Radioman "A" School - San Diego 1976

By: oldswabbie Mood: anxious Date: 05/01/2008 12:33:13 Music: None

NTC San Diego Califonia Radioman "A" School - What a great base! Established in 1922, some of the barracks look like they were built in 1923! But all in all, it was a nice base, a CLEAN base.

So this is what Navy life is like? Freedom! AALLLRIGHHHTT!! "Hey Martin, lets hop on the liberty bus and go downtown, I've never been to a city before!". So after checking into the command and getting assigned to our barracks and stowing our gear we head out for the big city of San Diego! Having never been to a city I had NO IDEA what to expect.

Now remember - this was 1976. The Disco era had barely started in New York at Studio 54. If you have ever seen re-runs of "Starsky and Hutch" and the "Mod Squad"...this was that time. Well, the liberty bus winds it way down the highway toward what we see off in the distance as the city of San Diego. I'm about on the edge of the seat like all the rest of the sailors. You could tell the ones who had been around and therefore it was no big deal, others just like us...excited at the adventure.

The bus pulls up to the YMCA on Broadway (near the pier) and the doors open. White uniformed sailors clammor off the bus and onto the pavement - San Diego pavement. The smell of the city is everywhere, the city is Busy... Real busy. Thats the one thing that struck me first. Martin and I started walking, where? We didnt know, we just started walking. A few blocks down would be an encounter I would remember for the rest of my life.

We hadnt gotten far when two ladies walked up to us - very pretty ladies. They stopped us and said "Hey Sailors, wanna Date?". I couldnt believe my ears! These beautiful women actually ASKED US for a date! While I was rolling my tongue back up and stuffing it back into my mouth Martin was grabbing my arm and pulling me back and saying "Come on Junior, we gotta go". I'm struggling and saying "What are you Crazy! They want a date!" - I'm pulling against my best friends grasp on my arm over these two beautiful women when Martin, in his infinite wisdom finally says quietly in a hushed voice... "Junior - they're hookers"...."Huh...Wa? They...wa?" I stammered. The girls gave this disgusted look and walked past us as I was drug along by my best friend onto parts unknown in the big city of San Diego. Within 24 hours of arrival at NTC I've met my first!

Ill be adding to this - keep checking back...