Richard F. Golden, LCDR USN Retired, 1956-1987


I seems there are many commonalities as to how one came to be a CT.

I joined the Navy Reserves during my senior year of HS (Feb 1956) with a 6 
year obligation; two years active and four in the reserves.  The only 
stipulation was that I had to start my two years Active before Feb 1957.  So 
after High School I moved to Lackawanna, NY and got a labor job in the 
Structural Steel Shipping Department of Bethlehem Steel.  After enduring one 
winter there I was quite happy to see Feb 57 roll around. Wow that was cold 
and windy.

When I got to Pittsburgh for processing they told me I'd be going to a ship 
out of Norfolk as a Reserve deck hand.  I asked them if I could get a school 
first.  Bottom line was I had to get discharged from the Reserves and re-up in 
the Regular Navy for four years. That I did.  I took the usual battery of 
tests and was off to Bainbridge, MD as an EFSR guaranteeing me a career in the 
Electronics Field.  That EFSR designation was what subsequently defined my 
career.  But, I was raised on a farm, working machinery of most kinds, went to 
work in the steel mills; I figured I'd be a good candidate to be SeaBee, which 
is what I wanted to be.  

I remember telling some PN1 classifier/counselor I was hoping to get into the 
Seabee's.  He said the EFSR designation would not allow that and offered me a 
choice in the area of Radioman, Sonarman, Fire Control, etc.
Apparently he had a CT quota to fill.  He asked me if I wanted to be one.
I, with no idea as to what that meant, said, "Fine with me."  So after boot 
camp, it was off to IB and subsequently out to Wahiawa as an R Brancher.
Void of any fond memories of that winter south of Buffalo, NY on Lake Erie I 
figured being a CT was a good life for me. I retired from SecGru in July 1987.  

Rich Golden
LCdr    LDO

BainBridge, MD Boot Camp in 1957
IB
Wahiawa
Kwajalein
SecSta (The old Elint school up in the attic) 
Fuchu Air Station (DirSup Elint billet) (At this point I became a plank owner T Bird) 
Newport News 
Istanbul 
Jamestown 
Cheltenham 
NSA 
SecSta 
Subic 
Winter Harbor 
SecSta 
IB 
NOSC 
Retired in 1987