PO1 Bruce Rogan

Navy | Fire Controlman

Dates of Service: Aug 1960 - Dec 1989

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Recent Activity -

Military Experiences

Jun 1963 - Jul 1963

Seaman

USS Rogers DDR-876 | San Diego, CA

Left San Diego to end up in Charleston, SC for FRAM. Went first to Manzinillo, MX. First Navy ship there since WWII. Great time, wonderful people, cheap skivie houses, danced with Mayors Daughter. They washed and pressed out whites wrong way. Went to Guatamala City from coast and met American from New Brunswick, NJ near my home town and he said to contact congressman to expose the graft there. We played a team a basketball game. Did the Panama Canal and Panama City... Went to Cartehena, Columbia, Fort San Fillipe and the strip. Great houses... On the way to Kingston. Jamaica (Great Place); almost had a collision at sea with a tramp steamer on Iron Mike. Toured Rum Distillary and spent time at "Cool Breeze". Nice "Hostesses". Finally in Florida we met the Roger's boys mother before Chas. where I met Janice, a "B" girl on her B'Day 7/15 at the Merchant Seaman's Club.

Mar 1963

Seaman

USS Rogers DDR-879 | San Diego, CA

We rescued a Pilot from a downed aircraft near San Clemente, CA. He promised to get us all a case of beer when he recovered. Still waiting

Deployments

(5 years, 9 months)

Sep 1965 - Oct 1967

USS Stormes DD-780. Norfolk, VA

DASH Team Member and Plot Stable Element Operator (I pulled the trigger to fire guns). Deployed to Vietnam June 1966. Engaged enemy via Gunfire Support Sept. 1966, I Corp area. Many enemy casualties. Received Presidential Unit Citation for activity. Plane guarded USS Connie CVA 64, witnessed the USS Oriskany CVA burn, babysat a Russian Trawler while fleet resupplied and met Martha Raye who descended to our flight deck via helo and sang beautifully to us. Spoke to her and she asked me to "Meet her Daughter", but I replied I was married (stupidly). Completed Shellback Indoctrination and "Round the World" Order of Magellan Award before returning Dec. 1966 to a wife who asked for a divorce because she found another while I was away.

Feb 1964 - May 1965

USS Pickaway APA-222

After driving from Charleston, SC to San Diego with my 56 Chevy (now junked I guess), wife (Now deceased 2015) and child (Jenny, now deceased 2019) I boarded her and went in Weapons Department 3rd division. Made 2nd class and was in charge of and maintained the after battery of two air operated gun directors for two twin 40 mm mounts. Was on the Mike 4 Heavy Salvage boat during Troop landings. Was responsible to toss or shoot a tow line to a broached or stranded LCVP. Ate a lot of Spam, bread and drank bug juice (Cool Aid) with very long hours practicing on the Imperial Beach strand in San Diego before deploying to Nam in 64. We picked up Army at Okinawa, hung out off Danang for a while the went a picked up Marines and did the same before dropping the back in Okinawa before returning to San Diego. Left the ship to Damneck, VA for DASH School and was attached to the USS Sierra AD-18 before boarding Stormes in Norfolk.

Sep 1961 - Nov 1963

USS Rogers DDR-876

Initially in Deck for training. One responsibility was to paint the ships number, Mount 51, 5" 38 Cal. right gun powder loader. When in FTG gang we handled and dressed #6 mooring line. After "C" School I was MK56 GFCS Operator and maintainer. Did mess cooking as a scullery technician (Got Seasick smells just once) and later as a spud coxswain when the USS Thresher SS went down. Helped maintain our 3" 50 Cal. and Mount #53 hand crank turner for fantail movies. Deployed to WesPac Feb 1962. Experience a Typhoon between Pearl and Yokosuka, Japan with moderate damage causing us to remain in port for a extended period of weeks. Visited a lot of the area, Honshu, Kamakura, Kita Kamakura for example. Also ship visited Sasebo and I visited Hiroshima to look at the "A" bomb damage and famous Madam ?'s home. We did the Formosa patrol, chased a Russian sub and escorted a Helo Carrier supplying Vietnam and visited Hong Kong with Mary Sue and ship painting girls before returning stateside.