George H. Morton CTR1 March 1954-June 1974 I came into the Navy in March 1954 and went to Boot Camp in Bainbridge, Md. I was asked like many others what I wanted to do in the Navy and I told this YN1 I wanted to be a Radio Man. He suggested that I become a Communication Technician. I asked what it was and he told me it was a classified Rate, but I wouldn't have to go to sea and would do almost the samething as Radio- Man. I took it. I finished Boot Camp in June of 1954 and took leave and went home, something everyone does. I returned to Bainbridge and was put in holding until they had a spot to make room for me. I waited about a week and then had orders to Imperial Beach, CA along with four other CTSA's, and we were on our way. When we arrived at Imperial Beach, each one of us was interviewed and I was asked if I still had my "ham" license and I told the Chief that I did. My four other friends were assigned to the galley and I was sent off to meet Chief Hunt. When Chief Mo and I went into the class room of Chief Hunt, he told him I was a "ham" operator, could type and felt that I was a fine prospect for the CT rate. Chief Hunt, who at that time was I believe the youngest man to make Chief in his short time in the Navy. He first asked me to sit down and send him some CW, which I did and within about two lines of copy he said, "Morton, you send well. What we are going to do is test the rest of the class on how well they know CW. You take this side of the room and I will take the other side. It all went well, except for two WAVES. They were both Seamen and of course I was a Seaman Apprentice, and they both thought it was very funny I should be testing them. At the end I failed both of them and Chief Hunt gave them Saturday morning schooling. I don't believe either one spoke to me the rest of the time I was in their class. I completed the course and got orders to Kamiseya, Japan. Now Japan is, or was, great duty. Our instructor, Chief Callihan, was very interested in Japan and took the three of us with orders to Japan, aside and gave us a rundown on what to expect. He knew how to speak Japanese because while he had been stationed there GIs would go to a Japanese school and learn the language with the other young Japanese students. I took 2 weeks Leave and went back to New York, back home to East Marion on the end of Long Island. The two weeks went by fast and before I left for Treasure Island CA, my parents were very nervous for me. I was a young 20 year old sailor and ready for Japan. I was sent to Treasure Island and about six days I was headed for Japan and two years of duty at Kamiseya. It was to be the best station I was ever stationed in my 21 year career. We flew from CA to Hawaii and from there, on to Wake Island. We were on a Super Constellation with the three tails at the rear of the aircraft. We were told to prepare for our landing at Wake. The big aircraft tilted to the right and began to drop from the sky. The flaps went down and then we heard the wheels go down. As I looked out the window all I could see was water getting closer and closer to the aircraft. Then it happened. There was about a six foot strip of beach and then runway. We sat down on the runway in a thud. The aircraft's flaps went up, the engine squeeled, and we came to a halt near the end of the runway. I looked out the window to see the Pacific Ocean and all its beauty and sticking out of the water about one hundred yards from the beach was the bow of a Japanese ship, a transport that had been sunk during WWII. When in 1963, going back for another tour of duty at Kamiseya, I was a Communication Technician First Class, and to my right was a Communication Technician Seaman. I had been telling him about Japan and what the duty would be like for him. When we struck the runway in our Boeing 707 he was looking out the window as I had done back in 1955. I noticed right away that the old Japanese ship was gone. I heard later that the Japanese Government had cleared the vessel from the water. I finished my tour of 21 years in the Navy, in Taipei, Taiwan in June 1974. In between I was stationed two tours in Japan, one in Okinawa, a tour at Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico, two tours at NSA, a tour in Turkey, and the Philippines. I enjoyed my years in the U.S.Naval Security Group. Today my wife Emma and I live in Oklahoma. We have five children, and 9 Grand children at this time. I said in March of 1954 I wanted to be in the Navy and I did and am proud of it. GEORGE H. MORTON CTR1 USN-RET