Steve & Judy Wilson
home: http://minemen.us
by Ĝan Ŭesli Starling
copyright 2003
Answer: After disappearing into EOD school in 1975 he went on to become a full CDR retiring after 30 years!
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As of today, 2003-05-16, Steven retires after 30 years in the US Navy. Last time I saw Steve he was just an MN3. And I was yet even two ranks below that, one up from bottom: Mineman Seaman Apprentice. Steve was then just about to depart Okinawa for EOD school (Explosive Ordnance Disposal -- aka Bomb Squad in common parlance). This is event is a pretty big offical todo, a 2-in-1 combination Change-of-Command and retirement ceremony. Steve is to hand over the reigns of power to his replacement and also take his leave of the service.
I remember the Steve of twenty-eight years ago in after-hours civies or the working blues of a Mineman 3rd Class. I clearly remember a number of things he said or did. And one in particular that was done to him. But unlike for some others I lack even a single photo to keep my memory refreshed all these years. So I must ask at the door, which among those officers present might be Steve Wilson? "And do you know the Captain?", comes the reply. I answer and am personally escorted through the crowd to a small cluster of gold braids up front. Three of the four are turned my way but not a familiar face any of those. Noting my obvious confusion the uniformed greeter informs me as how Steven’s the one facing away. Then does he turn around and is not so different from what little I did remember: taller than me and looking not quite so much like Steve McQueen as had used to thrill the waves barracked at the Pink Palace back on Naha. But still I could have picked him out, even though this afternoon he is all decked out in the summer dress whites of a full Commander, and with such a brace of medals that I wonder whether he may not list slightly to port.
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I’d been to a few of these shindigs while still in the navy these decades past. This one was much the same except that now I knew one of the principals enough to give two cents what it meant. I was here on invitation (instead of by order) and present of my own free will. And that is a very big difference. There were speeches, of course. The Commodore went on at some length, finishing off by quoting in full from some other, to him, more inspiring speech. (I could not agree with him on many points, least of all the very unoriginal ones quoted as if from some sydicated AM talk radio pontificator. I might suggest that he read somewhat more from the founding fathers, especially presidents Jefferson or Madison, for more truly patriotic references to stir the troups with.)
I note, also, and not with pleasure, that the ceremony both began and ended with an entirely Christian prayer lead by an officer bearing a cross on his epaulettes. So nothing has changed. The Navy still has an official religion, whether they admit it or not. Our fifth and sixth presidents are surely spinning in their graves. That element to the Navy is just exactly as I remember, and no small part of why I got out.
But still the whole speeches busines did not go on too very long. Steven’s own parting address was the very model of modern brevity. I believe he won a $20 bet with his CPO on that account.
Steven got in contact with me after someone showed him this page’s parent website. When he went looking for Al and John, he found them more easily and quite close by.
At the mine shops on Okinawa, way back in 1975, I ranked only MNSA. (That’s second-from-bottom for those who don’t know.) So in theory I should’ve been looking up to everyone. From that perspective the officers are much like gods in that it’s best to seldom if ever meet one in person. That, after all, is why the base has an Officers Club. And why the officer has an office. (No offense Steve, I’m just reminiscing here...) We lowly seamen, all but fresh right out of high school, looked up instead to the demi-gods...the Petty Officers, among whom (from our perspective) the 1st Class classes saw to it that all the work got done and the Chiefs were those who really, truly ran the Navy.
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A large aspect to any job is the character of one’s boss, and their boss, and so on. Of the several commands where I worked while in the Navy I remember Okinawa most fondly of all. And no small part of that was because competent and good-natured, almost parental, oversight of MN1 Al Bauer (my boss’s boss) and MNC John Mussig (Al’s boss). It was Al who lit a fire under me to take the test for MNSN. He was similarly a guiding influence on Steven too, as I recall. Both he and Chief Mussig, were to me authorities born more of knowledge than of bluster...unlike several I was later to meet. Doubtless I was a bit of a trial to them both. I thank them for keeping me mostly out of the cognizance of Lt. Dunn.
Al told me that he has read every single word on minemen.us. John did not even know I had such a site. I have so many projects that minemen.us has rated little attention. Too much of my prose is rambling and in need of editing...when I get time. Do know, for what it’s worth, that I don’t count this pair among the sort I have ranted against in other pages. I’m fairly credit that either one of these two chaps could have done quite well for themselves in civilan life...good humor and competence being their stock in trade. I remembered them well and very enjoyed to have worked for them and to meet them here again.
These two could surely tell some none too creditable stories of me at age 19. There was an incident with some bones that Spiderman (SK3 Robert H. Hanneman) and I came to be in posession of upon finding a tomb broken open by an earthquake. I do quite remember the bones, but not there being any kind of great big bru-ha-ha, or my having gotten in trouble over it. Either I am very forgetful or maybe the hammer fell did not fall until after I left so that Spiderman caught the whole brunt. My part in the incident was mostly aimed at annoying Dave Sanders, hoping he might fear me as a santanist and so give up on thumping his bible in my direction all the time. I seem to recall that it only half worked and was hardly worth the effort. Al and John recounted to me today as how Lt. Dunn had to write the Government of Japan an official letter of apology.
Al has promised to send me some photos to be scanned. When he does I’ll post them in a separate page on this site along with any comments or stories he’d like to include. The same goes for John should he care to contribute. As yet unread, let me take this opportunity here and now to deny their versions of any incriminating events catagorically...or else take the fifth.
