Years Served: 1967…Only served 6-8 months aboard, but made many friends. I remember most; the Mad Russian, the Hillbilly Ranch and Reviere Beach ( boy, has that place changed ), and of course my crew- Goodman and Murphy. I am now a retired Fire Lieutenant, from the Allentown, PA., Fire Department. :) :)
Years Served: 1953-1957…I served in the forward boiler room. would love to hear from anyone who served at that time. do you remember me falling down ladder into the bilges with my arms full of canned beans? It was a long time ago.
Years Served: 1969-1971…Came aboard in june1969 as a sa out of bootcamp.Was in Deck Dept working for BM1 Garza and BM1 Mariner.Knew BM3 Dickie and BM3 Oakley.Was in Weapons Dept as Torpedoman working for TM2 Shipman and TM2 Silverhaus.Retired in 1993 as TMC and now back in Alabama watching the grass grow.
Years Served: 1963 – 1964…Joined Compton in June 1963 fresh out of NROTC while she was at Key West. Served as the Damage Control Assistant under Capts Dittler and Drake. Enroute from Guantanamo to Newport when President Kennedy was assassinated. Made Med cruise in 1964 with USNA Midshipmen. Transferred in Dec 1964 while Compton was in drydock in Boston. Capt Dittle provided great opportunities for young officers to learn shiphandling.
Years Served: 1971-1972…I was in the Navigation dept. Qm3. Made many trips between Boston and Newport taking the Reserves on their duty weekends. Made the trip down to Nassau and Ft Lauderdale for Easter week. Lots of seasick reserves rounding Cape Cod. Remembering the day we practiced setting off all the depth charges and rattling our teeth and breaking our eardrums firing that big cannon.
Boot cruise on the Compton in 1966. It was a great learning experience. Made a (slow) trip to the Boatswains’ locker in rough weather, had clean up where somebody puked under mount 52, saw mount 53 shoot down an aerial target. Assigned to USS Monrovia APA-31 66-68. US Army 77-98
My Dad Clem Matalonis was a plank owner on the USS Compton during WWII.
This was my Dad’s second ship. The first was USS Cory, sunk on D-Day on Utah Beach. He told me about the typhoon and the suicide bombers. Thank you Guys!
Served on the Compton as a RD2 (OS2) 1971-1972. I remember Bob Nordahl and Stretch as well as many others! Home ported in Boston, but spent a lot of time in Newport next to the Peugeot Sound D38 I believe. Also alongside other destroyers! “Shot the Canal” (Cape Cod Canal) a couple of times.
I served aboard the Compton from ’66 to ’69. Made DM3, but got out. Deck Div. with Garza, Garrison, Dickie, Davis, Hanson, Diaz, Rayno and so many more. Would be great to hear from somebody.
Served on the old girl from 67-69. Left in 69 to go to in country Vietnam. Spent many nights steaming with BM3 Dickie. I remember BM1 Garza, a great guy. Retired in 1993 as Force Master Chief. Would like info on reunions.
Served aboard Compton 11/68-5/70 in 1st Division under BM1 Garza. Knew BM1 Mariner, BM2 Curry, BM3 Dicky, BM3 Davis, BM3 Oakley. Transferred as BM3 to Richard L. Page, DEG5, 5/70. Appointed BM2 9/72 USNR Center Cincinnati, OH. Honorably Discharged 9/74.
Anybody besides me remember wahoo?
Served on the old girl from 49 to 52.Rememberiing all the "reverse"cruises out of New Orleans (does anyone remember Curley’s bar on St. Charles Ave?) Med. cruise was great..Now living just outside Tampa Fla and will certainly be at the reunion.
Hello. My father Stanley Plenty served on this ship
from 1950 to 1954 and was a gunners mate. Anyone
remember him or know of someone who did on ship?
Please email me. Thank you all.
Served aboard Compton late 63 to Jan 65
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36 comments
Years Served: 1967…Only served 6-8 months aboard, but made many friends. I remember most; the Mad Russian, the Hillbilly Ranch and Reviere Beach ( boy, has that place changed ), and of course my crew- Goodman and Murphy. I am now a retired Fire Lieutenant, from the Allentown, PA., Fire Department. :) :)
Years Served: 1953-1957…I served in the forward boiler room. would love to hear from anyone who served at that time. do you remember me falling down ladder into the bilges with my arms full of canned beans? It was a long time ago.
Years Served: 1969-1971…Came aboard in june1969 as a sa out of bootcamp.Was in Deck Dept working for BM1 Garza and BM1 Mariner.Knew BM3 Dickie and BM3 Oakley.Was in Weapons Dept as Torpedoman working for TM2 Shipman and TM2 Silverhaus.Retired in 1993 as TMC and now back in Alabama watching the grass grow.
Years Served: 1963 – 1964…Joined Compton in June 1963 fresh out of NROTC while she was at Key West. Served as the Damage Control Assistant under Capts Dittler and Drake. Enroute from Guantanamo to Newport when President Kennedy was assassinated. Made Med cruise in 1964 with USNA Midshipmen. Transferred in Dec 1964 while Compton was in drydock in Boston. Capt Dittle provided great opportunities for young officers to learn shiphandling.
Years Served: 1971-1972…I was in the Navigation dept. Qm3. Made many trips between Boston and Newport taking the Reserves on their duty weekends. Made the trip down to Nassau and Ft Lauderdale for Easter week. Lots of seasick reserves rounding Cape Cod. Remembering the day we practiced setting off all the depth charges and rattling our teeth and breaking our eardrums firing that big cannon.
Boot cruise on the Compton in 1966. It was a great learning experience. Made a (slow) trip to the Boatswains’ locker in rough weather, had clean up where somebody puked under mount 52, saw mount 53 shoot down an aerial target. Assigned to USS Monrovia APA-31 66-68. US Army 77-98
My Dad Clem Matalonis was a plank owner on the USS Compton during WWII.
This was my Dad’s second ship. The first was USS Cory, sunk on D-Day on Utah Beach. He told me about the typhoon and the suicide bombers. Thank you Guys!
Served on the Compton as a RD2 (OS2) 1971-1972. I remember Bob Nordahl and Stretch as well as many others! Home ported in Boston, but spent a lot of time in Newport next to the Peugeot Sound D38 I believe. Also alongside other destroyers! “Shot the Canal” (Cape Cod Canal) a couple of times.
I served aboard the Compton from ’66 to ’69. Made DM3, but got out. Deck Div. with Garza, Garrison, Dickie, Davis, Hanson, Diaz, Rayno and so many more. Would be great to hear from somebody.
Served on the old girl from 67-69. Left in 69 to go to in country Vietnam. Spent many nights steaming with BM3 Dickie. I remember BM1 Garza, a great guy. Retired in 1993 as Force Master Chief. Would like info on reunions.
Served aboard Compton 11/68-5/70 in 1st Division under BM1 Garza. Knew BM1 Mariner, BM2 Curry, BM3 Dicky, BM3 Davis, BM3 Oakley. Transferred as BM3 to Richard L. Page, DEG5, 5/70. Appointed BM2 9/72 USNR Center Cincinnati, OH. Honorably Discharged 9/74.
Anybody besides me remember wahoo?
Served on the old girl from 49 to 52.Rememberiing all the "reverse"cruises out of New Orleans (does anyone remember Curley’s bar on St. Charles Ave?) Med. cruise was great..Now living just outside Tampa Fla and will certainly be at the reunion.
Hello. My father Stanley Plenty served on this ship
from 1950 to 1954 and was a gunners mate. Anyone
remember him or know of someone who did on ship?
Please email me. Thank you all.
Served aboard Compton late 63 to Jan 65