I was a member of First Composite Radio from August 1960-March 1962. To the right is a photo of me back then. So on to about me.....

I was born and raised on a farm in rural West TN.  

We farmed a 98 acre farm that belonged to my uncle. We worked it on a share basis. I had the opportunity to do all things related to farm work. We worked mules most of the time and finally my Dad was able to get a tractor. My first school was a big 4 room building with 4 teachers and one of them was the principal. There was no indoor plumbing or cafeteria. We had the old outdoor toilets and took our lunch to school in a paper sack. I went to that school for the first 5 grades. In 1952 they closed all the small community schools and consolidated them into larger schools with plumbing and hot meals. I said all that so you could see why I wanted to get away. I always told my Dad that as soon as

I got out of school I was not going to be a farmer. He would always laugh and ask what I planned on doing. At that time I didn't know.  

At career day at school along with all the different colleges, all the recruiters were there also. A friend of mine took me by the arm and led me over to the Marine recruiter. When I saw that dress blue uniform I was hooked. (They didn't tell me they weren’t issued.) He had a 3 month delayed entry program so we could graduate before going in.  

My buddy, myself and a friend decided to do it. About a month later when he made arrangements for us to go to Memphis for our physical and to Nashville for the oath, I was the only one to show up.  

Of course I went on anyway. I'm glad I did. I saw a lot of the world and met a lot of good friends.  

I went to school at IB and my first duty was Adak Alaska. The joke is, there is a girl behind every tree. There are no trees on the island. Nothing but tundra grass. The whole island is a military base. No liberty for a year. Weather is awful. After that though they sent me to Honolulu. Boy what a change.  

I went to Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Philippines, Guam. and even landed for refueling on Wake Island and they took us around the island to see all the scrap and things left over from WW2.

 I got out in March 1962. (Continued)

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