With a proud history of family serving in the military, Marvin Dwayne Bucholz kept the tradition alive by joining the Navy. It is an honor to hear about his stories and experiences. Thank you for your service.
1. Full Name?
Marvin Dwayne Bucholz LCDR, SC, USNR (R)
Draft number 302
2. What branch of the armed forces did you serve
Navy 
3. What was your rank?
Lieutenant Commander LCDR
4. What were your years of service?
Enlisted in 1975 – 1986 active duty
87 – 96 reserves
Active duty 10 years
Reserve 10 years
5. What motivated you to join?
Prior to joining I had: 3 majors math, business admin and numerical analysis (computer science) and 3 minors accounting, Economics and physics.
In 75’ and 76’ I was working on graduate school Mankato State in MN. Graduated from Augustana College 75. Started graduate school in 71’.
The weather
My 17 uncles in WWII and Korea. My father was the youngest taking care of 2 farms and couldn’t go to WWII because the government couldn’t take the only male heir. Couldn’t take him in Korea either because he had 2 children. I lost a cousin in Vietnam. There long family line of service members so I was compelled to serve.
Shortly after 6 friends passed away in a tragic accident I joined.
6. Tell me about your boot-camp experience?
Located at Newport Rhode Island. It wasn’t that bad. 5 months long. First couple of days they were having us have you jump off diving board and swim the length of the pool. I was on the swim team in high school so I was pretty good in the water.
7. How did you get through it?
I was the Assistant Co. Commander for the troop. Easy for me to get through it because I was a swimmer. We marched every morning or did “stupid swim.” Breakfast at 7AM. Long table about 40 people, 10 minutes to eat. We would leave any food on the plate. Then we would march off to classrooms. Class in the morning. Study 7-9 and lights out at 9. During inspections officers would take you out to do push-ups and sit-ups. Not so gentle times. During this time they would put their foot on your back and used foul language. I aced the Celestial Navigation course. This was a very tough course where we would learn to use the stars at night or sun during the day to navigate the seas. This was long before the invention of GPS.
8. Where did you serve the majority of the time in the service?
3 years sub duty
Roton, CT for sub school
Pearl Harbor Queen Fish 651 – 2 West Backs with QF
Aviation school in Athens, Georgia
Navy Recruiting Command Area 3 (Southeast and Caribbean)
San Diego USS Okinawa LPH3 Helicopter Carrier
9. Tell me about some special people you met while serving?
Queen Fish Commander Milo P. Daughters III – Captain. 1st time
10. Who was the most influential to you while serving?
Commodore Zuirdt, she was the Navy Captain, she was on top of 9 recruiting districts. If you made it mistake, she’d chew you out and send you out and call you back in a 1/2 hour for something she knew you were good at.
11. Tell me a funny story you experienced that could only happen in the military.
We had a ship board party once a quarter at a beach cottage house at Barbers Point. At the time the cottage was $10 to rent a night. It was a private military beach. On Saturday nights, different departments would make different dinners.
I was Department Head for Supply Services. Mustering at 6AM to make way at 8AM. Monday morning coming back from sub base supply 2 blocks away. We were taking brow off and its 715 and I have my parts and still up against pear. I went to to step on post, they toss me the line and I sunk. The following Monday we were going get under way 8 AM, so at 6AM I race to sub base to get casrep high priority parts and this time I’m coming back and the brow is attached, I race across and I’m not allowed to leave the sub again.
We were under way and got called back into port. We don’t know why. We found out nobody was allowed to leave the ship. 1 of the sailors got Hep C and 3 went and visited so they didn’t know he was contagious. The Officers who think they are great they ran out and they couldn’t get their shots. The only quarantined the officers.
12. What did you get out of the military?
Education
Worked on business law when stationed at Maken Georgia.
Tax Degree from the University of Hawaii
5 west packs (6 months or more)
3 trips around the world (Australia twice)
5 weeks off to tour Europe
Friendships
Logistics expert
Private pilot’s license
13. Best and worse food you ate?
Saturday was normally steak and lobster or crab legs. Submarine food was never really bad food. Okinawa had bad food though. My cooks did not eat what they they’d serve their troops. The chefs were mostly Philippino chefs and they cooked it well for themselves and would sometimes share their delicious meals.
Fun fact: The Queen Fish took 3rd place in Ney Competition. Competition for small, med and large ships for records and food.
14. What did you go on to do as a career post- service?
Hired by Department of Justice to build Metro Detention Center Los Angeles in 1987.
Worked out of Federal Corrections Institute Terminal Island in Long Beach while building MDC.
1992 DOJ Budget and Accounting Officer of the Year and 87’ went Navy Reserve and pursued graduate school.
Earned my MBA from National University in 1989.
15. Would you do it again?
In a heartbeat….submarines are really nice.
16. What do you enjoy doing on your spare time?
Walking pistol (thorough bred quarter horse, 18 years old, was a rodeo horse). My wife and I paid somebody’s college tuition 1st year to get Pistol.
Walk 3-5 miles a day.
Stain glad / infused glass I have my own glass studio.
When you retire you need to find a hobby.
Go to gym everyday.
Involved in 2 charity groups (McKinley Boys Home and Women’s Abuse Center). It’s a senior citizen home we support, Yellow House in San Dimas.
Every year for Veterans Day I buy 8 flags at Field of Valor for our relatives in the armed forces, USMC, Navy, and Army.
17. What does the American flag mean to you?
Patriotism
Family
The US
Those I’ve known and lost friends from war and peace time accidents.