Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
6:27 | Dan Spahn graduated from high school on Friday and left for Navy boot camp on Monday. Unlike so many others at the time, his goal was to serve in Vietnam. He became an electronics technician and joined a spacial squadron that supplied and manned the radar control aircraft that managed air traffic from a carrier.
Keywords : Dan Spahn Dubuque IA Naval Battles And Heroes Vietnam aviation electronics technician color blind San Diego CA Millington TN Grumman E-1B Tracer Willy Fudd air traffic control USS Hancock (CV-19) USS Coral Sea (CV-43) Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye
After responding to the Mayaguez Incident, the USS Coral Sea finished its visit to Australia for a commemoration of the Battle of the Coral Sea. Dan Spahn fondly recalls that visit and, when he returned stateside, he managed to secure shore duty for the remainder of his enlistment. His electronics training served him well in his post-military career.
Following the evacuation of Saigon, Dan Spahn was on the USS Coral Sea when the big ship executed a rare U-turn. They were responding to the boarding of the SS Mayaguez, a merchant vessel, by the Khmer Rouge.
