The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the June 2024 story of the month has been selected to recognize the service of United States Navy Veteran, Lieutenant William Webb. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to interview Lieutenant William Webb at the USS Lloyd Thomas Association Reunion held at Annapolis Maryland in the Spring of 2023. 

Marva Farrington joined the United States Navy Reserves in 1984 to support her family and future. She enlisted at the age of 25 and entered the Navy under the advanced pay grade program due to her prior experiences in the civilian sector. Upon completing basic training through APG School, she was sent to learn the role, history, and mission of a United States Navy Yeoman. While reflecting on the training process and graduating Yeoman School, she remarked, “It was self satisfying, I can do this, and I can continue on and progress in my rate. I am now officially Navy.”

Chief Farrington’s first reserve assignment was at Pearl Harbor. Her role was working with logistical matters focused on intermediate maintenance activities for ships. While reflecting on reserve assignments, she shared, "Whenever I would go on annual training, my goal was for me not to look as the reservist, but to be a member of the team. I really accomplished that. No one ever said, oh, that reservist is here, I was always welcomed.” As the years progressed, Chief Farrington’s reserve assignments soon expanded beyond Hawaii and extended to Japan and the Philippines. Her experiences along the Pacific rim reflect unique perspectives during the Cold War Era and hospitality towards American service personnel. She explained, “Any place I have ever been to, I was always treated well.”

In the late 1980’s, Chief Farrington reflect upon learning about the growing tension in the Middle East and preparing for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Her battalion was called up and deployed on December 26th, 1990 for Subic Bay in the Philippines. Chief Farrington worked on logistics in support of the troop buildup in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

One of her roles in the Philippines focused on cargo handling, working crane’s, forklifts, and loading ships with the supplies needed for the mission in the Middle East. This was not the typical role of a Yeoman, however, Chief Farrington’s story is not typical. Her story illustrates a can do spirit and true embrace of the meaning of team.

After serving additional deployments in the Philippines, Chief Farrington was attached to Inshore Boat Unit 13. Following that assignment, she embarked to Europe and was assigned to European Command Headquarters. She proudly shared, “I loved it, I was in Germany twice. I liked to go and see stuff, I was there 13 months in total and saw 13 different countries…it was just wonderful.” Chief Farrington truly made the most of her deployments. She took full advantage of travel opportunities, learning about the customs and culture of the different regions she was ordered to, while completing all tasks and assignments she was presented, in admirable fashions.

Chief Farrington’s 25 years of extraordinary service began in 1984 and continued to 2009. Her story highlights the value and opportunities found within the United States Navy Reserve.

The United States Navy Memorial honors United States Navy Veteran, Chief Yeoman Marva Farrington, featured within this series titled, Tales from the Navy Log, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service