Print Page | Close Window

Christmas deployment

Printed From: Rontini Submarine BBS
Category: General
Forum Name: U.S. Submarine Related
Forum Description: Submarine Related Topics
URL: http://RontiniSubmarineBBS.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4364
Printed Date: 28 Mar 2024 at 3:21pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Christmas deployment
Posted By: Sewer Pipe Snipe
Subject: Christmas deployment
Date Posted: 11 Dec 2017 at 7:34pm
I was reminded by the wife that we once flew out for Scotland on Christmas Day. We were told the Gold crew had volunteered to stay the extra day if necessary, so at least one crew could enjoy Christmas. However, we were told all the logistics were in place, and we were leaving as scheduled. Somehow I have got to believe someone somewhere messed up by going by schedules and never noting the day involved. Then when it was realized, it was too late. 

-------------
Walt,
Had I done everything right throughout my life, the World wouldn't have noticed.



Replies:
Posted By: SaltiDawg
Date Posted: 11 Dec 2017 at 7:57pm
Poor Boomer crews.
Only two crews to share Christmas.
The Operating Forces would have loved the chance.


Posted By: Sewer Pipe Snipe
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2017 at 12:40am
Ya know, I just thought we all went where the detailer sent us. I wasn't looking for any sympathy, simply pointing out Naval logistics. 

-------------
Walt,
Had I done everything right throughout my life, the World wouldn't have noticed.


Posted By: SaltiDawg
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2017 at 10:10am
OK. LOL


Posted By: FTGC(SS) Lane
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2017 at 11:40am
Well, I WAS going to post about my deployed holidays.


Posted By: 610ET
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2017 at 11:44am
Originally posted by Sewer Pipe Snipe Sewer Pipe Snipe wrote:

Ya know, I just thought we all went where the detailer sent us. I wasn't looking for any sympathy, simply pointing out Naval logistics. 


Some of the pinging between SSN and SSBN sailors is in good fun.

Then there are the other guys.


Posted By: olded
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2017 at 11:52am
Diesel, Nuke, Boomer, or whatever, we all had the common goal of keeping the green monster out of the people tank!

-------------
Old Ed


Posted By: Flapper
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2017 at 6:59pm
Then there was Seahorse coming back to Charleston 2 days before Christmas. and the handful of guys who were confined to the boat with with STDs picked up in San Juan, our last pit-stop on shake-down cruise. Imagine having to explain why daddy wouldn't be ashore until after Christmas. Wink

-------------
ET1ss Nuke; 1962 - 1973. SSN-588, CVA-63, SSBN-629 BLUE, SSN-669 PLANKOWNER, FICPAC


Posted By: 610ET
Date Posted: 12 Dec 2017 at 7:52pm
Originally posted by Flapper Flapper wrote:

Then there was Seahorse coming back to Charleston 2 days before Christmas. and the handful of guys who were confined to the boat with with STDs picked up in San Juan, our last pit-stop on shake-down cruise. Imagine having to explain why daddy wouldn't be ashore until after Christmas. Wink


Yikes.

Some busy lawyers after that run?


Posted By: Gil
Date Posted: 16 Dec 2017 at 10:51pm
I think  Hawaii was the most depressing time for me my first Xmas away from home in '67.  I think I saw only one Xmas tree tied around the submarine escape tower.  Now Oahu seems to be the Xmas vacation spot of the middle class, and I'm sure trees are flown out.  Hell in those days NFL  and college games were shown on a week delayed basis, as communication satellites hadn't come to fruition.

Things were going somewhat okay with twenty five cent beers and likewise for rum drinks that day at Beman's.  This was our little sub bar right next to our barracks and down the hill from the huge Bemans.  Things were okay until our buddy and shipmate Denny "Country" Wilkerson from Indiana said Gawl Damn this is the best Xmas Eve I ever had.  Country earlier had taught us to mix tomato in our beers and we were especially appreciative of him just then.

That simple not meant to upset anyone comment started our downfall.  All of us around him looked at Country and let out a groan, a few even moved their chairs farther away from him.  One of the movers  got too close to one of the three young cutesy Hawaiian dancers on what passed as a  "stage", and that caused her boyfriend in the band to go to battlestations alert.  Next thing the boyfriend locks into a  karate stance as our half drunk shipmate picks up his chair as a defense weapon.  Luckily it never made it to fisticuffs, but a chair or two was broken as the Hawaiian kicked chairs out of the way as he circled and got nearer to the trespasser.  Beman's almost immediately closed down and we walked, or crawled the maybe 100 feet back to our barracks.

Funny how it went bad.  We all were drinking and having a decent time.  We weren't at sea, and we weren't in Vietnam in a rice paddy.  but we weren't home and it wasn't our best Christmas Eve.



Posted By: Kwn
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2017 at 12:51pm
One Christmas always stands out in my mind was 1975. We were in refit in Rota and half of the 6th fleet was sent to Naples and the other half to Rota for the holidays. I remember the Kennedy was anchored out in the harbor and various other targets were tied up to the piers. One duty night I was assigned shore patrol duty at the EM club. Standing there all 150 pounds of me with an arm band and web belt holding a little wooden billy club, that was all but impossible to remove from its holder, and a club full of drunk skimmers, I knew nothing good could come out of that mix. I decided then and there that if anything broke out I was going to ditch the belt and dive under the table in the lobby. Fortunately, nothing occurred but needless to say I wasn't a happy camper. On a more somber note the USS Belknap which had just barely survived its collision with the Kennedy and the subsequent fire that ensued, was towed in and tied up to the pier just aft of the Spanish carrier Dedalo. It was erie and sobering to see the completely dark and burned ship knowing the tragedy that had befallen some of the crew.



Print Page | Close Window

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 11.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Copyright ©2001-2015 Web Wiz Ltd. - http://www.webwiz.co.uk