Guy Keenum, LCDR USN Retired, 1945-1973 In April 1944 as my 17th birthday approached, I couldn't wait to join the Navy. My parents were less enthusiastic since my brother just older than I had been in the Guadalcanal invasion. By the end of the year and with draft facing me and the certainty of going in the infantry, they agreed in March of 1945. So I enlisted for the duration of the war plus six months and off to Bainbridge Maryland for boot camp. My company commander was a Chief Specialist A, who had been a high school football coach. Only Regular Navy enlistees were being sent to school, so after boot camp, i and ten others got orders to the Naval Barracks. West Potomac Park, Washington, DC for duty with Op-20G at the Naval Communications Annex. 3801 Nebraska Ave NW. This was on the 14th day of August 1945 when we arrived, which just happened to be the day the Japanese surrendered. The barracks was a madhouse and who ever was working that day just took off to celebrate. No lone was interested in us until finally some seaman came out and told us to take off and find a place to live and come back next week. What a shock, ten country boys hitting Washington and looking for a place in the middle of all the celebration. Someone suggested we try the YMCA and they were kind enough to accommodate us on a night to night basis. Only two eating places were open in Washington. I remember one was O'Donnells. We found the Stage Door Canteen and they gave us a meal and two cigarettes (free). No one knew how or why we picked for the assignment other than we all had pretty good test scores. The next week we found our way to Nebraska Avenue and I was sent to Captain Wenger's office as a striker for Chief Parker. I expressed to him some anxiety about the assignment with no training and he said don't worry about it, three years ago I was a Musician First Class . Since the war was over we were being sent home on a seniority basis so I made coffee, washed the Captain's car and drove him for until I was sent back to Bainbridge to be discharged in July 1946, 1 year and 3 months after I enlisted I was a civilian. Went to work for a mining company and it didn't take to long to see there was no future there and six months later I was in the Recruiting Office, signing for six years. In the Receiving Station Norfolk where I was being processed was told no schools were available so the Bureau assigned me to the Seabee Center, Port Hueneme.When I got there after a two month trip through the Panama Canal on a troop ship with stops in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Managua, I was told me test scores qualified me for draftsman school.I am not a detail person and that drove me nutty but I had been in touch with some of the people who stayed in. When they heard what I was doing, they went to Lt Rorie, who remembered me and I was soon on my way back to Nebraska Avenue. I made SPQ3c on the next test and was on my way to what was eventually a CT when the rate was established. As I approach my 82nd birthday I realize how fortunate I have been to have serve with such a great group of people. I am humbled and honored. Guy Keenum SPQ3c, CTACS, WO1, LCDR