EARL EUGENE MEYERS
Earl Eugene Meyers Jr. was born 30-Jan 1959 Missouri. His parents were Earl E. Meyers (1934-2025), an Air Force veteran, and Evelyn E Hobson. Earl had one sister: Linda. Earl attended Roosevelt High School in St. Louis MO where he was a member of the swim team. He graduated in 1977.
Earl signed up under the Delayed Entry Program (DEP) on 11-Jan 1978 and joined the Navy on 30-Oct 1978. Navy basic training at that time was about eight weeks. Earl attended Basic Recruit Training in San Diego from October to December 1978.
Basic Electricity / Electronics Training San Diego CA
After basic, Earl began Basic Electricity & Electronics (BEE) training in San Diego, CA. U.S. Navy Basic Electricity and Electronics (BE&E or BEE) training was 8 weeks and was notoriously rigorous, foundational pipeline school. It taught core electrical theory and solid-state electronics to recruits heading into technical ratings like Electronics Technicians (ET), Sonar Technicians (ST), and Fire Controlmen (FC).
Electrician Mate “A” School, Great Lakes IL
From there, in April 1979, Earl went to Great Lakes, IL for Electricians Mate (EM) “A” School. Sailors in this 6-week class underwent intense technical instruction focused on marine electrical systems, motor generation, power distribution, and shipboard troubleshooting.
The USS Paiute (ATF-159)
On 9-Jun 1979, Meyers was mustered aboard the USS Paiute (ATY-159). New sailors instinctively widen their stance and slightly shift their posture to stay balanced on rolling waves. Earl earned his “Sea Legs” during his time on the Paiute. USS Paiute (ATF-159) was an Abnaki-class tug of the United States Navy during World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, and Persian Gulf War. She served a total of 44 years before being scrapped.
The complement (crew size) for the USS Paiute (ATF-159) was officially listed as 76 personnel, consisting of 8 officers and 68 enlisted men (some historical reference sheets list a general complement of around 97 depending on specific mission assignments or operational eras).
The USS Paiute was based out of Mayport, FL between schools. Naval Station Mayport is a major U.S. Navy port located in Jacksonville, Florida. It sits at the mouth of the St. Johns River in Duval County, about 15 miles east of downtown Jacksonville. It is the third-largest naval surface fleet concentration area in the country. The port features a deep-water harbor that can hold dozens of ships, including aircraft carriers. Mayport serves as the headquarters for the U.S. Fourth Fleet.
The USS Paiute responsibilities included:
- Battle damage salvage, retaking and repairing damaged warships under fire.
- Ocean towing, pulling disabled vessels, barges, and floating drydocks across thousands of miles.
- Rescue operations, providing emergency firefighting, dewatering, and diving support to ships in distress.
- Logistic support, assisting with harbor movements, anchor-handling, and clearing navigational hazards.
The USS Paiute had about 76 crew members (8 officers and 68 enlisted personnel), though actual day-to-day numbers often fluctuated depending on specific operations and assignments. As a fleet tug assigned to heavy salvage and towing, the ship routinely utilized specialized divers or as the crew called them, the “diving gang”. The USS Paiute also conducted burials at sea for retired, deceased Naval personnel. Earl left the Paiute on 26-May 1979.
Basic Nuclear Power School, Orlando FL
Earl’s next stop was training in Basic Nuclear Power School. Earl attended NUCLEAR POWER SCHOOL (CLASS 8001) at the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida from 23-Sep 1979 to 25-Apr 1980. The 24-week school was operated under the strict oversight of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover. The intensive six-month course comprised roughly 700 hours of classroom instruction, focusing heavily on core engineering and theoretical fundamental. Admiral Hyman G. Rickover (1900–1986) was a legendary four-star U.S. Navy admiral known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy.” He directed the development of naval nuclear propulsion, spearheaded the creation of the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, and served a historic 30-year tenure as director of the Naval Reactors office.
Nuclear Prototype Training, West Milton NY
From there, he was off to Balston Spa, New York for what the Navy called “NUPWR PLANT OPERATOR ON MARF PROTOTYPE. He was there 26 weeks beginning on 12-MAY 1980 and completing the training on 8-NOV 1980. While based there, Earl was a Electricians Mate 3rd Class (EM3c). In 1980, U.S. Navy Nuclear Prototype Training in New York took place at the Kenneth A. Kesselring Site in West Milton (near Ballston Spa/Schenectady). Trainees worked grueling 12-hour rotating shifts on active Cold War reactor prototypes like the S3G submarine prototype and MARF, completing intense hands-on operational qualifications. During the 1980’s there was high-volume students and training with roughly 2,000 sailors trained annually during the peak of the 1980s Cold War buildup. The students were divided into intensive classroom system-design phases followed by strict operational watch-standing and qualification boards inside the plant. The plant included operational prototypes such as S3G and MARF (Milford A. Reuben Facility. Earl called the plant, “very unique.”
Governed by Admiral Rickover’s notoriously uncompromising nuclear safety and engineering principles there were few incidences. Most recorded radiation exposure at the prototype and training facility consisted of minimal, highly regulated doses absorbed by personnel and rotating Navy student classes.
USS Bluefish SSN-675
His training complete, on 14-Dec 1980, Meyers went aboard the USS BLUEFISH (SSN-675). The submarine was part of the Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk VA. The Bluefish was a Sturgeon Class Attack Submarine. When Earl came aboard, the ship was commanded by Commander George Michael Hewitt (USN) Command Period: 21-Apr 1979 to – 18-Dec 1981.
U.S. attack submarines (SSNs) serve as both a frontline defensive and a frontline offensive weapon. It is America’s first strike force in the event of war.
Life for submariners is rather unique. They spend months underwater without seeing daylight. They call the artificial lighting and regulated ship climate affectionately as “60 cycle sunshine & man-made air”.
The story is very interesting. Click on the pdf for the rest of his story.
USS Bluefish
