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Seajay · 10-18-2011, 10:04 AM

I joined the Navy on Sep 19, 1958. I did this for one reason. The reason was so I would get out of the Navy on Sep 18, 1962 and I would be done with my military obligation because there was a ''draft'' back then and if I did not join something, Uncle Sam would come and get me when I reached about 21 or 22. When I went into the Navy we were not in a ''shooting war'' anywhere that I knew of so I figured the odds were pretty good that I would come home all in one piece.
I went to boot camp in Camp Moffitt outside of Chicago and this was the first place I ever seen ice freeze on the inside of a window in the winter time and the first indoor plumbing I was blessed with.

In Navy boot camp you are groomed to be a Sailor. You are taught that there is the ''Right Way'' ''The Wrong Way'' and ''The Navy Way'' to do anything and we did everything ''The Navy Way''. I graduated boot camp in mid December and went on two weeks leave back home. I thought I was hot snot because I had finished boot camp without freezing to death.

My first assignment was class A Radio school in Norfolk Va. It was told that if you graduated in the top 10% of the class you got ''choice duty'' out of radio school. I graduated third out of 64 men and seventh out of 128 men in our total company for that training period. My duty station was the Uss North Hampton CLC-1 out of Norfolk. This was not ''choice duty'' but the Navy will lie to you sometimes.
I never realized it back then but I was being groomed to be a part of a great fraternal or group of men and ladies now called Veterans. I was being put in the ''fire'' and forged into a useful military person that could fulfill a job given me by the Navy. I was a tiny cog in a giant machine that helped make the world safer for those we love back home. I was one of those tiny pieces of nothing that helped make the ''big machine'' work smoothly.
I went aboard the Norton with high hopes and great expectations. I was assigned to the biggest radio gang afloat. We had more than 130 men in the gang not counting officers or chief petty officers.
On the Norton, I learned to be a real ''salt water sailor'' after a time. I crossed the ocean several times thru fair weather and foul. I have seen the ocean literally as slick as a mirror and I have seen it as rough as the Rockies and looking just as high. I have felt it knock around a ship almost 700 feet long like a tea cup and watched waves crash over the bow and up to the 04 level like Niagara falls in reverse. I have seen footprints up as far as two feet on the bulkheads on the chow line deck and, yes, I have strapped myself in bed to stay in my rack. I have stood on the fantail and ''peeeeed'' in the ocean and puked in the ocean once or twice from the fan tail. I have sat out at night on a ''bollard'' and watched the phosphorous glow on the hull of the ship and listened to the screws ''swim us thru the big deep''. I have been on a ship with over 1600 crew men and been all alone watching the shooting stars in Gods heaven. The Norton had a ''heart beat'' and it could rock you to sleep sometimes and sometimes it could literally shake you out of bed in foul weather. On the Norton I became a sailor and when I left her I became a veteran. I joined the ranks of the men and women that have served this nation and I considered myself as doing very little during my tour. I never shot at anyone nor was I shot at by anyone. The most ''action'' I ever saw was two hookers knife fighting in a bar over in Palma, Spain.
Veterans are very special people. I have talked to many vets and we all kinda sing the same song. Our chosen service was the greatest and the ''worstest''. We that served were the bravest and the strongest, the most handsome and we had deflowered literally hundreds of young ladies waiting on our advances. Other services were a bunch of ''sissy pukes'' that were mommas boys and afraid of the dark and ours was the best of the best. If you dont believe this ask any Marine or Soldier or Sailor or Air force guy or a Coast Guard sailor or even someone that was in the ''National Guard'' will tell you the same thing because we are all vets and we are all in the same group. Sure we jab and gig each other about thier particular service branch but let an emergency hit and watch us come together and fight for a common cause. You have to be a vet to understand this and if you are not a veteran, there is no way that I can explain the feelings we vets have for each other. We are one in the same and we have served and anyone that has not ''served'' would never understand. Some of us are still a little rough around the edges and we may be outspoken at times. Some of us see the world thru different eyes and with different allegiances and prospective s that those who never served and this will sometimes get us into trouble with the ''regular world'' but this is the way it is with a veteran. Most have been thru the fire and done and see things that would make the average person lose their lunch. Some have made judgments that have cost lives of their friends and more than one of these guys has watched the light of life leave a buddies eyes and could do nothing to save that friend. Some have been insane with fear and then deliberately run through machine gun to save a wounded buddy. Some have sailed the endless seas between tedium and apathy and back again and done it over and over and over again and seemingly accomplish nothing in their minds eye. Most of us have done things with no visible purpose as we could see but it had to be done and we were the ''doers''..... We were all Veterans serving this great nation and a lot of the time we would disagree with the method or purpose but we would serve because it was our duty to serve.

