Bob Pankey:  

It's been a a crazy ride so far, and it's been a lot of fun to hear from some of my friends here on classmates.com. In regards to the era we grew up in, I think we where really lucky, with the radical changes that took place in those times, and continue today. It was great having the Surfers, Low Riders, Socialites and Lames, Hippies and straight peeps. After HS Ed Allerton and I joined the Navy together on the buddy system, meaning we would be trained and stationed together, but he enlisted in the Seal Team and was eventually sent to UDT. I opted for the quickest way in and out so went in on a three year program it was three active 4 inactive reserve, plus getting all the VA benefits. I went to over 20 some country's including Nam, Australia, virtually all of the country's surrounding the Mediterranean sea Then onto Japan the Philippine Islands Singapore and many I'm leaving out. Right after HS I married Starr Parkin from Bolsa Grande HS. All the time at sea was really hard on our marriage, and by 74 it was too much for her. I had returned from almost 2 solid years at sea and was transferred to the west coast where the ship i had been transferred to was leaving within 24 hours on a nine month westpac cruse, that's when she left. Eventually I was given orders to go to Vietnam and help evacuate in 1975 while assigned to VF-111, As u guys recall all hell broke lose and the NVA over ran Saigon. I was aboard the USS Coral Sea CVA 43 and was almost sent ashore to do combat, but was a member of a flight squadron and a Petty Officer so got lucky. But was unfortunate enough to see thousa...Expand for more