Clifford Allen Stoker

Dad co-signed for me US NAVY RESERVE, when I turned 17 in the 11th grade of high school. The US was starting to draft heavily for Viet Nam and Dad wanted me to have my choice of which branch to join. I chose Navy because 4 of my uncle’s had served in the Navy. Having heard Dad’s war stories about being in the Army left behind in the Philippines when MacArthur left made me also not want the Army. I went to bootcamp at Great Lakes Naval Training Center that December. It was 20o below zero. Finished High School 12th grade. Then went active duty at Bainbridge, MA “A” school. After that I was assigned duty at FAETUPAC, (fleet airborne electronic training unit pacific) as a Yoeman. We took care of the officers records, transfers, and assignments along with maintaining classified communications. Spent two years there then went back to reserves at home for two years.