Pete Catalano

About Pete Catalano...

1948 - RTCGL, The Oriskany cv34 ShellBack MossBack. 1953 Mighty O Korean War. In 1956 left Oriskany & USS Elderado became home. Dewy line, Arctic replenishments, Ice Cutter. 1960 61 Redfish. Then Captain George Chamberlain Duncan aboard The USS Jupiter AVS 8, I was his admin. Flew to many ships, stations, Guam etc My fear of flying became a thing of the past. Who better than a HELLCAT, WW2 Ace Pilot & Crashed, caught fire broke in2 while landing Midway. He lived! recuperating at Guam Hosp. 62/63 Capt JP Lynch was in command. I made CPO & QMCA. Yokosuka home port. While heading to Australia, we were called back, to The Coast of SVietNam. Await further orders. We were in S Vietnam for a couple of weeks. I was attached to The Oriskany, COMCARDIV ONE. Capt Duncan called navpers and told them, You Will Make Him (me) an officer. Which they did. My Naval Career was so much more than I could have ever imagined. I turned The Officer down. My lovely supportive Wife, & our 3 small children, one of which a baby, Their needs would go unmet had I accepted. 1964 Elderado. Then SanDiego, Charleston, SC I decided to go to Surface Warfare school. Course was finished & they made me Surface Warfare Teacher. In '68 reserves & retired. Never missing reunions. I volunteerd each Sunday, 20+ years. Yorktown.