WELCOME
to
JOHN'S
USS CONSERVER (ARS-39)
Page
March , 2002... New Material Coming!
This page is dedicated to my 31-year Navy
career and in particular, one of the ships I served on during that career:
USS Conserver (ARS-39).
A little about me. I was born in Detroit, Michigan longer ago than I care to remember. I joined the Naval Reserve in 1955 and went on active duty in 56. First tour of sea duty was on USS Betelgeuse (AK-260). Here I am in 57, a hot running SN (or so I thought anyway!)
Sub school in 59, graduating in July, marrying the love of my Life Terry, and reporting to USS Argonaut (SS-475) began the best years of my life. After Argonaut, qualifying, and making QM1, I had three years of recruiting duty in Akron, Ohio. Great job, always made quota, but couldn't wait to get back to the boats. August 66 saw me report aboard USS Grouper (AGSS-214). Another great submarine tour on a special boat with special people. I'll never forget those guys. In 68, I made W1 and instantly became too stupid to serve on the boats. They surfaced me, sent me to Justice School (where I graduated 139 out of 140. Hey, Newport, RI was too good to be studying lawyer stuff).
My first tour as an officer was on USS Simon
Lake (AS-33) in Holy Loch, Scotland.
(Click here to go to the Simon
Lake web site.) Still with the submarine force and still loving it. Halfway through
that tour, I made the decision to be a deep sea diver, and graduated from Diving Officer's
Course in 70. Reported to USS Chanticleer (ASR-7) where I served in every officer billet
except CO. It was a learning experience, believe me.
The 70s saw tours on USS DIXON (AS-37) as Ship's Bosn, 1st Lt, and Navigator, SubBoard of Inspection and Survey (INSURV), as a member of the submarine inspection team, USS Florikan (ASR-9) as XO, Subase San Diego as Port Services Officer, and finally my final tour as Commanding Officer, USS Conserver (ARS-39) out of Pearl. Not a pretty ship, but she was mine and she was diesel-electric, DC drive! Check out the Conserver section for more information about this fine ship.
We both went out of commission in September 86. She went to Inactive Ships, Pearl Harbor, and I went to Subase San Diego where I retired on 1 January 87. Terry and I moved to Stow, Ohio in 91. Our son Jim and his wife Allison followed shortly afterwards and have blessed us with two lovely grandchildren, Samantha and Matthew.
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Terry and I at the1978 |
Twenty years later |
Jim, Allison, |
That's me (us) folks. Looking back on my 31-year career, I wouldn't have changed a thing.
Enjoy the pages
John Ackerman, QMCS(SS)/LCDR, USN (Ret)
