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My visit to US Naval Base Coronado - April 8-9, 2012
JEFFHEAD.COM ^ | April 15, 2012 | Jeff Head

Posted on 04/16/2012 10:24:25 AM PDT by Jeff Head

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To: wardaddy
You will certainly see some interesting ships along the San Diego water front. A must see is USS MIDWAY (CV-41) and the ex-Soviet Foxtrot class submarine B-39. The Foxtrot is a very bare bones diesel-electric sub that the Soviets built in numbers (74 were built between 1957 to 1983). Life on the pre-nuclear submarines was not easy and as the spartan conditions aboard the B-39 can attest. The S/V STAR OF INDIA is also worthwhile. STAR was built in 1863 and is a bark-rigged sailing ship made entirely of iron.
41 posted on 04/16/2012 11:45:03 PM PDT by MasterGunner01 (11)
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To: Ax

Lucky you! Used to live in Escondido (North of San Diego). Try to find time to visit the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park located in Escondido. Just checked they now call in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. We visited there all the time and really is a special place. Go in the morning as it does get hot!
On the drive to Escondido up 15 N you will go past Miramar Naval Air Station which used to be a busy place. Top Gun school located there.
Been to all the Sea World’s and San Diego has the best! Try to visit that as the gardens and flowers are beautiful and the shows are great. Check the sun angle and try to sit accordingly- can be roasting if full sun for an hour.
Just some thoughts for your family to consider, wish I could come!!


42 posted on 04/18/2012 5:57:24 PM PDT by mojo114 (Pray for our military)
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To: mojo114

Thanks for the tips, mojo. My wife’s been out there a couple of times to visit her bro who’s lived there for about 30 years. I’ve never heard a bad thing said about San Diego. Only thing I’m not looking forward to is that long plane ride from West Palm Beach to SD via Atlanta.


43 posted on 04/18/2012 7:27:41 PM PDT by Ax
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To: mojo114
"On the drive to Escondido up 15 N you will go past Miramar Naval Air Station which used to be a busy place. Top Gun school located there."

You do know that Miramar is now a Marine Air Station? Or were you referring to the past? The Naval Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) is now integrated into the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center at NAS Fallon, NV.

44 posted on 04/19/2012 3:51:11 PM PDT by A Navy Vet (An Oath Is Forever)
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To: A Navy Vet

Talking past- 1980’s. Thanks for the update.


45 posted on 04/20/2012 5:48:16 PM PDT by mojo114 (Pray for our military)
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To: Jeff Head

7th Fleet is WESTPAC. EASTPAC is 3rd Fleet.


46 posted on 04/21/2012 9:55:59 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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To: GATOR NAVY

Yep...already fixed that on my site...was my bad, &th is forward deployed in Japan.

Another freeper also pointed thios out on this thread and I appreciate it.

They say San Diego is the highest concentration of US Naval vessels in the world after Norfolk. I believe it.

The entire Sound around Bremerton is pretty big too, as would be Hawaii and Japan.

But yes, this is the 3rd fleet. Thanks for pointing it out.


47 posted on 04/21/2012 11:41:53 PM PDT by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free, never has been, never will be (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
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To: Jeff Head; GATOR NAVY

Pearl Harbor has full complement of surface vessals and subs but much of the time they are deployed. Carriers are in and out since no one wants another December 7th in the Duck Pond. When a carrier arrives, it’s rarely inside the harbor unless for a refit. Where the subs are is anyone’s guess.


48 posted on 04/21/2012 11:54:30 PM PDT by BIGLOOK
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To: BIGLOOK
Naval Station Bremerton and Naval Submarine Base Bangor were consolidated into Naval Base Kitsap some years back.

The same consolidation of bases occurred in San Diego with all but one of the Naval installations (Naval Base, San Diego).

I always thought that to have different command structures were redundant (think redundant fedgov agencies), so I think this a good thing. Of course, each base still has it's own designation and base commander.

49 posted on 04/22/2012 4:38:48 AM PDT by A Navy Vet (An Oath Is Forever)
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To: Jeff Head
Beautiful pictures. I am an ex-San Diegan who still misses the best of San Diego life.

It's always a thrill when a carrier returns to port.

50 posted on 04/22/2012 4:44:33 AM PDT by RightField (one of the obstreperous citizens insisting on incorrect thinking - C. Krauthamer)
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To: Jeff Head
I so wish that you could have seen the USS Reagan! We are her homeport but she's up in Washington for repairs right now!

She's quite a sight!

I can imagine the wonderful setting the Del provided for your daughter's wedding. What gorgeous photos you all will have to mark the day! Congratulations to all!

With so many FReepers heading this way, seems we should have a mini FR convention here some time! Just a thought....

