. ▁They ▁would ▁often ▁throw ▁grand ▁co ck tail ▁parties ▁at ▁the ▁air ▁station ' s ▁flag ▁cabin , ▁and ▁H ank ▁would ▁often ▁find ▁himself ▁in ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁such ▁Navy ▁not ables ▁as ▁H alse y ▁and ▁N im itz . ▁He ▁re called ▁that ▁" the ▁events ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁were ▁fresh ▁in ▁these ▁guys ' ▁minds . ▁They ▁would ▁be ▁talking ▁over ▁what ▁now ▁are ▁the ▁famous ▁batt les ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁and ▁they ' d ▁be ▁saying ▁' Well , ▁so - and - so ▁was ▁nerv ous ▁and ▁abandoned ▁his ▁ship ▁too ▁early .' ▁They ▁talked ▁the ▁way ▁we ▁do ▁about ▁guys ▁that ▁are ▁the ▁gi ants ▁of ▁history . ▁All ▁that ▁stuff ▁had ▁a ▁great ▁influence ▁on ▁me ." ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁young ster ▁H ank ▁adm ired ▁and ▁respect ed ▁his ▁father ▁and ▁his ▁friends . ▁There ▁was ▁never ▁any ▁doubt ▁in ▁his ▁mind ▁that ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁n avy ▁and ▁be ▁like ▁them . ▁▁ ▁H ank ' s ▁determ ination ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Academy ▁was ▁un sh ake able . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Cor on ado ▁High ▁School , ▁Cor on ado , ▁California , ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁but ▁not ▁yet ▁sevent een , ▁he ▁was ▁too ▁young ▁for ▁ad mission ▁to ▁the ▁Naval ▁Academy . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁neither ▁his ▁father ▁nor ▁his ▁mother ▁wanted ▁him ▁to ▁do ▁a ▁year ▁at ▁a ▁West ▁Coast ▁university ▁fear ing ▁the