Jim Stewart
    I left Oakland aboard the Gen. DE Aultman on Nov. 14, 1953 and arrived at Subic Bay, Philippines on Dec. 7, 1953. I was directly out of boot camp and held the rate of CP. I believe the battalion arrived at Subic Bay only a month or so before my arrival. I was immediately dispatched to the mess hall for a short but too long a tour there. I was then sent to the trash crew. After my tour on the trash crew (about 3 months) and becoming a CN, I had the opportunity to go to the water works for a short tour. Instead, as there were no openings for surveyor strikers, I opted to stay on the trash crew until we left Subic Bay in November of 1954 and returned to Port Hueneme. About March of 1955 the Battalion left for Kodiak, Alaska. About a month later due to a health problem, I was transferred Oak Knoll Naval Hospital at Oakland, CA. After about 2 months and a clean bill of health, I was transferred to Port Hueneme to await the arrival and deployment of MCB3 back to Subic Bay. Al in all, I spent 3 tours to Subic Bay. One with MCB 11 and 2 with MCB3. While with MCB 3 I finally got into surveying and ended my Naval career (June 1957) as a Surveyor Second Class (SV2). After the Navy I used my skills learned while in the Navy to work for the California Division of Highways (now known as Caltrans) which helped finance my way through the University of California at Berkeley. My degree however is not in Engineering but Entomology (bugs). I contract with growers to advise of their pest problems. Without the Naval experience I may not have been able to complete my education in my chosen field. I have a lovely wife (45 years together), 3 children and 6 Grandchildren. I will always be grateful to the Navy for taking a boy and turning him into a man.