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WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
Why I joined the Navy
Belmont, CA
In 1969 the war in Vietnam was at its height. I was in my senior year of college when the..
171 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'Best decision I ever made'
Cape Girardeau,, MO
In 1987, I saw the TV commercial "Port of Call, Hong Kong," showing sailors running off a ship and experiencing..
383 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'Thoughts of Jack Ryan danced through my head'
San Antonio, TX
I was 11 years old when I saw "Top Gun" in the theater in San Antonio, Texas, during the summer..
560 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'Travel and seeing the world'
Baxter, TN
In October of my senior year in high school, me and three other friends were in the library during a..
467 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
Shipmates and sea stories
West Hartford, CT
There were several reasons I joined the Navy. My grandfather served briefly as a sailor in World War I. Some..
321 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
A win-win
Wilson, NC
My dad was an active-duty naval officer when I finished college, so I'd grown up seeing the lifestyle, traveling the..
357 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'I knew I belonged there'
Trenton, NJ
I chose the Navy Seabees because I knew I belonged there. I had a friend who had been a Seabee,..
439 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'With a family history like this, how could I not serve?'
Ogden, UT
My ancestral heritage, and indeed my family's history, is the story of America. My eighth great-grandfather, Samuel Lincoln, immigrated from..
505 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'The Navy was my college'
San Luis Obispo, CA
I chose the Navy for three reasons: 1) To be close to the beach. 2) Women’s uniforms are the..
403 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
Four brothers
Cedar Rapids, IA
I had three brothers serve in the Navy. The oldest one joined in 1932 and served 35 years; he had..
364 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'A great way to meet people and see the world'
Hastings, MI
Why did I chose the Navy? My grandson asked me this question recently as we were coming back from the..
473 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'The best shipmates in the world'
Portage, MI
I wanted to explore space. It was 1981, and the space shuttle program was just beginning. I knew I didn't..
389 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
Honored and blessed
Stevensville, MD
As a first-generation Ukrainian-American, I had a strong desire to serve my country - especially after hearing stories from my..
347 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
From a long line of veterans
Castleton, VT
My family, which came over in 1635, has a long line of veterans, officially starting with the Revolution at the..
304 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'Blessed to be part of both worlds'
Seymour, IN
I joined the Navy on April 17, 1961, in Columbus, Ind. Times were somewhat difficult; the economy was not the..
476 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'I would do it over again'
Jacksonville, FL
I graduated high school in 1976 and tried community college for almost a year. I was still living at home..
518 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
From California to Italy
Chula Vista, CA
In high school I hadn’t thought of joining the military or even signing up for the draft. My parents never..
466 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'One of the best decisions of my life'
Wenonah, NJ
I chose the Navy with aspirations to become a dentist. On Nov. 4, 1979, the hostages were taken in Iran...
333 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'Let the adventures begin'
DeLand, FL
In June 1960, I graduated from high school. The military draft was in force. I wanted to join one of..
314 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'I'm ready to join up'
Rio Rancho, NM
My story is simple. I was a freshman at Hunter College in New York City. I studied most of..
490 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
Three reasons I chose the Navy
Chesapeake, VA
1) My father and uncle were in the Navy during World War II. 2) I was 17 and the draft..
332 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
Why I chose the Navy (and the Marines, and the Army)
Little Falls, MN
At 74, my memories of why I joined the military are somewhat foggy. However, I do remember at 13 telling..
674 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'I wanted to serve to give back'
Virginia Beach, VA
I came to the United States at 10 years old. My father became a U.S. citizen after Hawaii became a..
429 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'What do we need journalists on ships for?'
Indianapolis, IN
It was pretty simple for me. I was a writer, and I wanted to do that for the military. I..
452 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'Some of the best years of my life'
Tustin, MI
I was a senior in high school in the winter of 1974. I knew I wasn’t going to college and..
513 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
Four years, three ships
Napa, CA
It was July 1968. The Tet Offensive had occurred in January. I had just graduated from high school and did..
309 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'I would do it all over again'
St. Johnsbury, VT
After graduating from St. Johnsbury Trade School in 1957, I spent six months living with a friend and his family..
508 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
From USS Midway to weekends at Waikiki Beach
Lincoln, DE
The year was 1970. I was set to graduate from high school in western Massachusetts at age 17, with no..
364 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
'So many memories I cherish'
Berkeley Springs, WV
My father became a U.S. citizen on Ellis Island in 1923 after leaving Ireland due to his involvement in the..
437 views
WHY I CHOSE THE NAVY
Continuing a family tradition
Walhalla, SC
I have always had an interest in aviation. For that reason, I thought I would join the Air Force. My..
458 views
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