Former Bluejackets Player Finally Attends a Boot Camp Graduation

Photo By Susan Martin | 170301-N-CM124-401 GREAT LAKES, Ill. (Mar. 17, 2017) Navy veteran Lloyd Grantham embraces his grandson, Seaman Recruit Matthew Grantham, during the boot camp graduation held March 17, at Recruit Training Command. The elder Grantham was a former member of the Great Lakes Bluejackets football team in 1950 when he was in boot camp. He missed his own boot camp graduation when the team was out of state for a game and finally was able to see such a ceremony. (U.S. Navy photo by Susan Krawczyk Released)  

GREAT LAKES, IL, UNITED STATES

03.17.2017

Story by Susan Martin 

U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command

GREAT LAKES (NNS) -- For Navy veteran Lloyd Grantham, attending his grandson's boot camp graduation, March 17 at Recruit Training Command, brought him full circle as he missed his own graduation in 1950 for a reason only a rare few can claim -- he was playing football.

Grantham, 89, of Chardon, Ohio, was a member of the Great Lakes Bluejackets football team 1950-52. While unheard of today, recruits had the opportunity to play football while in boot camp.

"They did that back then; boot camp was about 10 weeks long, and not long after I arrived I asked if they had a football team here and they said yes," said Grantham, who played football in high school. "I expressed interest in trying out for the team and a lieutenant commander talked to me about it. He said, 'The bus will pick you up at 1600 and will take you to main side.' I didn't even know what main side was!"

As scheduled, at 4 p.m., Grantham and a few other recruits hopped on a bus to head to the football field where they joined in the team workout. They were back on the bus by 7 p.m. to return to boot camp. After being told by the coach this would be the routine for the remainder of the week, Grantham learned they would also be leaving the base one week later for an out-of-state game.

"The coach said, 'I want everybody to be prepared because we are going to St. Norbert's College in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on September 24th,'" said Grantham. "I was sworn in to the Navy on September 12th in Detroit, I didn't get to Great Lakes until September 13th, and next I was going to Green Bay, Wisconsin! I didn't know how to tie my own neckerchief, and I didn't even know what all of the uniforms were, and I was flabbergasted because I was going to Green Bay!"

According to Roger Gogan, author of the 2013 book "By Air Ground & Sea: The History of Great Lakes Football," Grantham was part of the last great, war-era Great Lakes team when the station returned to "gridiron glory" during the Korean campaign. As was the case during World War II, the Navy fielded service football teams for the entertainment of Navy personnel training for war. Great Lakes' sports served not only as entertainment, but also a recruiting tool when road games were played on the midwestern college campuses.

"Mr. Grantham was part of the last great, war-era Great Lakes team when the station returned to gridiron glory during the Korean campaign," said Gogan. "A substantially diminished peacetime grid program remained in 1946, through until 1950. In 1951, with the reemergence of the military draft and outbreak of war in Korea, Great Lakes unveiled its toughest football schedule since their 39-7 upset over the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish in December 1945 shortly after the end of World War II."

The Bluejackets headed to Annapolis, Maryland, the week of Thanksgiving for a game with the U.S. Naval Academy. The team flew out Sunday so they could have a few days to prepare for Thursday's game, and they would still have time to return to Great Lakes for their boot camp graduation.

On the way home, a serious problem arose with their plane when they encountered a storm.

"We were up in the air for several hours in the icy rain and the plane had problems -- the landing gear wouldn't go down," said Grantham.

The plane headed south to de-ice the frozen landing gear. They finally landed in North Carolina, and the following day they flew even farther south when again they had more problems with the landing gear.

"One of guys explained that if we had any more problems, the seats we were sitting on were parachutes and he explained how to use them in case of an emergency," said Grantham.

The team wound up being away from the base for seven days, which caused the recruit team members to miss their own graduation ceremony.

Grantham remained at Great Lakes for two more years as a Mess Specialist 2nd Class, helping out in the butcher shop on base while playing with the Bluejackets. In 1952 he received orders for heavy cruiser USS Albany (CA 123), where he spent his remaining 21 months of service.

"I've said to my children that, 'If any of you guys ever go into the Navy, I'm going to go to boot camp!'" said Grantham.

While he did attend another grandson's Air Force graduation, he received his Navy wish when his grandson, Seaman Recruit Matthew Grantham, graduated boot camp with approximately 600 other recruits.

"I feel very proud to be carrying on his legacy; I got a little bit emotional seeing him during the ceremony," said Grantham.

The two shared an emotional embrace following the ceremony.

"This is great to have both of them here," said Daniel Grantham, of his father and son. "We're so proud of him, and it makes it even more special for my father to be here as he's been so excited and has been talking about his days up here in Great Lakes."

The elder Grantham brought media clippings and photos of his football days, along with his football sweater to share with others and as a reminder of his Navy experience.

"I certainly enjoyed all the time I was involved in Great Lakes," said Grantham. "When I made the football team I was the luckiest guy in the world; I was very fortunate. It took 67 years, but I finally got to see boot camp graduation!"

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/rtc/.

• Date Taken: 03.17.2017
• Date Posted: 01.26.2018 13:17
• Story ID: 263406
• Location: GREAT LAKES, IL, US