This is getting really long so I will close with one thought for those of you that were not lucky enough to serve this nation in some form of its military.
When you see a Veteran tell him or her thanks for their service. Shake their hand and tell them you appreciate their sacrifice to this nation. Probably to a person they will tell you that they just did their duty and no thanks is necessary but you can bet your lunch money they will appreciate your feelings for them.Be especially grateful to those serving in the ''big sandbox''. They are the most special as I see it now.

God bless our Veterans and keep them safe because they guaranteed the safety of this nation while most of you slept all nice and warm in your bed. (think about it)

Nuff said for now...........................cj...............

hondo122 · 10-21-2011, 06:23 PM

Well said, just a point of fact, yes I've puked in the ocean many times, not from a ship but rather the fantail of a pretty big fishing boat. No fun at all, offered to buy the boat if they'd turn around.

then we got into a school of slammer blues and everything was fine

Seajay · 10-21-2011, 08:28 PM

Hondo the two things that will cure sea sickness. ONE.. is to step on the dock or to catch a five pound Blue Fish on medium weight tackle and watch him ''scream off'' fifty yards or your line while you hang on ....... Been there and done that except for the pukin'.... I was lucky, I NEVER GOT SEA SICK AT ALL......

God bless our troops ..... Today I met a WW2 sailor from the South Pacific. He was a ''tin can'' sailor and a sub chaser.. 84 years young......

Old Snipe · 10-21-2011, 08:38 PM

Boy have I ever fed the fishes! On one of my tours, I did two years on an 82' Coast Guard cutter patroling the seas off New England. Let's just say that 30 foot seas in a winter storm are impressive. The 82 was a rough riding vessel but would always get you home.

In one storm we laid right over on the starboard side, I was standing on the bridge side window with both feet praying she'd come back up. I'm here today to say she did.

Saving lives in trouble on the sea. That's what we did. I came in for a two year test drive and just retired after 30 years last month.

I miss it already.

Best Regards!

4Knights · 10-21-2011, 09:06 PM

Now SeaJay you're making up some of this,

before I joined the Army I tried to join the Coast Guard.

Why there was a need for the coast guard in Colorado I don't know but the recruiter wouldn't even talk to me.

As I walked in the door he simply said you got the wrong door, I said No, I came to join the coast guard. He said stand against that wall over there, I did and he said No you are only 5'9". Got to be 6ft tall to join. Go see the army guys. Well here we are 30 years later and a guy at work was talking about just retiring from the Coast Guard last year.

I told him my tale and he said that's right got to be 6ft to join and 6'2" to be on sea duty.

I was beside myself, what a blatant show of discrimination. I asked why the whole height issue? I have always been a good swimmer and loved the water.

He began to tell me a "war" story, they were out on patrol late on evening(around 1830hrs) checking to make sure all the beach chairs were secured and no Rable rousers were in the swimming area! When their boat hit a rock outcropping and sank within seconds! He said that if I would have been on that patrol I surely would have drowned because I was only 5'9"!

I said wait a minute, I TOLD YOU I CAN SWIM, He said, No swimming allowed after hours so you have to be 6'"2 so you can walk to shore from any mission. "they don't go any further from shore than 6 feet."

And yes it's a rib for CPOCoastie.
Ron

Seajay · 10-22-2011, 03:09 AM

Ron.........
Rule One..... ''thou shalt not pick on the Coastie lest you make him sad''
Rule Two..... ''Coasties are regular military also like you and me so show respect''
Rule Three.. "Obey all rules concerning Coasties or they may not rent you another beach chair''
.................lol...................
I am teasing of course ''oldsnipe''. You guys are the unsung and forgotten heros concerning our military. Any person or group that makes it their business to leap from a perfectly good helo into an angry ocean to save some jughead that should not even be in a mud puddle, much less the ocean, sure has my respect. You guys are our first line of defense for this country. You guard the shore line, nite and day and never complain. God bless our U.S. Coast Guard...
I salute you sir............

God protect our forces all over the world and at home also........

Wizard · 10-22-2011, 07:07 AM

Yes I have had the quiezies a few times, comes with serving on tin cans. I remember the worse was when we was searching for the Scorpion or Thrasher, I forget which ( that comes with age also ).

Was searching the North Atlantic in a really big storm and there was a lot of complaining about why I didn't get submarine pay as we was under water as much as above.

Yes, I too joined the Navy, because Uncle Sam was breathing down my neck with the draft and I wanted a choice. It was the best choice I ever made.

My old tincan, the Charles F. Adams DDG-2, is now being prepared to be on display in Jacksonville Florida soon and I can't wait for that day. Next week I am going to one of my old navy buddies hometown to seee if I can find him after 40 years, wish me luck.

