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An up close and personal interview with U.S. Coast Guard Veteran and Togetherweserved.com Member:

MCPO William Clabo US Coast Guard (Ret) (1961-1995)

WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE MILITARY?

Like many other people, I had a pretty rocky home life as a kid. When things finally came to a head, one of my fathers suggestions was that I join the service. I had an older cousin that I looked up to and he had joined the Coast Guard, so that seemed a logical choice to me. I went down and talked to the Coast Guard recruiter. They seemed tickled to have me, and packed me off to Cape May for a 13-week reception party.

BRIEFLY, WHAT WAS YOUR SERVICE CAREER PATH?

I was interested in shortwave listening and amateur radio in high school. After many trips to the local library, I taught myself enough electronics to obtain an amateur radio license. After that, attending Electronics Training School in Groton, CT seemed a natural choice. My actual goal was to become a commercial artist, but the Coast Guard didn't seem to have much need of them. I had tours at Group Sandy Hook, St. Paul Island and the Coast Guard Academy and finished up my first tour. My wife wanted to go back to Chicago, so I got out and worked for companies like IBM and NASA for the next ten years. Since I couldn't really seem to settle in anywhere, I went and talked to the recruiter again. The timing was fortuitous as the Coast Guard was short on senior technicians just then and they brought me back in as an ET1. The next twenty years gave me a wide range of jobs.

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN COMBAT OPERATIONS? IF SO, COULD YOU DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH WERE SIGNIFICANT TO YOU?

No. Somehow, the timing of my service just missed that possibility. I got out the first time in '65, before we were sending a lot of people to Vietnam. By the time I returned in '75, that was over. I retired in '95 and so missed most of the activity in the Middle East.

WHICH, OF THE VESSELS OR DUTY STATIONS YOU WERE ASSIGNED TO, DO YOU HAVE THE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY?

The time we spent at Activities Europe was a marvelous time for my family and me. We loved living in London and made many great friends. The opportunity for travel was great. My time at the Training Centers at Governors Island and Petaluma was personally rewarding because of the work I was able to do there.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE SERVICE CAREER WHAT PARTICULAR MEMORY STANDS OUT?

Probably the year I spent in Turkey as I learned a couple important lessons. One was how to get out of the way of my people and let them do their jobs without micromanaging. Another, more painful and personally embarrassing lesson, was about not prejudging people or allowing the judgement of others to affect my own. On a lighter note, I also got the opportunity to travel around Turkey and see some really remarkable things. That whole part of the world is steeped in thousands of years of history. It's everywhere you turn, everything from biblical sites to the remains of WWI in Gallipoli.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL PERSON FROM YOUR SERVICE STANDS OUT AS THE ONE WHO HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?

I can't say there is just one as I was influenced in many ways by a lot of remarkable people in the Coast Guard. I count myself as extremely fortunate to have had so many really good people to work with and have work for me.

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER THE SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT JOB?

After doing nothing for awhile, I took a position teaching solid-state electronics. When that program was closed down after eleven years, I decided to give full-time retirement a try. That seems to be working well, except I still don't seem to have enough time to do all the things I want.

WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?

I am a member of the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association and the American Legion. I have not joined these organizations with a view towards any specific benefits other than the opportunity to associate with others with similar experiences and help support their goals. Perhaps the most unexpected benefit is the monthly American Legion magazine, it is the finest regular publication of any similar organization I've seen.

HOW HAS MILITARY SERVICE INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND CAREER?

I had always been a loner and a perfectionist. The Coast Guard got me out of my isolation and forced me to become more people oriented, and taught me that everything didn't have to be my way in my time. They helped me learn the power of collaboration and team work, and to really appreciate others. Being an ET during my first tour put me on a lifetime of work in electronics both in and out of the service.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR THOSE THAT ARE STILL SERVING?

Choose a career that is best for you. The military is a great career for some people, not so great for others. Choosing the right career, you will be happier and do better in your work. What ever you do choose, do it the best you can.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU MAINTAIN A BOND WITH YOUR SERVICE AND THOSE YOU SERVED WITH?

I enjoy seeing people I might recognize or have served with. It's also interesting to see the paths other's careers have taken. I was tickled when one gentleman sent me a photo of my ET-A School graduating class. Wow! I hadn't seen that picture or those people in years. My visits to TWS are a nice reminder of just how good the Coast Guard was to and for me.


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