William R. Snyder CTTC 1958 - 1978
Back in 1958 my buddy wanted to join the US Marine Corps  Reserves while we were in high school. 
I told him sure, but  need my  mom to  sign as I am only  17. I told mom,  I want to join the 
US Marine Corps Reserve. Wait she  said. Father and Uncles were in the Army  in WWII. But mom 
had some friends who were in the US Navy during  WWII. One of them was now the Commander of 
US Naval  Reserve Unit in Allentown, Pa. Mom said she would approve if I joined the US Navy 
Reserve. I did and was an  SR during my  senior year in high  school. In the summer of my 
graduation I wanted to visit my  dad in  Oregon. I told the US Naval Reserve Admin that I 
 would not be attending drills on Tuesday evening because I was  going to Oregon. That got
a laugh. You cannot do  what you want. I was upset. I will  show you,  Navy Reserve. I went 
to  the US  Post Office and joined the regular Navy and became part of the  All Pennsylvania 
Boot Camp Company; The Distilfink Battalion. Then towards the end  of Boot Camp I was  told  
I  was  going to US Naval Communications Center, Imperial  Beach, California  for an A School 
to become a  Communications Technician. As a side note I was told that when I was about 3 in 
1944 the family was visited by a friend of  my  Uncles who was in the US Navy. He came  in his 
dress whites, I was told. His name was  Paulie. Later on there was a parade in the town featuring 
the Military. As the Navy went by I said to my  mom. " Look at all the Paulies" and I became one.