On April 13, 1993, I was off to boot camp in San Diego, California. Boot camp was a challenge that I completed without hesitation. Upon commencement of the two-month challenge, I received orders for a three-year tour in Sasebo, Japan. Who would have thought I would go to another country? Was I ready for a different culture and society? I was hesitant to leave my family and girlfriend. But, I could not turn my back now, and be considered AWOL (absence without leave). So on November of 1993, I held back my emotions and made the long journey to Japan. Once there, I reported to the USS Beaufort, which was a towing and salvage ship, basically a wrecker service out at sea.

My adventures onboard that vessel were great. It took me a long time to get used to the rocking and rolling swells of the vast blue ocean. I was frequently seasick, and believe me, it was not a good feeling! My job on the ship was called a Boatswain’s Mate. We took care of the appearance of the ship and operated heavy equipment. The real cool part of my job which I enjoyed was steering the huge vessel. After a couple of years onboard and visiting many places such as Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Australia, and many more, the United States decided it was time to decommission the USS Beaufort, after she served her country for over fifteen dedicated years. The decommissioning ceremony took place in Hawaii. My wife, Alma, who was my girlfriend then, flew to Hawaii to witness the event. After our trip to Hawaii, I was ordered to report back to Sasebo, Japan until April of 1997. My new duty station was Beach Master Unit 1 detached West Pac (BMU 1). BMU 1 was a landing force that assisted the U.S. Marines land ashore with their equipment. Nineteen ninety-seven came quick

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