Daniel Brooks:
CLASS OF 1963
Our Lady Gate of Heaven SchoolClass of 1963
Detroit, MI
Daniel's Story
I enlisted in the Marines on the Delayed Entry Program March 1967 and served on active duty from July 6, 1967 to June 14, 1971 shortly after graduation from Cody High School. I did my boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego CA following by basic infantry training at Camp Pendleton CA and 8 weeks of Artillery Weapons Repair School at Quantico VA. My first permanent assignment was 8 months at Camp Pendleton CA. I then served one combat tour in Viet Nam from September 1968 to September 1969. Upon my return to the States I served for two months at Camp Lejeune NC, two months at Naval Air Station Jacksonville FL and then another two months at Camp Lejeune. My next duty station was at the Marine Corps Supply Depot at Barstow CA where I remained until my discharge. I attained the rank of Corporal and was up for promotion to Sergeant just prior to my discharge.
I returned o Detroit and worked at the Dodge Main Plant in Hamtramck for 8 days when I decided the factory was not for me. I then went back to the S.S. Kresge Co. and worked as a Stockroom Manager for six months, I then went to work for the Penn Central Railroad, which later became Conrail, as a trainman, conductor, and car-retarder operator from May 1972 to January 1982. I enlisted in the Naval Reserve as a Seaman and drilled at the Naval Reserve Center in Southfield for the next 13 months while still working for the railroad. I applied for a severance from the railroad and accepted a 2 year voluntary recall to active duty with the Navy and served on the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in Pensacola FL from March 1982 to March 1984. During that time I attained the rank of Storekeeper Second Class. I returned to the Naval Reserve at the end of my enlistment and drilled at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Mt. Clemens for the next 3 months while waiting for an opening in the Coast Guard. I enlisted in the Coast Guard as a Storekeeper Third Class in June 1984 and spent 2 months indoctrination at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May NJ. After graduation, I spent the next 3 years at the Ninth Coast Guard District Office in Cleveland OH as a military pay specialist and military housing...Expand for more
inspector. My next assignment was at Coast Guard Group/Base Detroit working again as a housing inspector, imprest fund cashier and later as a transportation petty officer for 4 years. I then spent three years at Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor located in Westport WA where I worked as an independent duty Storekeeper doing supply and personnel duties, operating a small satellite exchange, and performing computer system maintenance. My next three years was onboard the Coast Guard Cutter GALLATIN at Governors Island New York as the leading petty officer for my supply division and performing drug interdiction, search and rescue missions and other Maritime Law Enforcement duties. My last Coast Guard Assignment was back at the Ninth Coast Guard District Office as Assistant Area Housing Officer for the entire Ninth District, Local Housing Officer for the Cleveland Area, Leased Housing Contracting Officer and Leased Housing Damage Claims Officer. I retired July 31, 1998 as a Storekeeper First Class with 20 years combined active duty service with the Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard and two years reserve duty with the Marine Corps and Navy. Upon my return to Detroit, I worked six months at Target and then returned to work for my former employer, Conrail, from April 1999 to February 2013. While at Conrail I held positions as TRAINMAN, CONDUCTOR, REMOTE CONTROL OPERATOR, YARDMASTER and LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER.
While attending a New Years Eve Party at Our Lady Gate of Heaven Church, I met my future wife, Valerie Page, who lived a few blocks away from the church and belonged to the parish. Although she was from the old neighborhood and we knew a lot of the same people, we never knew each other prior to that day. We were married at Our Lady Gate of Heaven Church on January 8, 1983. We later found out that we made our First Communion and Confirmation together at Our Lady Gate of Heaven and that we both worked at K-Mart for a short time together in different departments. We remained married for 31 years until her death in March 2014 after a long history of medical and mental health problems. She is resting in peace at the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly Michigan.
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