Andy Kuljis excelled in gymnastics while attending San Pedro High School. He was good enough that he hoped for a scholarship to further his education, but after graduating in 1950, he assumed he would take over his father’s fishin’ business. Well, it was at this time that the tuna industry in California took a nose dive and most boat owners went out of business.
Andy had joined the USN Reserves while in high school and in 1951 his reserve unit was activated. Andy was sent to San Diego for an eight-week boot camp. After graduatin’ from navel boot camp he thought that bein’ inside a submarine was a good idea, so he was sent to New London, Connecticut for 10 weeks of formal submarine trainin’.
Part of this submarine trainin’ included stuffin’ 20 sailors inside a large dark tube, face to face and knee to knee, for about two hours. Those that passed this test were sent on to another test that simulated ecapin’ from a downed submarine. This was a large vertical tube filled with water that the sailors had to go into and swim to the surface. Andy said there were about 80 sailors in the program and about half failed to make the grade. Of course Andy always has a unique and accurate way of lookin’ at incidents and described being inside a submarine as similar to being trapped inside a sewer pipe, with both ends welded closed.
Prior to graduatin’ from submarine school, Andy was attached to a detail that went back to the Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton, Connecticut. There, President Harry Truman and his wife Bess broke a champagne bottle on the bow of the first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus.
After submarine school, he was sent to Mare Island Shipyard in San Francisco where he was assigned to “recommission” the USS Bowfin 287. This was a Fleet submarine, which was also considered a “Perch” class boat. Andy was assigned to work alongside the shipyard builders to put the Bowfin back into service.
After working on the submarine for three months, she was ready for active service. A recommission ceremony took place at Hunter’s Point, which is close to what use to be Candlestick Park. With the Bowfin recommissioned, she sailed to her new home port in San Diego, where 26 other submarines (two squadrons) were attached to submarine tenders.
The Bowfin patrolled the Pacific for the duration of Andy’s time in the Navy, conductin’ trainin’ and sonar exercises. In 1953 Andy was honorably discharged from the Navy and served an additional three years in the Naval Reserves.
After getting’ out of the Navy and needin’ some more excitement in his life, Andy put in an application with the LAFD and in 1956 (Class of 11-1-56) he started the Drill Tower. Back then a rookie’s probation was six months. His first house was old FS 33 (Broadway x Slauson). His 2nd house was old FS 65 (106th x Compton) and his third house was old FS 64 (108th x Main).
After successfully completin’ his probation, Andy was assigned to old FS 57. Andy, do you see a pattern here of the stations where you use to work? Andy also spent some time at FS 79, but eventually ended back at FS 64. While at 64’s Andy became involved in UFLAC and eventually became the president.
In 1972 Andy promoted to Captain I and was assigned to FS 61 – oh yea, old FS 61 – and then moved on to old FS 68 (naturally!) Believe it or not, Andy made his way out to the Valley, where he stayed a few years before headin’ over to Westlake, which later became OCD and is now Metro. Are you guys keepin’ track of how many places Andy worked that no longer exist?
After Andy made Captain II he was assigned to old FS 66, (You didn’t think he was goin’ to work at a new station, did you?) where he remained for 10 years. Of course, every good harbor rat eventually returns home, so it was at FS 49 that Andy worked at his last assignment. On February 18, after 36 dedicated years with the Los Angeles Fire Department, Andy Kuljis retired.
Currently, Andy is the Secretary for the Relief Association, where he has tirelessly worked for the past 11 years.
I’m not sure how many of us could keep up with Andy. He was a tireless worker while on the job and he continues to serve all of us and our families as Secretary of LAFRA.
Andy, thanks so much for all you have done and for all you’re doin’ now. I know there are many grateful members, whether they’re active, retired, widows or family members, whose lives you’ve touched for the better.
In case you’re interested, the USS Bowfin is anchored at Pearl Harbor and is on public display.
By Mark Khitikian