Clabo, William, ETCM

TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT INFLUENCED HIS/HER DECISION TO JOIN THE COAST GUARD?
Like many other people, I had a pretty rocky home life as a kid. When things finally came to a head, one of my father's 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.

TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH HE/SHE TOOK IN HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE. WHERE DID THEY GO TO BOOT CAMP AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, SHIPS OR SQUADRONS WERE THEY ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS HIS/HER REASON FOR LEAVING?
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 for 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.

IF HE/SHE PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE YOU FEEL WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO HIM/HER AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY.
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.

OF ALL THEIR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY HE/SHE HAD FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS THEIR LEAST FAVORITE?
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 THEIR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY PERSONAL MEMORIES, YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, WHICH IMPACTED HIM/HER THE MOST.
Probably the year I spent in Turkey as I learned a couple of 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 judgment 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.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES HE/SHE RECEIVED, WHICH WERE THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO HIM/HER AND WHY?
I'm not sure anyone award I received really stands out in my mind as being the most meaningful. Each of the personal and unit awards was meaningful forms of recognition for some effort at the time.

Probably the most meaningful awards to me were the ones I was instrumental in getting for people who worked for me to recognize their exemplary efforts.

IF KNOWN, PLEASE LIST ANY INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM HIS/HER TIME IN THE MILITARY WHO STOOD OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEM 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.

IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, WHAT PROFESSION(S) DID HE/SHE FOLLOW AFTER DISCHARGE?
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.

IF KNOWN, WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS WAS HE OR SHE A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY SPECIFIC BENEFITS THEY DERIVED FROM THEIR 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.

IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU BELIEVE HIS/HER SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY THEY APPROACHED THEIR PERSONAL LIFE, FAMILY 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.

IF THEY WERE HERE TODAY, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU THINK HE OR SHE WOULD GIVE TO THOSE WHO FOLLOWED IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS AND RECENTLY ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE?
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. Whatever you do choose, do it the best you can.

HOW EFFECTIVE HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM BEEN IN HELPING YOU RECORD YOUR REMEMBERED PERSONS MILITARY SERVICE? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE?

TWS and the USCG

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.

Note from Admin: Master Chief Clabo passed away on Nov 7, 2013. Fortunately, he left his story here for his family and future generations.

KC 6/23/19