Navy | Rules of Engagement

Welcome Edward “Eddie” Mingus to our blog! Today he shares his father’s experience of serving in the Navy.

Why did He join?

The way my dad tells it, his mother told him he was old enough and needed to leave the house and get a job. My family has a long history of service to the Armed Forces.

Edward “Donnie” Mingus (father) and Edward “Eddie” Mingus (son)

All About Dad

My father was a Chief Petty Officer (CPO) in the United States Navy from 1957 to 1979. I don’t remember how many deployments he had but he has been to Vietnam, Cuba, Philippines, Korea, Kenya, Australia, Johnston Island and probably others I don’t recall. He was stationed at: Great Lakes, Sasebo, Johnston Island, Hawaii, Camp Lejune, Subic Bay, Yokosuka, and San Diego.

Best and Worst Assignments?

Dad considered his best assignment to be Yokosuka and being on the USS Midway. He would like to return to Sasebo someday.

HIs worst assignment would have been Vietnam. He doesn’t talk much about it.

Favorite Memory

I think it would be his time on the USS Midway. He talks a lot about it. Of all the Navy hats he wears it always has something to do with the Midway.

Favorite Place to Live?

My dad would say either Yokosuka or Sasebo.

Toughest Time?

My dad would say retiring from the Navy was the hardest.

Is the Military better now than when you joined?

In some ways I think my dad and I would agree that there are parts which are better. There is an overall problem with leadership.

The biggest reason is there’s a culture of wokeness developing within the military. It’s become a social experiment where the focus has been on feelings and personal enrichment, whatever that may be. This is the US Military. It’s for one thing, and that’s defense of this country and war.

Why Did He Leave?

My dad retired because he was ready to go home. He loved the Navy and regrets retiring when he did. In retrospect he would have liked to stay in longer than he did.

Where’s he at now?

My dad is living in Cloverport, KY. He loved the name and regrets retiring when he did.

Staying Connected

My dad doesn’t really keep in touch with anyone. He doesn’t use a computer and many of his friends are in bad shape.

STAY TUNED as Eddie shares his experience as a Navy brat and then his experiences in the Army!

The Beginning

My story begins like so many of ours do. I was the second child born to my Navy dad and Southern mama in the Portsmouth Naval Hospital. The oldest, my brother John, was born in the same hospital just nineteen months earlier. I’m unsure how many moves my folks did between the time of mine and John’s birth. I do know, two years after me the third kiddo came to be. The baby of the family was born in Key West. The only child our dad was not at sea for the birth was Barbara, but he still missed her busting into the world. He had 24-hour duty and needed to get some shut eye.

Smith Family in Key West, FL

Mom keeps the dependents busy.

That’s me in the middle checking out what my brother is doing. Monkey see. Monkey do.

My Dad

I’m proud of my dad’s twenty-year Navy career. He was a CT-I (cryptologist, interpreter). He retired as an E-6 and spent most of his time between tours in Spain, Florida, and a ship. I grew up thinking everyone’s dad left for six months at a time because all my friends’ dads did too. My mom worked at different jobs wherever we lived. Most of her time and effort was focused on keeping the three “dependents” from running wild while holding down the home front.

John and Nancy Smith on their wedding day

Where is Home?

As a Brat, I lived in or at

Fort Meade, MD

Rota Naval Station – Rota, Spain

Homestead Air Force Base – Homestead, FL

Key West, FL

Fort Devans, MA

Fort Ord, CA

Portsmouth Naval, VA

TN, AL, VA – when my dad was at sea – Mom took us to wherever her family lived. Her dad was a traveling bricklayer.

I know there are more places but these are the ones I know of. Some I remember. Some are only photos in albums labeled by place, date and names of people in our lives for a season.

My Dad in his white uniform. I remember him trying to protect his from my clumsiness. It never worked.

Dad did two tours (with extensions both times) in Rota, Spain between 1969 and 1980. We lived in Spain for nine of my sixteen years. Rota was the place I thought of as my hometown and still do. The last time I lived stateside I was eleven. I loved Rota and cried a lot of tears when Dad put in his retirement papers. I was in the middle of my Junior year of high school unknowingly unprepared to live as a civilian’s kid.

Mom’s Passport photo with kids

Stay tuned for part 2 of DeeDee’s Military Brat story releasing on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.

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