Gene Allen Hart

Jody Hane2021-04-18T13:44:21-05:00

Units and Locations:

Start Date	End Date	Unit(s) and Location(s) Served
February, 1964	April, 1964	Great Lakes Navel Station
April, 1964	August, 1964	Naval Air Station Oceana - Virginia Beach, Virginia
August, 1964	February, 1965	Great Lakes Machinist Mate School
February, 1965	March, 1965	Long Beach Naval Base (Home Port)
March, 1965	December, 1967	USS Bennington CVS 20 (Anti-submarine Aircraft Carrier)

Military Awards:
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (this was a foreign medal created by the Vietnamese government that was authorized for war to American troops as of December, 1966 for their service in Vietnam)

Military Highlights:
I enlisted in the Navy in Grand Rapids, Minnesota in December, 1963.

In February, 1964 I went to Boot Camp at Great Lakes Training Center. In May I was sent to Naval Air Station in Oceana, Virginia awaiting orders for schooling. I went to school at Great lakes Training Center and entered Great lakes Mechanical Mate school finishing in February, 1965. Then I was sent to Long Beach, California to wait for the return of the USS Bennington. I went onboard in March, 1965 and worked in the forward engine room. My duties were four hour watches, which included watching the main engine for leaks, repair of valves, checking oil separators, and cleaning oil screens. On my first cruise, we stopped at Hawaii, where we did maneuvers getting ready for conflict in Vietnam. I had two tours of duty in Vietnam. Our airplanes flew reconnaissance missions around Vietnam. We toured many countries--Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines. While in Australia, we celebrated "Celebration of the Coral Sea" which is crossing the equator. The USS Bennington picked up an unmanned space capsule. In 1966, we hosted the Bob Hope Christmas Division M Program. I was honorably discharged in December, 1967.