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.)
From my old XO's Facebook page, a photo of ten Los Angeles-class submarines in port at Norfolk in the mid-90s:
As the inboard submarine, what's the funniest thing you've ever done to the outboard submarine?
posted by Bubblehead at 11:14 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.)
52 Comments:
Launched oranges from the aft signal ejector over the inbord boat and onto the L.Y. Spear.
11/29/2009 11:24 PM
...inboArd
11/29/2009 11:25 PM
Ah the nest ... late 80's and I was a MM2 on Cincinnati (SSN-693). I went on leave for a week and when I returned I got in early on a Monday AM. 0400 and cold, rainy, miserable January morning. I walk on the pier, go to the boat, say yo to the topside watch (who is really wet and miserable), and go below to my rack.
I walk thru the messdeck to forward berthing and there's someone in my rack. Before I wake him I realize I'm not on the Cinci-fish but on the Baltimore!
I beat a hasty retreat passing a cup of coffee to topside and say I left something in the car.
Considering what we normally had in the torpedo room during this period, I'm lucky I didn't get caught!
OBTW, brow banners were removed due to high winds.
11/30/2009 11:07 AM
Hey, I was on the 704 boat then, and I think I remember you!
As far as bad things to other boats, we were shifting the electric plant for SEO training and tripped the whole pier off of shore power. I was SRO and got the riot act read to me, even though the E-Div LPO was conducting the training in manuevering. OH Well, such is life.
Joe Alferio
11/30/2009 11:40 AM
1962, Subic Bay following operation TULUNGAN, over 100 ships in port including two CVA's and a straight deck CV converted to an LPH, entire 7th fleet Amphib Force, 2 big gun cruisers, and DD's aplenty. 3 boats in nest at Alava pier SS-242, SS-348, SS-339. Behind us were 2 MSO's in a nest. So many ships inport FltActs Subic restricted liberty to one section per ship per day, even so Olongapo was still able to digest those sailors and ask for more.
Bluegill sailors stole the "anchor dice" decorations hanging off the inboard anchor of the inboard MSO. XO of MSO goes to Bluegill next morning and raises hell with XO demands anchor dice back. They are returned within hour. I'm on SS-348, lot of us are observing all this stuff going on. That evening after dark Bluegill puts swimmer in water who gets aboard MSO over the stern, goes into CO's cabin puts silver dolphins on his uniform jacket and bluegill patch on his sleeve, gets off ship over stern then on pier Bluegill sailors cast-off the MSO nest. Much fallout that night as to be expected. some days earlier Bluegill sailors had also carried a muzzleloading cannon they found on base down to the pier, painted it and stenciled SS-242 on it. Base XO involved morning after MSO incident, informed Bluegill CO he and his submarine were persona non grata, make preparations to depart post haste and leave the cannon behind.
QMCM(SS) on Bluegill gets busted to QMCS(SS) and transferred to Sailfish in New London. Sailfish shipmate here in town where I live served with the QMCS(SS) on Sailfish and had heard the story. I filled him in on the details.
Lots more stories from back in the day, candy striping screw guards at night, throwing 5 gallons of primer on the sail at night, painting a bulls eye on the side of a DD in destroyer row in PH. Lotta shinanigans back then.....
Keep a zero bubble............
DBFTMC(SS)USNRET
11/30/2009 1:58 PM
I don't know about tricks, but there are some darn good pics of subs in a nest on Google.
http://www.bluejacket.com/usn/images/sp/oth/w1_us_L-boats_ireland.jpg
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/i03000/i03437.jpg
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h42000/h42573.jpg
http://www.ssn595.us/images/179-1-lg.gif
http://diodon349.com/images/Nesting_subs_images/nest_L_to%20_R_Barbero,_Requin,_Torsk,_Argonaut,_Cobbler,_Runner,_Cutlass,_and_Sailfish%20_in_Norfork_Virginia.jpg
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/i03000/i03256.jpg
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h68000/h68481.jpg
I think the last pic with the Holland tender must have the record with 12 subs in a nest on the same side.
