KEN POORMAN lock haven pa

Ken's Navy Pix

Some Ken Poorman Navy Pix . . .

Here is some of my Navy info, from my enlistment in Philadelphia Pa, to Boot Camp in San Diego CA, to School of Music in Washington DC, to Sea Duty with COMCARDIV 4's Unit Band #194, to CINCLANTFLT / SACLANT . . . and the ships I was on, and the ports of call, etc . . .

Visited Midway	USS Midway CVA-41
USS Midway CVA-41 Alameda NAS
USS Midway CVA-41 - - - - This Navy thing started for me when I was in grade school.  Bud Yost across the street used to tell me Navy stories.  So my front porch bacame a Battleship, and I threw stones at the cars going by, i.e. the enemy.  I hit a lot of them too!  Then when I was about 7 or 8, my parents took me to visit Mom's sisters and aunts in San Francisco; Aunt Emma Hammond, Aunt Belle DeFilippo, Great Aunt Flora Sinnigan and Great Aunt Pearl Nielson, who all lived in Frisco.  While we were there, for about a month, Aunt Belle took me to hear a Marine Band concert in Golden Gate Park, and I was really impressed.  It was hair raising.  I love Sousa marches to this day.  Then my Dad took me on a tour of the USS Midway which was tied up at Alameda NAS in Frisco Bay.  That sort of reinforced Mr. Yost's Navy stories.  I really became interested in the Navy after that.  And seeing the Navy planes added a new twist to my perception of the Navy.

Go Navy . . . I was recruited in Lock Haven at the U.S. Post Office Navy Recruiting Station while I was in High School.  I had applied at two colleges, Mansfield State and Peabody in Baltimore.  Although I was accepted at Mansfield, I was sick of school, and decided to enlist in the Navy instead.  So I enlisted in the high school graduate Airman Program while I was still in High School.  After graduation I hopped a train at Lock Haven for Philadelphia.  My parents and quite a few relatives were there to see me off.  I took the oath at the Philadelphia Recruiting Station, and hopped a plane for San Diego for basic training, i.e. Boot Camp.  I was not sure whether I wanted to be in the Aviation Program or the Music Program, but they said I could decide later. Ken Poorman on (Clicky)

Enlisted

My 1st Assignment San Diego Naval Training Center My 1st Assignment - Basic Training 1960, Company 345
Boot Camp: After I enlisted at Philadelphia, PA, I went to boot camp at the U.S. Naval Training Center in San Diego, California.  I enlisted as an Airman Recruit, and hoped to be an Air Traffic Controller.  I also intended to audition for the Navy Band after enlistment.  I auditioned with the Bandleader at the Naval Base San Diego, and was eligible to attend the USN School of Music in Washington DC.  As graduation neared, there were no openings at the Air Traffic Controller school and they scheduled me for Aviation Electronics school, but I decided to go to the School of Music.  Glad I did!
Chief White Company Commander Company #345	Ken Poorman San Diego, California Naval Training Center	Poorman & Steve Fehr San Diego NTC Sunday morning break
	My first ship - HA! USS Recruit San Diego CA (Notice there is no WATER around this ship.  It is sitting on a "grinder" - that would be like a "parking lot" to you civilians.)

My 2nd Assignment US Navy School of Music

U. S. Navy School of Music: I graduated from the U. S. Navy School of Music in 1961 when it was at the Anacostia Receiving Station in Washington D.C.  The highlight for me was The Corner House and George's Singapore Slings.  And the "Little Tavern" on the corner by the 11th Street Bridge - bags of those little hamburgers - yes!  I'll never forget the first time I heard progressive Jazz by a professional group.  Bob Hores took us to Abart's International Studio of Jazz downtown to hear Horace Silver.  WOW!  Barsamian was my piano instructor - can't remember my drum instructor's name.  Hey, and John Coltrane went to SOM, and to The Melody Masters" unit band in Hawaii in 1946 - Wow!

USN School of Music 24 July 1961 Ken Poorman SN Wash DC 1961 Poorman Bennett Beard SOM Wash DC 1960 Terry Beard, Unknown PO1, Ron Bennett At USN SOM Anacostia Wash DC Jim Knouse and me Hayloft, Wash DC 1960 A drinking buddy, Joshua James Knouse of the USS Rockville PCR-851

Sea Duty: After I left the School of Music, I was assigned to Unit Band #194, with the Commander, Carrier Division Four (COMCARDIV 4), Admiral Hogle, and later Admiral Hyland.  We served on the USS Kitty Hawk, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, USS Shangri-La, and USS Forrestal,   We served in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Project Mercury, Dominican Republic Operations, a 9 month Med Cruise, the Carribean Islands and a tour around South America to the Pacific Fleet.

My 3rd Assignment COMCARDIV 4

My 4th Assignment	USS Kitty Hawk CVA-63
USS Kitty Hawk CVA-73 San Diego CA

We had some fun on The Hawk - Crossing the Equator ceremony - blast in Rio - rough seas around the Horn - enjoyed Valparaiso - gig at the International Trade Fair in Lima . . .
				Bob - Steve - Ken Lima Peru

My 5th Assignment	USS FD Roosevelt CVA-42
USS Roosevelt CVA-42 Mayport FL
Did the civil war thing at Dominican Republic on the Rosie . . .

