I joined the navy on June 21, 1960, fresh out of high school. About 15 of us took the oath together at the old Fargo Building in Boston at the First Naval District Headquarters. After our induction ceremony, we left for Logan International Airport for a chartered flight to Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes, Ill. It was my first flight on an airplane.

We arrived late at night and it was pouring rain. We checked into Camp Barry and met our company commander, Aviation Boatswain's Mate Petty Officer 1st Class J. Crockett, Company 238. Crockett had 20 years in the Navy, mostly sea duty.

My worst memories at boot camp are the seemingly endless inspections. We had personnel inspections, locker inspections and barracks inspections, and we had to wash our own clothes. There was intensive physical fitness training, swim qualifications, firefighting school, small arms training, ordinance and gunnery, seamanship, damage control training and much more.

My inspiration to join the Navy was my cousin Dan Murphy. When I was about 10 years old, Dan was stationed for a time at Newport Naval Base in Newport, R.I., during the Korean War. He spent weekends with us, and I was impressed by his dress blue uniform.

My fondest memories of Navy boot camp are my shipmates, Crockett and the graduation review on a hot August afternoon at Ross Field. My cousin Dan attended, making it a very special day. My career in the Navy turned out to be the adventure of a lifetime. It was an honor to serve my country in the U.S. Navy.