LCDR Ralph Bishop 1969-1995

My uncle, LCdr Robert Bishop, was CO of USS Banner (AKL-25) prior to and during refit to AGER-1.  
Although some may not know, AKL-25 had a CT compliment while still technically a supply ship (who would have thought that?). 
While in high school he would tell me stories of some of the hairy mission runs around N. Korea, and he was very complimentary 
of the CTs of the USS Banner.  So, when I was leaning toward enlisting in the Navy my uncle pushed hard for me to apply to CT.  
So in June 1969 boarded train from Columbia, SC to Orlando, FL for bootcamp.  A side note, during first few days in bootcamp 
was called to the division officers office with 1 other guy.  There we met with an O4 and O5 from Naval Academy who sat us down 
an explained that because of our high scores on the GCT/ARI Tests we were being offered a full scholarship to the US Naval Academy 
via the Naval Academy Preparatory School at Newport.  The other guy accepted but I was engaged and being married was disqualifying.  
Smart play in hindsight would have been to break the engagement and take the offer, but didn’t.  Didn’t feel that to be the honorable 
thing to do, notwithstanding that we were divorced within 3 years.  So instead of the Naval Academy I went to CTO “A” School in PCola 
and toured the world courtesy of US Navy and NavSecGru.  Ultimately, however, it seems fate wanted me to do the Officer thing so in 
1980 applied to OCS out of Guam and was accepted. Commissioned in February 1981 from a CTOC a Cryptologic Officer (1610).  
It was a great ride.