Page 82 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2025 - Online Magazine

by Marilyn Wragg

entered the Navy as an E1 (‘a striker’)
and exited active duty as an E5 (Petty
Officer 2nd Class).”

“What was the hardest part of your
deployment?”

“Isolation. We were primarily
stationed off the coast of North
Vietnam. We only got mail by
I (Marilyn) stayed in Texas to helicopter every 6-8 weeks, so there
teach school, with plans to join were very long periods of not hearing
Mike in June. But after President from home.”
Nixon announced on 8 May 1972
that the harbors of North Vietnam “What physical challenges did you face?”
were being mined, the Robison
received immediate orders for early “Being in a combat zone, we stood
deployment. port and starboard watches—six
ichael Wragg enlisted in hours on, six hours off—around the
Spring 1970. Since his From 17 May to 15 December 1972, clock. It was exhausting. When we
Mdad was career Air Force, the Robison participated in what did sleep, my small compartment
and with Vietnam looming large, Commander Robert Lage described contained 24 sailors in 3-tier bunks.
Mike felt an obligation to serve. After as “one of the greatest sustained Mid-compartment was the elevator
researching options, he chose the U.S. Naval gunfire efforts in the history for the rear gun mount; the magazine
Navy Reserve for two years active of our country.” The Cruise Book was directly below us and the rear
and four years reserve duty. That (a pictorial history documenting gun mount directly above. When
summer, Mike completed boot camp the daily life and voyages of a we shelled the coast, we heard the
in San Diego. He and I married in ship’s crew) details the many loud elevator going up and down,
August 1970 and lived in Lubbock for accomplishments of their Westpac guns firing, and subsequent shell
11 months while he attended weekly deployment. discharges. We fired so many shells,
Reserve meetings. we had to have our gun barrels
I often quizzed Mike to ascertain his replaced twice.”
In July 1971, Mike reported for active perspective.
duty. “At Treasure Island, I received “Going in, were you nervous about “What did you do for relaxation?”
my Damage Controlman rating by succeeding?” “We all had cassette tape players,
completing firefighting and nuclear listening to the music of the day.
warfare schools. Then, at 32nd Street “Of course. But my dad told me We played a lot of cards. I made a
Naval Station in San Diego, I received I only needed to remember three few good friends. I was a big Dallas
my Shipfitter rating by learning to things to succeed in the military. ‘Be Cowboys fan, so I spent hours
be a welder and plumber. I then where you are supposed to be, when listening to the tapes you sent of all
transferred to the Fleet, boarding you are supposed to be there, and their games. The Executive Office
the (Guided Missile Destroyer) USS do what you are ordered to do as ended up broadcasting them ship-
Robison in January 1972.” best you can.’ The formula worked. I
wide; they were a huge hit.”

82 Lubbock Senior Link