I joined the US Navy at the military induction center in Knoxville, TN  as I was being drafted into the military in January of 1971.

After  boot camp, I served from April 24th 1971 to December 17, 1974 on broad  the USS Saratoga CVA/CV 60. I was assigned to the B Division #2 Main  Machinery Room. This ship was homeported at Mayport, Fl. although we  never spent much time there during my time on broad.

In 1971 we made a North Atlantic deployment, and a Mediterranean Sea deployment.

In  April 1972, we were sent to the Tonkin Gulf "Yankee Station" off the  coast of Viet Nam were we conducted air operations in North and South  Viet Nam from May 72 until mid January 73.

We returned to the States in Feb. 73 and spent the rest of 73 in the shipyards at Portsmouth and Norfolk VA. for repairs.

In  early 74 we went to the Caribbean Sea (Cuba) for Carrier Qualifications  for several weeks, then another deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, I  left the ship December 17, 1974 in Naples, Italy to return to the States  for the last time.