Coast Guard Day

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Today is the 224th birthday of the U.S. Coast Guard. It is the oldest, continuous sea-going service of the United States. And on this past July 21st, I celebrated my 45th anniversary of being a "boot" recruit. My photo nine weeks later on Graduation Day - a much skinnier and younger FA Matthews than today's version!

 

Edited August 4, 2014 by shallowwatersailor

[stevasaurus 22,283]

Congratulations John...enjoy the day mate. 

[squonk 39,249]

I bet that skinny guy could man handle those old Gravelys!

[rmaynard 14,970]

November 1968, I stepped foot onto the Coast Guard Training Center at Cape May, NJ as a boy, and in February of 1969 left as a man. Four years later, in 1972 I received an honorable discharge and began life in 9 to 5 work-a-day world. Looking back, I wish that I stayed in the Guard until retirement. I would have been a lot better off. To this day, I still miss life aboard ship. Although the roll of the Coast Guard has changed a bit since 9/11, I still think it is one of the finest, and best trained military services in the USA.

 

John, I am still looking for those old pictures taken back then. My wife thinks she knows where they are, and when she gets home from work, I will try to post a few.

 

Thanks for starting the thread.

 

Semper Paratus

 

[AMC RULES 36,962]

  From one service to another.