This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Diane Short, SA-Historian
to remember
Stribling, Grady, CWO3 USCG(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Coast Guardsman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Worst Moment Outside barracks No. 257 on a cold dreary day in Jan. As a result of the Company's inability to perform "Inspection Arms"correctly: Open bolt of 9 lb. M1 Rifle, place thumb in receiver & close bolt on thumb gently, followed by holding the rifle overhead in the stiff arm position. On command; hop on left and right foot. It didn't take long " to get it together".
Instructors Company Commander: BMC Netherwood USCG Assistant Company Commander: BM1 Jeremiah Donahue USCG
Other Memories THE BEGINNING; I was in my junior year of high school and started the school year(1963) living with my Dad and my new stepmother. When my parents marriage broke up, I was eleven years old and my brother, Jim, was 17. Jim decided to join the US Coast Guard and I began moving around the State of Georgia living with each parent at different times , relatives, and grandparents. I grew up fast and felt I missed an important part of my childhood. Consequently, my relationship with my dad was stressed to say the least. Without going into a lot of detail, I'll say I had enough. I called my brother, Jim, now married, a First Class Electricians's Mate stationed at Base Charleston S.C. to asked him for advice. Jim understood the situation and recommended I join the Coast Guard. At the first opportunity, I borrowed my mom's car and drove to Atlanta from Thomaston, GA. and explained my situation with the CG Recruiter. It was the 1st of December 1963 and I would turn 17 the 15th of Dec.1963. After taking the entrance exams, providing the Recruiter with a letter from my mother approving my enlistment and an undisclosed phone call between my brother and the Recruiter, my enlistment in the US Coast Guard was approved. On Jan.2, 1964, I reported to the Atanta CG Recruiting Office where I was sworn in and taken to the Atlanta Airport for transportation to Philadelphia, PA. enroute to Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., better known as Boot Camp. I started Boot Camp at the beginning of the week in a building next to the Galley. It was where all the new recruits called "Forming Company" were placed for the week as they arrived. I was given clippers and instructed to give them a 'cue ball" haircut like my own. AT the end of the week we had our Company and Assistant Company Commanders assigned, issued our sea bag of uniforms and moved to the new barracks #257; and thus Company Delta 54 was formed. The remaining twelve weeks we attended classes and training exercises, i.e., Shipboard Damage Control, Fire fighting, Qualifying with the M1 Rifle at the Range, Learning the Commands and How to Stroke a 26 ft. Surf Boat, and many others. It just so happened that John Brady, myself, and maybe 1 or 2 more were Regular Enlistees, the others, being the majority were Reservist wanting to beat the draft. Oh just great; . . . a bunch of college grads, doctors, lawyers, etc. from New England. I could see it now," this is a time when the D.I.'s would have their fun". I call it "fun", the D.I.'s called it "training". To my fellow New England recruits, I must have been a real "redneck' from Georgia. What!. . . You never heard of the "Beatles?" No, . . . I was still stuck on the "Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding. It didn't take long for us to forget about our differences and help one another make it through the day when we were proud to be called "Coasties".
The week I liked best about Boot Camp was "Galley Week", even though 0430 came early and the the day was long. I had the privilege of working for First Class Petty Officer David King, better known as "King David". Petty Officer King was stationed with my brother Jim Stribling on the CGC Courier while the vessel was assigned to Rhodes, Greece as a "Radio Free Europe" transmitting station. Needless to say, I was well taken care of. Since Jan. 1964, I have been able to hold on to two items that were issued with my original sea bag; the sewing kit with all the original contents and The Coast Guardsman's Manual, Third Edition, Foreword by A.C. Richmond Vice Admiral, USCG Commandant.
