Sailing into History - Sailors of USS Constitution Part 1
Boatswain's Mate 1st Class William Sanchez
23 September 2014
When he told the recruiter he wanted to be a history teacher, the recruiter suggested he become a Boatswain's Mate, a rating that existed at the formation of the US Navy.
Now, Boatswain's Mate 1st Class William Sanchez has become a part of history by serving on a ship where Boatswain's Mates have served for more than 216 years.
He is the sailing master on board USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship afloat, and one of the original six frigates built for America's Navy.
The assignment is a stark contrast to his previous tour on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. From the newest technology to the oldest, Sanchez is embracing the differences while discovering similarities. He is finding out that through more than 200 years of time, being a Sailor is still being a Sailor.
Watch the video to see what this would-be history teacher thinks about being a part of history.
Duty on board USS Constitution requires a special-duty package. For information about how you can become a member of the crew, contact your command career counselor.
Part two of this series can be seen
HERE
Part three of this series can be seen
HERE