Dooley, Floyd, Sr., MGySgt

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE MARINE CORPS.
While I was in high school, I decided I wanted to join the Air Force, and after my enlistment was up, I planned on going to college on the GI Bill. I didn't want to go into college immediately out of high school because I was tired of studying etc. and felt I needed to be older before continuing my education. I thought the military would help me become an adult. A high school friend and I went to the Post Office where the recruiters' offices were on the second floor. My buddy intended on joining the Marine Corps and I was going to join the Air Force. When we arrived, the Air Force office was closed. I went into the Marine Corps Recruiters office with my buddy Tom Kelly and listened to what the SSgt had to say about all the advantages the Marines had to offer. He then told me about the delayed enlistment program and the buddy program where both Tom and I would go through boot camp together. I made a snap decision and said okay, I'd join. I was only 17 years old at the time, still in high school, and to enlist required both my mothers and fathers signature. They were divorced and I wasn't sure I'd be able to get my father to sign the paperwork. To my surprise, both my parents agreed to sign for me. The recruiter convinced them that I had a plan and the Marine Corps was the branch of service that I needed to help me become an adult and prepared for college.

WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BOOT CAMP AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, SHIPS OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
I had no idea what my service career path was going to be when I enlisted. I figured I'd be a rifleman or have something to do with clerical work since I could type pretty good. On my wish list, I put postman, thinking it would help me get a job when my enlistment was up. As it turned out, I was assigned an MOS of 0141 which was an administrative clerk.

My first duty assignment was at MCALF Santa Ana where I was assigned to a helicopter squadron. Until I was told where I was going to be stationed, I didn't even know the Marine Corps had an aviation branch. While assigned to my first squadron I found out that the best career at that time was to be assigned to Avionics. They had Marines drawing flight pay, proficiency pay, fast promotion tracks and they didn't get dirty or greasy while working. Most of the avionics technicians went to night school getting college credits. They avoided mess duty, guard duty, barracks detail etc. They made rank so fast that they became NCO's in many cases before being assigned any of the crappy details.

When I decided that I was going to reenlist, I asked to be retrained into avionics. I was told I'd have to go through screening at Memphis where most of the aviation schools were taught. I extended my enlistment and then reenlisted when I was assured I'd get orders to Memphis. It would be up to me to pass the required test, education requirements, and all the other necessary requirements to get into Avionics.

What helped me most getting into Avionics was the fact that I was already an NCO, and had specifically requested Avionics when I had reenlisted.

IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
My combat experience was with a helicopter squadron I(VMO-2) in Vietnam. I was stationed at Marble Mountain which was about 5 to 7 miles from DaNang. I volunteered for extra duty as an M60 machine gun door gunner on the UH-1E helicopter. I was a SSgt at the time and flew various missions usually every 3rd day. When not flying I worked repairing the squadron avionics equipment as an Aviation Communication Technician. Swapped out black boxes etc. Most of the missions I flew on were in support of the medivac helicopters. Other type flights were supporting the SNIFFER equipped helicopter. The medivac crews landed to pick up the wounded and dead while the gunships provided covering fire. The SNIFFER missions flew low over the jungle with special equipment that would basically sniff for ammonia or urine. They often would take fire and the gunships would be following closely behind and provide protection. Both type missions were dangerous and risky. Some of the operations my squadron participated in were Operation Meade River, Taylor Common, Bold Marines, and Dewey Canyon. There were slow days where we sat on the ground waiting for a mission. Some of the sites were at An Hoa, Hill's 51 and 55. We also ventured into Elephant and Happy Valley which was not fun.

My most significant event was during Operation Meade River when we took fire after a CH-46 inserted an infantry unit. We took fire and took hits in the rotor blades which forced us to land. The pilot sent out the May Day call and our squadron had to send an emergency maintenance team to repair the aircraft. We spent about a total of 2 hours on the ground and we had to provide our own defense for both ourselves and the aircraft. No grunts were around. We were fortunate that while on the ground we took no fire. We also had another squadron helicopter flying nearby in case we did come under fire. The maintenance team arrived and determined that the blades could be wrapped with blade tape and flown back to Marble Mountain.

