![]() Chuck Waddell shows off a few of the many projects in his woodworking shop, Cedar City, Utah, J| Photo by Jeff Richards, St. Before that time, there were no Underwater Construction Teams to speak of, and qualified divers were only used on an “as-needed” basis. Waddell then went to Second Class Dive School in 1966 before serving in Vietnam.Īlthough the Seabees utilized divers from their inception, none had been permanently assigned diving as their primary duty. Seabees are Construction Battalion members that comprise the Naval Construction Force (NCF). Waddell’s military service began in 1960 when he enlisted in the Navy to become a Seabee. “I think it was the proudest moment of my life, to be in the service for 50 years and get promoted to chief petty officer,” he said. “I spent $1,000 on dress uniforms and I had to go through a week’s initiation.”Ĭapping off what Waddell called “a wonderful week,” he stood alongside a couple of dozen fellow sailors as they honored him and promoted him to honorary E-7 status. ![]() “After being out of the service for 50 years, I was brought back into the Navy,” Waddell said. Waddell said one of his proudest moments came in November 2021 when he was appointed Honorary Chief Petty Officer nearly five decades after being discharged from the Navy in 1972. ![]() The 80-year-old Waddell recently spoke with Cedar City News at his home just west of Cedar City. 19, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Chuck Waddell, St. Charles Waddell (center) on the day he was promoted to Chief Petty Officer, Port Hueneme, Calif., Nov. ![]() “Chuck” Waddell says his career in the service, which was cut short by injury, is only part of the legacy he hopes to leave behind. ![]()
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