Posted on 08/21/2015 10:48:17 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
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I joined in 1975, and I would far rather have worn the dixie cup and bell bottoms. I didn’t care for the ice cream uniform, though I did enjoy wearing all whites...:)
Plus, Tomcat is the coolest name ever given an airplane.
ping
“But what is the deal with the over-priced F-35 that just doesn’t work in many scenarios?”
We don’t know how well it will do, as it’s not yet operational. I’d rather have seen more F-22s bought (and a naval version), especially since they turned out to cost about the same as the F-35 per copy. That said, we’re fully committed to the F-35 at this point. It’s also too bad that the second engine program was cancelled, it was designed for more output.
I’m hopeful that the F-35 will end up being highly effective in the end.
“The above aside, I can’t understand why the A-10 Warthog is going away with its amazing ground support.”
I posted about that on this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3324556/posts
In short, the A-10 is obsolete and there are better alternatives.
Cool story. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for the ping. Interesting.
Very nice read... I, myself, was F-16 baby... Always wanted to know about the “14”.
The F-18 was originally named F-17.. It was a fight for production rights from the usa with the F-16..
why we are stuck with the the piece of crop F-35 instead of the superb F-22... OBAMA.. Need I say more?
When I left the service, the F-22 was still called YF-22..It was a prototype I wanted to play with..
Then you had the "Middies" (Midshipmen on summer cruise) with their Dixie cups with the Navy blue band. Naturally, the regular enlisted crew passed the word on the beach at each port of call that the blue band meant the wearer had VD.
I didn't "mess around", so never tested that rumor.
BTW, Snipes and Deck Apes earn their pay and then some.
Back then I hated it just like any other sane sailor LOL. That said I would have loved to made about a week at sea when I got older. I really didn't appreciate at the time what all I was getting to see and get to go too.
The old gal "America" prepared me for some rough seas to go through later after I had got out. She did me a lot of good. No regrets going in or getting out after one hitch.
Hey! Did I say those guys didn’t earn their pay? I have the utmost respect for people who do their jobs below decks, because in a battle situation, I would rather be on the flight deck!
I take my hat off to those guys.
I remember the 70s. The world had more pastel and sepia shades back then!
I started out as a non rated in B-Division B as in Boilers. I worked in Test Lab which coordinated the fuel and boiler feed water. That had me in The Hole most of the time sound tanks treating feed water etc. I lasted about two months and had to be medically wavered out due to an Inner Ear issue which about 18 years later would disable me in civilian jobs.
I was transferred to the Engineering Log Room till CHENG decided what to do with me. He took an interest to me and kinda mentored me as did the Auxiliaries Officer. The Aux officer didn't know why I was in the log room and asked me one day. I told him and he asked if I had any skills. I told him the truth and said Yes AC&R I had civilian schools and worked in it. He asked me if I thought I could handle the Aux spaces which were lower in humidity. I said I'll give it my best try. He said put in the Chit and next day I was in AC&R shop. I think it took a week to qualify me LOL.
A fresh air snipe? Yeah about half and half really. Our gear was on the 6th deck all the way up to the RADOME at the base of the mast. But then again some BT's worked on the 03 level.
We tied up beside you many times in Norfolk at pier 12. I think Pier 7 the upriver side was the third carrier berth now there's five. They built a pier between 12 & 7. Sorry you guys drew the short straw for the Iranian Crisis.
My first Captain was a former POW shot down early on and did his time in Hanoi Hilton. We watched him get Rear Admiral at change of command.
I bet the old man pissed a Captain or chief off sending the gut to the brig. None of us were scrounges. But many a day we looked like we fell into a grease pit. The guys working full time in The Hole had it a lot worse. It could be 20 hour days at sea and the last thing on your mind when you see a chance for sleep is a trip to the Barber shop. We came to the shop every morning clean and in clean uniform. If we knew we were going to be working on something pretty involved the clean uniform may have been stained and ratty looking. No sense in messing up your good ones. In general the chiefs and even the engineering officers overlooked uniforms as long as you could be counted on. IOW being in port the chief on your non duty night might come to you at midnight and say "Forward IC package A/C unit is down can you go have a look?" He comes to you because you have the knowledge and skill and won't be pissed off. The next day or whenever chief takes care of you. I slept through GQ once in my rack after staying up all night after working all day to get FWD IC's A/C unit back up.
Then we had another problem worse than someone dirty. Guys that no matter what refused to get dirty for any reason meaning we did their work load. That was one reason for an old time hazing tradition that still occurred even when I got out. It got you used to getting dirty. The ones who would not do the dirty work ended up as PPO or compartment cleaner.
It sounds like the guy your skipper caught came out of the starboard hatch at 5 pump room which was right in front of the chow line in front of the Galley windows IIRC. BTW I had a beard also LOL. Except for my Fire Dept T.A.D.'s.
I never wore whites. East Coast mainly wore blues.
“I joined in 1975, and I would far rather have worn the dixie cup and bell bottoms”.
Same here, rmorel.
Hi squids!
Any of you serve on the Ranger? Only boat I ever rode around in..good experience.
No but one of my Chiefs was on Ranger as a MM2 back in early 1970’s. He would have been a Snipe nicknamed “Whale”. From Ranger likely to either P.E.B. or O.R.E. inspection team then to America in about 76.
Not referring to you at all. I spent a week in the Fire Room and a week in the Engine room of the R.A. Owens, DD-827, back in 1966. By far the hottest place I've ever worked!
Engine room was cooler, but I had 4-8 watch.
4-8 watch
8-16 normal work day
16-20 watch
16 hours staring at a big tach, and trying to maintain 113 turns by small adjustments on the Main Steam Valve (IIRC).
Ah! I thought the lack of respect for snipes was directed at me!
I never had any problems with them...:)
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