Bob McCullough

Bob McCullough

FC2

I was born at an early age in the middle bedroom of 4720 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA. I successfully completed my academic education in the Philadelphia school system, graduating from Northeast High School in February 1942. I worked a very short time for the telephone company, but left when the management tired to force us young guys to sign papers for draft exemption. About II or 12 of us decided to go to the recruiting station on Market St. in Philadelphia (1st Naval District) to enlist.

Boot Camp was at Sampson, New York which was a new unit, and most of the "training" time was spent cleaning windows and getting the facility ready for the next group of enlistees.

After taking the G.C.T. test, it was determined that I was best suited for Storekeeper or Yeoman. As a result of this test, I was sent to Newport, Rhode Island to Coddington Point for Fire Control School. We lived in W.W.I barracks using hammocks and seabags. There was seldom any hot water in the head. I earned a 3c rating upon graduation. About the top ten per cent of the class was sent to Fleet Fire Control School in San Diego at the destroyer base. I earned a FC2c rating.

I was transferred to Pearl, to a distribution center, on the New Lex. From distribution, I was transferred/assigned to the U.S.S. Nassau. This was right after Nassau returned from the Aleutians. When reporting aboard, the''F" Division officer had the deck. He asked me what I knew about Fire Control equipment aboard a ship. I informed him that I heard of it. Both schools told us that we'd probably never see Ford power drives (40mm guns) as they are obsolete. (The ship was tied up at Fox 12, almost directly over the Arizona. I am sure you know the itinerary of the ship thereafter...

After being discharged at Bainbridge, Maryland, I had a couple of uninteresting jobs in Philadelphia. One company wanted me to go to Boston and set up a plant to treat wooden car battery separators. I went, and am still here. After managing the separator plant for a couple of years I left, and worked in almost every shipyard in the greater Boston area. I left Foreriver Shipyard to work at Stone & Webster Engineering Company on Conventional and Atomic Power Plants. I obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University, while attending school at night.

I retired from M.T./Draper Lab in 1988. (C.S. Draper designed navigation and control systems for ships and aircraft, he also designed the mark 14 gun sight for 20mm and 40mm guns. You used one on the Nassau.)

I am a life member of the Aircraft Memorial Association; and a Member/Officer of the Antique Auto Club. I have a 1930 Model "A" Ford Coupe.

My grandson lives in San Diego, with his parents, and named his kyak "Nassau".