A friend told me the other day that someone in his family died and the fellow that died had been in the U.S.Army, Air force and the Navy.I have not seen any documentation but is this even possible?He would have served in the 50's and early 60's.

It's absolutely possible. I served with a guy that did time in the Marines then the Army before finally settling in with the Navy.

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USN 1992-2002
ET1 (SW/AW)

Yes, it is possible. Usually for enlisted/NCO ranks -- I have served with troops who were prior Navy or Air Force NCO's who let their enlistment contracts expire and who then transferred to/joined the Army. The Army encouraged these types of transfers as you then have trained disciplined NCO's who have already been thru basic training.
Some of the best NCO's I personally worked with in the Army were former Navy or Air Force NCO's, and have seen a few Coast Guard and Marine NCO's transfer to the Army. Officers can also branch transfer, (usually specialty branches such as JAG, medical officers, etc), not combat arms, as training to be a ship driver or pilot is quite different from being an Army armor or infantry officer.
I have met 1 soldier who was a 3 branch NCO (Navy, Air Force, Army). For a lot of reasons, very rare but possible. A DD 214 (discharge from active service) would list all service, including prior service in other branches.

He might have been old enough to have joined the Army Air Corps, which later became the Air Force.

Have some friends that have jumped ship several times.

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Aim small miss small

Army Air Forces -> became the Air Force in 47 -> switching to the Navy isn't a surprise. They are the ones with the most planes.

Thank you all for the help,I will tell my friend and see if he has documentation.

Granfather joined the Army pre WWII. He then transfered over to the Army Air Corps. for WWII. After WWII, he retired his commission from the Army/ Air Corps, and took a commission as an officer in the Air Force. Flew in the Air Force in Korea. Then, trained navigators for Vietnam, but did not fly in that one.

Had a diver in my club named Ed Gulley. Army, Navy and Marines. Did a tour as Army in Europe for early WWII. Was a Marine in the Phillipines late in WWII. He loved diving and the south Pacific so much, he took a commmission in the Navy.
Crazy as it were....... he was a Coast Guard Auxilliary. Ed was an awesome man; a true gentleman, and just plain 'ole kick-butt AMERICAN.

I played TAPS graveside about a year ago for a man that had 4...Army, Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard. I've seen a number of triple service but only 1 that had 4.

Randy

I work with a guy that had been in three, although a lot of it was reserve or NG time.

Interestingly enough, the Army used to have the most water borne vessels. I don't know if that is still true. BTW, I served with an army aviator who had formerly been a Navy submariner. I served with an army aviator who had been in the Army Air Corps, Air Force and then the army. I also served with a former Navy pilot who became an army aviator.

Never have personally known anyone who did three branches but I have heard of it. There was a guy in my company in boot camp who was former Air Force and was switching to Navy. My grandfather told me stories about being in both the Army and then the Navy somewhere around 1900 but I don't know for sure about that since my grandfather never, ever let the truth stand in the way of a good story.

CW

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μολὼν λαβέ

My father was in the Navy during WW2, then a week after he got out he was drafted by the Army. Then a few months later, the war ended and so did his military duty.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

I have met a couple over the years who did the multiple service routine.

Not all that unusual. One of my very good friends, in fact did 4 years in the Army, 6 in the Air Force and then the Marine Corps.

In the Marines his career really took off, received his commission and upwards
from there. He has seen action in every conflict since Vietnam.

He retires this year at age 63 and last year was selected for Brigadier General.

A long and wonderful career.

His retirement party is going to be a hoot.....

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Take your time..quickly.

In the early 70's, as a 2nd Lt in the Army, my boss was a Major who had graduated from Annapolis, served a year or two in the Navy, branch transferred to the Air Force, served several years, then branch transferred to the Army, where he remained. He was a very sharp man, and great to work for. He also loved to shoot, and was the top coach of my high-power rifle team (I was a shooter on the team, and the second coach). He had been badly burned on one of his tours in Vietnam, and carried the scars for the rest of his life. To the best of my recollection, he did not serve in the Marines, and I know he didn't serve in the Coast Guard.

I was contacted by the Navy during the late '70s or early '80s to branch transfer and train as a RIO (guy in the back seat) on F-14s. I was well along in the process, but the Navy had put a Chief in charge of the recruiting program, and he insisted that I could not transfer from the Army to the Navy and retain my rank, and would have to go through officer's basic and start over as an ensign. He had set up the paperwork that way, as well. I wasn't about to go down two grades, and we had several lengthy discussions regarding this, I pointed out the regs, etc, but couldn't get him to change the paperwork. He did say that I would retain my time in service - great, the world's oldest and longest serving ensign! I decided to just stay Army.