They sailed their Third Class year ("Sophomore") and he sailed as a graduate. His training was engineering and his service was in the engine room.
He remarked on delivering ammunition to Vietnam in ships "held together by rust and public opinion." That they would be moored off-shore to avoid providing a too-tempting target.
That their rules ashore included avoiding bars not equipped with mesh over the windows to prevent grenades, avoid shoe shine boys and news boys for the same reason.
Regarding later opportunities, he was an engineer for RCA, then a firm of consulting engineers, finally an independent engineer.
He and his wife have now moved into their fifth home, and brought along the tallest flagpole for a radius of several miles from which to fly the American flag.
His choice of the USMMA was for its engineering curriculum which, judging by an examination of his texts, was rigorous.
To keep the engine running to deliver the ammunition was no mean feat, and a skill useful today.
We now recognize the utility of preposition, fast cargo, and roll-on/roll-off.
Here's to the delivery of vast quantities of the world's best ordnance to be delivered by the world's UPS:
SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING TO SADDAM HUSSEIN: Disarming now greatly improves your chances of seeing 2004.