David Wright:
CLASS OF 1968
Independence High SchoolClass of 1968
Independence, KS
David's Story
Brevity is a virtue, so I will be brief: I married the navy on 11/25/68. Went to sleep that night in a bottom rack at RTC/NTC San Diego, CA. After boot camp and propulsion engineering schools I became a steam engineer, (boilers). After two short tours on two ships received orders to SERE training and Viet Nam as a river rat in 3 & 4 Corps. (Me Kong Delta). Returned to the World with orders to another ship. Married in '73, divorced in '80. No children. In '79 received orders to the aircraft carrier MIDWAY home ported at Yokosuka, Japan. (7th Fleet). Assigned as the ships' Fuel Oil and Water King. She took me three times through the Indian Ocean to set foot on the East Coast of Africa (Kenya), then North to the Persian Gulf. Steamed her for three years and received orders to Fleet Training Group (WestPac), Yokosuka, Japan as a boiler water/feedwater chemistry instructor, damage control ship rider/propulsion steam plant inspector. Remained there for eight years coming home in January of 1990. While...Expand for more
there I buried myself in the language, culture, history and as a side gig tutored (at no charge) High School students in English as time permitted. I learned from them and they from me.
1990 found me at NAS Chasefield, Beeville, TX. 12/90, remarried and in the morning of 9/30/93 woke up and it was all over. I retired a Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8). Piddled around at different jobs until 11/99 when I accepted a position with the NAS Corpus Christi, TX Fire Department. I was the fire extinguisher/fire suppression systems tech, also licensed by the USDOT to hydrostatically test high pressure industrial gas cylinders.. In 2/00 my wife handed me a son who graduated from High School in May of 2018.
To quote Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." I take ownership. For me, I like to remember the best of times.
I have retired as of 1430, 3 February, 2021. I've pulled the plug and am taking her down, taking her deep. Now, I am going to do what I wish to do.
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