The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the November 2024 story of the month has been selected to recognize the service of United States Navy Veteran, MM2 Donald E. Muffley. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to interview MM2 Donald E. Muffley at the USS Hector Reunion in 2021.The Following reflections of MM2 Muffley’s service was written by USS Hector AR-7 Historian, HT2 Charles Atkins.

"It was time to get out of town. Don wasn’t happy with his present situation. A buddy and he went down and enlisted in the US Navy on September 22nd, 1955. Home was in Three Rivers, Michigan, so at 19 years old, he soon found his new home (Bootcamp) at the Great Lakes Naval Recruit Center.

After a successful indoctrination, he wanted a job doing machinery repair. He was sent off to Machinist Mate “A” school. There was some anxiety about the type of work he would be doing. He thought his talents were not going to be recognized. Don had been a machinist before enlisting. Higher ranking folks thought different and he completed the “A” school satisfactorily.

He was assigned to the USS Hector, and boarded her on April 18th, 1956. He thinks at the time, Hector was at Pier 1, in San Diego, California. Don’s first job assignment was (2 months) mess cooking in the chief’s quarters. His first work assignment was to the engine room, as a fireman apprentice striker. Don was working in the forward stack and didn’t like his job or leadership there. He was able to talk his way into a transfer out of the engine room to the “A” gang (later turned into “DC” (Damage Control) division. The shop he worked out of, was located one deck below the main machine shop.

Don liked making all the different ports of call, including Hawaii, Japan and Hong Kong. Other memories of his Hector experience, were being involved with, U.S. Navy sailors helping to contribute to the construction of the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He is proud of his involvement with this effort.

During the mid-50’s he remembers having a TAD assignment as “Brig Chaser” working with the Marines. His job was to assist the marines dealing with the sailors in custody. He started out being kind to fellow shipmates, but soon learned that they did not feel the same way about him. In fact, the marines learned that Don could be just as tough as them, from the complaints to the Master Sergeant about him. He liked that duty and had volunteered to be extended.

Hector was put on emergency alert as the start of the Viet Nam war was breaking out. He was near the end of his enlistment and ready to return to civilian life.

Don got out after 3 years 9 months and 15 days. He was let out early, because the Hector was going on another WESTPAC. He did not want to be held over for the cruise so was transferred to the USS Hooper Island until his last day of enlistment.

Don returned home to Michigan and went back to work for his former employer making valve springs. He went to night school and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Management. He stayed with Machinist type work all along, doing such jobs as a tool and die maker and working on lathes and milling machines. Later, he would take jobs as a manufacturing engineer and his last job was as corporate engineer for Tecumseh corporation. He said, “his job there was finding new ways to do stuff”. Don Muffley retired on September 30th 2001.

Don has been the host for our 2006 reunion in Hagerstown, Maryland. He did this with John Blevins as his co-host. They were instrumental in getting the association bylaws into fruition during that reunion. He was also co-host for the 2018 reunion with Norris Long, in Roanoke, Virginia.”

The United States Navy Memorial honors United States Navy Veteran, MM2 Donald E. Muffley, 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.