Fleet ASW Base, San Diego, CA
My Dutys at ASW Base, San Diego
Apr
1965 - Sep 1965
The
Fleet ASW
Base was originally a
satellite command of the Naval
Training Center, San Diego and is
where they taught all aspects of Anti-Submarine Warfare. Our moto
was Sargire Classis Distructum (Search - Classify - Destroy)
I attended Basic
Electricity and Electronics and Sonar Class "A" school.
We thought
our base was cool and the new pretty blue brick buildings
showed
that
we were a modern base.
We had something that sort of resembled
private
rooms. OK, our "rooms" were actually cubicles with no door, plain
cinder brick
walls and 4 men to a room, but other schools at the time were
still
using open bay barracks -
one
long room with 25 or more sets of bunk beds. We thought we were
cool!
At ASW Base,
the CO's idea of PT was volleyball. Everyone was required to
play volleyball every day after the noon meal. No
excetions. One day I jumped to block a
shot, but, landed wrong and badly tore the cartilage in my left
knee. I was sent to Balboa Naval Hospital where they performed
repair surgery. This was before arthroscopic surgery and
this was considered major
surgery. I
ended ended up with 3 inch scars where my knee was laid open and I
was in
recovery and rehab for four weeks.
When I returned
to the school I was set back
to the next class and graduated middle of my class in Sept 1965. and
was designated STGSN
After two weeks leave, I was assigned to the USS Shelton (DD-790)
