My father – John Franklin Dierks – served in the US Navy for 20 years.
He served at NAS Alameda with VR-2 as a flight engineer on the MARS from July 1952 to June 1957. He was also part of the Ships Company VA 145 on the USS Ranger when they brought the Ranger from Norfolk, VA – on the goodwill tour around South America – finally to home port NAS Alameda. Dates: March 1959 to August 1961.
I grew up in Alameda and remember when my Dad was flying the MARS from Hawaii to Alameda – couldn’t wait for him to get home as he always brought FRESH pineapple !!!
He was born in 1920 and died in 1995.
— provided by Linda L. Dierks