[/QUOTE]

The big ships don’t roll badly. If you want to be strapped down all night, ride one of the old LSTs in Force 10 or better.[/QUOTE]

Forgot to mention, those flat-bottomed LSTs don’t pitch. They judder.[/QUOTE]

I rode a "T" for a few years. Yep, flat bottomed with big bow doors and shaped like a bathtub. You had to assume some kind of splayed out, on your stomach, sleeping position to keep from rolling out of your rack during moderate to rough seas. We took a 57-1/2 degree roll one time and came within 5 degrees of capsizing. Holding onto your tray of chow and scooping up a mouthful at the top of a roll was the only way to eat, with both hands holding the tray in between rolls. Never got seasick though. A lot of the Marines that we carried got sick.

quote:

Well, I meant while tied to the dock (though underway would be a LOT better). They can't exactly move those battleships when hurricanes and big storms come through. . .

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
All the ships that are seaworthy leave port well in advance of the storm. I do not believe the Alabama can be moved. After Hurricane Frederic in 1979 it was displaced quite a distance by the wind and water.

My experience is the bigger ships ride better than the smaller ones.

I was assigned to a Destroyer (USS DuPont, DD941) back in the late 70’s. First time aboard was November in the North Sea. Definitely learned to hold on for sleeping. Rocking your mess tray was required so you didn’t lose your chow. Movie Call, at 2000 hrs, was entertaining because everyone was swaying back and forth due to the rolling of the ship. It looked like some kind of sing-along, everyone swaying together.
Heavy seas? How about watching from the Destroyer as a Carrier you are traveling with takes waves on the FLIGHT DECK?

The DuPont would head up the side of a swell, the bow would come out of the water as she rolled to one side and slam down the bow on the down hill side. This tended to throw guys out of their bunk (especially forward) if they weren’t holding on. I still sleep on my side. In my bunk it allowed me to hold on to the only post I could reach - the vertical leg that held the bunks up.

Ah, such memories ……………….

Rode around two typhoons off the coast of the Philippines in 1973 or so. I was on the USS Truxton DLGN-35. I was stationed in the aft engineering spaces. Man, we rock ‘n rolled for a few days. Big waves, big rain and big wind.

We toured the Alabama last winter. I’d much rather take it through a storm than the Truxton.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris42:
My experience is the bigger ships ride better than the smaller ones.

Generally...

USS Midway (CV-41) and her sisters were well known horrible ships in rough conditions. With a lower freeboard (flight deck to water surface) than other carriers, and the modifications of adding an angled deck and hull modifications, they would twist and roll pretty badly and take on more water than was comfortable.

On navy ships, are the officer’s quarters right in the center of the ship so they sleep like a baby being rocked, while the enlisted men are in the stern/bow hanging on for dear life?

Here’s the night shot, up close and personal.

Nice pic, GarandGuy.

If you are ever there again, you need to do the Naval Base cruise on the Victory Rover. $25 for a 2 hour narrated cruise up to the Naval Base. I've done it 6 times and I learn something new every time.

quote:

I've been aboard Missouri, New Jersey and Iowa, need to get back east and visit Wisconsin.

I need to get out west to visit the Iowa. I've been on New Jersey, Missouri and Wisconsin.

That is a fantastic pic GarandGuy!!!!

I’ve been working and looking out the window and on the very top of that antenna array there’s what I think is an Osprey nest. I’ve watched all morning what appears to be mom and dad flying back and forth and landing and hovering over the nest. Pretty neat, I can’t get a decent picture of it sadly.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
That is a fantastic pic GarandGuy!!!!

Thanks stickman, it was a beautiful evening stroll.

Nice view, great pic Garandguy of course I had to go down the wormhole.


Link

Sunday, May 6, 1956, at approximately 3:14 PM the USS WISCONSIN BB-64 collided with the USS EATON DDE-510. This happened off the Virginia Coast during heavy fog.

There are quite a few up close images at the link of the damage to BB64



and the USS Eaton

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
On navy ships, are the officer’s quarters right in the center of the ship so they sleep like a baby being rocked, while the enlisted men are in the stern/bow hanging on for dear life?

Depends on the class of ship.
On Spruance Class DD's and Ticonderoga Class CG's the enlisted berthing is main deck and below and Officer berthing is under the Hangar and Flight deck. Not exactly the best place to sleep. I know on every deployment I was on we knew exactly where each officers rack was and where and how to drop our tool boxes depending how we liked said officer . Had an XO on one ship who was not the nicest guy when it came to the Air Det Personnel. We staged our 12 ton jacks over his state room and made sure the tie downs had a little slack in them so they clanged back and forth. He's come up to the hangar in his robe and tie them down and as soon as he cleared the ladder well they'd be loose again

On Arleigh Burke Class "O" Country is on the upper decks and Enlisted Berthing is lower down.

Many great pictures in this thread. Stickman your picture is truly outstanding.

My dad was a submariner and told me that once while in the North Sea his sub was doing 30 degrees of rolls while submerged. (I don't know how deep.)

quote:

Originally posted by PCWyoming:

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
the Tucson Navy is pretty small - I think it consists of a Zodiac and a 2 person kayak.

Same size as the Wyoming Navy.

PC

There was actually a unit referred to as the "Rio Grande navy" at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque. It was a small Navy testing operation.

Cool. I may have missed it, which battle ship is it?

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
Cool. I may have missed it, which battle ship is it?

BB61 - USS Iowa
BB62- -USS New Jersey
BB63 - USS Missouri
BB64 - USS Wisconsin
The Wisconsin was the last of her class, we will never see ships like these again.

hberttmank,
My Dad was on the Iowa the same time as your Dad. He said that being in that storm for three days was one of the worst parts of the War. He did enjoy going back to the States for repairs. As I recall the repair took a couple months, and my Mom came out to Cal. to be with my Dad. Mom is gone now, but Dad is still going at age 97.
Rod

If you are in Norfolk Virginia I HIGHLY recommend going to see the battleship Wisconsin. Not only is it a piece of history and incredible to explore but your chances of finding veterans who served aboard her are good (at least they used to be before the virus mess).

If you are there try to find a veteran and ask them (if they don’t mind it of course) if they could tell you a few stories about their life and experiences while aboard the battleship. You won’t regret doing that I promise you.


GarandGuy, be very aware and careful walking around Norfolk at night. That place can be a bit wild.