Keeping the blogosphere posted on the goings on of the world of submarines since late 2004... and mocking and belittling general foolishness wherever it may be found. Idaho's first and foremost submarine blog. (If you don't like something on this blog, please E-mail me; don't call me at home.)
USS Jefferson City (SSN 759) returned home to San Diego on Monday from a six month deployment, which included port visits to Yokosuka, Sasebo, Guam, and Saipan -- (no comment). Here's a picture of their return:
Anyone know what the deal is with the red cleats? Is that now part of the standard 688 paint scheme, or just something the crew did to personalize the boat? I kinda like it...
posted by Bubblehead at 10:56 PM
I'm Joel Kennedy -- a married, 50-something year old retired submarine officer and esophageal cancer survivor with three kids who has finally made the transition to civilian life. Politically, I'm a Radical Moderate. (If you don't like something on this blog, please E-mail me. Don't call me at home.)
49 Comments:
Looks like deck div had just enough time to needlegun and prime the cleats in Saipan, but not to paint them.
3/12/2008 4:47 AM
Must've been too busy at the Starlight Lounge - is it still there in Saipan?
3/12/2008 6:26 AM
Is the STBD one green?
3/12/2008 7:13 AM
Congrats to the JC for finally deploying and not bouncing off of anything or finding any new seamounts.
3/12/2008 9:43 AM
Yokosuka, Sasebo, Guam, Saipan?? That's one west-pac that won't boost retention.
3/12/2008 11:44 AM
mike- My WestPac (05-06) was Guam, Singapore, Chinhae, Chinhae, Yoko, Chinhae, Guam, Saipan, Guam...and yes, Chinhae #3 counted as a quality of life port!
The LA just got back of WestPac, and if I'm not mistaken, their ports consisted of Sasebo, Yoko, and Guam FIVE TIMES! How many times can you visit the Viking in one Pac?
3/12/2008 1:15 PM
I was recently attached to the J.C., and it was the old Captain who thought it would be cool to paint the cleats red to go with our logo. No, one of the cleats is not painted green.
The wonderful port calls for the J.C. don't seem to end. Last WestPac we hit Yokosuka, Guam, Guam, Sasebo, Guam, Singapore, and Guam. Did I mention Guam? I guess that's why it was called GuamPac.
3/12/2008 1:19 PM
Looks like they painted the free-flood grates for the VLS bathub red as well.
3/12/2008 2:01 PM
Indianapolis' cleats were black and white checker.
PW
3/12/2008 2:36 PM
We did Tennessee orange on the 734 back in '98... and got yelled at for it. hehe
3/12/2008 2:43 PM
I know the Key West's were painted blue. I'm pretty sure I remember the Pasadena's being painted red. You have a lot of times to notice things when you are standing weekend topside watch.
3/12/2008 5:18 PM
On all four of my ustafishes the cleats were painted black.
Seriously, I looked at the JC logo and can't make out the cleats, but I did notice that the state of Missouri is a red state.
Exigence? Who comes up with these things?
3/12/2008 8:53 PM
I was a QM on the "Ustafish" out of San Diego in the early 90's... Wondering if any of you know if the "JC Mount" is still there.. Never mind, where would it actually go???How the hell does a CO,XO,Nav,ANAV,and QMOW miss a sea mount a couple miles from port??? Yes, for all you landlubbers, they were submerged...Joel, you remember it well from being on the waterfront.. Any thoughts???
3/13/2008 12:45 AM
I was the DCS on the JC when we found the bottom...what a fun time that was...
So many factors that led to the grounding... In my subsequent job as NAV on the mighty SCRANTON, I gave the grounding presentation many times. There were many factors that went into it, but the bottom line was that there were no new lessons learned...
I need to figure out how to tell that story in an unclas manner...
3/13/2008 8:21 AM
Oh, hell, I meant to say DCA...
3/13/2008 8:22 AM
This goes way back (to the 90s), the crew of the Batfish of SUBRON 4 fame had painted the MBT vent covers with the Bat Signal.
3/13/2008 10:47 AM
When my husband was on the Bremerton (01-03) for two different Pacs, the port calls were Guam, Saipan, Yoko, Guam, Thailand, Saipan, Guam, Yoko, Sasebo, Guam, Thailand and Hawaii - oh, and Guam. He was less than pleased with their opportunities, to say the least, and I had *zero* interest in meeting him in any of those places for the "tourist" factor.