11/30/2009 8:23 PM
As the topside watch, I would make all the Sailors crossing over use the proper phraseology to cross over. Iwas a former skimmer who knew all the "phraseology" and confused alot of the outboard unit. Espeically when their XO came over in civies and I denied him permission to cross over. I had no clue who he was, when he got mouthy, I blocked his brow. Soon the SDO came up, recognized their XO and gave me a load of crap. I told him if he didn't like they way I stood my watch, relieve me. He said he would. At that time, another sailor came from the pier. He started giving me crap. I told him he was denied crossing privledges. The SDo interend again and was about to let him cross, when I interupted and told him if he stepped foot on my boat, he was going to be detained.
The PO1 pulled out his CPO ID and the Z5O letter. I went from zero to hero in the COs eyes. Outboard CO held trainignthe next morning on how to properly cross over!!!
STSCS(SS/SW) USN RET
11/30/2009 9:14 PM
That looks like a pain in the ass. I'm glad we had our own pier.
12/01/2009 7:26 AM
Pardon my ignorance...wtf is a "Z50 letter"?
12/01/2009 7:46 AM
Z5O or Zulu 5 Oscar. An individual tasked with attempting to penetrate a unit's security through the use of bluster, subterfuge, obfuscation, intimidation, sneakiness, and almost any other means that a sly and devious sailor can dream up. The Z5O letter is authority, usually from squadron, to make these attempts. There are limits as to what can be done, but a successful penetration, no matter how slight, can ruin the day for many.
OldCOB
12/01/2009 8:35 AM
This was not in a nest, but we had a very drunk MS3 (cook) come back to the boat and try to get into his rack in crews berthing. He had a lower rack and as he was taking off his pants, he was hopping and spinning around and became disorientated.
He ended up getting into the opposite lower rack which was already occupied by an IC2.
The cook, thinking he must have left his laundry bag in the bunk, grabbed it and threw it on floor. Lucky it was a lower rack.
This woke up the IC2 and he was cussing and stuttering up a storm. He was a known stutter anyway. Quite a ruckus.
12/01/2009 9:21 AM
Thanks OldCob.
12/01/2009 11:46 AM
As an EM with very acid washed dungarees, I always liked crossing the tender and playing the BS protocol to get on and off. It was especially fun to be detained for having unsat dungarees. My command told me, and all other EMs to get new unis - that is until I pointed out that the command was required to buy us new unis because our work was destroying them. Forgot what book that was in, but all was quiet afterwards.
12/01/2009 9:11 PM
A funny Z5O story...
http://babesinopen.blogspot.com/2008/09/zulu-five-oscar.html
12/01/2009 10:12 PM
As an EM with very acid washed dungarees, I always liked crossing the tender and playing the BS protocol to get on and off....
There is always one clown who just refuses to follow SIMPLE rules. I guess since you were a nuke (so am I), you must have felt above it follow correct procedures. I can only imagine what your watch standing was like. My guess, half assed. If you can't embark a Naval vessel properly, what says you can take a log properly. Sounds like you are out, which is a good thing. One less ass-hat senior leadership has to deal with and will be able to spend more time on the import things. Thanks for getting out and making room for me to advance.
12/02/2009 4:31 AM
"One less ass-hat senior leadership has to deal with and will be able to spend more time on the import things. Thanks for getting out and making room for me to advance."
Newsflash Diggit, you might want to stay in, else you could have to deal with me in commercial nuclear power. And BTW, it wasn't that I didn't follow the protocol, it was that I refused to buy new "inspection uniforms" (which the command was responsible for providing) to traverse the tender.
12/02/2009 5:48 AM
it was that I refused to buy new "inspection uniforms" (which the command was responsible for providing) to traverse the tender.
NEWSFLASH NUMBASS, the Command was not responsible for buying uniforms. Do you remember the Uniform Allowance you got every year? YOU were responsible for YOUR own uniforms. Best I can tell you are a Prima Donna nuke who gives the rest of us a bad name. Enjoy your life working in a civilian plant. Just hope you can ensure the readers that your watch standing or what ever you call it in the civilian world is up to standards. Again, If you couldn't or wouldn't follow protocol, sounds like you would carry the same practice over to the plant you are working at.
