Reason for such strong support for the US Navy

My reason for such strong support for the US Navy can be found by reading my book, "Gibbon's Secrets".  While growing up in a small town in Nebraska during World War II my role model was a neighbor's son who had several ships he was stationed aboard blown up or damaged severely, with the Arizona being sunk at Pear Harbor during the Japanese attack December 7th 1941.  I relate what happened afterwards in my own life relative to this experience.

Epilogue

Finally. . . . . . (Bud's notes on his own life)

     I did join the Navy in 1951, during the Korean Crisis, completing my pledged "secret" to my pen pal of World War II, Dale Pitke.  I served as an Aviation Storekeeper Perry Officer and saw duty aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Valley Forge, completing my four years in March of 1955.  I was introduced to Patricia L. Kelly from Grand Island, by Jerry Carney, a Navy buddy I served with at Quonset Point, Rhode Island.  I married Pat on August 13, 1955, and our love has proven to be life-long as we are still married to this day.  We were also blessed with three daughters; Bridget Claar, Shauna Raye, and Wendy Lou.

Your opportunity to re-live these home town experiences is as simple as going to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local book store and to order my book "Gibbon's Secrets", A Boy's Memories of the 40's by RG Bud Phelps.  I have tried diligently to introduce the reader to actual happenings in this small town of Gibbon, Nebraska along with some fictional happenings to add balance.  Buy this reasonably priced paperback and help this struggling author self-publish some additional Navy experiences.  My book that is in-the-works, Seven Cruises Aboard the USS Valley Forge; is about experiences on seven cruises aboard the USS Valley Forge, with several of these happening on the Black Jack cruise shown earlier on this blog.

The USS Valley Forge - Homeward Bound