Tom Mumm:  

After high school I took tool and die drafting at a technical school. After school I got a job at Independent Engineering Co. Sitting at a drawing board all day wasn't my thing so I quit and went back to school. Went to Electronics institute for about 6 weeks and got my notice to have a military physical for the draft and passed it. Instead of the Army I joined the Navy. Left for boot camp June 24, 1969, and got orders to the aircraft carrier Shangri-La CVA-38 in Sept. Went to the Vietnam area and afterward helped decommission the Shangri-La. My job on the ship was air conditioning, refrigeration, and steam heat. Got orders to go to air conditioning and refrigeration school in Norfolk, VA in July 1972 then orders to the guided-missile destroyer USS Conyngham DDG-17 in Sept in which my duties were the same. I made a Mediterranean cruise and a North Atlantic cruise on this ship. All the cruises were great but the one was getting to ride the train to Rome and taking a tour of Rome and the Vatican. At the Vatican was able to go inside St Peters Cathedral Pope Paul VI was addressing the US Navy and the visiting ships. It will be remembered forever. Was discharged on March 2, 1973. Went on to work in the A/C industry and got in the Pipefitters Union 533 May of 1976. Went...Expand for more