Ray Bramlette:  

Okay, since I’ve been out of touch with you, let me bring you up to date. My career in college 1960-1964 at Modesto JC was interrupted by the "war". I was enrolled in the Navy ROC program which would have yielded a commission and flight school upon completion. My major in college was toward engineering, but I had such an interest in Art and photography after winning some ribbons at the Merced Fair, that I wanted to learn how to develop film and darkroom procedures and so I took photo-journalism (the only classes that offered photo-lab and developing) as electives to the point that I breached my deferment agreement one semester by not taking enough courses toward my major. Plus, the big build-up in 1964 toward Viet Nam was accelerating, so I had to report for duty as a regular sailor in June of 1965. I met Admiral Nimitz in June 1965 on Treasure Island while reporting for duty and that was the most humbling experience I've ever had. As a photo-journalist and combat photographer during Viet Nam, I've spoken with and photographed Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, General William Westmoreland and many other dignitaries, but Admiral Nimitz was by far the most striking. I'm convinced that the war in the Pacific against the Japanese specifically the battle of Midway, would not have met with success without Nimitz's intellect and guts. When I reported aboard my first ship, the USS Saint Paul CA-73, they told me there was no position open in Fire Control (which was the early computer science of the Navy) and that I would have to wait as a member of the deck force. Pressing further, I found they had an opening in the PIO office as a photographer, but that would require I change my rate from SN to AN because photographers were in the AIR part of the Navy. Anyway, my role in the Navy became dangerous as they assigned me the position of combat photographer and I was sent to Viet Nam twice, but I prevailed without getting hurt or messed up in the head and even got a commendation from the Secretary of the Navy. I saw the Philippines, Hawaii, Japan, Hong Kong, and of course Viet Nam. When I got out and started life again, the love of my life (my little majorette) was gone and I felt empty and restless. I moved to San Jose with its rich job market and many schools to resume my education. ...Expand for more