A personal history given by Don Remily, EMFA to EM2(SS) on Diodon

Email from Don Remily - ldremily@Jobe.net
03 July, 2000

HI SHIPMATES

WELL I TOLD YOU THAT I WOULD SEND IN MY HISTORY SO HERE GOES.

I JOINED THE NAVY RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL . A FRIEND OF MINE'S DAD WAS IN THE NAVY IN WW2 SO HE WAS GOING TO JOIN , SO I THOUGHT WHAT THE HECK IT'S BEATS THE ARMY. BESIDES I COULD NOT TIE A TIE SO THE NAVY WAS FOR ME. WENT TO BOOT CAMP AT GREAT LAKES, THEN EM A SCHOOL AT GREAT LAKES. WHILE THERE THEY CAME AROUND WITH A CHIT TO SIGN UP FOR SUB DUTY .  SOME OF US SAID WHAT THE HECK , WHY NOT . SO I ENDED UP IN NEW LONDON. SO WHEN IT CAME TIME TO PICK A PORT ( NOT THAT MADE ANY DIFFERENCE ). I PICKED SAN DIEGO BECAUSE MOST OF THE GUYS I JOINED UP WITH WERE THERE.

I REPORTED ABOARD IN APRIL OF 58 AND MADE 2 WEST PAC TRIPS AND ONE SHIP YARD AT HUNTERS POINT. THAT IS WHEN CLEM CAME A BOARD. WHEN WE GOT BACK FROM WEST PAC IN LATE SIXTY THERE WAS FOUR OF US FROM THE MID WEST THAT RENTED A DUPLEX IN TOWN . KEVEN GETZ, GEORGE ( DAVID ROGERS) ANOTHER ENGINE MAN AND MY SELF. (HE IS IN THE PICTURE WITH GEORGE TAKING A BATH, WAY IN THE BACK) HAD GOOD TIMES THERE .

THEN THEY OFFERED AN EARLY OUT, AND I TOOK IT IN MARCH OF 61. THEN I WENT TO AUTOMOTIVE SCHOOL IN MINN. AND BECAME A MECHANIC. GOT MARRIED HAD TWO KIDS IN SOUTH DAKOTA. THEN MOVED TO WASHINGTON STATE. AFTER A YEAR OR SO I WENT TO WORK FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON AS A MECHANIC FOR THE DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION. RETIRED AFTER 25 YEARS. IN THE MEAN TIME I HAD ANOTHER BABY GIRL THEN GOT DIVORCED. WAS SINGLE FOR 12 YEARS OR SO THEN MARRIED MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTERS BEST FRIENDS MOM.  WE HAVE BEEN HAPPILY MARRIED FOR 13 YEARS.

AFTER I RETIRED WE MOVED TO MO. THAT WAS IN 94  ALL THE KIDS ARE IN WA. STATE EXCEPT ONE AND HE IS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC BUILDING A RESORT FOR MR. SONY OF JAPAN.  BETWEEN THE TWO OF US WE HAVE 5 KIDS AND 6 GRAND DAUGHTERS.

SOME DAY WE WILL BE BACK IN WA. STATE. WHEN THE GRANDKIDS ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REALLY PLAY WITH.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

TALK TO YOU ALL LATER

GREEN BOARD AND D B F

DIODON DON