Honoring Our Heroes

Petty Officer First Class Jerry Wayne Moreland: Age 83

Petty Officer First Class (PO1) Jerry Wayne Moreland served in the United States Navy for 20 years and nine months. His Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) was communications as a radio man. He received the following medals, awards, decorations, citations and ribbons: Good Conduct Medal (five), Meritorious Unit Commendation and Golden Wreath Award (seven) for excellent performance meeting criteria set by the Commanding Officer Navy Recruiting Command.

PO1 Moreland was born June 28,1941 to his parents, Colis and Mildred Moreland in Columbus, GA. He was reared in Montgomery, AL, While in high school, he was athletic and participated in football, basketball and track. He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1959. He attended Huntingdon College for a while, and then he volunteered to serve in the U.S. Navy. He selected the Navy because his father and uncle had served in the Navy.

PO1 Moreland enlisted in the U.S. Navy January 29, 1960. He completed Boot Camp at the Navy Training Center (NTC) at San Diego, CA, during January to March 1960. His first Navy ship on which he served was the USS Ranger (CVA-61) a Forestal-class supercarrier, working as a Boatsman during May 1960 through November 1962. He then volunteered to work as a radioman and trained at the “A” School in San Diego, CA, during May through November 1962. Next, he trained at the Submarine School at the Naval Submarine Base, New London, CT, during November 1962 through January 1963. His fifth assignment was serving near Key West for three years during February 1962 to February 1965 on the USS Chopper, a Balao-class submarine which was the only ship named for the chopper, a common name for an aggressive game fish. Next, he was stationed at the Naval Communication Station at Norfolk, VA, during March 1965 through February 1967. While there, he met his future wife who was serving as a WAVE in the Navy. He then served on the Lafayette-class ballistic missile nuclear submarine, the USS John Adams, during March 1967 through January 1971. The crew would be under water continuously for two months. His crew was the Gold Crew, and they would be gone for three months, and another crew, the Blue Crew, would serve while his crew remained on shore. He then attended the Instructor School at Norfolk, VA, during February 1971 through March 1971 where he learned how to use teletype which is similar to typewriters and uses electrical pulses to transmit messages. They are also known as a teleprinter or TTY, a device that sends and receives typed messages using various communication channels. He completed this training so that he could learn how to teach others to use teletype. Next, he served at Charleston, S.C., at the Fleet Ballistic Submarine Center where he taught others how to repair teletype machines during April 1971 to February 1974. He then served on the Frances Scott Key, a Benjamin Franklin -class ballistic missile submarine during March 1974 to May 1977 near Rota, Spain. He and the crew were on the Gold Crew and served three months on the submarine and then three months in port while the Blue Crew served on the submarine. Durng his crew’s time of service, they would submerge for two months. He then completed training during June 1977 to July 197 at the ENRO School in Orlando, FL, to learn how to become a Navy recruiter. His final assignment was serving as a Navy recruiter at NAVCRUIT DIST Montgomery, AL, during October 1977 to October 1980 where he then retired from military service October 31, 1980 concluding his service at 12 Naval bases.

Since his military retirement, he worked for two years for Rheem Manufacturing Company in Montgomery, AL, a company that makes hot water heaters, heating and cooling systems, pool and spa heaters, etc. Then he worked for 22 years with Steris Corporation, a company that manufactures parts and products for patient care in hospital. He retired from all employment in 2002.

He and his wife, Linda Jean, were married 51 years until she passed away, and they had three children, four grandchildren and two great-grand children. They were members of the Dalraida Baptist Church in Montgomery. They enjoyed working in their flower garden and feeding humming birds.

PO1 Moreland’s conclusions about what serving in U.S. Navy means to him are: “I was glad to do it. You had to be when you when you were under the water for two months at a time. I enjoyed the Navy even though I was gone from home.” He would like people to remember him as being a good person and helping people any time that they needed help.

THE VIEWS OF SUBMITTED EDITORIALS MAY NOT BE THE EXPRESS VIEWS OF THE ALABAMA GAZETTE.