American Legion Beaufort Post 207 brings you Patrick Pylant, 63, who joined the United States Navy in Charleston in 1979. After Boot Camp in Great Lakes, Ill., and machinist mate school, he was assigned to USS Brumby (FF-1044) homeported in Charleston. While aboard he made two deployments to the Mediterranean and helped fight the fire aboard the Army Corps of Engineers dredge McFarland in Charleston harbor earning a Coast Guard Unit Commendation. He was also on station off Beirut when the U.S. Embassy was destroyed by a suicide bomber; he helped with the recovery efforts ashore. He was next assigned to the submarine tender USS Hunley (AS-31) deployed to Scotland. While there he cross-trained as a radiological controls worker, working in the reactor rooms aboard the submarines.
In 1986 he returned to Charleston Naval Base working both on ships and shore facilities. His next duty station was aboard the submarine tender USS Holland (AS-32) first in Charleston and then as she was reassigned to Guam. While in Guam he experienced the Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines (his family was denied housing in Guam and he completed that tour unaccompanied) and a major earthquake on Guam causing much damage. He next returned to Charleston Naval Base for four years before assignment to the ammunition ship USS Santa Barbara (AE-28), which deployed to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. He retired in 1997 having earned the Enlisted Surface Warfare Pin. He spent nine years in Alaska working for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Alaska maintaining their facilities statewide. He moved to Beaufort in 2023 and lives at Laurel Bay.
Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 207. For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.
