From that bio, his Navy years were the same as mine. I did my ‘boot camp’ in San Diego, followed by “A” school and to the fleet aboard a Tender out of San Diego.
That “valedictorian” issue doesn’t carry a lot of weight with me... sounds like he’s just braggin’ that he had the best test scores in his company of 80 men vs a brigade.
The cross-over from Marines to Navy is a bit strange. Enlistments were generally 4 years and another 2 years inactive reserves. Yet he has 2 years as a Marine and then 4 as a squid. Also, the cardio pulmonary technician issue is interesting. He had to be a Hospitalman (Corpsman) with a specialty which would require specialty schooling. The Navy provided Corpsmen to the Marines. The Marines did not have med personnel of their own. Same with the Chaplains.
I’m just thinking the bio doesn’t tell the whole story.
Thank you! See—I knew there was something possibly interesting about his “Marine” service, just the way no one was ever more specific than that...
That rings a bell. I think I saw “Hospital Corpsman Class 3” on the letter. I’ll link it if I can find it again.