Life Afer Spinax: Jim Nelson

I was discharged from the Navy about Dec. 17th, 1967 while the Spinax was still in the yard at Hunters Point, S.F. I was 23 and full of you know what. Went to Kansas with a Navy friend of mine and goofed off a month. Too damned cold for me ! Came home to Thatcher Az.. and went back to work in my dad's electrical contracting co.

I still had that adventure in me, so I went to work for Phillips Dodge Corp., a large copper mining Co. It was called a I.P. crew. What we did, was searched the earth body using electromagnetic D.C. & A.C. current to find the copper ore body. I spent time in the back country of AZ., N.M., & NV.

I got hitched while doing the above, thought I was in love at 24 ! Boy was that a wrong thing to do !! Went to work for a mining co. that was sinking a shaft down to 3000 ft. Worked at this for two years and after helping remove the second dead miner, I said thats enough. Got divorced and went back to work for my dad's co.

At age 27, 1972, went to work for the Ariz. Dept of Corrections as a electrican. This is when I married my wife Nancy, had two boys and at this time, we have been married 27 yrs. Have been with the State of Ariz. almost 28 yrs.I am now with the Ariz. Dept. of Veteran Service as a Phy. Plant Manager. I am looking at retiring with 30 yrs. and try something other then goverment.

My number two son has followed me into the sub ranks, he has been assigned the USS Salt Lake City, SSN-716 out of San Diego as a MM. Should have been a EM.

I really didn't give the Spinax a lot of thought until about two years ago, but things have changed. She was a great boat along with the crew that sailed her !!

Jim Nelson.