Former NEX employee visits

The last time she was here was in 1946. Minchak remembers a lot of firsts at NAS Jacksonville - the base commissioning, the first bombing squadrons, first housing area in Dewey Park, first Navy Exchange (NEX) and the first air show. She also remembers that dreadful day when President Franklin D. Roosevelt interrupted the Guy Lombardo radio show she was listening to and announced that Japan had bombed Pearl Harbor and that the country was at war.

"My husband, Joe was one of the first Sailors stationed here in 1940 when the base first opened. We moved here from Virginia and shared a small apartment out in town with a schoolteacher that cost $25 a month," said Minchak.

"For the first three months, Joe didn't receive a paycheck because there was no place to send the pay records to. He had saved a little money so we were able to get an apartment and we had a car, but I had to use my silver dollar collection for food because we were too proud to ask our parents for help. There was also a man who owned a gas station and gave credit to any Sailors who needed gas. He really helped us out. Eventually, Joe did get paid and made $92 a month. When he received flight pay, it was over $100 and we thought we were rich."

With Joe at work maintaining the aircraft for his squadron, Bombing Squadron 7, Minchak says she grew a little homesick. "I didn't have much to do so one day I ventured downtown and ended up getting a job in a candy store. When I came home that night, my husband made me call and quit. I later worked as a cashier at the NEX," she continued.

In their free time, the Minchaks headed to the beach to meet their friends. "I remember one night we were all sitting on a deck near the ocean and watched a freighter being shelled by German submarines. Later we also learned that what

everyone thought were sewer lines leading out to the ocean were actually fuel lines for the German subs," Minchak said.

Minchak also recalls seeing German prisoners of war (POWs) on the base. "They were treated very well, but they were very young and you could see they were homesick much like our POWs over there probably were," added Minchak. "A lot of men came to NAS Jax because this is where they trained to become pilots during the war. Their training was only 90 days and then they were shipped out to fight the war. We called them the '90-day wonders.'"

Another memory, Minchak vividly recalls is the day that a Marine shot a man scaling the base water tower. "We later found out that he had a bag of chemicals and was going to poison the water supply here," she stated.

Joe's squadron was due to ship out shortly before their first child was born in 1943. He was able to stay behind until Ruby gave birth and then joined the war in the Pacific.

Joe and Ruby returned to NAS Jax in November 1944 where they remained for two years. "When we came back, we stayed with friends at the beach until the new housing complex at Dewey Park was completed. We were one of the first families to move in there. It was nice, except for the big bugs that came out at night. I didn't like those at all," said Minchak.

During that time they saw the formation of the Navy's Blue Angels and tragically witnessed the team's first fatality. "We were so excited. Unfortunately, one of the pilots wasn't able to pull up in time and crashed. I remember covering my daughter's face. It was horrible. I later witnessed another Blue Angel crash at an air show in Quonset Point, RI, so I no longer attend air shows," said Minchak.

In 1946, Joe was assigned to Adm. Richard Byrd's staff as part of Operation Highjump, in Antarctica. On his return, he was assigned to Quonset Point, R.I., where Ruby stayed to raise six children as her husband finished his naval career, retiring as a chief petty officer. Joe then worked for Raytheon until his untimely death at age 48. "It was definitely hard raising the kids by myself. Thank goodness I had his benefits from the military," Minchak continued.

Today, Minchak still lives in Rhode Island and decided to visit Jacksonville when her son-in-law, a former naval aviator, planned to come to the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute for treatment for his prostate cancer.

"I thought it would be nice to come and visit. I never thought I'd ever be back here. I wanted to visit the base to see if I could remember anything from when we were stationed here so long ago. The only thing that I can remember being the same is the administration building. Everything else is new," said Minchak. "And, the NEX back then, sure didn't look anything like what is here today."