Charles Votapka

"Chuck" joined the US Navy in February,1951.  He went through Boot Camp at USNTC at San Diego, finishing in May, 1951.  After a "short" but eventful, (he became engaged to Joy) he was sent to Class "A" Driver's School at Port Hueneme, CA., graduating in October, 1951, as an official Seabee.        He spent a short time at Davisville, RI, and Brooklyn Naval Yard, before being sent to Naples, Italy in February, 1952 with HAFSE.  (Headquarters Allied Forces Southern Europe) where he was a mechanic and a driver for VIP's. The next two years were spent in Naples, supposedly to fly back and to be married in February, but has his luck would have it, the plane was grounded due to damage from a sand storm so had to return to New York, USA, by ship.      Although, late for his wedding he and Joy were married in March, 1954, and after a 30 day leave, (short again), he was sent back to Davisville to wait for a MCB to return to Davisville for reassignment. This was another one of those short assignments.  As someone else, who was assigned to a MCB to go to Cuba, decided to go AWOL, he had 5 days notice, that he was to go in their place.       In April, 1954, they shipped out for Cuba on an LST, and he spent a very "hot" summer there.  When he was offered shore duty in Norfolk, VA, for two years, if he would ship over, he jumped at the chance and after collecting all the debts from other Seabees, managed to get a military flight back to Jacksonville, FL, and from there had enough money to get to Garden City, KS, where Joy met him.  After another 30 day leave, they moved to Norfolk, VA, where he was first stationed as a driver at the air station, but was offered a job on the barge crew of the Commandant of the 5th Naval District, there in Norfolk, where he worked on the barge crew and as a VIP driver until he was discharged in February,1957.       He made First Class shortly before being discharged, but as his discharge came up before the rate was due, did not get his First Class rate.  He returned to Decatur County, KS, and spent the rest of his life in Decatur County.