An old sailor's "sea stories"

[CWtheMan]

I'm getting so old I haven't much to do but reminisce. I'll never be able to remember all the memorable events of my more than 30 years active duty with the USN. I joined in Jan of 1957 and retired in March of 1988.

These are random events with approximate dates or sometimes the actual ones. Some will be a little risqué but not close to "R" rated.

Early in 1980 I was making a very long trip back to Virginia Beach, VA from the Indian Ocean. The trip took me to Tokyo and then on to Anchorage, Alaska where I finally went through the customs inspection to reenter the USA. When finished with the customs inspection we were free to roam around the international airport. I had been seated with another USN CPO when leaving Tokyo. We decided to go to the airport lounge and have a beer. At the bar there was a very attractive female bartender that asked us what we'd like to have to drink. We just wanted an 8 oz draft beer. She returned with the beers, and I paid with a $10.00 bill, and she returned with $3.00 in change. We made the comment that was a little expensive for small draft beers. She looked us straight in the eyes and said, "sailors, if you think that's expensive you should see the price for hookers in town, welcome to Alaska".

[Camp CA]

$10 for 8 ounce beer in 1980 was expensive! Should have cost $0.61 https://theinstituteofbeer.com/beer/...r-in-1980.html.

[Badbart56]

Back in the mid to late 70's when I was attached to a Navy Patrol squadron I did a couple of 6 week detachments to an island along the Aleutian chain, NAF Adak, Alaska.

Every Tuesday one of our P-3's would bring supplies in a specially made rack that fit in the bomb bay. Among the supplies would be 80 cases of Coors beer, every week. 40 cases for us Sailors that were on Adak and the other 40 cases were reserved for trading with a bunch of local King Crab fishermen on the Aleutian Island of Shemya.

I was good friends with the mess cooks. Life was good.

[Badbart56]

Originally Posted by Camp CA

$10 for 8 ounce beer in 1980 was expensive! Should have cost $0.61 https://theinstituteofbeer.com/beer/...r-in-1980.html.

That's just the way it was in Alaska! I remember flying into the airport in Anchorage and seeing an advertisement for a T-Bone Steak for $16.99 in 79.

[CWtheMan]

P-3 Aircraft Flight Engineer

Early in 1970 I was nearing the end of a 4-year shore duty assignment with Attack Squadron 174 at Naval Air Station, Cecil Field, FL.

When talking with my detailer I requested consideration for P3 flight engineer training. I had recently been promoted to first class petty officer (E6) and was in the AM rating, one of only three ratings allowed to train for P-3 flight engineer duty. They were AM = Aviation Structural Mechanic, AD = Aviation Power Plant Mechanic & AE = Aviation Electricians’ Mate.

Before orders to the training could be issued a candidate was required to pass a flight physical and be certified by a medical doctor to be medically qualified for the training. I passed the physical exam at the Naval Hospital at Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, FL.

On route to Naval Air Station, Moffett Field, located at Mountain View, CA (the bay area) I was directed to attend Survival, Evasion and Resistance training (SEAR) school. The classroom and deep-water training were at North Island, CA and the field training was at Warner Springs, CA. Anyone with the possibility of flying in the Vietnam Combat area was required to have SERE training.

When I completed that training, I reported to NAS Moffett field for formal training to become a P-3 Orion flight engineer. The first 8 weeks were all classroom where the minimum passing grade of 80 must be met. One failure was a one week set-back. A second failure was dismissal from training.

Once the classroom training was completed it was on to the training modules and hands-on training. I was physically disqualified on my very first module training secession. I could not operate circuit breakers without looking at them. The course required operation from memory. My right hand was damaged when I was 13 and I had lost about 40% of the feeling and 65 % loss of right thumb activity. As a mechanic I was always able to compensate by watching what I was doing. That was not allowed for some actions in flight engineer training.

The board that reassigned me to other duties was very unhappy with the medical examination I had passed but there were zero notations made in my personnel records other than disqualified for medical reasons.

Shortly after the disqualification I was ordered to report to VF-151 (a F-4 Phantom II squadron) at Naval Air Station Miramar, CA. While there I was the supervisor of the periodic maintenance inspection team for three years.

In the photo of a P-3 flight deck, the engineer is centered behind the pilot and copilot. The CB panel on the right rear of the engineer position is the one I could not operate without looking at it.

[Badbart56]

I too was at NAS Moffett Field and went through FRAMP training at VP-31 before being stationed there in VP-19. I was an AMH and also was an F/E candidate but I would have had to re-enlist and I had already set my sights on a law enforcement career. I even passed on the Naval Academy but I have often wondered where that would have taken me. I was just happy that I advanced to E-5 in under 4 years. The rate was closing up (too many Sailors in the rate) and one Sailor that I advanced to E-5 with only made it to E-6 in 19 years before he retired. I liked what I did but I didn't like that our squadron deployed every 6 months or so. I did get to see a lot of countries in WESTPAC though including Diego Garcia BIOT. Good times.

