▁effect ▁on ▁his ▁resolve , ▁so ▁the ▁decision ▁was ▁made ▁for ▁him ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Virginia ▁prior ▁to ▁compet ing ▁for ▁a ▁slot ▁at ▁the ▁Naval ▁Academy . ▁Upon ▁completion ▁of ▁his ▁first ▁year ▁at ▁U VA , ▁H ank ▁was ▁selected ▁for ▁a ▁SE C NA V ▁appointment ▁to ▁the ▁Naval ▁Academy ▁joining ▁the ▁class ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁▁▁ ▁During ▁Christmas ▁leave ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁his ▁Third ▁Class ▁year , ▁H ank ▁met ▁Lucy ▁Hol comb . ▁During ▁the ▁Hol iday , ▁Lucy ' s ▁brother ▁Russ ▁got ▁four ▁tick ets ▁to ▁a ▁Har lem ▁G lob et rot ters ▁game ▁and ▁proposed ▁that ▁they ▁take ▁each ▁other ' s ▁sister s . ▁After ▁going ▁to ▁that ▁game , ▁H ank ▁never ▁dated ▁anyone ▁else . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁during ▁his ▁Second ▁Class ▁year , ▁he ▁proposed ▁at ▁the ▁Ring ▁Dance ▁and ▁they ▁became ▁engaged . ▁They ▁were ▁married ▁later ▁the ▁next ▁year . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁gl am orous ▁officers ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁were ▁destroy er ▁sail ors ▁and ▁that ' s ▁what ▁H ank ▁wanted ▁to ▁be ▁as ▁well . ▁On ▁service ▁selection ▁night , ▁he ▁drew ▁a ▁number ▁high ▁enough ▁to ▁let ▁him ▁pick ▁USS ▁Dun can ▁( DD - 8 7 4 ), ▁a ▁San ▁Diego - based ▁G ear ing - class ▁destroy er . ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁ ▁USS ▁Dun can ▁( DD - 8 7 4 ) ▁In