My 6th Assignment	USS Shangri-La CVA-38
USS Shangri-La CVA-38 Mayport FL
Cruised the tropics on the Shang . . . I can't remember the exact dates when I was on the Shang, but on 6/12/2001 Glenn Doebler wrote  to me "last time I saw you was august 1962 mayport fla uss shangri-la cva 38 you was coming on and i was leaving..."  I don't know if Glenn is correct on his date.  I remember talking with him a few times in the chow hall too.  Glenn is a retired MCPO, MM I think, and he moved back to Lock Haven after retiring.  I met him a few years later when visiting Lock Haven.  I called him and we met at the American Legion and spent a few hours together.  I'm glad I got to see him before he passed away about four years ago. - kp 10/19/2013 Glenn K. Doebler Jr. July 21, 2009 The Express Glenn K. Doebler Jr., 67, of 421 Church St., Lock Haven, died July 19, 2009 in the Williamsport Hospital. Burial will be at the convenience of the family.

My 7th Assignment	USS Forrestal CVA-59
USS Forrestal CVA-59 Norfolk VA

Made a Med Cruise, Project Mercury and Cuban Crisis on the Forrestal . . .

Petty Officer 3rd Class 16 Nov 1962

Good Conduct Award 19 July 1963

Poorman on USS Forrestal 02-167-2-L

Poorman in Italy

Poorman in Puerto Rico

Collateral Duty Assignments:  During at-sea operations, musicians were trained and assigned to collateral duty, such as Military Police, Air Intelligence (security clearance required), Surface Plotting and Flag Administration.  I served in each of these billets at one time or another.  I found my work in the Air Intelligence message center most interesting, then surface plotting.  The MP duty was limted pretty much to in-port ship parties, and flag administration was basically putting presentations/briefings together for the Admiral and other senior staff officers.

My 8th Assignment CINCLANTFLT Now Fleet Forces Command

Shore Duty: After I left Admiral Hyland's COMCARDIV 4 band (he invited me to go to Viet Nam with him - but I would have had to extend), I went to the CINCLANTFLT band in Norfolk to finish my active duty.  It has changed its name twice since then - to the Atlantic Fleet Band, and now the Fleet Forces Band Atlantic.  The Bandleader was Chief Warrant Officer George Briley.  They sent units on tours, and we did colors and taps every day, concerts, and gigs.  I played mostly drums there on official gigs, and Kenny Drew did most of the keyboard gigs.  (I know, there's several Kenny Drews playing keyboards.  Can't find a link to mine.) I played keyboards in two civilian combos, and did a lot of off-duty gigs around Tidewater.  Mr. B said he would guarantee me shore duty for the next 6 years if I would ship over.  HA!  Bye Mr. B. . . finished out inactive reserve and discharged in '66.

So when I was relieved from COMCARDIV 4 sea duty and headed for a little shore duty, they gave me three choices.  Of course I chose Philadelphia as my first choice to be closer to home, but I ended up in Norfolk.  Bob Hores got Philadelphia.  I think Larry Treaster, Paul Sipe and Jerry Brown went to the Great Lakes Training Center.  Joe Gallagher went back to Washington on the SOM Staff.  I think Jack Ingram went to the Academy Band at Annapolis, and Bob Bowman went to San Diego.  I don't know about the rest of our guys. About a week ago I visited The Navy Yard in Philly to see the Forrestal for the last time (Jan 2011) - before they deep six her.  Got a couple pix and emailed them to some of the guys.  Sorry to see her go down-would have made a great museum for Baltimore.  I don't think the Navy gets it.  If they had more museums around, maybe more young kids would get interested in the Navy-increase enlistments? Today, 24 Oct 2013, I read news that Navy sold USS Forrestal for one cent, i.e. $0.01 !!!  (Guess I could have bought it . . . but where would I put it?)  She'll be leaving Philadelphia Navy Yard for Texas to be scrapped.  Hope I get to see her leave . . .

Some Mementos Lost my old uniforms-glad I saved a few things

Here's some of the Countries I've visited . . . there may be a couple others, but I can't remember . . . Navy got me to 17 of them.
Bermuda	Brazil	Chile	Cuba	Cyprus
Denmark	Dominican Rep	England	France	Gibraltar
Greece	Haiti	Ireland	Italy	Lebanon
Mexico	Peru	Portugal	Puerto Rico	Sicily
Spain	Sweden	Trinidad	United States

On Monday 6/16/2008 we visited the Navy Yard in DC, and MUCS Chris Erbe of The Navy Band showed us around the Sail Loft.  We appreciated his time and courtesy.  He pointed out several neat things on the base, e.g. the Geedunk, the USS Barry DD-933, the Navy Museum, etc., and Diane and I and our granddaughters had a great time.  If you have not heard the United States Navy Band, you really need to.  They're great!  Go Navy!!!

USS Barry DD-933