Hook, James

EM3 JAMES HOOK 22 November 1964

I James William Hook “Jim” was born 25 November 1944, at Susanville, California. I had brown eyes and hair, which is now grey. I joined the navy in Chico, California, and entered at San Francisco. On 2 April 1964, I went to boot camp at NTC San Diego. After basic training I went to EM “A” School for 14 weeks and then on 22 November 1964, was assigned to USS FRANK E. EVANS (DD 754).

I made EM3 aboard FRANK E. EVANS, went on one Westpac cruise in 1965, and experienced a good case of sea sickness during a typhoon, never to get it again. Life was pretty uneventful during that time as we had only patrolled the Gulf of Tonkin and there wasn’t any sea combat. While on the cruise we received a message asking for volunteers for Vietnam duty. A radioman and I both responded.

In January 1966 I was sent orders to work with the Sea Bees in Saigon in the generator shop. After three months, I went off to the Mekong Delta to build PBR bases and provide support for the boats at Sa Dec. I was there for 15 months and got promoted to EM2. In September 1967 I went to Long Beach on board USS ENGLAND (DLG 22), until February 1968 when I was discharged.

YES, I WOULD DO IT AGAIN! (And maybe stay a little longer.) I worked as an electrician with the local power company. I studied electrical distribution, and later commercial refrigeration where I worked until 2000 when I retired to a wholesale sales and support position in a wholesale HVAC store.

Jim currently resides at 4530 Plum St., Boise, ID 83703. You can reach him at jhook@cableone.net