PO2 Shawn Teegarden

Navy | Machinist Mate

Dates of Service: Nov 1981 - Nov 1987

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Military Experiences

Started in Nov 1982

A-gang puke

Auxiliary Division | Uss Saratoga

We worked on anything on the ship that no one else wanted to, from the doughnut machine (which we never got to working the whole time I was there) to the aircraft elevators, washers, dryers, ships air conditioning, steam heat (which was also responsible for the hot water heaters) to the ships whistle. I was working on the whistle at sea and they were moving aircraft about 4 decks below me. I dropped a 3 inch nut (rusty and large) that hit the flight deck and rolled under an F-14 that they were moving. The airdales immediately stopped and chocked the plane, gathered around the nut, picked it up and then started to try and find where it had fallen off the jet. I had to go down and get it and they bitched that I should have had it tied off. My tools were tied off but how do you tie off a nut?

Started in Jun 1982

Nuclear waste

Orlando, Fl | Nuke School

Got talked into becoming a Nuclear Machinist Mate. Wasn't told about the 85% attrition rate. Only guy I know that made it through school already had a Bachelors from Duke University. I took 5 1/2 of high school math and we covered it in the first three days. I knew I was screwed. First test we took was a common sense practical application test. I aced it. After that, the advanced math took it's toll and I lasted to within one week of making it to the second session, which was more practical than theoretical. Had I lasted a little longer, I might have made it. Met my best friend there, Ed Donato. We both dropped about the same time. We got sent to the USS Saratoga in Mayport, Florida thinking it was going in the yards at Philadelphia. Nope. It had just got out. Still looking for Ed.