Thank you to David Hickman for sending me this old boot camp photo of Clay. Clay started his career in the U. S. Coast Guard as an enlisted man and he rose to Petty Officer First Class (E-6) in the Boatswain Mate rating as I recall. He then applied for Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as an Ensign to begin his officer career that culminated in him being promoted up the ranks to his final rank as Commander (O-5).