[CWtheMan]

Originally Posted by Badbart56

I too was at NAS Moffett Field and went through FRAMP training at VP-31 before being stationed there in VP-19. I was an AMH and also was an F/E candidate but I would have had to re-enlist and I had already set my sights on a law enforcement career. I even passed on the Naval Academy but I have often wondered where that would have taken me. I was just happy that I advanced to E-5 in under 4 years. The rate was closing up (too many Sailors in the rate) and one Sailor that I advanced to E-5 with only made it to E-6 in 19 years before he retired. I liked what I did but I didn't like that our squadron deployed every 6 months or so. I did get to see a lot of countries in WESTPAC though including Diego Garcia BIOT. Good times.

I was also an AMH. It took me 5 years and 3 months to make E6 and because of military overloading for Cuba the rating got top heavy, and I was an AMH1 for 7 years before I made CPO.

My trip home from the IO in post #1 originated on the USS Nimitz. It was too far away from Diego Garcia to fly me there and I had to ride the Oiler Roanoke for 7 days.

[Bob R]

The bomb bay rack will not leave the aircraft in flight without doing some fairly obvious damage to the doors, ask me how I know.

I was at Moffett Field (VP 46 ) from 79 to 82 after Flight Engineer school, NADC Warminster 82 and 83 (terminated shore duty, there wasn't enough flying. Went to VP 19 in 83 and left in 89. That was the end of my FE career I finished up as a Plane Captain (flying billet along with loadmaster) on C2s in VRC 30. Then was off to retirement and a new career.

bob

[gkainz]

Originally Posted by Bob R

Snip…
I finished up as a Plane Captain (flying billet along with loadmaster) on C2s in VRC 30. Then was off to retirement and a new career.

bob

Bob,

What years were you with VRC 30? A good friend of mine was a pilot there … LCDR Buck Bentley.

I was a Flight Tech (aircrew) in the E-2 Hawkeye with VAW-110, VAW-112 and VAW-78.

Greg

[Bob R]

Originally Posted by gkainz

Bob,

What years were you with VRC 30? A good friend of mine was a pilot there … LCDR Buck Bentley.

I was a Flight Tech (aircrew) in the E-2 Hawkeye with VAW-110, VAW-112 and VAW-78.

Greg

I was there 89 to retirement in 92. The name is not familiar.

bob

[CWtheMan]

Naples, Italy

In 1979/1980 I was working as the Carrier Air Wink flight deck maintenance SCPO via VF-41 aboard the USS Nimitz. The Nimitz was going to stand-down for a couple of weeks during the Christmas and New Year. My wife along with another couple hundred spouses put together a “tiger” flight to the NATO base at Naples via the Navy.

On the previous port call to Naples I had used the USO to secure a two-week stay at the Santa Lucia hotel on the Naples waterfront. It would be our base camp – so to speak – for exploring Italy.

https://www.santalucia.it/

We took a number of USO sponsored tours from Naples including the midnight mass at the Vatican. When returning to Naples we would go to the CPO club at the NATO Base and get an American meal. One day we missed to regularly scheduled USO bus to NATO. So, we took a taxi. (It’s always a thrill to take a Naples cab ride). On the way up the hill to NATO we encountered heavy traffic congestion and street vendors would approach the cab trying to make a quick sale. One of them was a well-endowed woman (?) who revealed her nude chest. Linda took a deep breath and exclaimed “oh my god”. The cab driver burst into laughter. He then told Linda that was not a woman. In Italy it is unlawful for women to do bare their bosoms. Linda said he had surely fooled her. The cab driver said his objective was to fool naïve young male sailors.

[gkainz]

Originally Posted by CWtheMan

Snip

(It’s always a thrill to take a Naples cab ride).

Snip

On the way up the hill to NATO we encountered heavy traffic congestion and street vendors would approach the cab trying to make a quick sale. One of them was a well-endowed woman (?) who revealed her nude chest. Linda took a deep breath and exclaimed “oh my god”. The cab driver burst into laughter. He then told Linda that was not a woman. In Italy it is unlawful for women to do bare their bosoms. Linda said he had surely fooled her. The cab driver said his objective was to fool naïve young male sailors.

We’ve exchanged comments a few times before with “yep, I was there, then, too”.
Your comments above are two of the best understatements ever!
Greg

[CWtheMan]

NAS Barbers Point, Oahu, TH

Nearing the end of boot camp training at Great Lakes, IL I was interviewed for a duty assignment. My father wanted to learn to fly when he left the service at the end of WWII. By 1947 he had a license, and I was his first passenger.

During my interview I requested aviation duty. I demonstrated my knowledge of the theory of flight hoping for aviation duty.

