A Young Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer

This blog entry will be full of dates and numbers.  If you don’t like them you may stop reading now.

I was born July 19, 1938.  Although I went to the recruiting office on my 17^th birthday, I entered the Navy September 7, 1955 when I was 17 years, 1 month, 2 weeks, and 5 days of age.

A little more than four years later, November 16, 1959, at age 21 years, 3 months, and 4 weeks I became a First Class Petty Officer, Pay Grade E-6.  At that time I had 4 years, 2 months, 1 week, and 2 days in the Navy.  The Navy Times, a weekly paper, published age groups for the entire Navy during that month.  They stated there were three 21-year-old First Class Petty Officers in the entire Navy.

Four years later, November 16^th 1963, at age 25 years, 3 months, 4 weeks, I was initiated as an E-7 Chief Petty Officer, with 8 years, 2 months 1 week, and 2 days in the Navy.

Three years after that, on November 16, 1966, at age 28 years, 3 months, 4 weeks, I was awarded the rank of E-8 Senior Chief Petty Officer.  I had been in the Navy 11 years, 2 months, 1 week, and 2 days.

I’ve often wondered if anyone was younger or had less time in the Navy than I did on the day he or she became an E-8 Senior Chief Petty Officer.

A little more than three years more passed until May 1, 1970 when, with 14 years, 7 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days in the Navy, at age 31 years, 9 months, 1 week and 5 days I accepted my fourth honorable discharge and left the Navy.

Event	Date	Yrs	Mths	Wks	Days
Born	07/19/1938
Joined Navy	09/07/1955	17	1	2	5
E-6 Age	11/16/1959	21	3	4
E-6 Navy Time	11/16/1959	4	2	1	2
E-7 Age	11/16/1963	25	3	4
E-7 Navy Time	11/16/1963	8	2	1	2
E-8 Age	11/16/1966	28	3	4
E-8 Navy Time	11/16/1966	11	2	1	2