"Jetro's" First Wardroom (8 September 1987)
Technically, these were the Operations Department Officer as of 8 September 1987. In reality, since the Operations Officer ran his department as if it were his command, they were actually CDR James Francis Etro's first wardroom. (This is simply a comment and not meant as criticism.)The covers (Navy talk for "hats") symbolize that only officers were present.
Most of us had to borrow the swords; the swords were a reference to Naval Academy rituals.
From left to right, the officers listed are:
This officer was either a LTjg or Ens. His first name was "Lee"; I don't
recall his last name. He was a general URL and not an 1800.
LT Diane Durbin. Navy Academy grad. Duties included NOCC and then a tour with the Brits. She was later promoted to LCDR. After surviving more than 8 years in the US Navy, she left active duty after being harrased during an "exchange" tour with the Brits.
LT James Wilhite. Retired perhaps 1.5 - 2.0 years after this photo was taken. He was prior Enlisted (a Chief Petty Officer) who qualified as a "ship driver" after being commissioned. He was proof that some Enlisted should not try for a Commisison (he would have had more power and status had he become either a Senior Chief or best yet, a Master Chief!)
LT Margaret Garcia. Laster promoted to LCDR. Was a nuclear propulsion school instructor who "changed rate" to 1800 after becoming too senior for instruction. She was an outstanding officer (I believe) went off active duty, joined the reserves and suposedly was promoted to LCDR. She deserved it!
"JJ"; believed to be LT John Joseph. Was a nuclear propulsion school instructor who "changed rate" to 1800 after becoming too senior for instruction. Remained on active duty and was believed to have been promoted to LCDR. He had dealings with the NOCC DAPA (Drug and Alcohol Programme Advisor due a DUI).
LCDR Steven Summers. He was a former ship driver who was advanced from assistant Operations officer to Detachment OIC at the NOCF Agana in Guam. Later promoted to CDR and remained on active duty. When he worked for "Jetro", Steve was quite the extroverted officer and used a lot of cliches. When he became OIC (Officer In Charge) of the Detachment (Naval Oceanography Command Detachment Agana Guam), he reportedly reverted to his natural somewhat introverted and rather quiet style. He also stopped using cliches...
He was not an asshole...
CDR James Francis Etro ("JETRO"). He was an Academy graduate, who was initially an aviation "back seater". He switched "rates" to Oceanograpy and was considered "a fully successful Naval Officer" (according to LCDR Summers). He went from NOCC Guam to the War College. Later promoted to CAPT and commanded NOCC (possibly one of the last two such commanders prior to disestablishment of NOCC around 1994).
LT Michael W. Bell. Prior enlisted who made the mistake of seeking a commission. Released from Active Duty.
LT Charles Munson(?) White. One of the true career success stories of the Navy! Chuck began as an Airman Apprentice and worked his way to Senior Chief, became a Warrent Officer (CWO2) and worked his way to the then top of the CWO Ranks - CWO4, was commisioned a LTjg and later promoted to CDR. Believed to have relieved CDR Summers as Det OIC NOCF Agana. Chuck is a truly outstanding human being!
Chuck was proof that an officer can be fully successful without being an asshole!
unknown officer (LT-1800)
LT Antony ("Tony") Negron. Career began as ship driver. He transferred to the 1800 community and was sent to NOCC. His career beyond NOCC unknown but he likely was promoted to LCDR by 1990.
LT Greg Vayda. He started as a Research Physicist in the Air Force and made the deeply regreted transfer to the Navy and it's 1800 career; Greg simply wasn't a ship driver at heart. He would have fit in well with the fictional Dr. Sam Carter of Stargate SG1. (This simply means that he was truly meant for the intellectual invironment of a research position.) Greg is very intelligen but somewhat other worldly and with a sence of humour the rather straight lacked officers did not like or appreciate. (I did and was regarded by some as "Greg's Brother".) Released from Active Duty.
ENS JoAnne Marie(?) Cote (there should be an umlat over the "o" in Cote).
She was a ROTC officer and served at NOCC as an Ensign. (She was somewhat of a fuck off as an Ensign and somehow was able to get away with a lot. She was the poster girl for "ROTC Officers" and fed right into the myths and prejustices of Academy and OCS officers who believe that ROTC officers are poorly trained airheads.) Shortly before NOCC was disestabished, there was a pictue of a female LCDR in a group picture of the NOCC staff; this LCDR bore a very strong resemblence to ENS Cote in both hair and general appearance. (Obviously, she had grown up...) Subsequent career unknown.
Officer, an 1800, believe to be LT John O'Hara. Promoted to LCDR after transfer from NOCC to ship duty and then (supposedly) to the Monterey Navy Computer model center. and remained on Active Duty. Outstanding human being; you'd never know he was a "ring knocker" (Academy graduate).
LT Roberta ("Bobbi") Runge. Was a nuclear propulsion school instructor who "changed rate" to 1800 after becoming too senior for instruction. Her first 1800 assignment was at NOCC and this was followed by duty in Antaractica. Separated from Naval Service subsequently.
Permissions
I have permission to use the picture and to take the officers.
Several years ago, I published both the picture and the webpage giving the officer's names. This webpage was destroyed by "anglefire" (I think it was) on the grounds that "I did not have permission to the images". At the time, that seemed reasonable to me but I began to look into the matter.
I wrote the image curator at the Navy Yard Navy Museum in Washington DC and asked if I could uee this image. I told him that it had been taken by an active duty sailor; he said I could post this image on my webpages as long as I put the legend "U.S. Navy Archive Photo" over the image. I did so. But feeling insecure, I wrote the commanding officer of the photo unit whose sailor had taken the picture back in 1987. The letter came back return to sender. This was to be expected as the Naval Air Station (home to the particular photographic unit) had been wastered -er- "disestablished" in 1994 or 1995.
If you've looked at any Navy picture (i.e. the Iowa firing on "winepedia", you'll see a disclaimer stating "this picture was taken by a U.S. Navy person as part of their official duties. It is in the Public Domain and does not have Copyright Protection". [or words to that effect]. This cavate applies to this image as well. [in my opinion]
I then wrote the Public Affairs Officer of the Commander, Naval Forces Marianas (COMNAVMAR). My email went to the Command Master Chief who forwarded it to a LT. I told this LT about
* what the curator said,
* that my letter had come back unanswered and
* that I suspected this photo unit was disbanned
I asked permission to publish this photo on my webpage. This LT gave me permission to do so!
Recently (early 2005) I wrote the Navy Yard Navy Museum photo curator another letter. I told him that I had read a number of biographies of 'Nam era combat personnel and had never read any discussions of "how hard it was to get permission to put names with faces on pictures". I asked if I had to get permission of the various officers in this photo before I could so name them. He told me that I was worrying over nothing and basically told me to simply "name the faces". I did so!
The name of the former officer who created this webpage should be easily inferred. The combination of name, writing style and obvious interest in hand coding or rather hand programming in this web page should make my idenity obvious.
posted by Mike at 11:19 AM
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