With any luck, maybe I can persuade Al Bauer to tell this story properly. But once at a party at Lt. Dunn’s house (it may have been Christmas, I can’t quite remember) Al had invited along two sumo wrestlers whom he knew. One was in training to the other, some such traditional arrangement. None of us other yanks quite knew what to say to them by way of starting up conversation.
Steven, Bob Mullins and I were near to one of them. The sumo was, I think, a middle weight, as they go. Something in the range of a bigger-than-average football defensive lineman. Steven broke the ice with a question like, "Just how strong are you guys anyway?" The sumo, who was delicately holding a cocktail glass in one hand effected a most convincing demonstration with the other hand. He got a hold of Steven’s belt in one tight fist, and raised the fist into the air above his head, with Steven balancing teeter-totter fashion atop that fist. Both Bob and I, and I dare say Steven, were most impressed.
(from the program pamphlet)
Commander Wilson enlisted in the United States Navy in July 1973. Following completion of Recruit Training he attended Mineman Class A School and was assigned to the Mobile Mine Assembly Group Naha Okinawa, Japan. In 1976, he attended the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School, Indian Head, Maryland. As an enlisted EOD Technician his duty stations included Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group TWO, Fort Story, Virginia; Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group ONE Detachment Adak, Alaska; and the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Center, Indian Head, Maryland. In July 1982 he was selected to participate in the Enlisted Commissioning Program.
In May 1984, Commander Wilson graduated from the University of Idaho and was commissioned through Officer Candidate School, Newport, Rhode Island. Upon commissioning, he attended Surface Warfare Officer School, Newport, Rhode Island and the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center, Panama City, Florida. Upon graduation he was assigned to the USS RECOVERY (ARS 43) where he served as the Communications and Diving Officer. During this assignment he completed a Mediterranean deployment and qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer and Special Operations Officer. In July 1987 he reported to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training and Evaluation Unit ONE, Barbers Point, Hawaii serving as the Air/Surface Weapons Department Head. Following this tour, he was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit NINE, Vallejo, California. His duties included Officer in Charge of EODMU NINE DET San Francisco; Navy EOD Task Unit Commander for the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, Washington; Officer in Charge of EODMU NINE Detachment THIRTEEN deployed in USS MISSOURI (BB 63) during Operations DESERT SHIELD/STORM. In July 1991 he was assigned as the Officer in Charge of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit NINE Detachment Concord, California. In June 1993 he assumed the duties as the Operations Officer for Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit ELEVEN, Whidbey Island, Washington. In January 1995 he was commissioned as a Naval Reserve Officer in the Training and Administration of Reserves (TAR) Program. On October 1996, he assumed command of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit SEVENTEEN, Whidbey Island, Washington. On 1 December, Commander Wilson assumed command of Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center Boise, Idaho and in January 2002 was reassigned to Commander Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group TWO as Reserve Coordinator/Intelligence Department Head. On 20 January 2003, he was assigned the duties as Commanding Officer, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit TWELVE.
Commander Wilson holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from the University of Idaho and a Masters of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University. His awards and decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (Silver Star with Combat Distinguishing Device), the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, and various unit/service awards. He is qualified as a Master EOD Technician and Naval Parachutist.
Commander Wilson is married to the former Judy M. Gudmanson from ST. Anthony, Idaho.
Just in closing, let me mention that Steven sold me his motorcycle before he departed Okinawa. It was an orange-red Honda 350cc DOHC. My third bike, and the first one bought wholly out of my own pocket. Sadly, it did not last very long. I lent it to another mineman, Dave Sanders, who assured me that he knew how to ride. But Dave only knew in theory, it seems. For he wheelied it out of the parking lot and crashed it into the curb inside of the very first minute. Jim Wright insisted that he’d be able to fix it. So I sold it to him and bought Denny Iversen’s Honda 450 DOHC instead.
But Dave had done quite thoroughly for the 350, in that the crankcase and maybe even the crankshaft were broken. Sorry, Steven, but your old faithful never ran again.
I mention that motorcycle in particular because, for me, it was bike number three. I rode another motorcycle down from Michigan just to attend, some 993 miles, one way. This is my 7th bike total, only the second I ever owned new. The odo now reads at 31K. (Lt. Gentry, if you are out there, this is for you: Pthhhhhht!)
Anyway, good luck Steven! I don’t know whether it has been a while. We did not get too much time for talk. But you’ve got some spare time on you hands now. So why not buy another bike? A really, really big one this time. Not one of those putt-putts like what we used to ride. I read in the trade magazines as how Triumph has a 2,200cc, longitudinal in-line 3-cylinder prototyped and maybe slotted for production. As an officer you may have possibly developed a taste for authority. I expect you handled that well. If you miss it now, well...a bike like this has got it in spades. Just an idea... Enjoy your time however you spend it.
I am informed that Steven has since died at home after a battle with liver disease and complications from that disease. Steven passed on May 31st, 2019. This sad information was relayed to me via email by Mike Foucher (CWO, USCG, Retired) who had worked with Steve Wilson for his final ten years at the Department of Homeland Security. In said email, Mike relayed following: He leaves behind his wife Judy and a number of children and grandchildren. There is a Military memorial service being held June 14th, 0900, at Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake Washington. Steve had been living in the Spokane area for the last ten years. Just wanted to share the info with you as it looks like you knew Steve and respected him. Steve always spoke fondly of his time in Okinawa and we shared many sea stories about Okinawa and Japan among other places we both sailed.
