Excerpts from Letters to Mom in italics.
AGAA Fehr reported aboard the old U.S. Naval Receiving Station in southeast Washington, D.C., on 14 April 1961, and berthed in one of those ancient World War II wooden barracks. Construction of I-295 would permanently remove those firetraps. The Receiving Station, located along the picturesque Anacostia River, was also home to the U.S. Navy Band "A" School and a small Naval Air Station. From the mess hall, perched upon a higher elevation, there was a million-dollar view of the Washington Monument.
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| Steve Fehr, Home on Leave, 1961. |
FleWeaCen was co-located with the U.S. Weather Bureau (and the Air Force weather office) so the Navy borrowed many of the numerous weather maps and charts. Yes, synoptic surface weather maps were tediously plotted by hand every six hours. The officer meteorologists needed them to prepare their own forecasts for transmission to the fleet and to televise weather briefings live on the new direct hookup to the Pentagon. But the "Nugs" or new guys mainly were gophers (go for this, go for that), janitors and coffee makers. The Navy floats on coffee; it was always available in copious amounts. SOP required that crushed eggshell be sprinkled atop the percolator basket. Why? Tradition- i.e., no reason, just policy.
Washington was a great duty station for young studs; the District was just crawling with beautiful girls attracted to the nation's capital for employment, excitement and freedom from parents. Hotels with buzzers and guards housed hundreds of girls each and created an illusion of security for anxious parents. One could sign in with a phony name to a different room and stay all night without detection! And highly important for those under 21, the drinking age in the District was 18! It was a youthful city with lots to do and see. It coincided with the exuberance and optimism of the New Frontier and its energetic President and stylish First Lady.
There are off-duty memories of a car full of refugees from the barracks driving eastward from Anacostia through the tobacco-road countryside of 1961 Maryland to reach the beckoning beaches along the Chesapeake Bay. In rural Calvert County, the barns were bulging. Large, horizontal slats in the walls were open revealing reams of curing tobacco, a novel sight to northerners. Despite reading about Jim Crow and discrimination, it was still shocking for the young AGs to see "whites only" signs and Negroes as the mind's eye had pictured Southern share croppers living in shacks and poverty.
17 April 1961
I spent Friday at Mary Lois' & Dick's [The home of his aunt, uncle and young cousin.] & checked in late Friday nite [at the Naval Receiving Station]. I got my liberty card right away & passed the weekend there too. Tomorrow I'll find out if I have to mess cook or compartment clean before I start work at the Fleet Weather Central.
There are some guys who have been waiting nine months for this security job at Fort Meade. If & when I start at the weather central I'll only work 13 days [but 12 hours per day] a month. I'll have five 72's [hours] and one 48 a month. I have my liberty card all the time & can go away (on liberty) anytime I don't have duty.
Today I saw two guys from Lebanon who graduated with me - Bob Boyer and Ronald Ditzler. Both are in the school of music. Skip Stine, also from the LHS class of '60 is here too & Ken Poorman from my [boot camp] company in San Diego.
I don't live in a room, but a barracks. I have my car aboard. They have racks in the corners of the barracks for civies. I have what amounts to half a wall locker for my sea bag. It doesn't seem too bad here; in fact besides the barracks, it's pretty good. How is everyone? Today "whites" went optional till May 7. [Either white or blue uniforms may be worn until May 7th, then whites would be required.] However, I'm still in blues. Today I even saw some pretty Waves. Imagine that? Did Sam come up? If I work at the weather central, I'll travel by gov. bus from the Receiving Station at Washington down the road to Suitland, Md. I'll berth in DC & work in Md. I'll probably get home pretty soon & tell you all you want to know. If not I'll write again.
17 July 1961
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| Mom and sons, Summer 1961. |
2 August 1961
I got the owner's card. Thanks! The car is running OK & I got another seat belt. I expect to install it tomorrow at Dick's. Enclosed is a statement signed by the Personnel Officer that I passed the [safe driving] course. Let me know how much is deducted. Do you think safety belts rate, too? Well, I'd like to do some studying, shoe-shining, and write a couple letters that are months overdue.
On 18 September 1961, AGAN Fehr received a security clearance and orders to report to the nearby U.S. Naval Security Group at Ft. George G. Meade, Maryland, almost halfway betwixt the District and Baltimore.
Naval Security Group (NSG) and National Security Agency (NSA):
The history of the NSG and the NSA is intertwined and almost biblical; you know NSG begat NSA, which led to over-classifying everything so that nothing can be confirmed nor denied. Six years of the subject's life lurking and laboring in the snoopy service cannot be described without risking gaol time. For an insight into the inscrutable, you may attempt to wander around the two agencies' web sites on your own, if you dare. [Unfortunately, the NSG link works only sporadically in the aftermath of 9/11.]
You want further clarification? Check out the classical Command Mission Statement from the Commander Naval Security Group:
"CNSG's mission is to perform cryptologic and related functions, and to
exercise command authority over, and be responsible for the primary support of
the shore activities of the Naval Security Group as a naval service-wide system
and such other activities and resources as may be assigned."
Very user friendly; classic militaryspeak. Fehr cannot confirm nor deny that he did any of the mission except he definitely didn't exercise any command authority.
2 October 1961
Guess what? I'll make 3rd class November 16th! Hopkins, VanOrman, Becker & Brigowatz ["A" school classmates] made it, too. I guess the car payments won't be such a strain after December. [An AG3 with less than two years longevity earned $122.30 per month or a $22.93 pay raise.]
6 October 1961
This morning I picked up my glasses down in Washington at Main Navy. I got my regular glasses (the ones I scratched) and another extra pair of navy specs. They aren't like the old navy clear plastic frames, but are sort of grey. They look OK!
The other nite I pulled a cool one. I was looking for a place to hang my peacoat to brush it off. I found a good spot but I was a little leary [sic]. But I hung it there on the fire alarm anyway. When I started to brush it, the alarm went off. There I was with coat & brush in one hand and trying to stop the alarm with the other. Everyone was running around closing lockers, grabbing cover etc. I explained it went off accidently [sic] and nothing came of it.
16 November 1961
I found out that that I have a certain detail [Burn detail involved handling thousands of stapled shut paper bags, classified excreta from the bowels of the NSA.] next Friday from 4:30 to midnite. That leaves me off from 4:10 PM on Wednesday the 22nd till 4:30 PM on Friday the 24th. Mike put in a chit (request) to have that Friday off so we can come up together Wed. nite for Thanksgiving. I'm not sure whether we'll be up, but there is a good chance.
If anyone calls for me, I have duty, but I might be home for Thanksgiving. OK? Thanks! [Neither AG3 Fehr nor his mother realized that Thanksgiving (and Christmas) 1961 would be the last they would share together until six years later.]