textpalmercharlesrichard1950.html

North High School Wall of Honor
Charles Richard Palmer
Class of June, 1950

Research done by Claradell Shedd, Class of 1953.

Charles Richard Palmer

Charlie graduated in the June, 1950 North High class. He enlisted or was drafted when and where? His service number was 3237967. Charlie's next of kin was listed as Mr. Charles A. Palmer, 946 2nd Avenue, Des Moines, IA.

Charles Richard Palmer

Year		Rank		Status

June 9, 1950		Graduated		Graduated from North High School, Des Moines, IA.
June 10, 1950	x	Enlisted/ US Navy/ Seaman Apprentice	x	Train to *Naval Recruit Training Station; San Diego, CA; twelve weeks (NAVSTA)
Sept.12,1950- March 12,1952	x	Training/ Seaman/APP/Personnelman	x	**Naval Air Station; Moffett Field, CA; typist; Education and Training Office
March 12,1952- Jan. 29,1954	x	Stationed/Personnelman 3rdC to 2ndC	x	From Moffett Naval Air Station to ***Sasebo, Japan via USS Piedmont (AD-17). Back and forth from Japan to Korea. Two years.
Jan.29,1954	x	Stationed/PN2 to PN1	x	Sasebo, Japan to ****Treasure Island, CA. Four years.
Jan.28,1958	x	US Navy/ 1st Class Petty Officer	x	Treasure Island, CA to San Diego Naval Training Station. Boarded USS Midway (CV-41) to Yokosuka Air Station, Japan. ( Squadron was flying VA-25 (A1-J Skyraiders). Attack Squadron 65 and Attack Squadron 25.
Sept.16,1960	x	US Navy/ Chief Petty Officer.	x	On USS Midway; Yokosuka Air Station, Japan to Naval Receiving Station; Treasure Island, CA
1960-1964	x	Stationed	x	Treasure Island, CA; NAVPERS (Administration of Classification); Twelfth Naval District
1964-1967	x	Stationed/Senior Chief Personnelman	x	Treasure Island, CA to San Diego Naval Air Station. Boarded USS Kittyhawk (CV-63) to Vietnam (Yokosuka Air Station, Japan).
1967-1970	x	US Navy/ Master Chief Petty Officer	x	1967: San Diego Naval Station; individual attaining rank of Master Chief Petty Officer as the youngest person ever and in the shortest period of time. In charge of Discharge Section. Three years.
Feb. 16, 1970	x	Discharged	x	At Treasure Island, CA
1970-1995	x	Civilian	x	US Post Office in San Diego, CA. 25 years.
1995-Present	x	Retired	x	Retired in AZ.


*Naval Training Center, San Diego		**Moffett Field, CA	***Sasebo, Japan

*Naval Training Center; San Diego, CA
Naval Station (NAVSTA), San Diego provides shore support and berthing facilities to the operating forces of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. There are over 50 ships homeported at the Naval Station, with over 50 tenant commands at Naval Station. The 14 Piers encompass 12 miles of the 1029 land acres used by Naval Station San Diego. The base population is more than 35,000 military and more than 7,000 civilians. Today, Naval Station has grown to be the largest surface force support installation. The major tenants include the Public Works Center, the Ship Intermediate Maintenance Activity, and the Fleet Training Center.

San Diego Naval Station is divided into two sections, often referred to as "wet" and "dry" sides. The "wet" side of the base contains the 70 SIMA workshops, the naval stations Administration buildings and the ships of the Pacific Fleet. A Uniform shop and mini-exchange serve the waterfront along with a recreation center and several food establishments. All are within quick walking distance of SIMA. The "dry" side contains Fleet Training Center (FTC), Medical and Dental clinics, the base Gyms, the Galley and the bases living quarters. SIMA personnel (single) reside in Snyder Hall which provides very comfortable one person rooms with ample living space. Geographical bachelors reside in Matthew Hall, which are comfortable three person rooms.

Naval Station San Diego (aka "32nd St. Naval Station") is located just south of downtown San Diego and adjacent to National City. It can be reached from either the I-5 or I-15 freeways. the Naval Station provides shore support, living quarters, and pierside berthing services for 56 of the Pacific Fleet Surface Force ships, including the hospital ship USNS Mercy, (out of the 72 homeported in San Diego). The base is home to 49 tenant commands, including many fleet vocational schools. The Naval station is one of two major fleet support installations in the nation. The station is located on the east side of San Diego Bay, south of the Coronado Bay Bridge, and is partly in the city of San Diego and partly in the city of National City.

