[BlueNgold]

As far as engineering and sonar techs go the Sub fleet is the top dog, no question. When it comes to basic seamanship you actually want an old ugly fat nasty supply ship. You want mean old sea dog Chief Boatswain's Mates training your seaman and watch standers, and a QMC that understands how to rig as well as they plot.

I would put my old nav crew up against any in the fleet (when push came to shove on routes and options the ADM called us for a reason, and it wasn't based on seniority) - and most of them were undesignated strikers we trained ourselves. Navigation at sea is as much art and finesse as it is technical, perhaps more so. The only way to learn it is to do it because no passage is ever the same, and every passage in coastal waters is a nail biter.

[75thOVI]

Eve'n Nav. Sorry the 8:00 (2000) report is a little late but DMINS #2 is acting up again, the NavETs say the velocities should be back to normal any time now. OOD says we are going up after the 2230 NAVSAT, so things are going to be right as rain. Those were the days, eh Boss? Quite frankly I think the collision occured because of the electronics, rather than is spite of them. Never trusted the damn things myself. Used them, certainly. Trusted them, never! As my old Nav drummed into us, "Nobody ever ran aground because they were too busy plotting." I could tell you stories. Just one question, Do the names Dallas and Ray mean anything to you? Now can you finish this quote?

Submariners Once!
Submariners Twice!...