3/13/2008 11:24 AM
Yes, the old boomers (pre Ohio class) would paint the inside of the missile muzzle hatces to look like the numbers of pool balls.
3/13/2008 11:26 AM
Prior deck LPO on the Nebraska and we always painted our cleats red...... we even had a N stencil for white N's on the base of the cleat outlined in black..... bla, that sucked.
3/13/2008 1:22 PM
Our missile tube doors never had the pool ball look (nor did the tubes), however, after we offloaded missiles our tube doors were sporting camo :)
3/13/2008 1:45 PM
Batfish - there was an interesting boat.
3/14/2008 7:17 AM
I was on three of the old "41 for freedom" boomers. Two had the pool ball paint scheme on the missile hatches. The other one, the hatches were painted white with black numbers.
3/14/2008 8:08 AM
My boat didn't have pool ball missile tube hatch covers. Just numbers. I'm curious about something. A full rack contains 15 pool balls. I suppose the cue ball counts as the sixteenth. If the hatch covers for tubes 1 thru 15 were painted to look like the 15 numbered balls, was the cover for tube 16 painted to look like the cue ball? Was launcher behind the eight ball or was it the doc's shack?
3/14/2008 11:22 AM
Sounds like the LA is still taking it in the shorts as far as Westpac goes. My '97 Westpac on the LA, we had port calls only in Yoko and Guam. I guess they repaid us on the next one, though, going to Australia and Tasmania. Even though we had to anchor out in Tasmania, it was still great liberty.
Steve
3/15/2008 10:10 AM
"When any exigence calls..."
This was extracted Thomas Jefferson's first State of the Union address, December 8, 1801. Ironically, it was actually supported having available reserve stocks as opposed to actual Naval assets.
"With respect to the extent to which our naval preparations should be carried, some difference of opinion may be expected to appear; but just attention to the circumstances of every part of the Union will doubtless reconcile all. A small force will probably continue to be wanted for actual service in the Mediterranean. Whatever annual sum beyond that you may think proper to appropriate to naval preparations, would perhaps be better employed in providing those articles which may be kept without waste or consumption, and be in readiness when any exigence calls them into use."
3/19/2008 3:28 PM
In 91 on the La Jolla we hit Guam, Yokosuka, Yokosuka, 30 miles short of Thailand (canceled due to crappy broke 594 think it was the Cavalla can't remember), Yokosuka (moored outboard crappy 594), Olonapo (PI), Yokosuka (yes again), Guam, Pearl Harbor.
I can't tell you how much getting within 30 miles of Thailand and having it canceled sucked.
To make it really sucky on our 2nd to last stop in Guam another sub was going to Perth and needed a radioman. I was a radioman and our CO would not release me to help them out. Blah :(
3/21/2008 10:41 PM
ah almost forgot about Guam pac thank god i got there after the Sans belw in board. But this last deployment wasn't all that bad damn CT breaking stuff pervented us from going to the PI
5/02/2008 4:06 PM
i was only there for half of guam pac morale for that half was less than terrible. 15%o2 and enough sans inboard to poison a small village. i may still be the record holder with approx. 400 gal. not so good.
7/28/2008 2:02 PM
I was the Leading Yeoman on the JC when we decided to move mountains...the QM1 was a moron and put the track of the boat right over the top of a yellow/red sounding box. The CO was not the brightest and signed off on the chart and as they say, the rest is history. The NAV who was a great guy was even hauled in front of the Admiral for mast but it was dismissed when he realized that the Nav was never consulted on the track change. Good to see the old DCA up on the blog...and the other members of the crew. We had a great crew back then despite the CO's attempts to suck the fun out of everything. The CO who came onboard after the grounding was a lot better!!
2/16/2009 12:13 PM
I'm glad i'm off of the good old JC. Yeah those WestPacs did nothing for the retention rate except destroy it. I still can't believe i'm kinda missing it a little bit though. Oh well its great to be out and back in Wisconsin.
