Posted by Ultradog MN on July 22, 2021 at 15:00:42 from (172.58.83.49):
50 years ago today I was sworn into the Navy at noon. 6 weeks earlier I had found out on the day of HS graduation that I would have gotten an unsigned diploma because I had flunked 12th grade English class. I knew I would not survive my father's wrath so I went home, gathered what small money I had, packed a small suitcase and ran away to my uncle's house in Portland Oregon. When I turned 18 a month later I went to the Selective Service Board and signed up for the draft. It happened to be that all of the recruiters were in the same building so I went to the Air Force and asked how long it would take to get in. The guy there said about 2 months. So I went to the Coast Guard and asked the same question. He said about 4 months. Then I went to the Navy and asked and he said if I wasn't BSing him I could be in in 3 weeks. So I said let's go! A couple of hours after the swearing in they took the 4 of us to the airport and we went to San Diego for basic training.
I did 4 years - to the day. It was a great experience for a kid from a small town in central Minnesota with few prospects and no sense of where he fit in in life. I belonged to something that was far greater than the sum of its parts. I still belong to it, in a way. It broadened my horizons in ways that nothing else could. And I got to go to so many places that a dumb kid with no education and no prospects could ever have gone. It let me grow up, a little - in a safe but disciplined environment. It was the best thing I ever did. I am sure there are many here who share that sense of belonging to their branch of the service even today. And I'm sure they have a good story to tell. I would be glad to read it - if they write it. This was just mine. From 50 years ago today.
Upload one or more videos to your post. Photo and video filesizes should be less than 5MB. Formats allowed are gif, jpg, png, ogg, mp4, mov, and avi. Be sure to use filenames without spaces or special characters, and filetypes of 3 digits lower case.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Sunday Drives - by Cowboy. Summer was finally upon us here in Northern Maine. We have two types of industry up here, one being "Forestry" (Wood Products) and the other "Farming" (Potatoes). There is no shortage of farm tractors and equipment around here! I have been restoring old Farm Tractors for the past 6 years, and have found it easier and less expensive to hit all the auctions and purchase whole tractors for parts needed. My wife who works at a local school, and only has weekends and summers off, while on t
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.