First a little about myself. My name is Carlton Cox and I am a retired Firefighter from the town of Braintree Massachusetts.  Before joning the Fire Dept. I was in the U.S. Navy for 9 years.  During my two tours in the Navy I was stationed at Pensacola Florida, Cheltenham Maryland, Bremerhaven Germany, Winter Harbor Maine, a TAD trip aboard the USS Halfbeak SS352 and the USNS Pvt Jose F Valdez TAG169.  This site is dedicated to the Crew Members of the Valdez.

I was onboard the Valdez for a short period of time(November 1963 to March of 1964) but I will remember the tour for a lifetime.  I will never forget the flight down to South Africa to meet the ship.  It took us three whole days to get there .  Spent a night in Dutch Guaina, a night in the Ascension Islands(a rock in the middle of nowhere) and on to Capetown to meet the ship.  I was only at sea for two cruises (due to some health problems) but they were unforgetable.  I became a Shellback on the Valdez a ceramony everyone should go through.  My biggest health problem was Hepititus and I had to be put off the ship in Lagos, Nigeria to be sent back to the States.  I will always remember heading away from the ship in the launch not knowing what was ahead of me.  Now all these years have gone by and through this computer I have been able to get back in touch with a few of the crew of the Valdez. I hope many more will find this site and I will be able to put some of their memories and pictures on here as well.