1966

Alameda house, upstairs

  Since it was understood that my new command was in a hurry, and that it was important that I report there was no leave to go home to Maine (yet).  I reported in, became acquainted with everyone, and got to work, Betty was still in Seattle, she arrived about two weeks later.  I had to find a place to stay, get a car and all, it was all new to me.  Finally we settled into an apartment in Alameda, very nice and had ample room.
  Work involved being in charge of the supply function as well as the responsibility of a large tool room and small parts storeroom (four men just for that), the material control (supply) office was a two room affair kind of off to one side of the maintenance control operation, it was a very busy place.  Technology was at work here too, when we ordered a part from the base supply we wrote with a stylus on a "form" the receiving end had a similar matching with an "automatic" stylus, when we wrote the other end was just copying what we wrote - it didn't work well at all.  With the older aircraft parts were a constant problem always on the lookout was a given, (with newer planes it's a problem because they're still making more and need the parts for that - next command), always in short supply for the airframe, engine parts were plentiful - that model had been around since World War Two.  About sixty or seventy percent of pilots for the larger planes all had WWII experience.  There was an officer "in charge" of material control too, his degree was in forestry - but he dutifully signed to where I was pointing :).
  When Betty got to Alameda she was visibly very pregnant, in May it was time!  We had never been to the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, but we set off to find it (I did have directions and an address), we must have crossed 20 sets of railroad tracks - before she threatened me if we crossed another, an unhappy camper right there.  Finally we got there, got here in to delivery and the wait (for me) started.  Jeffery Eugene Grant was born at 6:00PM, it was a little after nine when they bothered to tell me (times have changed).  I finally got to see both, they were healthy and doing well, I was told to come back the next day, so I did - I took her some flowers, carnations, she was furious - those flowers are only for dead people (according to her), they did come home, minus the flowers, the next day.
  Work was going very well, I had an adequate supply of people, hard workers and very talented, and we all got along, but there was a lot more added on as time will tell - tomorrow.

C131F, there were 7 of these, here are two.

For putting supplies and mail, people too aboard carriers at sea.

We had two CT39E, Grumman Gulf stream, for VIP flights, my office was right around that corner.