iRichard Randall Retin joined the Navy in August 1964 soon after graduating from high school in Van Nuys, California. He went through boot camp in San Diego, company 472. His first assignment was to naval aviation training squadron, VT-23 at NAAS, Kingsville, Texas. There he became a plane captain on the F-11A Grumman Tiger.
In July 1965, he entered the Naval School of Photography in Pensacola, Florida. Being in the top three of the class, he was given the opportunity to request his desired duty station. To the chagrin of his classmates, he requested sea duty on an East coast based aircraft carrier, but was assigned the USS Canopus (AS-34) instead. Having taken the Photographer’s Mate 3rd class promotional exam soon after starting the school, he was informed he passed and was promoted just prior to graduation in November 1965.
He came aboard the CANOPUS in Charleston in November 1965. Soon afterwards, the ship’s color processing lab was built, and he became in charge of all color print processing. He was aboard for the GITMO shakedown cruise and subsequently was onboard for the ship’s assignment to Rota. He was promoted to 2nd class in October 1966. He was separated in January 1968 and is authorized to wear the National Defense Medal.
At the USS Canopus Association 2000 reunion in Norfolk, he was elected Secretary. He was the coordinator for the 2004 Reno reunion, where he then became Chairman and assumed responsibility for the Association’s website.
Richard is now fully retired and residing in Reno, Nevada. His current fulltime hobby is running the USS Canopus Association. |
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