ET  "A" School (Convertee)   Great Lakes, IL     03/55 - 03/56

Well, now - a barracks full of various PO1s and a handful of CPO and PO2 types.  This 48-week course was meant to bolster the lagging ET rating by offering those in less critical ratings an opportunity to convert; a boon to those in BM, GM and other ratings in which advancement was frozen.  I did okay, except for teletype.  I made a round trip home on a holiday weekend and rode my "45" back to Glakes.  Later on I traded that (smoking) machine that Frank Bangs had fixed me up with for a brand new 1955 Harley 74 FLH, metallic pea green, hard plastic bags, spots, buddy seat - hog heaven.  I paid $1500 for that jewel (try it at $20000+ today - maybe).  Loved it.  Had a gray leather jacket and a cap with all kinds of doo-dahs hanging from it. (I wonder where they all went).

Ultimately, it became fleet time, but I did get to take - and pass - the RDC exam before leaving.

USN Years
USS Coral Sea CVA-43