An interview with
Jay Terrado, USN & USA
By Charlie Atkins, USS Hector Historian
April 26th, 2012
There was a young boy in the Philippine’s, born in 1971. His father was in America working to bring his family to America. His mom moved around and could not keep him at times. So, he stayed with other friends and family for several years. It was not a very stable life style for him. Some of the places he stayed where in rural provinces where there was no electricity, but he learned to get by. This is how life was for Jay Terrado in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, Philippines, until he was 12 years old.
In 1983, Jay’s father could afford to bring his mom and three sons to America, Jay attended school and grew up in Daley City, California. He was not familiar with the English language, so due to the kids teasing him, he tended to stay with others like himself. As he grew to teen years, his friends gravitated towards gang life in the streets. He attributes his parents influence in his life, why he didn’t desire gang life.
Jay chose another path and when he was old enough, he and a friend went to visit the Marine Corp recruiter. In the lobby, he met with some Filipino Navy recruiters; they talked him into signing up with the navy. He scored high, in science in the entry tests. He was targeted to be a Corpsman. He did not get to do that right away, even though the navy had promised to make him a corpsman.
Jay entered the Navy, July 1990 and went to boot camp at the Naval Training Center, San Diego, California. He was also sent to two weeks training in Navy seamanship and then transferred to the USS Camden AOE-2 (Sacramento class, fast combat support), in Bremerton, Washington. The ship had been in dry dock, so they spent some time in sea trials. He was sent to the deck department as well as mess cooking duty.
Then Jay and the Camden left the states for his first Westpac cruise to the Persian Gulf. While on the cruise, he saw there was a ship board reaction force team. It was like a shipboard SWAT Team and he wanted to do that! He trained with senior team mates and learned weapons and tactics of ship security.
Somewhere crossing the Pacific, Jay was initiated into an old naval tradition. This is a time of “shell back” sailors having fun hazing the new “Polly wog” sailors for their first time crossing the equator. All “Polly wogs” end up kissing “King Neptune’s belly before being pronounced a “Shell back”. Usually, there is a certificate with beautiful naked mermaids on it with the new “Shellbacks” name and rank along with the “official signatures of King Neptune’s court and sometimes captain of the ship.
At the end of 1 year and 2 months sea duty, he was transferred from USS Camden to Corpsman’s “A” school. It was July 1992, and the Navy decided to make good on their promise. After “A” school, Jay was transferred to the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital, in Oakland, California. He spent the next two years there working in the New Born nursery, assisting in the delivery of child births and neonatal care. During that time, he certified as a CPR / First aid instructor and became a qualified Emergency Medical Technician. Eventually, Jay became the lead Petty Officer in his ward and supervised the other Corpsman assigned to his shift.
In July 1994, Jay was released from active duty and transferred to a local naval reserve center to finish his military obligation. Jay was sent to Field Medical Technician School at Camp Pendleton, California while in the naval reserve. He went back to school and started working in the security field in the San Jose area. Jay also worked as a security manager for the San Jose Tech Museum and then had an opportunity to go into animal control service for a local government agency.
Jay still felt the need to serve and use his military training. In 2000, he decided to join with the US Army National Guard “C” company, the 1st of the 185 Light Infantry Unit, San Jose, California. He was given the equivalent naval rank of an E5 sailor and made a sergeant and Field Medic. He trained as an infantryman and medic. He used to say, “I can shoot ‘em, and then patch ‘em up”.
During this time, Jay excelled at his animal control job and then came September 11th, 2001. It was an historical date in American history. Jay found himself activated from reserve status, and he left his job to do security duty at the US Army Intelligence Center at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. He spent 11 months doing post perimeter security duty, while occasionally getting to use his medical skills to patch minor injuries. After deactivation from duty, he returned to home and his job at animal control. In 2005, he no longer was excited about being a reservist and decided to get out of the military after 11 years of service. He put his energy into his animal control work. He rose from a field sergeant to become, and is currently, Director of Animal Services for the City of San Jose. Jay’s post military education was to obtain a Bachelor’s of Science degree under the GI Bill.
Jay earned the following awards and medals during his military career: National Defense medal x 2, Persian Gulf Service medal, Southwest Asia medal w/ Bronze star, Global war on Terrorism medal, Sea service ribbon, Good Conduct medal, Army Achievement medal, Armed Forces Reserve medal w/ M device and Expert Marksman badge w/ rifle bar.
Jay’s most memorable moments were, when working helmsman duty on the USS Camden and controlling the ship, in fog, almost coming to a near collision with another ship. He is saddened by the loss of the Camden’s helicopter four air crewmen he knew. The CH46 Sea Knight of Squadron 11 Helicopter Combat Support Unit “Gun bearers” was lost during a mission in the Persian Gulf. He has the disturbing memory of seeing fires burning in open sea water from the ruptured oil lines in the gulf and his ship sailing through mined waters. His time while in the Army and a combat medic, spending two weeks in the Ukraine as a part of a multi-national training force.
His proudest moments were, coming to this country and serving as a member of its military forces. He also is very proud to have been able to swear in as a new citizen of this country in full dress military uniform.