12/02/2009 6:27 AM
I can't believe it! A Reactor Joe from S3G sighting!!!
12/02/2009 6:36 AM
Do any of you know why photos of multiple nested subs exist?
Yeomen know. The answer lies in where the framed photos were mounted. HINT: Not on submarines. Some of you who got around can probably remember.
Otherwise, why would "A Cubic Buttload Of [commissioned] Submarines" be found in one place, simultaneously?
12/02/2009 9:50 AM
"Enjoy your life working in a civilian plant."
Hmm, making probably 4 times as much money, without all the mickey mouse B.S. of the fleet? I think he will. And try pulling your autocratic military attitude around a civilian plant and see where that gets you.
12/02/2009 10:00 AM
And try pulling your autocratic military attitude around a civilian plant and see where that gets you.
I have no intentions of working at a civilian plant, so your comment is moot. My point was that if this individual could not follow simple rules established in 1776, why would I think that he could conform to rules established at what ever plant he might be working at. History predicts the future... I can not beleive after "x" amount of years in the USN, not "playing the BS protocol to get on and off" that all of the sudden, he can follow rules.
12/02/2009 10:15 AM
Jack,
S3G was a long time ago. I'm just a fat old man now. I probably shouldn't put this out, but my work email is alferioj@dteenergy.com.
To ssnnuke: I just want to know where all the anger comes from. Life is too short.
Joe Alferio
12/02/2009 11:28 AM
Jack,
Not angry, just squared away and proud to serve!
12/02/2009 12:01 PM
To SSN Nuke @ 6:27 AM
the Command was not responsible for buying uniforms ...
I know that when your line of work is very harsh on the uniform such as battery acid will tend to be, then the Navy will (or did) replace some dungarees for individuals in that line of work.
An example of that is when Torpedomen worked with the battery acid in the MK37 electric torpedo. I believe they were allowed to have the comnmand provide them with a couple of pairs of dungarees per quater.
I can imgagine that an EM checking the battery well would have just as much or more wear and tear on his uniform.
I don't remember the exact instruction or regulation either.
Now if the command had provided him with coverall for his battery checks, then he may be reasonably expected to maintain a sharp appearance when crossing the tender.
12/02/2009 12:15 PM
To SSN Nuke @ 10:15
Your argument, in other words, is that people who don't follow nit-picky regulations cannot be trusted to follow major regulations. So, anyone who has, e.g. driven 5 mph over a speed limit cannot be trusted to not rob a 7/11 at gun-point? That kind of thinking really only exists in the military; I am sure you will have a fine career. What will you do when your 20 years are up?
12/02/2009 1:22 PM
We were outboard a surface ship down in Florida for fleet week a few years ago. As we moored, we had to bring on shore power. Well, our EA decided that it would be a good time to go aboard the surface ship and chat it up with the other O-Gang aboard the surface ship while they watched us move cables. The EA was responsible for the tag process to bring on the shore power. When the EMC caught wind of where the EA was, he decided to pop his head out and get the EA's attention. Funniest thing I have ever seen.....following the reaming the poor EA received from the EMC in front of his new surface buddies, the poor EA had to cross the ship and the brow to make it back to the engine room. It looked just like a poor little puppy getting in trouble, head ducked down with tail between his legs. Then, to top it off, the surface officers started commenting among themselves with a total look of shock at what the EMC had done.....the EMC looked up at them and said, "You're Next!!!" and then went below.
A lot of good shenanigans happened while moored to that ship, lots of things "Exchanged" before we finally left.
12/02/2009 1:37 PM
Follow-up on acid holed dungarees. Like Chief torpedoman, I too worked in an AUW shop in 1960. Assigned to the battery shop responsible for charging-cleaning lead-acid MK 3, MK7, and MK 8 batteries for torpedo's MK 28 and MK 27. Authorized by shop OIC to pick up two sets of dungarees per quarter from Small Stores. This had nothing to do with uniform allowance. Small stores was owned by Navy Supply System and stocked enlisted uniforms only. Chiefs and Officers went to the uniform shop. BTW, on boats back then CPO's wore dungaree's underway or if involved in dirty work inport.
