A Navy Master Diver’s Memoir. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer and Master Diver Ray Straining shares his adventurous life experiences, from enlisting in the Navy at the age of 17 to retiring after achieving the Navy’s top enlisted rank. Master Diver Straining talks about the intrinsic values that drove him to be and do the very best he could in every endeavor while serving his country. Ray recalls his time onboard the USS Boxer LPH-4 during the Vietnam era when Boxer recovered one of NASA’s space capsules. Navy Dive School at the Washington Navy Yard is where Navy Diving began for Ray. He recalls diving from the Navy’s most arduous tour of duty ships, the USS Skylark ARS-20, USS Tringa ASR-16, and USS Sunbird ASR-15. Work hard and play hard. Ray’s deep-sea stories mentioned the best friends he served with and the best bars where he drank rounds of cheer while in the Navy. Ray Straining is a founding member of the ASR/ARS Reunion Association and the Navy Master Diver Reunion. Ray and his wife Carol are iconic contributors to Navy Divers and the Veterans' organizations associated with their Navy career. Master Diver Ray Straining tells his deep-sea stories like no other Iron Man MK5 Deep-Sea Diving suit can.