Freedom is not free
First, I wish to thank all of the 1,773 Veterans in Young County for their time and service to preserve the freedoms and lifestyle that Americans enjoy.
Very few people know that less than 1 percent of the American public has served, or none is serving in the military, reserves and national guard. These few folks are the reason you stand on free choice and have the freedom to live as we do.
In this column, I will bring you profiles of local veterans – their time served, their travels and their stories. Some will be gone, some will be retired, and some still holding the fort for us.
To all of these, I salute you and it will be an honor to convey these stories.
Now on duty are a total of 1.7 million Americans, including: 461,657 U.S. Army members; 340,065 U.S. Navy members; 174,577 U.S. Marine Corps members; 320,421 U.S. Air Force members; 329,705 Army National Guard members; 176,171 Army Reservists; 104,984 Air National Guard members; 68,048 - Air Force Reservists; 55,224 Navy Reservists; 32,599 Marine Corps Reservists.
If you have or know of a local veteran whom you would like to have recognized, please let me know at dferris57.df@gmail.com
Profile: Mikel E.
Downey GMMC (SW) USN Retired Gunners Mate Missiles Chief (Surface Warfare) Born Jan. 21 1949 Died March 21, 2023
Mike was a 27-½year Navy veteran. He was born and raised in Graham, Texas, and he is now resting up on the hill in Jean, Texas. Mike served in Vietnam, where he became a Prisoner of War [POW], not once, but twice. [ He also served during Operations Desert Shield, Kuwaiti Freedom, and Desert Storm. He earned 13 medals during his career and a book full of letters, accolades and pats on the back. He retired in May of 1996.
Mike joined the Navy in San Diego, California, in November 1967, then went to Navy Hospital Corps school the following February. He then moved to the Military SeaLift Command Pacific from June 1968 until January 1969. He served aboard the USS Valley Forge (LPH-8) until January 1970. The Navy then thought it was a good idea to transfer him to a different ship - same class - the USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) from January 1970 to June 1971.
He served another short tour then moved on to the Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, Deperming Facility from June 1971 to March 1972.
What is Deperming, you ask?
Removing a magnetic field from a metal hull on a Navy ship, also known as “degaussing.” It is an interesting study of a ship’s magnetic signature in the water so a submarine cannot read the ship’s class and, sometimes, speed. There is more to it, but you get the idea.
Mike decided to get out of the Navy for a few years, but he reenlisted in February 1977. Funny thing is that Mike decided to try out being a gunner’s mate this time and went to gunner’s mate “A” school in Great Lakes, Illinois.
From “A” school, he attended a specialized “C” school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Both schools took him from March 1977 until December 1977 to complete. MIke then transferred to the USS Mississippi (CGN-40) Cruiser, Guided, Nuclear, as a Plank Owner from January 1978 to June 1982.
What is a Plank Owner?
It means he was assigned aboard when the ship was first commissioned and put to sea on her first cruise. He was part of the original crew. Plank Owners are always a tight group. Mike went back to many of this ship’s reunions, and talked about the experiences aboard the USS Mississippi as one of his best times ever in the Navy.
After the sea duty, Mike went to recruiting duty in Orlando Florida, from June 1982 until August 1982 for the training, then was assigned to Houston, Texas from August 1982 to December 1984. Recruiting was a lot of paperwork and a whole lot of road work, and he had to wear his dress uniform almost all the time. Funny, Mike didn’t talk much about this time in his life, and if you ever did recruiting, you would not either.
The rest of his service was spent in reserve centers in the Orlando training center but that’s another story to be told another day. Mike was also a Legacy Gold Life Member of VFW 8567 in Graham, holding most of the positions over the years. But he was best known for being the Quartermaster.
He was also a real good friend of mine. He is the reason I wanted to pen this article and the ones that will follow.