I grew up in Vallejo. Both my parents were federal employees at Mare Island. My Dad was a nuclear inspector on nuclear fast attack submarines and my Mom was in personnel. I knew many Navy submarine sailors and government employees in our church. After my Mom retired, she was the head docent at the Mare Island Museum for many years. My Mom’s name is in the acknowledgements for the USS Indianapolis book by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic.
Quite the history to be proud of. My father was one of the firsts SeaBee (CB) sailors that built the airstrip on Guam, which helped to turn the tide of the war. It was essential to build long airstrips there so that long distance heavy bombers could bomb the crap out of the enemy. They did their jobs! There were still 5000 hostiles on the Island when my Dad set foot on it, and they were shot at on an hourly basis. Yet they finished the airstrip in a matter of days and had Americn troops landing there soon after.
Very cool. That was a wonderful little city in the ‘70s. I haven’t been back.