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This is where I started my Navy career..!

2K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  TopamaxSurvivor 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
For all of you who had any military background…..

http://www.navy.gov.au/Looking_At_Leeuwin

I make no apologies for this film… this is what it was like for a young…15 or 16 year old .. Junior Recruit of the Royal Australian Navy… late 60s.
Some will relate some will not… I hope that some will remember what it was like back then…
 
#2 ·
Fremantle has changed a lot since that film was taken

was that film propaganda from the publicity dept or was it really like that

Hooky
(now i know where you got your taste for Emu Export
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
Very interesting Larry, it brought back a lot of memories. I joined the Navy at 17 yrs. in 1957 and got out a month before my 21st birthday. I served most of that time as a Boatswains mate on a cargo ship with a crew of 200 men that supplied food goods to naval bases and replenished other ships at sea. We replenished all sorts of vessels at sea, including destroyers, cruisers and even nuclear aircraft carriers, among them the USS Independence.

It was fantastic duty for a Boatswain's Mate. We had two 40ft motor launches, a whale boat for life saving and a captain's gig. I was in charge of the operations of a cargo hold with a crew of 7. I also served as coxswain of the captain's gig. We had to learn a lot of seamanship including splicing steel cables, All the rigging for cargo operations at the quayside and at sea, maintaining and running the boats and a lot of other stuff like damage control, manning the 40mm canons (if you can call them canons). My favorite work was the cargo operations and running the boats.

It was a great way for a young man to grow up and learn to assume responsibility. The discipline (such as it is on an auxiliary vessel) kept us out of trouble for the most part. Our home port was San Francisco and we spent most of the time in the Philippines (Subic Bay), Japan, Formosa, and Hong Kong (where we even drank beer with some Aussie sailors).when we weren't at sea. I have fond memories of this period in my life and have no regrets about offering 4 years to it.

It would be interesting to hear about your Navy experience.
 
#7 ·
I'm a recent 'navy grad' (USN) so, this is a great treat! Spent some time in HMAS TOBRUK off the coast of Mogadishu, Somalia (Blackhawk Down days!). TOBRUK sailed with 20,000 cans of Fosters and their aim was, "...too return from deployment with zero on board!" I'm pretty sure these good ole boys achieved their goal. I helped!
 
#9 ·
Thanks Larry:

I looked at a 15 year old face in a "K" company picture the other day and wondered where all that time has gone and how many of those faces are still with us.
I finished off with a captains rank in the Canadian Army of the day about 11 years later.
It certainly made me into a much stronger and more resolute human being as it does for so many youth.

Bob
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
I never had the privilege of being in the services. I fit into the Kennedy youth. John Kennedy declared when he was President that anyone that was married and had children would get a deferment. I fit into that rule and so I skipped over the Vietnam days that many others got to experience.
 
#12 ·
Hi Larry I joined Army signal corps in the then SADF at 16 and left after 30+ years from the SANDF after democracy. those earlly 60 were great women were woman and ships were made of wood and men of steel thats what we all thought HaHaHA.
Regards Roger SA
 
#14 ·
Actually Hooky… I drank Swan Lager when I was in Perth/Fremantle… only got to taste the EMU Export when I worked at NavComSta Harold E Holt up the coast in Exmouth with the USN in 1980.. also tried the beers brought in from stateside by the Yanks.
 
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