Joe Spinazzola: On the Brink of Nuclear War

By Charlie Souhrada, Honor Flight Chicago Veteran Interview Volunteer

Two months before Joe Spinazzola graduated high school, his father sat him down and presented three options for 17-year-old Joe’s future. One week later, Joe announced his chosen path – one that delighted his father, upset his mother, and put him at the doorstep of a potential nuclear war. 

Joe’s story begins July 22, 1943, when he was born in Altoona, PA. When he was five years old, his parents, Patrick and Anna, decided to move the family, which included Joe’s older brother, Robert, to California, in search of a better life. 

“My dad had a brother in California,” he remembers. “He told my dad, ‘Come out to California where you can make some real money.’ We packed up everything, got on a train and stopped in Blue Island because my mom’s relatives all lived here.” During the layover, the family attended a wedding and their stay extended for several weeks. “My mother’s brother was also a barber, and he offered my dad a job.” Joe says “My mother said to my dad, ‘We’re not going any farther, we’re staying here.’” The family put down stakes and Joe’s dad worked for his brother-in-law for five years until opening his own place, Pat’s Barber Shop, in Blue Island.

Growing up, Joe and his brother enjoyed a typical childhood. “We were normal kids,” he says. “Most of the time we were outside playing with the neighborhood kids. Those were good times!” As a teen, Joe attended Blue Island Community High School – which was renamed in honor of President Dwight Eisenhower in 1962. In his spare time, he worked odd jobs, delivered newspapers, pumped gas, and worked in tire shops. 

“Two months before I graduated, my father sat me down and asked what I wanted to do after high school. He told me I had three choices – ‘go to barber school, go to college, or get a job – those are your three choices and you’ve got a week to decide.’” 

Joe talked it over with three of his closest friends and they made a pact. “We said, ‘You know what, there’s this thing going on in this place called Vietnam,’ it was all over the news, and we said, ‘let’s join the Navy!’ So, the four of us went down to the recruiting office in Chicago on Western Avenue, signed up and joined the Navy. Trouble was, I was under 18 years old and needed my parents’ signature.”       

Soon after, during dinner one night, Joe’s father asked about his plans – college, barber school, or work. Joe had the permission papers with him and said, “Sign this, I joined the Navy!” His father’s reaction was positive, “Great, it’ll give you some experience in the world!” His mother, on the other hand, was worried about her baby boy. Despite the mixed reaction, his father signed the papers. On June 16, 1961, 21 days after graduation, Joe began Basic Training with his three close friends at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago.  “I didn’t know what to expect and I’m not going to lie,” Joe says. “That first week was hard! Being away from home, sharing everything was different. They told us, ‘There are no phones here; you can’t call your mother!’”  

He remembers learning to wash his clothes on the shower room floor using a scrub brush. “One time, a commander told us to put our dress whites on. We thought something big was coming. Then he lined all 60 men in our company up and took us to the obstacle course in our dress whites! When we got back to the barracks, he told us we had all night to make them look like new. It was part of living. We had to learn how to follow rules and obey orders.”

After Boot Camp, Joe enjoyed a two week leave, then reported to Naval Submarine Base New London, in Groton, CT where he worked in the motor pool for six months while waiting for his orders. Eventually, he was assigned to the USS Van Voorhis (DE 1028), a Dealey-Class destroyer escort, where he served as one of six, Ship’s Servicemen (SH), who helped run the ship’s store, vending machines, and laundry. He remembers his pay was $87.50 per month. “It was a great deal,” he says. The only downside was the fact that the servicemen slept in the rear, near the ship’s rudders, where it was noisy, and sleep was difficult. 

According to the Naval History and Heritage Command website, in the fall of 1962, when the U.S. blockaded Cuba to keep offensive missiles from the island, the Van Voorhis, with Joe onboard, sailed to Mayport, FL to support the operation. 

“We were stationed in Newport, R.I., at the time and we got the alert to get back to our ship as soon as possible,” he remembers. “Within an hour, we were on board, dropped our lines and went down to Key West. All the ships were tied up down there, abreast of each other, and we were on guard 24 hours a day.” He remembers things were tense during that month and a half. “We’d watch these little Cuban gunboats circle us and we were worried, of course, but they really weren’t much of a threat.”  

In late October, President John F. Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to a treaty and the Van Voorhis returned without incident. A few months later, in early 1963, the ship was part of a seven month long goodwill cruise to Africa, crossing the equator twice and Joe became a “shellback.” 

In 1964, Joe’s active duty ended, and he joined the U.S. Navy Reserve stationed on Navy Pier in Chicago. “That was enjoyable,” he says. “We met once a month for a weekend where we listened to lectures and talked about our experiences.” In July 1967, Joe was honorably discharged after six years of service. 

While in the Reserves, Joe started his career servicing vending machines for George F. Mueller & Sons, based in Blue Island. “I was 21 years old making $9,000 annually,” he says. “That was a lot of money back then!” 

In 1968, Joe got married, had two sons – Alexander and Christopher – and continued to build a career working for various vending machine operators. For a time, he invested in a bowling alley in Dolton, but kept coming back to the world he knew – vending machines. 

After Joe and his wife divorced, he met Cathe Bottigliero in 2000 through a friend. “I used to hang out at this dance club and one of the girls said, ‘I’ve got someone I want you to meet!’ We just hit it off. She is my soulmate!” Now semi-retired, Joe keeps busy servicing vending machines for several, Chicago-area clients. He also enjoys his classic 1965 Malibu SS, tries to corral his pet chihuahuas, Bella and Bianca, is a proud stepfather to Cathe’s children, Anthony and Christe, plays with his grandchildren, Gianni and Alenia, and dotes on Cathe. 

Of his time in the Navy, Joe says, “I loved my time in the service. The recruiters all tell you to ‘Join the Navy and see the world,’ that’s exactly what I did!” 

The Spinazzola family wants to extend a special “thank you!” to Bridget who helped Joe with his Honor Flight paperwork. 

In turn, Honor Flight Chicago sends a hearty “thank you!” to you, Joe, for your service to your country. Enjoy your well-deserved day of honor on HFC’s 105th flight!