Fullbore Friday

This FbF is a little of a tease ... and something to keep you humble.

So, you think you have had an eventful career? Benchmark these bookends;

So upon his graduation from boot camp, it was off to Chicago for AMM “A” School. Herb excelled there, graduating 14th out of a class of 250, and was given his choice of duty stations.
Because he liked San Diego, he picked North Island, but as soon as he arrived he was told that the PBY squadron he was assigned to was already in Hawaii. Young Herb was put on a troop transport ship, USS Henderson, with a battalion of U.S. Marines and sent off to Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii.
Ship, Herb and Marines arrived at Pearl on Dec.1, 1941, and Herb was quickly dispatched to his new duty station at Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, which was across Oahu from Pearl Harbor on the east coast of the island.
During those ensuing six days, Herb was hard at work and didn’t have a clue that the Japanese were about to change his life and the lives of all other Americans.
In fact, on the day of the attack he was up early in order to get his liberty card for a little fun in Honolulu. He had not been granted any liberty since arriving and was looking forward to going to Hotel Street with another sailor he had made friends with. After enough action to last a lifetime, he still chose to stay in the Navy after the war. He says he was never bored for lack of excitement or a challenge, and he would retire as a chief petty officer in 1972.

You need to go to the link to hear the rest of the Chief Herb Swader, USN (Ret.) story.

Herb is still with us - spry young 92-years or so. Fullbore Chief.

Hat tip Dave.