Keep a zero bubble.........
DBFTMC(SS)USNRET
12/02/2009 3:46 PM
Follow-up on acid holed dungarees. Like Chief torpedoman, I too worked in an AUW shop in 1960. Assigned to the battery shop responsible for charging-cleaning lead-acid MK 3, MK7, and MK 8 batteries for torpedo's MK 28 and MK 27. Authorized by shop OIC to pick up two sets of dungarees per quarter from Small Stores. This had nothing to do with uniform allowance. Small stores was owned by Navy Supply System and stocked enlisted uniforms only. Chiefs and Officers went to the uniform shop. BTW, on boats back then CPO's wore dungaree's underway or if involved in dirty work inport.
Keep a zero bubble.........
DBFTMC(SS)USNRET
12/02/2009 3:48 PM
I'm guessing that the photo is of SUBRON 8, there's not a single 688i, 637, or 645 in sight...
12/02/2009 7:52 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.
12/02/2009 9:13 PM
ssn nuke, could you please refrain from being such a sanctimonious jackass? - oh yeah...thank you for your service...xoxoxo
12/02/2009 9:16 PM
Mark said...ssn nuke, could you please refrain from being such a sanctimonious jackass?
So by what I've read over the last few days is that is wrong to be squared away. Well all I've got to say to you who think I am hosed up for wanting to be good at what I do and to instill in new Sailors that doing the right thing is OK... FOAD!
12/03/2009 4:24 AM
@SSN Nuke
There's squared away and there's a squared away and acting like a jackass. I bet you've never had a conversation in the ER that not related to standing your watch...
I see a roll of EB red in your future...
12/03/2009 4:48 AM
I'm done w/you jack-asses. I will not change how I do business dispite all of your negative comments. I must be doing something right, SOQ (x2), SOY, 3 NAMS, 2 COMS. So my final comment on this thread is DILLIGAF about what you think?
12/03/2009 5:12 AM
SSN Nuke (if you're still here)
1) The uniform replacement was spelled out in one of "those" manuals mintained in Maneuvering. Like the Chief TM said, it had nothing to do with uniform allowance and everythign to do with working in a "harsh environment" - the battery well.
2) Judging by the times of your various posts, you've either got a lot of time off, or you're squandering my taxpayer dollars by trolling the internet while you're on the boat, in training, etc. Surely you wouldn't surf the net on a government computer - that wouldn't be "squared away."
12/03/2009 5:45 AM
2) Judging by the times of your various posts, you've either got a lot of time off, or you're squandering my taxpayer dollars by trolling the internet while you're on the boat, in training, etc. Surely you wouldn't surf the net on a government computer - that wouldn't be "squared away."
Did you ever hear of leave?
12/03/2009 6:14 AM
SSN NUKE said:
So my final comment on this thread is DILLIGAF about what you think?
So I guess that wasn't your final comment, after all? Anyone who is squared away would stand by their statements.
12/03/2009 8:24 AM
To DBFTMC(SS)USNRET @ 3:48
I was wondering if you were going to post on this. I remember the small stores (barely) although I did not work in the torpedo shops then.
You can probably confirm this, but way back when (and probably some what today)it was sort of a matter of pride (right of passage, if you will) to piss off the tender sailors and get a way with it.
To SSN Nuke: I am sure you know that a lot of people in subs will just continue to jerk your chain if they find out they can easily get to you.
The EM with the ragged dungarees may be just as sqared away as you on his watch and duties as you are, but just does not want to buy his uniforms out of pocket. There is an old nautical saying: Take an even strain.
In other words, calm down and don't let things get to you.
12/03/2009 11:24 AM
Swing them purses round and round, round and round, round and round, Swing them purses round, ....
You make up the final line!
