On September 16, 1951, Ken and his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Pauline Allen, eloped to Tijuana, Mexico. Their sons, Michael James and Timothy Troy, soon completed the family.
Devoted to the Navy, Ken rose in the ranks to Chief Petty Officer. Military life offered the family many opportunities to see the world. They were stationed at bases around the globe, including two years in San Diego, and one year at Lafayette, California. They lived in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii for three and a half years, and were there when Hawaii was admitted into the Union as the 50th state on August 21, 1959. They were then sent to Rota, Spain for 18 months. Having applied for a commission, Ken was selected and sent to the Officer Indoctrination School, Newport, Rhode Island. Upon graduation, he was commissioned an Ensign on July 1, 1961. From there they went to Norfolk, Virginia, for over three years while Kenneth served on the USNS Michelson. After sea duty, including cruises into the Pacific Ocean, the next stop was in Chicago, Illinois, Great Lakes Naval Training Station, for him to attend the Electronics Officer School, and then on the Stockton, California and the San Francisco Communications Station. Over the years, he earned the rank of Lieutenant Commander (Permanent). Having prior enlisted service, he was known as a "Mustang."
Kenneth served on a number of U. S. Navy ships during his career, among them, USNS Michelson TAGS-21(Oceanographic Survey Ship), USS YMS-322 (Minesweeper), USS LST 131 (Landing Ship - Tank), USS LSI -1091 (Landing Craft - Infantry), USS Tolovana AO-64 (Refueler), USS Nantahala AO-60 (Refueler}, USS Hector AR-7 (Repair Ship), USS Flicker AMS-9 (Minesweeper), USS Washburn AKA-108 (Attack Cargo Ship), USS Philip DDE-498 (Destroyer), and the USS Hancock CVA-19 (Aircraft Carrier), where he received his promotion to Lt. Commander.
In his own words, "My travels in the Navy included two round trips across the Atlantic, and so many across the Pacific I can't detail all of them here. I was as far west as Ras-al-Tannura in the Persian Gulf, as far east as Bremerhaven, Germany, as far north as Pt. Barrow, Alaska and as far south as Adelaide, Australia."
On July 1, 1974, after a distinguished career, Kenneth James Ditmore retired from the Navy at the Naval Communications Station of San Francisco, Rough and Ready Island, Stockton, California . His list of Awards and Decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal with Star, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation with two stars, the good Conduct Medal with four stars, American Theater Medal (World War II), World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal with star, Korean Campaign Medal with three stars, Vietnam Service Medal with five stars, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with device, Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation and the United Nations Medal.
Upon retiring from the Navy, Kenneth attended San Joaquin Delta Junior College, Stockton, California, continuing his education at California State College Stanislaus, Turlock, California, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration in May 1977. He obtained a position as an accountant with a small, local Certified Public Accounting firm, Leiba & Bowers, CPAs, in Stockton, California. That same year, Kenneth passed the nationwide Public Accounting test and was granted his certificate to practice as a Certified Public Accountant in California in 1979. After retiring, he maintained a small private practice with a few selected clients. He and Paula soon moved from Stockton to their retirement home in Grass Valley, California.
Paula died in 2005. Ken remained in their home in Grass Valley, California until 2015 when he moved to Santa Rosa, California to be near his son, Tim and his wife, Sharon. Soon after though, Tim passed away. Sharon, taking care of Ken, became the daughter that Ken and Paula didn't have. Ken passed away 7 months after his son, Tim. He is survived by son, Michael, daughter-in-law Sharon, seven grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren.
Ken's and Paula's ashes were simultaneously scattered in the Pacific Ocean outside of the Golden Gate Bridge.
[Robert Louis Daniell]
On September 16, 1951, Ken and his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Pauline Allen, eloped to Tijuana, Mexico. Their sons, Michael James and Timothy Troy, soon completed the family.
Devoted to the Navy, Ken rose in the ranks to Chief Petty Officer. Military life offered the family many opportunities to see the world. They were stationed at bases around the globe, including two years in San Diego, and one year at Lafayette, California. They lived in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii for three and a half years, and were there when Hawaii was admitted into the Union as the 50th state on August 21, 1959. They were then sent to Rota, Spain for 18 months. Having applied for a commission, Ken was selected and sent to the Officer Indoctrination School, Newport, Rhode Island. Upon graduation, he was commissioned an Ensign on July 1, 1961. From there they went to Norfolk, Virginia, for over three years while Kenneth served on the USNS Michelson. After sea duty, including cruises into the Pacific Ocean, the next stop was in Chicago, Illinois, Great Lakes Naval Training Station, for him to attend the Electronics Officer School, and then on the Stockton, California and the San Francisco Communications Station. Over the years, he earned the rank of Lieutenant Commander (Permanent). Having prior enlisted service, he was known as a "Mustang."
Kenneth served on a number of U. S. Navy ships during his career, among them, USNS Michelson TAGS-21(Oceanographic Survey Ship), USS YMS-322 (Minesweeper), USS LST 131 (Landing Ship - Tank), USS LSI -1091 (Landing Craft - Infantry), USS Tolovana AO-64 (Refueler), USS Nantahala AO-60 (Refueler}, USS Hector AR-7 (Repair Ship), USS Flicker AMS-9 (Minesweeper), USS Washburn AKA-108 (Attack Cargo Ship), USS Philip DDE-498 (Destroyer), and the USS Hancock CVA-19 (Aircraft Carrier), where he received his promotion to Lt. Commander.
In his own words, "My travels in the Navy included two round trips across the Atlantic, and so many across the Pacific I can't detail all of them here. I was as far west as Ras-al-Tannura in the Persian Gulf, as far east as Bremerhaven, Germany, as far north as Pt. Barrow, Alaska and as far south as Adelaide, Australia."
On July 1, 1974, after a distinguished career, Kenneth James Ditmore retired from the Navy at the Naval Communications Station of San Francisco, Rough and Ready Island, Stockton, California . His list of Awards and Decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal with Star, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation with two stars, the good Conduct Medal with four stars, American Theater Medal (World War II), World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal with star, Korean Campaign Medal with three stars, Vietnam Service Medal with five stars, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with device, Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation and the United Nations Medal.
Upon retiring from the Navy, Kenneth attended San Joaquin Delta Junior College, Stockton, California, continuing his education at California State College Stanislaus, Turlock, California, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration in May 1977. He obtained a position as an accountant with a small, local Certified Public Accounting firm, Leiba & Bowers, CPAs, in Stockton, California. That same year, Kenneth passed the nationwide Public Accounting test and was granted his certificate to practice as a Certified Public Accountant in California in 1979. After retiring, he maintained a small private practice with a few selected clients. He and Paula soon moved from Stockton to their retirement home in Grass Valley, California.
Paula died in 2005. Ken remained in their home in Grass Valley, California until 2015 when he moved to Santa Rosa, California to be near his son, Tim and his wife, Sharon. Soon after though, Tim passed away. Sharon, taking care of Ken, became the daughter that Ken and Paula didn't have. Ken passed away 7 months after his son, Tim. He is survived by son, Michael, daughter-in-law Sharon, seven grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren.
Ken's and Paula's ashes were simultaneously scattered in the Pacific Ocean outside of the Golden Gate Bridge.
[Robert Louis Daniell]
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