Elsie Abbey:  

Let's see - long history, lots of moves, friends, acquaintances, and job experiences. 1974 - graduated from Senior High, joined the Navy and attended boot camp in Florida. 1975-1977 - went to Navy training school in Great Lakes, Illinois, and sent to first command at Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, California as a Engineman 3rd class. I was stationed on the SWOS boats, TAD to ACU-1. I made lots of friends there and was the first female to be stationed on an LCU even though only TAD and stateside. We got underway about once a week and returned home each of those days. I miss you guys and I'll never forget how fortunate I was to know all of you. 1977-1979 - stationed at Naval Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, HI as an Engineman 2nd class. Worked in the office, the engine shop, and most of the time in QA. I was fortunate to get to work and inspect work done on submarines - even the nuclear safe areas. Great places to visit but I'm glad I wasn't stationed on one. I enjoyed playing softball and basketball for the Navy teams. 1979 - 1980 - my enlistment was up so I returned to Billings, MT with my newborn son. Attended the auto mechanics course at the Billings Vo-Tech, then moved to San Diego where all my friends were still at. 1981 - worked at the Balboa Naval Hospital service station as a service writer - ordering parts for the auto mechanics. Got married and moved to Hawaii to join the Navy again. 1981-1985 - worked at SIMA in Pearl Harbor in the engine shop, the valve shop, and in QA as an Engineman 1st class and passed the Chief's exam. This time I got to go onto all the ships that pulled in and needed work done. I got to ride on one of the ship's dependent cruises to Kauai too with some friends. Got divorced, danced a lot of country and played a lot of softball year round. It was a great life and I met a lot of friends but I also lost touch with a lot of friends who got transferred. (the bad part about being in the military). late 1985-1990 - finished another enlistment, married my second husband, and then moved back to Montana - Miles City this time. Great place to live, friendly and neighborly people, met some life-long friends that I'm proud to consider as family. I was co-owner of a drycleaners/laundromat, worked numberous jobs, attended college. My most memorable job was working at the VAMC and taking care of the nursing home veterans. We had a lot in common and they will always be in my heart forever. The vets, my son, and I went sturgeon fishing, watching padd...Expand for more