All 4 of us, the pilot, co-pilot, crew chief, and me, the door gunner very probably the happiest Marines around, to get the hell out of there and back to home base.

OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
My fondest memories were from when I was stationed in Hawaii. I originally went there by myself while waiting to be assigned base housing. That was a period of 5 months before my family joined me.

I was a GySgt at the time and volunteered to be the SgtMajor of a small detachment on the Big Island. That was when I found out that Hawaii actually has cold weather training in the mountains at an Army Camp. The camp had been closed for the previous 6 years and our detachment was a joint deployment augmented with personnel from other squadrons. As the SgtMajor it was my responsibility to get the camp ready. We had 3 holer outhouses with 3 inches of volcano dust, dirt, etc. that had to be cleaned and made ready for the main body of the detachment. I used the firetruck from the crash crew to wash and clean them out. The Quonset huts had to be cleaned, racks set up etc. The mess hall was truly a mess that required almost everyone's help getting it prepared.

While there, it snowed about 5 inches and the temperature got down to 28 degrees. I was totally surprised at the amount of work it took getting things ready and then after 3 weeks, we had to close the camp. Must easier than the opening of the camp.

After my family arrived, we spent time touring the Island and my wife found a job working as a telephone answering service manager. The extra money came in handy. My four kids loved Hawaii. Our base house was almost on the beach. We had about 200 yards to walk from our house to the beach. Great fun. Weekends were spent going to a drive-in movie, eating homemade popcorn, or bringing a picnic basket of food and watch the movie.

I have lots of great memories and way too many to discuss here. I made some close friends while there and we still keep in touch to this day.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
I think my wetting down party when I was promoted to MSgt really stands out as my favorite memory. I was on annual leave when a group of squadron SNCO's found me on the Kaneohe Bay Hawaii golf course. I was learning how to play golf with my brother-in-law who was visiting from California. They had already reserved space in the Staff NCO club. All I had to do was put $400,00 on the bar. It lasted for about 2 hours before the money run out. Everyone was ordering drinks, food and enjoying themselves. Our wives joined us and the party moved off base to a bar in Kailua. It was a semi-topless bar with go-go girls. The Aircraft Maintenance Officer had joined us and put a $5.00 bill in one of the dancing girls g-strings. The bar bouncer took issue with that and an all-out bar fight pursued. It only lasted a couple minutes and so much happened that can't be told here is what makes it so memorable. We later were told the bar was owned by the Hawaiian Mafia and the dancer that the bouncer got so upset over was the bouncer's wife.

Needless to say, our wives and significant others had to drive us home that night. Thank God it was a Friday and we didn't have to work the next day.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
I received the Navy Commendation Medal with a V for being a helicopter door gunner while serving in Vietnam. I don't like to sound like I'm blowing my own horn, but I was an excellent gunner and delivered very accurate fire on the enemy. Being a door gunner is a voluntary duty in the squadron and I tried to fly missions every 3rd day.

I also earned the Air Medal with the numeral 5. I flew 113 combat missions during the 13 months tour.

I was also instrumental in getting together a team that went to the China Beach Orphanage and completely wired the building for electricity. My wife also had an article printed in the Terre Haute newspaper requesting articles of clothing to be donated to her Girl Scout Troop to be boxed and sent to me to distribute at the orphanage. People also wrote checks to me to help with postage and help provide food. My problem with the checks was that we had no bank in Vietnam where we could cash them. The disbursing officer finally took pity on me and gave me MPC for the checks. I could use MPC to purchase snacks etc. At the time the orphanage had some Dutch nuns that made sure every one of the children got their fair share. During some slack time, I had to write "Thank You" notes to the people who so generously donated their treasure to us.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
It is hard to decide which medal or award is the most meaningful to me. Each of them has a very special meaning to me. The ones I earned during my combat tour in Vietnam are the most important to me. I worked very hard and earned each one of them. My combat aircrew wings indicate to anyone who knows what it takes to earn them, that I voluntarily placed myself in danger anytime I flew combat missions as a door gunner.