NAVSTA San Diego began operations in 1919 as a docking and fleet repair base for the US Shipping Board. The US Government was deeded 77.2 acres of land by the city of San Diego on September 1, 1919. U. S. Destroyer Base San Diego officially opened in 1922 marking the birth of this station. From 1922 to 1943 the primary mission of the base was upkeep and preservation of decommissioned World War I destroyers. In 1943, the name was changed to US Naval Repair Base, and the mission was altered to the repair and upkeep of modern US Navy warships. Between 1943 and 1945 a total of 5,117 ships were serviced, repaired, and over-hauled at the repair base. In 1946, US Naval Repair Base became Naval Station San Diego, with the primary mission of fleet logistic support.

****Naval Air Station, Treasure Island
The base is located on a 404-acre man-made island, built originally for a municipal airport and later used for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. It includes a pier, training facilities, 908 housing units, 9 barracks-style facilities, a public elementary school, and a clinic. Also included are 314 acres of submerged land. Yerba Buena Island, 350 acres of uplands and 243 acres of tide and submerged lands was transferred from the ownership of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to the Navy for purposes of disposal. The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge bisects Yerba Buena. DoD declared the property surplus in May 1996. Yerba Buena includes the fire station, officers club, 105 housing units and 10 military buildings.

In 1935, the residents of the City of San Francisco decided that the City should hold a "Fair" to celebrate the engineering of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco and Oakland Bay Bridge. The shoals north of Yerba Buena Island. The shoal area was ultimately chosen because it was accessible from all parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. The construction of Treasure Island began in February 1936 and was completed in January 1939. To build the 403 acre Island 29 million cubic yards of sand and gravel were transported to or dredged from the Bay and the Sacramento River delta. The name "Treasure Island" refers to the gold-laden fill dirt that washed down from the Sierras into the Bay, from which fill was dredged to create the island.

The original plan was to hold the two-year long exposition, and then convert the island and related facilities into an international civilian airport. As American involvement in World Was II was becoming more certain, on February 28, 1941, the Island was leased from the City of San Francisco by the United States Government. On April 1st, 1941, it became a military base known as Naval Station Treasure Island which also included portions of Yerba Buena Island. It became the headquarters of the 12th Naval District. During World War II, Treasure Island was used as a center for receiving, training, and dispatching service personnel. During this period, Exposition structures were temporarily used for barracks and training centers, and new structures were constructed to house military functions.

After the war, Treasure Island was primarily used as a naval training and administrative center. Approximately 3,000 military and 1,000 civilian personnel worked at the Naval Station. Some of the major functions were the Fleet Training Center, Commander Naval Base San Francisco, waterfront facilities, troop and family housing, personnel support including the processing of Pacific-bound and homecoming personnel, and a museum featuring Exposition, military, and aviation exhibits.


	Left: USS Piedmont (AD-17) Above: (USS Piedmont AD-17 Insignia)



Insignia and photo of USS Midway (CV-41) w/Skyraider and insignia

USS Midway (CVB-41)
The USS Midway has sailed in every ocean in the world and an estimated 200,000 American military members have been aboard the USS Midway. The carrier was decommissioned throughout its 47 years many times for technological modifications and combative improvements, wich you can now enjoy on a guided tour of CV41. Part of the USS Midway's incredible legacy was the Navy's ability to adapt to ever-changing technology and incorporate these newer systems to this carrier. For example, the USS Midway originally had an axial deck design which was later modified to an angled deck and the original hydraulic catapults were replaced with effective steam catapults. It was these kind of constant improvements over the Midway's 47 years that make this such a remarkable aircraft carrier. The legend of "Midway Magic" is partially a result of the Midway's ability to withstand these many major improvements and modernizations.

Home ported at Alameda, California, Midway began annual deployments with the 7th Fleet in 1958, and in the South China Sea during the Laotian Crisis of Spring 1961. During her 1962 deployment, her aircraft tested the air defense systems of Japan, Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines, and Taiwan. When she again sailed for the Far East 6 March 1965, her aircraft were prepared for combat operations, and from mid-April flew strikes against military and logistics installations in North and South Vietnam.


Photo, insignia of USS Kittyhawk (CV-63)		Master Chief Petty Officer

Charles Richard Palmer Master Chief Petty Officer 7th Fleet United States Navy
	Charles Richard Palmer
Armed Forces Expeditonary Medal/Taiwan Straits; National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device; Navy Unit Citation Commendation/2 awards; Good Conduct Medal/5 awards; Vietnam Service Medal with three Bronze Stars

References

(1) Information was obtained from the Records on Military Personnel Who Died, were Missing in Action, or Prisoners of War as a result of the Vietnam War. This document can be found online at the National Archives and Records Administration at http://www.archives.gov/.

(2) The comprehensive list of names from North High's 1893-2018 graduation classes are from Claradell Shedd's North Des Moines High School website. The names of North High School graduates can be found online at: http://www.ndmhs.com/. Charles Richard Palmer's 1950 class page is: http://www.ndmhs.com/pages/yearclass1950(2010.60).html.

09/16/10: Currently living in AZ.

Music: "Anchors Aweigh"