Walter Whittemore (1929)

Walter John Whittemore (born June 9, 1929 in Watertown, MA) is the son of Carroll Whittemore and Charlotte McCarthy.

Early life
Caddied at Oakley Country Club. At age eleven he was a "B" caddy and was paid sixty cents for eighteen holes. At age twelve he was advanced to "A" caddy and was paid seventy cents for each round. Played golf twice weekly until his second heart attack in 1992. At age fourteen, after school, he worked at Gordon Supply Laundry, Huron Avenue in Cambridge, MA. After Gordon Supply, he was employed by Golden Cookie in Watertown, MA. He was also employed by Vito Gandolfo who owned Dexter Supply on Mt Auburn Street in Watertown.

United States Navy
At the age of nineteen, July 20, 1948, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a Seaman Recruit. Basic Training: Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Il, Company 283.

Walt was an excellent sailor serving on the USS Palau, USS Ammen, USS Salamonie, and most prominently the USS Castor. While working on the USS Palau, Walt was stationed with the Reserve Fleet at Boston, Massachusetts. While on the USS Ammen, Walt and his family were stationed in Izmir, Turkey and Napoli, Italy. While on the USS Salamonie, Walter served as a recruiter in Omaha, Nebraska. Most of his time was spent with the USS Castor, where he would be stationed as a recruiter in Minneapolis, MN, would graduate Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, graduated from Naval Supply Corps School in Atlanta, Georgia, served with the Naval Administration Unit in Las Vegas, Nevada, stationed at Sasebo, Japan, served with the Naval Supply Center in Oakland, California, served at the Ship Repair Facility in Subic Bay, Philippines, and working at the NavPro in Burbank, California.

Among his decorations, Walt has been awarded the Good Conduct Medal (five times), Vietnam Service Medal (three times), the National Defense Service Medal (two times), the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Medal.

Walter John Whittemore retired with the grade of Lieutenant Commander, SC, USN having completed over 26 years of military service. Effective date of permanent retirement: September 1, 1974. Walter is a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Education
Walt qualifies himself as a "Roads Scholar" as he has taken courses at the Burdett Business College in Boston, Massachusetts, the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in St. Paul, Minnesota, Alameda Community College in Alameda, California, and California State University, Northridge in Northridge, California. Walt graduated from with an Associates of Arts in History from the College of the Canyons in Valencia, California and currently has senior standing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Family
Walter married childhood sweetheart, Frances Hellen Whittemore on July 2, 1950 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. A little over a year later, Walt and Fran welcomed their first daughter, Donna Marie Whittemore on August 26, 1950 at the US Naval Hospital in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Fran and Walt would welcome their first son, Michael Whittemore on August 29, 1956 at the US Naval Infirmary in Napoli, Italy.

Walter and Fran have six grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and one step-great-grandchild.