Welcome to the Kent City Area Society of History and Genealogy
Larry Welch Interview
March 7, 2017
Larry Welch was one of the Veterans interviewed for the fifth-grade writing project. Larry was interviewed on the 7th of March 2017. Larry is 75 years old and lives at 149 S. State Street, Sparta, MI. He is a U.S. Navy veteran of the Viet Nam War Era. Larry’s ship was the ‘Cruiser’ USS Northhampton. Larry was a machinist mate working on steam driven generators generating electricity. He was in the service for 3 1/2 years. Larry dropped out of school after 11th grade because he couldn’t play football at 19 years old. When he came back from the service he finished his schooling and graduated from Sparta in 1964. Larry entered the service under the ‘Buddy System’. Three of them enlisted together: Larry, Frank Driscoll and Rush Ring, all from Sparta.
Larry had a friend in the service who introduced him to his cousin whose name was Betty. Larry became pen pals with Betty and they later married in 1962. They have three children.
Larry’s Tours of Duty: Korea, Vietnam, Panama Canal (1961), Hawaii, Guam, Cam Ranh Bay, Somali, Jamaica, Virgin Islands, Haiti, Brazil, Mediterranean Sea, Spain, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Greenland, Nova Scotia, St. Lawerence Seaway, Lake Erie. Some ports were called “People to People Program”. During our “People to People” ports we had the King of Belgium come aboard while in Sweden and King Olav the 5th came on board in Norway. While in San Diego they took on 27 generators. It took two (2) days to unload one (1) generator. The generators were used for power and lighting for special forces bases.
Northhampton had one helicopter used primarily to fly in/out mail, supplies and medical emergency. Larry remembers the food was excellent. There were 4 chefs supporting 1440 enlisted men and 370 officers. Every Sunday there was a brunch starting at 6:00am – 2:00pm.
The Northampton was nicknamed the “Floating White House”. In the event of a nuclear attack the President of the United States would be transported to the Northampton. It was the first ship in the Navy to have air conditioning and water tight integrity. If in an atomic attack the ship had a special sprinkler system completely engulfing the ship protecting the ship from radiation. If the President could not go underground he and his entourage would come aboard our ship and be able to run the country from there.
Larry remembers encountering the roughest waters above Russia in the Artic Ocean. The men couldn’t lay in bunks without bunk straps. Mess cooks could only make sandwiches. Coffee was put in ½ filled pots on ropes tied to the ceiling. The ship was pitching bad enough when the nose went into the water the end propellers would come completely out of the water.
Larry remains friends with buddies from his service days. One is from Cleveland and another in Iowa. They talk often on the phone. Several have passed away. Larry attends reunions every year. He is Vice-President of the Northhampton Reunion Association. Reunions have occurred in San Diego, Oklahoma City, Mobile, Ala., Jacksonville, Fl, Columbia, SC, and Norfolk, Va. This year the reunion will be held in Chicago in September. This will be the last of the reunions.
Larry commented that cruisers were all named after cities, battleships were named after states and destroyers were named after dignitaries.
Larry asked that if the kids ever see the POW/MIA emblem, remember that it represents all the prisoner of war troops we had missing in the wars. These forces have never returned home. There is supposedly no idea what happened to them. Respectfully remember them and the sacrifice they made for our country.