Submarine games

November 30, 2017, 04:57 AM

Rinehart

Submarine games

quote:
Originally posted by SeaCliff:
Had many diesels tie to me. Started disappearing in end of '69 and the SSN started tie in.
Had one SSBN tie for a bit.
San Diego Based
USS Nereus AS17
USS Sperry AS12

At the time we moved on Bonefish for the homeport change from Pearl Harbor Hawaii to Point Loma was when they had the daylight payroll robbery of $200,000 onboard the USS Dixon (AS37). Robbers were dressed as Navy.
Don't think I ever heard that they caught the rascals.

November 30, 2017, 05:01 AM

Rinehart

quote:
Originally posted by Patriot:
USS Greenling here...SSN 614

Got my dolphins on that pigboat

Patriot- did you get your dolphins tacked on? ("tradition" of removing the pin covers and driving the dolphin pins into your chest...ouch).

Also was a tradition of throwing the no-longer non-qual-lower-than-whale-sh*t-at-the-bottom-of-the-ocean person overboard after the ceremony. In Hawaii this was funny. In San Diego harbor in January it wasn't so amusing...

Used to be a thing to trade dolphins between submarine crews from different countries. I have a number from other countries around... somewhere.

November 30, 2017, 06:17 AM

SgtGold

You bubbleheads have my undieing admiration and respect for what you do. Not only am I mildly claustrophobic, but I'm 6'3" so the Navy and sea duty never really appealed to me. The closest I ever got to underwater duty was river fording, and that was enough!

November 30, 2017, 06:51 AM

Chris42

I was on the surface from 1977-1980 in destroyers (FF-1096, DD-941) and on a cruiser (USS Dale CG-19). Standing Sonar watches we would track and record any Soviet subs that we came across. It was my understanding that once recorded for reference we could identify that particular sub by its distinct sound “signature”. The system I was trained on was ASROC. Anti submarine Rocket. Long since retired.

November 30, 2017, 07:06 AM

V-Tail

quote:
Originally posted by SgtGold:
I'm 6'3" so the Navy and sea duty never really appealed to me.

I am also 6'3". In my four years of regular USN plus two years USNR reserve, I logged a total of five days sea duty. The senior missile tech petty officers in my squadron drew lots for this duty: out at 8:00 am (0800 in Navy talk), back the same afternoon.

Job was coordinating recovery efforts for target drones used in Navy Top Gun exercises.

Tough job, but somebody had to do it.

Spending the day, on the taxpayers' nickel, in the waters east of Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station, on the eastern end of Puerto Rico.

The vessel was a rescue boat, essentially a PT boat without the armament. I am (was) a sailor, with actual sails. I was amazed at how fast the rescue boat moved.

November 30, 2017, 11:33 AM

Patriot

quote:
Originally posted by Rinehart:
quote:
Originally posted by Patriot:
USS Greenling here...SSN 614

Got my dolphins on that pigboat

Patriot- did you get your dolphins tacked on? ("tradition" of removing the pin covers and driving the dolphin pins into your chest...ouch).

Yes, I did...

Along with several black and blue shoulders from making rates and getting new crow tacked on.

And I am 6’3”...and have a few scars from stitches on my head and bad knees/back from stooping/leaning over.

But I would trade it for anything...

November 30, 2017, 11:56 AM

Rinehart

We had a guy on Bonefish from TN named Scotty who was over 6'8" tall... and in submarines. He never hit his head, believe it or not, (he worked aft of the frame) and actually once snapped off a 1" valve shaft with his hands shutting it during a situation. (The valve had to be replaced).

He wore size 14DDD+ shoes and wanted flip flops for on the beach in Waikiki, and couldn't find a pair anywhere in his size. One of the local Oahu FM radio stations heard about it and put out a request on air and a company that made flip flops made Scotty several pair gratis.
(I could have gone skiing with the things).

One thing I can tell you from experience- a bulkhead hatch coaming on any Navy vessel will not give whatsoever when it comes into contact with your forehead or knee.
(Especially if it is a watertight door).

November 30, 2017, 02:03 PM

jimmy123x

quote:
Originally posted by Patriot:
quote:
Originally posted by Rinehart:
quote:
Originally posted by Patriot:
USS Greenling here...SSN 614

Got my dolphins on that pigboat

Patriot- did you get your dolphins tacked on? ("tradition" of removing the pin covers and driving the dolphin pins into your chest...ouch).

