Thomas Corzan: Three Decades in The Navy

By Al Rodriguez, Honor Flight Chicago Veteran Interview Volunteer

When Tom turned 18, he took to heart the Navy slogan, “Join the Navy and See the World.” He enlisted and did just that. 

Tom was born in Joliet, Illinois but grew up in Plainfield. He is the oldest of four boys. He graduated from Plainfield High School in 1963 with a class of 89. He moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and decided to enlist in the Navy in October, 1963.

His father served in the Navy during WWII on the USS Cleveland cruiser that served in North Africa, then saw a lot of action in the Pacific including operations at Guadalcanal. His dad was recalled for the Korean War and served on the USS Latimer, a teaching landing ship at Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Tom was sent to San Diego to Recruit Training Command for his Basic Training. About training, he said “I can’t believe I got myself into this” but was happy with the muscle tone on his body.

After R.T.C. he went to Treasure Island in San Francisco for specialty training. He wasn’t up for more schooling, so he requested to be transferred to a ship. He said he joined the Navy to serve on ships, not land. In May of 1964, he was assigned to the USS Robison, DDG-12. DDG designates the ship as an Adams class guided missile destroyer and 12 is the ship number. He was assigned as a deck seaman cleaning, painting and rigging duties on the ship. After a year and a half, he became a leading seaman. He drove a 34 foot Gig boat transporting the captain and other passengers to and from the ship. 

In 1965, he re-enlisted early and was sent to gunnery school at Great Lakes Naval Station. He learned to fire the Mark 42 5”/54 caliber guns. These guns can be fired manually or automatically and use different types of ordnance, ammunition that weighs 82 pounds. Tom finished his training in March of 1967.

As an E-4 Petty Officer third class, he was assigned to the USS Lynde McCormick, DDG-8.  The ship needed a missile launcher, so that was his first assignment. Eventually, he was promoted to gun captain in charge of a gun mount. His duties were loading the ammunition and maintenance of the gun. 

In three and a half years, the USS Lynde McCormick was sent to Vietnam three times, each time in 9 month assignments. In Tom’s first experience in Vietnam, the Nha Trang base was under attack. Their ship came into the harbor firing both guns to repel the attack. The USS McCormick was also part of Operation Sea Dragon assigned to attack land based Vietnam targets and waterborne craft with naval gunfire. The USS McCormick worked north of the DMZ. As Tom explained, the ship would move towards the target using a John Wayne tactic, going straight towards the shore at about 30 knots. When the target was in range, the ship would turn parallel to the shore and fire their guns and missiles. After one such run the NVA fired their shore guns at them. Zigzagging and firing back, they were hit by shrapnel and some rounds blew the paint off of their ship but no damage was sustained. They calculated that 300 rounds were fired at them and the cruiser USS Newport News that was on the operation with them. This action was recorded by an 8mm camera from the USS Newport News. You can view it on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=my+ship+fired++on+by+nva+coastal+gun+batteries Tom says it is the only time he saw his gun firing rounds at the enemy.

While in Vietnam, the USS Lynde McCormick was sent to Korea on a rescue mission when the USS Pueblo was captured. The Tet Offensive in Vietnam started and they were recalled to provide supporting gunfire for the Marines on Hue and surrounding areas. They fired so many rounds with their guns during Tet that their 5” guns wore out and had to be replaced. On their way to the Philippines for repairs, they got an emergency call that a Marine patrol needed immediate assistance. Even though they told them their gun’s accuracy could be off as much as a half a mile, they still wanted shelling. They were later told the Marines escaped.

Tom’s next assignment was in Charleston, South Carolina to work on missile maintenance. They repaired, built and transferred missiles, including nuclear missiles.

In December, 1969 Tom was assigned to the USS Sellers, DDG-11 as a GMM1, Gunners Mate Missiles First Class. The ship went on a round the world cruise in 7 months. He was then promoted to an E6, First Class Petty Officer. 

In 1975, Tom resigned from the Navy. He said he was upset because the U.S. did not intervene in the fall of South Vietnam. He moved to Wheatfield, Indiana and went to work in the U.S. Steel plant as an electrician. 

In 1980, he decided to return to the Navy and worked as a Navy Recruiter in Valparaiso, Indiana. He was hospitalized at Porter Memorial Hospital and met Cindy who was a Nurse’s Assistant. They dated for 3 months and then married. His family and friends told him it would never work. 42 years later they are still together. They have a son and a daughter and three grandchildren. 

In 1983, he was promoted to E7, Chief Petty Officer and was assigned to the USS Sampson DDG-11 working with Missile Launching Systems. The USS Sampson was sent for duty to the Middle East. This assignment was during the Iraq/Iran war and the area was dangerous. Tom remembers escorting a shipment of tanks that were being sent to Kuwait through the Straits of Hormuz. The USS Sampson also escorted Admiral Less on a diplomatic mission to Kuwait.

The USS Sampson was stationed in Florida in 1986 when the Challenger Shuttle exploded. It was the first ship in the area. 

In 1987, the Sampson was back in the Persian Gulf. Tom was on duty as the Weapons Control Officer when he saw on the radar a plane that looked like it was in an attack profile. The Navy Rules of Engagement state that they are to track all planes. Disregarding these rules, his Tactical Actions Officer told Tom to ignore the threat. He disobeyed orders and illuminated the plane with his missile radar and the plane pulled off. Even though he disobeyed orders, he was cleared of charges by the Captain. He stated that Tom’s action possibly saved lives. A few months later the USS Stark was attacked by an Iraqi fighter and 37 seamen were killed. 

Tom was transferred to Great Lakes Naval Station in 1988 as a Naval Instructor/Missile Launching. He was promoted to E8, Senior Chief Petty Officer and Leading Chief Petty Officer in charge of the instructors for the Gunnery C School.

In 1992, Tom was assigned to Puerto Rico as the Administrative Officer in the Weapons Department. He was then made the Officer in Charge of Security in Vieques, a small island off the main island. At the time, there were ongoing protests against the Navy’s use of the Island. It was not an easy assignment. 

Tom retired from the Navy in 1994. He returned to Indiana and worked at Bethlehem Steel until his retirement in 2016. He and his wife bought a Winnebago and they travel around the country. Recently they visited Myrtle Beach and then drove to Tonganoxie, Kansas to attend their granddaughter’s high school graduation.

About his Navy experience, Tom says he had more good than bad times. It was easier to be in the military before the Vietnam War started because you could go anywhere and no one cared about you. During the war, he had many obscenities directed at him and once he was spat on. Tom has Navy related health issues that the VA is treating; not surprising hearing loss is one of them.  

Tom is looking forward to his Honor Flight trip to D.C. He wants to go to the Vietnam Wall because he had a friend on the aircraft carrier the USS Forrestal in the Gulf of Tonkin that experienced an explosion that killed 130 sailors. He also is looking forward to seeing the WWII memorial. Tom’s father in law, Charles Swickard, a Korean vet, flew with Honor Flight 4 years ago, and Tom enjoyed the Welcome Home ceremony at Midway.

Tom, thank you for your many years of dedicated and courageous service to our country.  Enjoy your well-deserved day of honor on Honor Flight Chicago’s 102nd flight. Welcome home!