Byrd, from Bloomington, IL, served in the Navy from 1951 to 1970.

 

He enlisted on September 10th, 1951 and attended boot camp at Great Lakes, IL. He reported to DD-535 U.S.S. Miller, where he then deployed on a world cruise to Korea and crossed the equator, where he became a Shellback. He then transferred to Martin Pena Radio Station in San Juan, PR.

 

He reenlisted in 1955 and reported to Task Force 7 in Washington DC. He then recieved orders to the U.S.S. Henley DD-762 and did several Mediterranean cruises. He sailed north of the Arctic circle and became a Blue Nose. He went shore duty in 1958, reporting to NYGPALTREFLT, where mothballed ships are kept, then he reported to Kodiak, AK for 18 months.

 

He then transferred to the U.S.S. Mauna AE-22 for three months, then on to the U.S.S. Vega AF-59 for two years. He then reported to the AE-14 U.S.S. Fire Drake for two years. He then went to AROC school at Great Lakes. After school, he reported to the U.S.S. Holder DD-819 and made a seconf world cruise to Vietnam as part of the brown water Navy.

 

During this cruise he crossed the equator a second time, making him a Golden Shellback. He then received orders to USNTC Bainbridge, MD. He retired in 1970 as a Gunner's Mate 1st Class.