Just before boot camp graduation (Mar 1957) I was directed to change my E2 stripes to green. It meant I was graduating as an aviation apprentice. While at the graduation ceremony our company commanded posted our orders on the message board. I was going to MATRTON2 at Naval Air Station, Barbers Point, Oahu, TH. After reading my orders I went and asked our company commander what Oahu, TH meant. His answer was, “you lucky SOB, you’re going to Hawaii”. Little did he know I was going to be continuously broke for the next two years?

While in route to Hawaii the squadron designation changed from MATRON2 to AIRBARSRON2. They flew Supper Connie’s, USN designation WV-2, Nick named “Willy Victor”.

I bypassed naval aviation training at Norman, OK because of my familiarity with the theory of flight including the 3 axes of flight.

TH = Territory of Hawaii

http://willyvictor.com/

[Badbart56]

Originally Posted by Bob R

The bomb bay rack will not leave the aircraft in flight without doing some fairly obvious damage to the doors, ask me how I know.

I was at Moffett Field (VP 46 ) from 79 to 82 after Flight Engineer school, NADC Warminster 82 and 83 (terminated shore duty, there wasn't enough flying. Went to VP 19 in 83 and left in 89. That was the end of my FE career I finished up as a Plane Captain (flying billet along with loadmaster) on C2s in VRC 30. Then was off to retirement and a new career.

bob

Did you know a Dave Cheney when you were with VP-19? He was there in the late 70's but I think he came back in the 80's. He was an AD.

[KarenK]

Just wanted to say Thank You for Your Service! to all of you.

[Chuckers]

I was at Moffett field 1965-1968 VP-47 P-3 Jez operator. Got wings as second radio. was a pretty mundane tour of duty for me so no stories.

[thanket]

I do not have any really neat stories like you old goats (lol) but I was a navy reservist from 1987 to 2011. I was recalled to active duty in 2002 and went with the marines to Camp Pendleton. I was a HMCS when I retired. Spent approximately 12 years blue side and 12 years green. Loved every minute of it and one of the best decisions I ever made. Actually joined after I had already graduated college.

[Bob R]

Originally Posted by Badbart56

Did you know a Dave Cheney when you were with VP-19? He was there in the late 70's but I think he came back in the 80's. He was an AD.

That name doesn't come up in my memory but then again I have lost quite a few things up there!!!

bob

[CWtheMan]

USS Independence (CVA-62)

In 1965 the phantoms of VF-41 were doing flack suppression bombing with 2000 pounders. If they hung-up the pilot could not bring them back aboard the Indy and would have to divert somewhere.

I was an airframes troubleshooter for VF-41 and one day I was called to the squadron’s maintenance control office. The maintenance officer needed a volunteer to go to Bien Hoa air base near Saigon and repair one of our aircraft that had diverted there. It had landed with 2 hung 2000 pounders, blew both main landing gear tires and run off the end of the runway. One brake assembly including the wheel/tire assembly would have to be replaced. Hydraulic/pneumatic lines had been damaged and replacements would have to be built and replaced.

I volunteered. They flew me and replacement parts to Bien Hoa with an E1 (Willie Fudd). There were no other passengers, so I rode in the radioman’s seat. The Fudd crew was ordered to stick around and return me to the ship. When I got to the aircraft it was still off the end of the runway about 100 yards from the base fencing. There was a Marine platoon there guarding it. They were up on the wings with their guns trained on the fence-line. I went to their SGT and asked him to get them off the aircraft before they damaged something I couldn’t fix. I also asked him for a couple of privates to assist me while moving the aircraft and making repairs.

Two days later the aircraft was ready for a flight back to the Indy. It would have to fly with gear down because I could not perform a landing gear drop-check. I had purged all pneumatic air trapped in the extend positions but had no idea how much was trapped in the retraction lines.

The VF-41 pilot had been a test plot for the F-4 aircraft. His name was LCDR Winkowski. Both aircraft were ready to launch. Being in the radioman’s seat I listened to everything. The tower informed us of flack 17’000 feet off the duty runway. The VF-41 pilot immediately requested a high-performance tack-off and it was granted. I had seen air shows of Phantoms making high performance take-offs and was in position to watch this Phantom disappear into the clouds with its gear down. Next was our Fudd. The pilots got the same flack warning. They also requested a high-performance take-off. On the radio I could hear the tower people hooting at that request. When permission was granted, the pilot went to full throttle and went to within 100 yards of the end of the runway before lifting off. He then did a sharp turn toward the ocean and skimmed the top of the trees all the way to the coast. I thought for sure some sniper atop one of those trees would be shooting at us. Maybe they did, but there was no evidence of it.

I forgot to mention that the C/L tank had been damaged. I downloaded it and gave it to the Marines.

The phantom picture is from the 1965 Indy cruise book. The Fudd Pix is from Wickopedia.