Navy was way of life for one family

Bill Jones at his retirement in 1973 from the Navy.

This is about my dad, who, at the age of 15 years old joined the Navy. His name is Bill Jones. He was born and raised in Oskaloosa. He passed away in 1975 from cancer. One year after retiring.

He was the most amazing man I have ever known. Not just because he was my father, but, because of how he treated people. He was a true friend to everyone. And everyone considered him their friend.

He served on the USS Canopus, and in or around 1968 we moved to Rota Spain. While living in Spain for 2 years, he refused to live on base. He wanted to live in town amongst the people. Getting to know them was very important to him.

He bought a donkey (who he named Sophia after Sophia Loren) (doubt she would be too happy to know that, but he loved her as an actress LOL) and he would ride it to the ship and tie it at the dock. He would wear his straw hat, holey jeans, and tennies, and sit on the donkey at the end of our road, and wait for the parades to come by. As all the Spaniards saw him they would yell…. Benga Aqui Bill Jones!! (come on join us Bill Jones) And off he would trot on the donkey and join in on the parade. A smile on his face that could light up any night sky.

One night we came home, and found 2 Spanish kids trying to break into our home. My dad followed the kids home, and had me tell their dad… Don’t break into my home. If you need food… just ask me.  And he then gave them all a bunch of food. After that night, those 2 little boys were like his sons. And the most tragic part was when one of those children was killed by a drunk sailor from the ship. All Americans were told to stay in their homes on the days of the funerals. My dad refused, and he went to the funerals of the little boy, his uncle, and another child. And he was welcomed with open arms.  Mind you this was very risky, as at the time we lived there, the country was still under dictatorship from Franco. But he knew in his heart, they would welcome him. And he was right.

While living in Spain he was awarded for having the best Spanish/American relationships. As far as I know, this had never been awarded to anyone before.

We then came back to the states for one year, and in 1970 we moved to Dunoon (Holy Loch) Scotland.

Again, in my dads true form, he made friends with everyone there. He went out and bought a kilt, which he wore the day he retired. He wore it quite often also. The picture I am attaching to this email is of him in his Kilt on the day he retired.
I remember Bar-B-Qing, and people stopping outside our yard staring, because back then, they didn’t BBQ over there. And he would yell… come on in!! And then feed these people. Just amazes me still.

There was a pub in the hotel right behind our house, and one night, my dad runs into the house yelling for me to make some pop corn. I thought he had lost his mind. LOL. It happens they had never heard of popcorn, so, after two BIG bags of popcorn made, off he went.

As I said, he bought a kilt, and wore it often with great pride. The neighbors however, put a stop to him buying a Bagpipe. HA.

It was in Scotland that my dad and mom adopted 2 children. Scott and Julie. And of course, Scott was named for Scotland, and he had a kilt from before he could walk. 🙂

My dad retired from the Navy in 1973, and the day of his retirement, they had a huge surprise ready and waiting for him. When he got to the dock to go over to the ship, there was a bagpiper there, who piped him aboard the captains boat, and then when they got on the ship, all personnel was on board, lining the ship from end to end, and the bag piper then piped him from one end of the ship to the next.

They then had a big party for him at the club. When he came home (sadly I didn’t go to his retirement–I was 17 and thought I still knew it all) he looked at me and cried. And said… I feel like I have just lost my best friend. See, to him, the navy was his best friend. I will never forget that. It was then I realized, I might be 17, but I don’t know squat and I just made a huge mistake by not going with them when he retired.

He was also given an award for best Scottish/American relationships. And as far as I know, he was the only one again to receive this award.

I went to a web site once for the USS Canopus, and posted about my dad passing away etc. Gave his full name, not thinking anything of it. I got emails later on from some of them, and one in particular made me laugh till I cried. See.. on his name badge it simply said… W.T.Jones… this man emailed me to tell me.. no one ever knew what WT stood for. When they would ask him, he would just smile and say “Water tight” LOL!

During one of the wars, and I cant remember which one, he was stationed in Italy (Isle of Capri). When we lived in Spain, he went back there, and people on the street yelled for him by name. That’s how much of an impression he left on people.

Becky Gursky
Oskaloosa Iowa