Wilfred L. Bush, CWO4/7441/USN Retired, 1965-1970/1976-2001 I was raised on a dairy farm in the small northern New York town of Waddington, NY located on the St Lawrence River which separates New York from Canada. Beautiful area but cold winters. Following graduation from Madrid-Waddington High school in 1964 my identical twin brother signed up to the Coast Guard ( What’s unique we both retired as CWO4’s, him from the Coast Guard and myself from the Navy). I decided not to go to college and after about a year got a draft notice. I quickly talked to the Navy Recruiter who said go take the Army physical in Syracuse NY and let them pay for it (165 miles from home via bus). During my Army physical they also had us take exams and said I scored exceptionally high and wanted to give me additional special tests the next day. After the tests the following day they said I qualified for a commission right out of high school. I said what for the Infantry and they said, we can’t really say where you will end up. I certainly didn’t want to be shot at. All military recruiters were in the same building so I went to see the Coast Guard recruiter and he kept saying you will go to a Navy School for training so I decided to see my local Navy Recruiter when I got back home. I agreed to go in the Navy via the 120 day delayed program and was promised nuke program based on school grades (suspect they said that for everyone at that time). Went to the Great Lakes and arrived on my birthday 21 Sept 1965. With little sleep and being woke up at 4 am to go to breakfast then take tests. Was told I qualified for all admin ratings, some technical ratings and CT. Scored high on the GCT/ARI and the code test because I liked the beat of the Morse code. Must have had a good guess factor because I was really too tired to take tests. I asked like most of us asked, what do CT’s do and they said they didn’t really know other than they were tasked directly by the CNO and it required a security clearance and was shore duty. I said, shore duty and they said again yes. That’s for me. As a farm boy I really didn’t like the ocean. Went to Pensacola arriving December 1965 and realized most individuals were just out of college and also realized how lucky I was. I went through big room (code) easy because I had also taken typing in high school and don’t know why but enjoyed being one only a few males in the class. Although I did good in the big room I was amazed that those who messed up had to run front gate get the gate guards’ name and return. Couldn’t figure out how that could make you copy code better. Was selected for T Branch School and was honorman beating out a Marine by less than .05 and he never forgave me. Was also night school instructor. Then went to Wideband C School where I was also honorman. Got to select my duty station Cheltenham Maryland, but they picked my next Adak Alaska. When I completed Wideband School I was told I couldn’t go to a war zone because of my compartmented clearance. Made my day. Like most others selected for CT rating, my neighborhood and teachers were buzzing about the questions being asked by whoever completed the local investigation. I told my Mother and Father it was for a Top Secret Clearance so everyone was aware, many after the fact. I loved every minute of my time in the Naval Security Group. During my Navy Career I graduated from every school (20) as honorman except two including honorman of LDO/CWO school. Only reason, I studied hard, not because I was the smartest. I had broken service so you know I loved the Navy Security Group because I came back after being out for 6 years. I loved all 30 years and am blessed I decided to return to such a great group. I was also lucky to accomplish key achievements many didn’t as a CT to include earning the Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) Pin (first Cryptologic CWO in Pacific Fleet to do so) as well as Commanding Officer Ashore Pin as CO of DCS Station San Diego, CA. I retired 1 July 2001. Duty stations listed below. CWO4 WILFRED LEO BUSH USN DATES OF SERVICE 21 SEP 1965 TO 18 SEP 1970 06 APR 1976 TO 01 JUL 2001 1965 Boot Camp Great Lakes E2/E3 1965-1966 NCTC Pensacola, FL CTSN 1966-1967 NCS Washington, DC CTT3 1967-1968 NCS Adak, Alaska CTT3/CTT2 1968-1970 NTTC, Pensacola, FL CTT2 1970-1976 Broken Service 1976 NTTC, Pensacola, FL CTT3 1977-1979 NSGD Pearl Harbor CTT3/CTT2 USS Swordfish (SSN 579) USS Hawkbill (SSN 666) 1979-1982 NSACSS, Ft Meade, MD CTT2/CTT1 1982-1984 NSGA San Vito, Italy CTT1/CTTC/CWO2 1984-1987 NSACSS, Ft Meade, MD CWO2/CWO3 1988-1990 USS VALLEY FORGE(CG50) CWO3 1990-1993 NTTC, Pensacola, FL CW04 1993-1996 ‘CO’ DCS, San Diego, CA CW04 1996-2001 NETPDTC, Pensacola, FL CW04