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SSN (711)

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Runner485 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 03 Apr 2018 at 9:41am

Last night I finished re-reading the story, Making of a Submarine Officer. The story of the USS San Francisco (SSN 711) by Alex Fleming, who served on her for about two years.

Knowing what happened to her at the end of the book, I really paid attention to the detail of how bad a shape she was in and how the crew had to fight every day against all the material defects in 711 to get her ready for sea. All the inspectors that came aboard at almost, so it seems, to fail her for something so small, I wouldn’t think it would make a difference. One extreme example was, a leaking oil sight glass. It was leaking 3 drops a minute. Being a non nuke, and an engineman, 3 drops a minute of any leaking substance was, “set the maneuvering watch”, good to go. So, I was trying to rap my head around these, what was to me inconsequential troubles. But I realize we are talking about apples and oranges. Many of the problems they were experiencing was on equipment I had no idea what it was and what it did, so much of what I thought about anything, was based on nothing, other then, a feeling of sorrow for what the crew was going through, whether officers or enlisted.

How the author, Fleming had problems “Rigging for Dive” in almost every compartment he was assigned to. How over worked all these men were trying to open a new home port in Guam, because the Navy Brass thought it would be beneficial to the Navy. However, they didn’t realize how bad a shape the 711 was in. How they Navy gets screwed by the shipyards who does overhauls on our subs, to the point that they installed a screw on 711 that was not designed for a 688 boat, which was one of their sources of noise while she was running at sea. I missed that item in my first reading of this book.

In spite of all they’re problems, this is a book about the crew. How they persevered under conditions I am very glad I was never under. And how in almost unbelievable circumstances they persevered when they finally got a new skipper who believed they could accomplish what the Navy expected of them.

I’m glad I re-read this book. It gives me a better appreciation for what these fellow submariners went through in spite of the stupidity of the brass sitting in comfortable office’s put them through.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 610ET Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Apr 2018 at 3:54pm

Before they went to 711 the CO, Kevin Mooney, the off going DOOW who hit the chicken switches, MMCS(SS) Danny Hager and a young QM, Dean (?) all used to post here.





Edited by 610ET - 22 Apr 2018 at 8:41pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dr. Stan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2018 at 10:09am
I remember CDR Mooney and Senior Chief Hager, but not Dean (?).  Apparently Danny Hager still comes around to visit:  Danny Hager - Last Visit:  15 Apr 2018.  Last post:  30 Jan 2018.   

It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.~Abe Lincoln
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SaltiDawg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2018 at 11:13am
The author repeatedly made mistakes on Checking Rig for Dive, blamed everyone but himself for being Dink, while visiting back in the States got a Former Shipmate to falsify his Dive Qual Card Sigs for him, and many more issues.

I never served with an Officer, or Enlisted man, that needed to be disqualed more than this clown! (And this based on his own telling of his own misdeeds.)



Edited by SaltiDawg - 18 Apr 2018 at 11:14am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Runner485 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2018 at 11:46am
Originally posted by SaltiDawg SaltiDawg wrote:

The author repeatedly made mistakes on Checking Rig for Dive, blamed everyone but himself for being Dink, while visiting back in the States got a Former Shipmate to falsify his Dive Qual Card Sigs for him, and many more issues.

I never served with an Officer, or Enlisted man, that needed to be disqualed more than this clown! (And this based on his own telling of his own misdeeds.)



You got that right Jerry...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 610ET Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2018 at 1:38pm
Originally posted by Dr. Stan Dr. Stan wrote:

I remember CDR Mooney and Senior Chief Hager, but not Dean (?).  Apparently Danny Hager still comes around to visit:  Danny Hager - Last Visit:  15 Apr 2018.  Last post:  30 Jan 2018.   



Dean (?) started posting here when he was at BESS. John Carcioppolo took him under his wing and when he qualified, he wore John's dolphins.

He was pretty gung ho but as a QM got caught up in the aftermath and I believe received some NJP? Don't know what happened after that. SCPO Hager could probably fill in the blanks.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dr. Stan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2018 at 6:58pm
I still don't remember Dean, but I do recall how they blamed the Frisco's QM because their maps weren't up to date.  If Dean was a QM he might have received a lot of grief because of that.

Speaking of John Carcioppolo, I haven't heard anything about him for a long time.  Hope he is OK.

It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.~Abe Lincoln
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SaltiDawg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2018 at 7:49pm
Originally posted by Dr. Stan Dr. Stan wrote:

I still don't remember Dean, but I do recall how they blamed the Frisco's QM because their maps weren't up to date.  If Dean was a QM he might have received a lot of grief because of that.

Speaking of John Carcioppolo, I haven't heard anything about him for a long time.  Hope he is OK.

With a "grounding" of virtually any sort, pretty understandable if NAV, CO, and Quartergasket(s), not to mention OOD have some blame.
"Some blame" means career ending, at least.

I'm not familiar with this grounding other than brief reference in this book - by an author that had not earned any respect as shown by his admissions.


Edited by SaltiDawg - 18 Apr 2018 at 8:01pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 610ET Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2018 at 1:06pm
Originally posted by SaltiDawg SaltiDawg wrote:



I'm not familiar with this grounding other than brief reference in this book - by an author that had not earned any respect as shown by his admissions.


Not your average grounding.

https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/18/us/adrift-500-feet-under-the-sea-a-minute-was-an-eternity.html


Edited by 610ET - 19 Apr 2018 at 1:07pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SaltiDawg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2018 at 1:31pm


I first referred to the grounding as, "With a "grounding" of virtually any sort..."

But a "grounding" nevertheless!

It does sound as if what I suggested is in fact consistent with the Navy's actions after the casualty.


Edited by SaltiDawg - 23 Apr 2018 at 8:45pm
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