1949 U.S.NAVY 1955

UNITED STATES NAVAL AIR STATION AGANA, GUAM, MARIANAS ISLANDS 1949

Hi and welcome to N.A.S. Agana, Guam. Having enlisted in the Navy on June of '49 for an enlistment period of six years, I had high hopes of becoming a Navy photographer, but Uncle Sam had other plans for my future. After boot camp I found myself on an old troop ship destined for Agana, Guam. Having lived on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i, this was right up my alley. My first assignment was with the N.A.S. Agana Operations Crash Crew.

Important things to do on your off days

The crash crew consisted of two duty sections, one the Starboard and the other the Port. Every other day you were either off or on duty. So your duty day was a twenty four hour on call or standby. This shot is called a "wet run" training exercise extinguishing purposely ignihted obsolete aircraft out in the boonies. On these training exercise days the off duty section would participate as someone had be back at the Ready Room for any emergency calls to man the crash trucks.

Typical Guamanian Sunset

This is one of various military aircraft based on the air station. This plane was designated as M.A.T.S., or military air transport service. N.A.S. Agana was also home base for the Navy fighter squadrons VP-28 and FASRON-118. Other aircraft included the "Flying Boxcar"C119s, P38s, Orion P2Vs, PBYs, PBMs and various attack fighters. At the outbreak of the Korean conflict, M.A.T.S. kept us busy with flights returning with dead and wounded en route to the mainland.

Local village store

Guam Boys Super Service. The Guamanian version of Rotten Robbies Gas. The one and only civilian gas station in the town of Agana at that time.Chevron, Shell, Texaco and all the big U.S. Companies didn't come in till later. Fortunately for the guys on the base that had their own cars, Guam Boys Service was just outside the base gate.

Advertisement for the one and only department store in town at that time

Typical village home. White picket fence and laundry hanging in front yard. Quite a few rated men lived off base. Officers and Noncoms had an option as to living on or off base.

Sight seeing in the village

Watering hole for the locals and thirsty sailors on Liberty. This establishment was one of many saloons in Agana which accounted for many soused G.I.s returning to the base ready to tear up something or someone'

Ships Store and Post office

And so after 22 mos. on the rock I managed to get sea duty on a ship to be recommissioned in San Diego, California. "Adios" N.A.S.Agana,Guam-"Ahoy" U.S.S. Heermann DD-532.

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