On the other hand, I'm also very proud of my Expert Rifle and Pistol Badges. I have some Letters of Appreciation, and Letters of Commendation for various things I did. I have a ton of military schools, correspondence courses certificates of completion.

I'm proud of them all.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
Captain Norm Ehlert who later rose to the rate of LtGen had a big impact on my career. He was a Navy Academy graduate and demanded perfection from his men. He was my Squadron Assistant Maintenance Officer while I was stationed at the airfield on MCB Camp Pendleton CA. I worked in Avionics at the time but in August 1965, my squadron, VMO-6 was moved aboard ship and sent to Vietnam.

My wife was seriously injured in an automobile accident and was in the Naval Hospital; I had just returned from Iwakuni Japan in December 1964 so the decision was made to leave the sick, lame and lazy home. The shops were completely stripped of equipment, tools, publications and we had no aircraft. I believe there were about 8 or 9 officers and 25 to 30 enlisted men left behind. We had no budget or money available to us and we were assigned as a sub-unit to a squadron stationed at MCAS El Toro, Santa Ana, California. We had no mission.

To keep us busy doing something or anything we could think of, we went to the NAMTRADET schools and took any of the classes that they were capable to teaching. It didn't matter what our MOS was, we went to any classes that were available. Capt Ehlert was an experienced test pilot. As so many things happened that year, a UH-1E helicopter showed up on our flight line and was delivered to us by the ferry pilots. We must have changed our Sub-Unit number at least twice during this time and our parent squadron at the time provided us with some tools and toolboxes in order to do the aircraft acceptance inspections. It was also during this period of time that we were directed to initiate setting up and preparing to become a full-fledged squadron.

Since I had been an S-1 chief clerk during my first enlistment, I was made the Squadron Administrative Chief or NCOIC. Capt Ehlert was like my shadow and provided me with a daily task that was passed down from our parent squadron. We then started to receive experienced personnel, a Commanding Officer vice an Officer in Charge etc. I was eventually moved back to the Avionics section and had an additional duty as a Quality Assurance Inspector. Since I had attended some of the engine classes when we were a sub-unit I also was assigned as a QA inspector required to fly the test flights whenever it was required. Capt Ehlert was the test pilot in most cases. We always kept a professional relationship but he was also always in a mentoring mode, providing me with helpful advice on what I could do to further my Marine Corps Career. It was he who sent me to the SNCO academy which at El Toro at that time. He also filled out my fitness reports because I spent more time working with and for him than I did in Avionics. I learned about 3 or 4 years ago that he had passed.

The Marines lost one hell of a good Officer. I'll certainly never forget him.

CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
I have a lot of sea stories that I could tell here. One incident that always comes up in conversations with old buddies I served with in Vietnam is the time I played a trick on a very close friend and SNCO. I had a portable 10" Panosonic TV that operated on both AC/DC power. Late one night, there was a group of us in our hootch drinking and playing cards. My buddy Ray got tired and decided he wanted to watch TV. I had a little folding stool from a field desk that he was sitting on with his feet propped up onto my bunk.

All of a sudden, the sirens went off and we could hear the mortars hitting the flight line walking their way towards the hootches. All of us bailed out of the hootch and headed for the bunkers. All of us except Ray. The power on the base was turned off but my TV just switched to DC power and he didn't move a bit towards the bunker. He had helped himself to some of my goodies and was eating some of my peanut butter and crackers. The mortars or rockets stopped and we stayed outside near the bunker until the all clear was sounded. The base power was still off.

Several SNCO's yelled for Ray to come on outside that the all clear had not been sounded. He was drunk as a skunk. Now, this is a guy who most of the time was usually one of the first to get to the bunker every time we'd get hit. Not this time. He didn't need no "Stinkin Bunker."

