Bill Birdsong

Bill joined the Navy in April of 1958 and went through boot camp in SanDiego, Ca.
In December 1958 he reported aboard his first ship, a sea plane tender, U.S.S. ORCA AVP-49.
He remained aboard until the Orca was decommissioned in Astoria, Oregon in Feb. 1960.
In April 1960 Bill went aboard the U.S.S. FLOYD B. PARKS DD-884 and stayed on the Parks until his four years in the Navy was up in April 1962.
He was in the gunnery division as a seaman. During his time on the Parks he made two westpac cruises stopping in ports such as Yokosuka, Sasebo, Kobe, Phillipines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.