Keeping the Ships Afloat

POTOMAC – Since his father, uncle and two cousins had served in the U.S. Navy, it seemed only natural to Scott Miller in 1967 that, rather than wait to be drafted into the U.S. Army, he should enlist in the Navy instead. As a corollary to growing up on a ranch in Stevensville, Mont., Miller had learned to handle repairs on farm equipment. It was that mechanical ability the Navy recognized when they headed Miller down a career path as an electrician.

Because of his prior experience, Miller was not sent to a training school, but went straight from boot camp to the U.S.S. Ajax. The Ajax was a lar...