back in the United States on March 8, 1973. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit with V, the Bronze Star Medal with V, the Navy Commendation Medal with V, the Purple Heart, and the Prisoner of War Medal for service as a prisoner of war. Completing convalescent leave, he refreshed in the A4 at NAS Lemoore, California, and then reported for duty as Executive Officer, Naval Plant Representative Office, (Strategic Systems Project Office), Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Sunnyvale, California. He was selected for captain during this assignment. Post Vietnam War In 1976, Stratton was assigned as Commanding Officer of forty-four Navy recruiting sites in New York. Stratton, his wife, Alice, and their three sons moved into a new home in Garden City, New York. From 1977 to 1979 he was Commander, Recruiting Area Five, Great Lakes NTS, North Chicago, Illinois. From 1979 to 1981 he was Deputy for Operations, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. His final active duty assignment was as Director, Naval Academy Preparatory School, NETC, Newport, Rhode Island, from 1981 to 1986. Post retirement – second career Upon his retirement in 1986, Stratton matriculated at the Rhode Island School of Social Work in pursuit of a career as a clinical social worker. He graduated in 1988, became licensed to practice in Rhode Island and specialized in children and families, addictions and PTSD. He qualified as a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers and a national certified addiction counselor, Level I. Moving to Florida in 1993, he became licensed to practice in Florida and worked as a contract counselor retiring in 2001 after four years counseling sailors and their families at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, and Naval Station Mayport, Florida. Family Stratton and Alice Marie Robertson were married at the NAS Alameda, California, chapel on April 4, 1959. Alice was a career clinical social worker and was the first Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Personnel and Families (1985–1989). They had three sons. References 1931 births Living people United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War Vietnam War prisoners of war Georgetown College (Georgetown University) alumni People from Quincy, Massachusetts Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Silver Star Stanford University alumni United States Navy officers United States Naval Aviators Recipients of the Legion of Merit Commercial aviators Shot-down aviators