I spent 4 years in the U.S Navy. After Boot Camp in Great Lakes, Ill and YN "A" School in Bainbridge, Md. I spent about 20 months on a Floating Drydock (USS AFDL-10) at the Ship Repair Facility in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippine Islands. Since this was a small outfit my duties were split between Yeoman (clerk) and Deck Hand. While stationed in the Philippines I was attached (temporary duty) to the USS CAVALIER-APA 37 for a couple of months just long enough to travel to Hong Kong for a few weeks.
After the Philippines I got orders to River Patrol Squadron 5, Binh Thuy, Republic of Vietnam. I was in California (various locations) for training in preparation for duty in Vietnam. I arrived in Binh Thuy in February 1969 and almost immediately sent to River Patrol Division 512. River Division 512 patrolled the rivers and canals of the Mekong, Bassac, Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay rivers. In River Division 512 I was the Division Yeoman and an M-60 gunner on a PBR (River Patrol Boat).
NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL w/ combat "V" COMBAT ACTION RIBBON NAVY MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION NATIONAL DEFENSE RIBBON VIETNAM SERVICE RIBBON VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL
I left River Division 512 and Vietnam on February 15, 1970 and was sent to Norfolk, Va for discharge. Of all the places I was stationed during my 4 years in the Navy, Norfolk was the worst.
Source: Marvin Russell Barnes from the research of John Russell Butler