Jerry Potter EM2

hondo122 · 10-22-2011, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Knights

Now SeaJay you're making up some of this,

before I joined the Army I tried to join the Coast Guard.

Why there was a need for the coast guard in Colorado I don't know but the recruiter wouldn't even talk to me.

As I walked in the door he simply said you got the wrong door, I said No, I came to join the coast guard. He said stand against that wall over there, I did and he said No you are only 5'9". Got to be 6ft tall to join. Go see the army guys. Well here we are 30 years later and a guy at work was talking about just retiring from the Coast Guard last year.

I told him my tale and he said that's right got to be 6ft to join and 6'2" to be on sea duty.

I was beside myself, what a blatant show of discrimination. I asked why the whole height issue? I have always been a good swimmer and loved the water.

He began to tell me a "war" story, they were out on patrol late on evening(around 1830hrs) checking to make sure all the beach chairs were secured and no Rable rousers were in the swimming area! When their boat hit a rock outcropping and sank within seconds! He said that if I would have been on that patrol I surely would have drowned because I was only 5'9"!

I said wait a minute, I TOLD YOU I CAN SWIM, He said, No swimming allowed after hours so you have to be 6'"2 so you can walk to shore from any mission. "they don't go any further from shore than 6 feet."

And yes it's a rib for CPOCoastie.
Ron

sdennislee · 10-22-2011, 12:38 PM

I remember reading in the Blue Jackets Manual about sea sickness,it said "First you are afraid you are going to die, then you are afraid you are not going to die"

Never threw up on the ship, coming back hung over on a liberty launch is another thing though. Nothing compliments a hang over like the smell do NSFO exhaust fumes.

whem2fish · 10-22-2011, 01:04 PM

t0 sr67 i work on the sr76 this in the proses ow going ITAR as in speak they love their birds now more power no much go to the right higth the water . enought said the coast guard rules. my boss was off alaskh did a a mission and got commanded for work

Ken-55 · 10-22-2011, 01:37 PM

Nice time to find this post . . . my youngest son entered the Navy last December, graduated bootcamp in February, finished A-school in April (Operation Specialist) and was assigned to the USS ANZIO. He voluntarily cut his 2 week leave after A-school short because the ANZIO was shipping out and his chief "suggested" that it would be better for him to be on board when they left instead of hanging around waiting for a chance to meet up. He's glad he did. The first few days out, they hit some rough weather and he did get seasick, seas calmed down and he got better. He's had liberty in Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia, Djibouti, the Seychelles and Bahrain. Not bad for a 19 y.o.!!!

Just got the good news this week, I've been invited to meet the ship for a Tiger Cruise when they are returning from this deployment. I can't wait to see him. I get to spend a couple days on the ship AND cruise back into Norfolk with them for homecoming!

melvonnar · 10-22-2011, 01:46 PM

Dang you guys are dumb; it's not called puken; it's called chumming. ask any fisherman.

sdennislee · 10-22-2011, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melvonnar

Dang you guys are dumb; it's not called puken; it's called chumming. ask any fisherman.

we simply called it feeding the fish.

Wayne M · 10-22-2011, 06:04 PM

Since this is the thread for the Coasties, I go have to give them "some" credit.

After returning from a GTMO 3 year tour (Accompanied) I went TAD to Key West (TAD is Temporary Additional Duty. AF and A use TDY) and I ran into a Coastie friend that I had met in GTMO. After a few rounds and reminiscing he said they were going to do some practice "stuff" the next day in the HELO and did I want to tag along. Well of course! So up we went with the pilot, co-pilot, my friend, and 3 other pilots. The mission was to through the dummy into the water and hover and retrieve. Well, something I found out is that there is a little "joy stick" right by the side door of the chopper. With that joystick the crew can manipulate the HELO and place it right over an object. This mission was a "get to know what your crew does" and each pilot was to use the joystick and maneuver the chopper over the dummy. Now this joy stick is about 2 or so inches long. Not like the "stick" in front of the pilot.

The word was given and the first pilot took over the door joystick. The regular pilot/co-pilot had all the functions of the chopper except for that joystick maneuverability. Let me tell you that all three pilots when using that door joystick bounced that chopper all over the sky. Then then my friend took over the little joystick and smoothly did what only a crew member can do. And hanging in that harness strap when that chopper was almost 90 degrees over and standing there with my front side looking straight down at the water, was a exhilarating experience.

Now, the admiration. The sqawk "Want to go see the lovelies?" from the pilot. Off we went, over the swimming quarry where garments are optional. Flying low, getting waved at.

Yes, I made a mental note of where it was and visited it by car later that weekend.