51 posted on 04/22/2012 5:18:49 AM PDT by CAluvdubya (Have a Blessed Good Friday)
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To: mojo114
Used to live in Escondido (North of San Diego). Try to find time to visit the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park located in Escondido. Just checked they now call in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

They can try to change the name but we still call it The Wild Animal Park :)

52 posted on 04/22/2012 5:20:25 AM PDT by CAluvdubya (Have a Blessed Good Friday)
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To: A Navy Vet; GATOR NAVY; Neil E. Wright
GO GATOR NAVY!

LPH-11 (USS NEW ORLEANS) - purple shirt here. What a pain when the Marine units came aboard and bought out the ship's store and layed about everywhere. Or maybe you were on a smaller LPD or LST or now LSD? Still, I was proud to be their "sea-going bellhop". Gotta love our Marines.

Just researched LPH-11 and found she was used as target practice and sunk in 2010 some 70 miles off Kaua'i. She was my home for (3)years back in the 70's. Makes me a little sad. Guess better to be blown up than being scrapped for junk metal.

I still remember every inch of that flight deck and every time I had to run across it to fuel the Cobra's, Huey's, Chinooks, Sea Stallions - also some Harriers. Think FOD walks in o'dark thirty. Can't count the number of times I ate dry cheese sandwiches on deck and peed off the side of the re-fueling station. Miss those times, except for the countless fire-fighting drills and how bad everyone smelled from the heat of the orient. Are you a Shellback?

53 posted on 04/22/2012 5:23:41 AM PDT by A Navy Vet (An Oath Is Forever)
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To: A Navy Vet

I was on two LPDs (DUBUQUE and JUNEAU), two LSTs (BRISTOL COUNTY and SAN BERNARDINO), an LKA (ST LOUIS) and an LSD (CARTER HALL). Only the last is still in commission. The LSTs were sold to foreign navies and the LKA is in mothballs at Pearl Harbor. I don’t know the status of the LPDs. They were rode hard for 40+ years and put away wet.

I was able to cross the equator on every ship I was on, including the only non-gator, an FFG. I am a Golden Shellback-BRISTOL COUNTY crossed at 0° and 180° enroute from Guadalcanal to Pearl Harbor. I was King Neptune on my last crossing (actually the CMC was a senior shellback but he was required to be a safety observer for the ceremony.)

For my job (QM) amphibs were challenging ships. Lots of inshore navigation and of course beaching on the LSTs. I enjoyed them very much.


54 posted on 04/22/2012 12:48:25 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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To: Jeff Head

I saw that someone else corrected you-after I posted. My fault for not reading all the posts first.

I haven’t been to San Diego since 1995, when we brought my LST from Sasebo to be decommed and turned over to the Chilean Navy. I remember being shocked at how empty the place seemed after the first big wave of post-Gulf War decommissionings compared to what it had been in the ‘80s. I imagine I would be really shocked now. But the guys in the ‘80s who remembered the ‘60s and ‘70s probably said the same thing.


55 posted on 04/22/2012 1:02:24 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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To: Jeff Head

Thanks for the photos. It’s been almost 20 years since I’ve been to Coronado. I had 3 years of shore duty at NAS North Island followed by 3 years on USS Ranger (CV-61) homeported at NAS North Island. I left in 1993 when the Ranger decomissioned. There sure have been a lot of changes since then, in San Diego and in the Navy.


56 posted on 04/22/2012 1:04:40 PM PDT by aomagrat (Gun owners who vote for democrats are too stupid to own guns.)
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To: GATOR NAVY
"I was King Neptune on my last crossing (actually the CMC was a senior shellback but he was required to be a safety observer for the ceremony.)"

Jeeze, so you were the guy I had to kiss the lard laden fat belly? That was nasty, not to mention crawling through a tunnel of galley garbage. I wonder if they still do that, along with the paddles hitting the backside. My second/third crossing was fun, as I was a Shellback. My turn...har! I also did duty on a FF (USS Barbey).

Sounds like you missed out on adult Disneyland of Olongapo. Then maybe not your cup o tea.

ROTOR-HEADS ROTATE EVERYWHERE! USN: 1975-1986.

57 posted on 04/22/2012 2:41:52 PM PDT by A Navy Vet (An Oath Is Forever)
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To: A Navy Vet

No, that was the Royal Baby, not King Neptune. I made it to Subic plenty of times before it shut down. I was also there right after Pinatubo went off and was in the last the ARG to pull out when they closed the base. I never went back after that though, which was cool because I was married by then.


58 posted on 04/22/2012 9:09:20 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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To: GATOR NAVY
"No, that was the Royal Baby, not King Neptune."

Yes. The synapses are not firing on all cylinders nowadays. It's been too long since.

Take care Vet.

59 posted on 04/22/2012 9:23:42 PM PDT by A Navy Vet (An Oath Is Forever)
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