James Newell:
CLASS OF 1967
Canyon High SchoolClass of 1967
Castro valley, CA
James's Story
AFTER GRADUATING I "HUNG OUT" FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND 1/2. DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROSPECTS FOR A JOB SO I LEFT CALIFORNIA AND RETURNED TO MY ORIGINAL HOME TOWN IN ILLINOIS. WHILE LIVING WITH MY GRANDPARENTS FROM AUG. 68 THRU OCT. 68. I COULDN'T FIND ANY WORK, WAS 20 YRS. OLD AND REALLY BEGAN TO WORRY ABOUT MY FUTURE. NEVER APPLYED MYSELF ACADEMICALLY DURING MY HIGH SCHOOL SO REALLY DIDN'T HAVE GRADES OR PREREQUISET CLASSES TO APPLY FOR ANY COLLEGE, OR SO I THOUGHT. SUDDENLY, IN EARLY OCTOBER 68' I WAS LYING IN BED AND A LIGHT OF EXCITEMENT CAME ON IN MY MIND. "HEY! I'LL JOIN THE NAVY!! THE NEXT MORNING I CAUGHT A TRAIN AND TRAVELED TO ROCK ISLAND, IL AND FOUND A NAVY RECRUITER. IN LESS THAN 3 WEEKS, I WAS ABOARD A UNITED FLIGHT FROM CHICAGO TO SAN DIEGO TO REPORT FOR TRAINING IN THE UDT US NAVY SEALS. YES I WAS GOING TO BE A NAVY SEAL. I LASTED ABOUT 72 HRS. BEFORE I GOT REJECTED. AND TRANSFERED INTO THE "REGULAR NAVY". OUT OF NAVY BOOT CAMP I WAS ASSIGNED TO AN "A" SCHOOL FOR HOSPITAL CORPS SCHOOL. AFTER ABOUT 18 WEEKS. I GRADUATED AND GOT MY FIRST DUTY STATION. I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE ...Expand for more
USMC. AS CORPSMAN AND SPENT 2 1/2 BEAUTIFUL YEARS WITH THE MARINES. WAS MARRIED DURING MY FIRST YEAR AT MCRD SAN DIEGO. STAYED MARRIED FOR 30 YEARS HAD 6 CHILDREN. JENNIFER BAILED OUT AND THE MARRIAGE WAS RESOLVED IN MAY OF 2002. THAT WAS A HARD TIME FOR ME AND IN SOME WAY STILL LINGERS. AFTER COMPLETING 2 1/2 YEARS WITH THE GOOD OLD MARINES, I RECIEVED ORDERS TO VIET NAM AND WAS ASSIGNED INDEPENDENT DUTY ON A SEARCH AND AIR RESCUE UNIT. SPENT 7 MO.S OVER SEAS AND RETURNED TO FINISHED MY 4 YEAR'S ON ACTIVE DUTY. WAS DISCHARGED IN SEPT. 72' AND ENTERED THE PALMER COLLEGE OF CHIROPRACTIC IN DAVENPORT IA. WHILE IN COLLEGE I WORKED AS POLICE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF GENESEO, IL. WORKING THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT, WENT TO SCHOOL DURING THE DAY. WHILE WORKING IN THE POLICE DEPT. I TOOK IT UPON MY SELF TO MAKE SAOME CHANGES SO I RAN FOR THE OFFICE OF CITY MAYOR IN 1975 AND WAS ELECTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY RE-ELECTED FOR A SECOND TERM AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE CHANGES WITH THE POLICE DPT. SINCE GRADUATION FROM COLLEGI IN 1977, I HAVE BEEN IN FULL TIME PRACTICE IN CAL FOR 31 YRS TO PRESENT. LATER
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
Register for Free to view all photos!