I decided I was going into the navy on 7-16-1956, I went up to Columbia S.C., took all the test and was sworn in, then I was sent to great lakes Illinois for basic training for ten weeks. After basic training, I was stationed on the main side of the great lakes training center for approximately one year, waiting on the ship. I was assigned to a ship on the west coast long beach California, the USS Toledo ca 133. It was 7-4-1957, that is when I got to the boiler room When I walked into the boiler I was stunned, I thought to myself what have I gotten myself into . So as time went on I began learning little by little, and after 3 to 4 months I began to feel a little better, and after 6 months I began to love my job for the next 30 years.