Yes, I did...

Along with several black and blue shoulders from making rates and getting new crow tacked on.

And I am 6’3”...and have a few scars from stitches on my head and bad knees/back from stooping/leaning over.

But I would trade it for anything...

I don't know how.

I walked through the WWII German U Boat that we captured that's in the Museum of Architect. I'm 6'3 and that boat was TIGHT (and I'm a yacht captain accustomed to being in tight places), if I remember correctly, there was only 4 places I could stand up in, but had to remain in one spot. Also the bunks were only 5'9 in that boat and only bunks for 1/2 of the crew so had to hot bunk it. Also it only had 2 heads (I don't remember it even having a shower) and they packed the forward head with canned food, so only 1 head for 1/2 the journey until the food was eaten up. I'm amazed at what you submariners went through.....

November 30, 2017, 05:02 PM

Rinehart

On the B-girls I believe the best bunks (although with little to no privacy) were the torpedo room bunks, where usually some of the torpedomen berthed.

Those bunks were slotted in the torpedo racks and had no enclosure, so you could stick your feet and head out if necessary.

In most standard submarine berthing, even the CO has a bunk with walls on the end. Same for the enlisted, Goat Locker, Wardroom staterooms, etc.

(I'm below six feet, um. So I didn't have a problem but still even hit my head occasionally). If you bilge crawled during qualification it was hard to avoid...

November 30, 2017, 05:55 PM

Sig2340

quote:
Originally posted by BigCity:
Does anyone know which boats had "spooks" on them to listen in on the Soviets?

USS NARWHAL (SSN-671) was a one-of-a-kind boat involved in the undersea cable tapping boats.

Several "long hull" Sturgeon-class SSNs, including Parche, L. Mendel Rivers, and Richard B. Russell were also involved in cable tapping operations.

Blind Man's Bluff has a great account of the operation, which was ultimately blown when the Soviets found one of the taps while fixing an undersea cable. There is also evidence that the Walkers (may those fuckers die in prison) gave over information that might have blown the operation.

December 01, 2017, 03:42 PM

Rinehart

OMCHamlin, that's very interesting as I used to stand up on the deck of the sub tender and watch you folks work on the periscopes. Never knew it was a rating, always thought it was contract work... You fellas did some good work as those periscopes were put through a lot of abuse. (Like being raised and lowered at greater than spec speeds and conditions, for instance).

I seem to recall that a couple of the Subpac training buildings on Ford Island and Sub Base Pearl Harbor had a sub periscope installed. You could power (assist button worked) it around just like a sub and look all around sub base PH and the harbor. That's where they did the periscope photography classes. They also had one in the sub attack training control room simulator.

December 01, 2017, 07:54 PM

Patriot

quote:
Originally posted by OMCHamlin:
Man, those names of the older SSNs bring back memories, Scamp, Skulpin, Gato, Greenling, and some older "41 for Freedom" boomers as well. I was a part of a pretty small rate, Opticalman, which was disestablished in 2000. We pulled, fixed and installed all of your periscopes and fairings. The tiny little Tullibee's custom scope with wire (instead of hydraulic) lifting yoke, the Narwhal with it's goofy cable hump.
I was at NSSF three times, + the Holland, Cable (Charleston AND Guam) and E.S.Land over in Lamadd. Memories...

I was on the Lands sister ship the L.Y Spear...AS-36.

I was an RCSS...In R-5 division...RADCON.

December 01, 2017, 11:57 PM

SeaCliff

quote:
Originally posted by SeaCliff:
quote:
Originally posted by Rinehart:
quote:
Originally posted by SeaCliff:
Had many diesels tie to me. Started disappearing in end of '69 and the SSN started tie in.
Had one SSBN tie for a bit.
San Diego Based
USS Nereus AS17
USS Sperry AS12

At the time we moved on Bonefish for the homeport change from Pearl Harbor Hawaii to Point Loma was when they had the daylight payroll robbery of $200,000 onboard the USS Dixon (AS37). Robbers were dressed as Navy.
Don't think I ever heard that they caught the rascals.

I don't remember hearing anything either. I remembered getting payed in the mess halls. I remember going thru the Corpsman table for mandatory shots or you didn't go to the next table which was the Paymaster.

I decomed the Nereus and then boarded Sperry. Remember the first women sailors coming aboard the Dixon which replaced Sperry after I got out in '72. The 2 left were the Dixon and McKee.