I found a loose brick and threw it on top of the hootches tin roof right over Ray's head where he was sitting. You never saw someone come crawling out a door so fast. He fell off the hootch steps trying to get to the bunker. He had smashed peanut butter and cracker between his fingers and his T-Shirt was soaked with beer. Scared the holy crap out of him. It was funny to all of us except Ray.

The next time we played cards we presented him with a clean pair of skivvies. He didn't find that funny either. LOL

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
My last duty station was at the Fleet Marine Forces, Atlantic Headquarters in Norfolk Virginia. I was assigned as the NCOIC of FMFLANT Aviation Weapons Support Section (AWSS). I attended a lot of business meetings and traveled a lot during this 3-year tour. I was a MGySgt and the job was strictly an administrative position.

I met a lot of defense contractors, so when I retired from the USMC, I had a job waiting for me. My goal was to get a job working as a civil servant. This took me just a little over 3 years before I was accepted to work for a Navy Command known as NAVMASSO stationed onboard the Norfolk Naval Base. I began as a GS-9 and over a period of 22 years, I retired after reaching a GS-13 position.

I had the best of 2 worlds. I worked for the Marines for 24 years and the Navy for 22 years. NAVMASSO was renamed SPAWARSYSCEN and was a major Command that developed software programs for the Naval Fleet.and Marine Corps. We even developed a system for NASA in Houston TX. I worked for the NALCOMIS section which developed a computer software program for aircraft maintenance tracking. Since in my later years in Marine Corps Aviation, I was an Aircraft Maintenance NCOIC, Maintenance Control NCOIC, and Quality Assurance NCOIC, I was a perfect fit for helping develop the software programs that the Fleet was then using paper forms to document their task. I helped design and then test the programs.

I'm now retired and no longer work or have the desire to work. I think most people who knew me thought I'd come back as a contractor, but I thought it through and it was time to retire. My memory is beginning to fail me and I wanted to get out while I was still on top.

WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
I used to belong to the Society of Logistic Engineers when I was a defense contractor, but I gave that up a long time ago and have not kept up with the requirements or for that matter did I need to keep current with the requirements.

I now belong to what used to be called the Marine Corps Vietnam Combat Helicopter Association. Probably better know as the Pop-A-Smoke Association. They have since renamed the association by dropping the name Vietnam. We have had several wars since Vietnam and the association is trying to bring in the new breed. We have a reunion every other year and switch coast as to where they will be held. This year, 2012, the reunion was held in Orlando, Florida. The 2014 reunion was held in San Diego.

The specific benefit derived from this association is the Bi-Annual Reunion. The Vietnam vets are starting to thin out the ranks as we get older and pass on. The association needs some new blood to generate excitement with new sea stories. It is a great way to re-acquaint ourselves with old friends and to make new ones.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
The Marine Corps has influenced me in many ways. All good. I'm so proud to have been a Marine and served on active duty for 24 years. It is amazing how many people make favorable remarks about Marines. While working for the Navy, I wasn't allowed to forget I was a Marine. They constantly wanted to know this and that about the Marines. Success is always expected. Without the Marine Corps, I wouldn't have had a second career with the Navy. Both careers have provided me with a comfortable retirement with fantastic memories. Hard work earns many friends and rewards.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE MARINE CORPS?
My advice to the new Marines serving today is to "work hard and you will be rewarded." Live life to its fullest while you can. Be proud. You belong to the best military organization in the world. Oh, things will change and you may experience some disappointments. Later on, that disappointment may turn out to be a life-changing event for you. Accept that disappointment as a challenge and turn it into something successful. Get a college education. I finally got my Bachelor of Arts degree at the age of 50. I went to night and weekend classes for 8 years. I used my GI Bill to pay for my education. You are never too old to learn.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.

TWS and the US Marine Corps

I can't say that Togetherweserved has helped me bond with anyone. I wish I could find some of my Marine friends but to date, I have only connected with 2 friends. I won't give up though. Who knows what tomorrow may bring.

DS 4/13/17