I always enjoyed going to the annual Navy Day Ball, but have not been to one in about 18 years.


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## RadishRose (Oct 13, 2020)

Happy Birthday US Navy and blessings to all who served.


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## jujube (Oct 13, 2020)

The Spousal Equivalent was in the Navy for 11 years, both on ships and as an instructor at Great Lakes.

Both of our fathers were medics in the Pacific during WWII.  His was career Navy, mine got out after the war ended.


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## Pecos (Oct 13, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Happy Birthday US Navy and blessings to all who served.


I can honestly say that I have never seen this particular uniform before. I notice that they are all wearing the National Defense metal (red and yellow), but I have no idea what the second metal is. Maybe I have been out too long. It is a good picture and I can see that the mix includes some who are designated surface or subsurface, some who are headed to aviation assignments, some who are headed for engineering duties, and at least one woman. I cannot tell if this is an individual graduating Company, or an Honor Guard of some sort.

One big difference between a graduating company and newcomers is the level of physical fitness. This group of sailors is sharp.


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## Tish (Oct 13, 2020)

Happy Birthday, Navy


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## RadishRose (Oct 13, 2020)

Pecos said:


> I can honestly say that I have never seen this particular uniform before. I notice that they are all wearing the National Defense metal (red and yellow), but I have no idea what the second metal is. Maybe I have been out too long. It is a good picture and I can see that the mix includes some who are designated surface or subsurface, some who are headed to aviation assignments, some who are headed for engineering duties, and at least one woman. I cannot tell if this is an individual graduating Company, or an Honor Guard of some sort.
> 
> One big difference between a graduating company and newcomers is the level of physical fitness. This group of sailors is sharp.


Enlisted Full Dress Whites worn at a Change of Command Ceremony in 2009. This is the older-style version that is due to be replaced in 2021; it lacks the blue piping and stars 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniforms_of_the_United_States_Navy


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## Pecos (Oct 13, 2020)

Many thanks. I am way behind the times. I have seen all the components of this uniform except for the black thing around the neck. I am sure that this would have been the uniform of the color guard at all those Navy Balls that I have missed.
Well, my Dress Uniform is a bit to tight these days. The last ball that Helen and I went to was about 11 years after I retired from the Navy and had me renting a civilian White Tuxedo.
Those sailors sure do look sharp.


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## RadishRose (Oct 13, 2020)

You are welcome @Pecos,


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## fuzzybuddy (Oct 14, 2020)

Happy Birthday , US Navy. From 1968-1972, that was me. Never step foot on a ship. Lots of memories.

One thing, though-I hated  wearing that white cap. I don't like anything on my head.


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## Pecos (Oct 14, 2020)

fuzzybuddy said:


> Happy Birthday , US Navy. From 1968-1972, that was me. Never step foot on a ship. Lots of memories.
> 
> One thing, though-I hated  wearing that white cap. I don't like anything on my head.


I will sure agree with you about that white hat. It did not offer much protection from the sun, it wasn't warm, it made a fine "rain catcher" and let the rainwater dribble down your face, they liked to say that it could function as a makeshift life preserver but I doubt that. The only thing it did do pretty well was help keep your head from getting bashed when you were careless going through a hatch.

Now that combination hat that chiefs and officers wore had its own set of issues. It would not stay on in the wind, I bashed my head more than once going through a hatch, and it was awkward to mess with. I wasn't very fond of it either.

The Navy simply did not have good headgear.


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## cdestroyer (Oct 18, 2020)

Nothing more impressive than a military graduation, 10 classes of 80 men is quite something.
As a navy radioman I saw most of the message traffic that came accross the networks and I 
always remember seeing the address form...It read 'to the armed forces of the united states 
and the department of the navy'.  There are good and bad memories of my time in the navy.
Served during the vietnam conflict in the 'brown water navy, riverine forces' the mekong delta
and southern coastal waters on a small cargo ship resuppling the various bases.
We delivered food, soda pop, booze, lumber, cement blocks, swapped movies, and up to
325 tons of ammunition. Was never fired upon nor did we fire upon however on more than
one occasion the area we were at came under fire.


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## Pappy (Oct 18, 2020)

P A Tracy said:


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Thank them for their service from me...


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## Marie5656 (Oct 18, 2020)

Happy Birthday USN.  Here is my brother, Jim, graduating from boot camp, About 1964


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## Lewkat (Oct 21, 2020)

I think that second medal may be the United Nations military service one.  Looks like it.


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## P A Tracy (Oct 22, 2020)

Pappy said:


> Thank them for their service from me...


Thank you Pappy will do.


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## Lewkat (Oct 22, 2020)

Pecos said:


> I will sure agree with you about that white hat. It did not offer much protection from the sun, it wasn't warm, it made a fine "rain catcher" and let the rainwater dribble down your face, they liked to say that it could function as a makeshift life preserver but I doubt that. The only thing it did do pretty well was help keep your head from getting bashed when you were careless going through a hatch.
> 
> Now that combination hat that chiefs and officers wore had its own set of issues. It would not stay on in the wind, I bashed my head more than once going through a hatch, and it was awkward to mess with. I wasn't very fond of it either.
> 
> The Navy simply did not have good headgear.


I had a boyfriend in the Navy back in the 50s and he looked adorable with that hat squared off as they did back then.


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## Lewkat (Oct 22, 2020)

Dress uniforms in the military in my day were called Class As.


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## DaveA (Oct 22, 2020)

We also wore the blue "flat hats" until sometime in the mid 50's. As I remember, they were banned in the First Naval and Coast Guard Districts due to a couple of sailor getting hit by cars while thumbing rides.  Drivers complained about not seeing them. From then on we wore the white hats, winter and summer.


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## Sassycakes (Oct 25, 2020)

*I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. My Husband was in the Navy from 1965 until 1969. Happy Belated Birthday to the Navy.
Hubby
*


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## RadishRose (Oct 25, 2020)

Sassycakes said:


> *I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. My Husband was in the Navy from 1965 until 1969. Happy Belated Birthday to the Navy.
> Hubby
> View attachment 130112*


Thank you Mr. Cakes!


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