Hector Rodriguez thinks everything happens for a reason. He grew up in East Oakland, California in a rough neighborhood. He loved sports so he played basketball and dreamed of playing professional sports. He was always bored in school and daydreamed his way to college. His parents payed for him to sit in the cafeteria and BS with his friends.

At 22 things changed and he headed to the mall and found the Navy recruiter and was picking his jobs when the Twin Towers we’re hit on 9/11/2001.

He ended up choosing signalman on a carrier, but switched to machinist mate and ended up on the USS Norfolk.

Hector recounts his time on the sub, the diverse group of folks he met and the way his life was changed.

Great stories!