2/19/2009 9:15 AM
The red cleats are painted red to personlize the ship. I know cause I was the deck dive LPO at the time. WOOT GO JC
2/25/2009 11:51 AM
Well to start, If you just got orders to this ship RUN!! this command Is the worst!! I cant even begin to tell you how bad it is, Well first they have a DUI on a weekly basis and the CO,XO,COB are only out for themselves and contiuously "throw thier crew under the bus" If you dont see things thier way you are an outcast. Everyone on this ship Is miserable!!
9/04/2009 11:09 PM
hey birdsondabat it was the Uss San Fran that hit a mountain NOT the Jefferson City!!
10/14/2009 7:18 PM
2 different incidents, just 11 years apart (roughly)....
11/13/2009 1:49 PM
I was on board when we bounced off the mound as well. I still have a baggie of rocks pulled out of the ballast tanks. I remember being made lead of a group of guys to remove the rubber tiles off of the bottom. Those Air Hammers were some heavy SOBs.
2/01/2010 4:04 PM
I came on the good ol JC on the second half of GuamPac too. Pac 05-06: Moral, Welfare and Recreation were secured. I couldn't get out of A-gang fast enough either. There are days that I miss the quiet of the midwatch but that guy is right: that boat is out to kill people. I watched too many good people get screwed by that command and become miserable individuals and hate the Navy. BOHICA!
3/29/2010 12:33 PM
to the yn1 who posted as annonymous here and stated that he was on the JC when she bounced off the mountain should get his head out his azz and get his facts straight! the Qm1 isnt the one who made changes to the track it was the QMC, the nav was NOT exhonerated because of innocence, he was let go because he made a phone call to his friendly congressman, who promptly called the admiral while mast was in session. they came out and told the nav that his case had been dismissed. he was in line with paperwork just like the rest.
5/18/2011 3:53 AM
also along those same lines mr. lead Yn, the CO did NOT sign the charts or view the changes made to the charts, your innocent nav told him they would be ready after they ate dinner. the mountain they hit had been erased by the qmc and then qmow from over use. they should have changed the chart before the other qm1 came on that night.the oncoming qmow never knew the mountain was there until after they hit, it had been erased!
5/18/2011 2:12 PM
well, your old NAV just made Admiral so he must not be THAT bad!
5/18/2011 2:53 PM
sad day for the navy when a man can make admiral based only on who he knows! he was a pathetic leader. i have more respect for the guys on the JC that stood tall and talked to my boss like men. calling a family friend to help you out of trouble, specially when it was your fault is not the submarine way!
5/19/2011 11:40 AM
and mr. yn, there were other things going on as well behind the scenes. you should have paid attention to the big picture. your boss flentje was on his way out no matter what happened!
5/19/2011 11:44 AM
wow! i just read the story, you are correct, he made admiral. what is wrong with the navy?
5/19/2011 12:57 PM
Hello everyone. just got a weird phone call telling me that old shipmate of mine from the Uss Jefferson City was here trashing me behind my back.
5/19/2011 3:12 PM
You were the leading Yeoman on the boat? who the hell do you think you are talking about me like that? what is worse is that what you said is pure crap! that is not the way it happened. Cdr Flentje was a good man to work for.
5/19/2011 3:15 PM
"put the track of the boat right over the top of a yellow/red sounding box. The CO was not the brightest and signed off on the chart and as they say, the rest is history."
Pure horse crap and nothing more!!!!
"also along those same lines mr. lead Yn, the CO did NOT sign the charts or view the changes made to the charts, your innocent nav told him they would be ready after they ate dinner. the mountain they hit had been erased by the qmc and then qmow from over use. they should have changed the chart before the other qm1 came on that night.the oncoming qmow never knew the mountain was there until after they hit, it had been erased!"
This is a little bit closer.
5/19/2011 3:19 PM
Good morning! where is our lead Yeoman expert. i though he would have jumped all over this and imparted more of his wisdom here
5/20/2011 1:29 PM
well, i guess he has nothing more to say? you dont want to back stab someone else?
6/02/2011 3:21 PM
Very worthwhile info, lots of thanks for your article.
10/11/2011 1:01 PM
I was onboard the entire guampac of 05/06....horrible....with the emergency fielday due to the ruptured san line in cses....morale was crap...funny thing though....i find myself missing it sometimes
2/03/2014 11:58 PM
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