The Chiefs or Officers who helped mold you in to who you are today

[Acaciavet]

Gentelmen,its been 40 years since I was active duty and I am sitting here remembering those days.Of course after a couple of scotches you get a little sentimentel. Their were four people who made me what I am today.

BM1 Carl Turner DI Golf 70 at the cape
BMC Ugene Ladd DI Golf 70 at the cap. These two were good cop bad cop,BM1 Tore you down and the Chief built you back up.
BMC Leon T Woodard,worked for him for two years on the A boat,this man was the Chiefs Chief.He tuaght me a lesson I have never forgotten.I had just earned my third class crow and I was Mr bad ass with the SN and Sa folks. He watched me and said come on in the focsel and lets chat."He said Speed,always remember their are always going to be two kinds of people you will work for! The kind you have to work for and the kind you want to work for! That was the day I changed for the better and I have always run my life on that premise.

LT David Vandrummell the XO on the A boat,he belived in my leadership ability and tried like hell to get me to stay in.
Not listening to him was the biggest mistake I have ever made.

So who did you look up to? Who had an influence.

[oldcoastie6468]

Using their ranks or ratings back in 1964 - 1968:

CDR James Swanson, CGAS San Diego. CDR Swanson was my commanding officer in flight operations, and he fully supported his crew and tolerated no crap from anyone who disparaged any of them. I truly admited him. He also needed no megaphone to be heard across the whole station.

BMC Otis McKeithan, STA Charlevoix, MI. A gentle but firm leader, who commanded the respect of his crew. He was a former CC at Cape May.

BM1 Ron Sixberry, STA Charlevoix. I didn't serve directly under Sixberry, but one time the 44 was going out in less than ideal conditions. One t=of the crew was afraid of the weather, and Sixberry told him: "Get your ass on the boat! The lives of this boat crew and this entire damned boat are not worth the life of even one of the people we're going out to help!" Kind of put things into perspective.

BM1 James Rambus, STA Charlevoix. Jim was the finest small boat handler that I had the pleasure of serving under during my tour in the Coast Guard. He was, and remains, a supurb individual and a true Coastguardsman.

[ollie]

I have to say that no one in the CG really molded me into what I am today. There were a couple of senior petty officers and officers I enjoyed working with like Bosun's Mate Whitlock, EM 1 Shorter and Ensign Tyo (circa 1967) but I can't say they had a profound effect on my life. Unfortunately, I worked with 2 CPO's and 1 PO1 with whom my experience was very bad and sad as well. When it came time to re-up, The visions of those three kept me from even considering another tour. Most of the guys in the lower decks were pretty decent though.


On the other hand, I was a cadet at Admiral Farragut Academy for 4 years 1962-66. That place more than any other made me what I am today. It was 42 years ago this June when I was graduated from AFA with a Certificate of Completion for three years of Naval Science. I am 60 now and even today when things get tough, all I do is look at my Farragut Class ring and say to myself, " I made it through Farragut, I can do anything", thanks to the likes of Captain Dodge the Head Master and Captain Rheinhard the Director of Activities. Also Frank Mandia who was my second company commander my junior year. But that's another story.........

Bill

[Bill]

Jeff

I see you know Jim Rambus. We served together at Belle Isle when we were BM2s. I have been in touch with him recently.