DAVID DAVENPORT

AOC (AW) USN Ret. enlisted in the Navy in July 1979, one month after my 17th birthday, and was in bootcamp just over another month after that. My two main reasons for joining the Navy were to get away from a dysfunctional siblings and the Iranian hostage crisis. I sailed on 6 Aircraft Carriers during my 25 year career, in order they are: USS Enterprise CVN-65, USS Kitty Hawk CV-63, USS Ranger CV-61 all ships company, USS Nimitz CVN-68 and USS Constellation CV-64 while attached to HS-2, USS Lincoln CVN-72 with CVW-14 staff as Red-dog.  I only had 2 shore duty assignments in my career. HC-11 San Diego Recruiting District 1 (I DO NOT count this as shore duty), and CNAP Weapons staff was my final assignment. During this assignment I went through a series of back surgeries leading to my retirement in 2004

               Just over the midway point of cruise onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in 2000 while attached to CVW-14 Staff, my ARM/DEARM team was on deck ready for the last launch of the day when an F-14 needs a push back on a cat 3. All hands join in. I looked over to see AO3 Shevettte Maultsby walk past me right up to the F-14 a/c intake. I grabbed her by the back of her float coat and started pulling her away. She wanted to fight until she turned around to see who was getting physical with her. I yelled at her while pointing to the intake. I told her to get her head out of her ass with hand signals in addition to her reading my lips. I told my AO1 to assemble all team members in my office at completion of flight ops.

               Muster in CAG Gunner office consisted of 15 people including the Gunner, AO1 and myself. Normally five people in the office was too many. I had AO3 Maultsby lay down on the office floor, fold her arms and close her eyes. She did so reluctantly.  I proceeded to start her mock funeral service with how I would inform her husband, whom had worked for me when I was attached to HS-2, that I could keep him safe on a cruise but not his wife. By the completion of my funeral service she and a few others had tears in their eyes.

In 2015 I had the privilege of attending AO1 Maultsby’s retirement where she told this story in her speech. This was the first time her two sons heard of this event.  (Although in her version I tackled her on deck!) Her oldest son was first to piece it together that he and his brother may not have been born had I not have acted. That same son, Iziah is now at WEST POINT! Congrats to him. If he’s anything like his parents he will do GREAT!

               Since retirement I’ve traded in wife #2! That she gets $800 a month from my retirement but it is well worth it to be rid of her! I’m currently in a very happy relationship with the woman that should have been wife #1 and only. I have 4 healthy kids and 5 grandchildren along with 3 dogs. The oldest grandson joined the Army last year.

               Since retirement I’ve been investing in gold, platinum and silver. I made the AO version of the dysfunctional veteran hat. I’ve gone thru 5 or 6 of them myself already. I made the USN/IYAOYAS 1 Oz silver round and along with my East Coast partner AOC (AW) Ret. Gloria Johnson we have the rights to the USN CPO F-Bombs (11 different ones).

All else is ONE DAY AT A TIME,

 IYAOYAS!