You may recall seeing Bob Harding featured on social media for Veteran’s Day, so here’s a deeper look into his story!
Robert G Harding, “Bob,” graduated from Natick High School in 1947 and went on to attend Huntington Prep in 1947-1948. In September 1948, Bob enlisted in the US Navy and attended training camp at Great Lakes Training Center for six weeks. He was then assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge CV 45 which was in dry dock for 3 months refitting at Huntington Beach, CA. The shakedown cruise sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge with all hands in dress uniform on the flight deck and all traffic had to be stopped on the bridge.
In April 1948, that ship was awarded the Navy E for battle efficiency which earned each crewman an extra $50 pay. His last 9 months were uneventful except for the common weekly crash on the flight deck due to daily flight operations. Bob was assigned as a flight deck taxi signalman with a crew of 8 plane handlers. At that time, all aircraft were WWII reciprocating engine planes. Pilots could not see directly in front of their planes because of the angle. There were lower tails with high engines and propellers, hence the need for plane directors who directed the pilots to be catapulted or deck launched. In September of 1948, Bob was transferred to the Naval Air Reserve in NAS Squantum in Quincy, MA. He enrolled in Huntington Prep in Boston for one year before entering Boston College. After his freshman year, he was recalled to active duty in the Naval Air and was sent to Trinidad in the British West Indies. At his request, after 67 months he was transferred to NA Station in Cecil Field, Florida, 8 miles west of Jacksonville. He served aboard the USS Leyte CV34 and the USS Tarawa CV-40 in the Atlantic Fleet during his last 2 years of service. Bob was discharged in September 1952 and graduated from Boston College in 1955.
Bob is also a champion boxer. He boxed while in high school and college for a total of 36 fights, and he is quick to mention his good left jab. His boxing career included Natick High, Boston College and in the Navy. He won the NE middle weight intercollegiate boxing championship at Stonehill College in 1954 and retired undefeated. PRETTY IMPRESSIVE!
Bob has been a member of Wayside for over 12 years– when he’s not socializing with his friends in the lobby, you’ll find him rallying on the tennis court!
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