12/03/2009 2:52 PM
If you dive the battery well neekid, the uniforms won't be ruined.
12/03/2009 3:17 PM
What a whiny SSN Nuke you are. You're worse than the troll....
12/03/2009 3:53 PM
I remember way back in the day...
I was proud of how faded my dungaree pants were (some were lighter in color than the shirt). I was also a squared away sailor. If you went around w/ dark blue dungs, everyone called you a nub or a boot, regardless of whether you had been onboard for a few years or not. I never did it, but I saw nubs purposefully rewash their dungs so they didn't look brand new.
Customized shaping of dixie cups was the norm. I liked mine squared off w/ just a slight roll on the outer edge.
I remember making second & reusing the iron-on crow by cutting off the third stripe, ironing the now PO2 crow onto a new shirt, then taking the loose stripe scrap & lining that up below an older 3rd class crow on an older shirt. The COB didn't like that one too much so I had to put a sew-on patch over the whole thing - that was pushing it too far. The name stencil on your pants faded w/ time & was usually never redone. Musters on the pier would have a wide palette of various shades of blue among the crew.
This was back when free-hand stencils were the norm. Function was more important than appearance. Holes weren't acceptable, but small stains & a little paint on faded but undamaged dungs was alright. That was the standard. Shoe shines were rare (but not unheard of) and as long as steel wasn't showing on the toe you were generally okay. Guys who went around looking like a recruiting poster were derided by their peers instead of commended.
As the years moved on, and the utilities replaced the dungarees, standards went up for appearance. Well-blackened shoes w/ a dull shine & no more iron-on anythings were authorized. Paint & stains were now persona non grata. Faded pants had to be replaced.
Now the inport working uniform is designed to HIDE stains but requires blousing of pants with expensive & well-shined boots. Thing costs a fortune to get everything sewn on & has a cap that can't be worn with any other uniform. Times change.
Standards change. We had boats bumping in the night back then & we still have them doing it now.
The boat used to buy replacement poopie suits and hand them out a few times a year. The COB gave you 2-3 sets when you checked in & was usually pretty free with giving out a replacement if you wore one out or ruined it doing work.
Now it is your responsibility to keep your appearance within standards. The boat is supposed to give out green coveralls or the cheapo paper paint suits for use (not for issue) to prevent ruining uniforms but we all know how that usually works out. I had greenies for my guys to wear when closing out tanks but half the time we would end up not using them. I've ruined a few sets of working khakis that way...At least they were cheap to replace & generally plentiful at the thrift shop.
Most of the E-divers I know now either use a dvisional shared poopie w/ no insignia on it for well diving or a green coverall (w/ "E-div" painted on the back). Some use an older poopie that they ONLY use for diving the well. A few would just take off their shirt & go in a T-shirt & their pants and take their chances. YMMV.
Crossing skimmer quarterdecks, whether back in the day or recently, we knew they had a stricter standard & we toed the line or risked being refused access by an attentive watch.
On my last boat we raised the standard for our own crew for crossing the brow (coming or going)- it took some getting used to but the crew adapted.
12/03/2009 10:01 PM
You should have seen the CO/XO/SDO/NAV/WEP/DCPO/Section Leader fly topside when I was Topside Watch one time. The Chief Staff Officer came aboard, so using my skimmer knowledge for protocol, I passed the word over the 1MC, "Staff Gangway."
I got told immedately, we don't do that in the sub fleet. So I never did it again.
The other thing I don't understand, why is it submariner salute during shift colors when mooring or getting underway? The whistle, either hand held or ship's, is supposed to blow when getting underway (1st line off) or when mooring (1st line on), not for shifting colors. Shifting colors happens simultaneously when getting underway or mooring.
STSCS(SS/SW) USN RET
12/06/2009 4:00 PM
Was anybody on this board in Norfolk in the mid to late 90's when ALBANY welcomed the SCRANTON with the EAT S**T SCRANTON banner hanging from her sail?
12/07/2009 3:22 PM
I think that one of the worst things that an outboard boat did to one of my boats was leave the y-connector installed in the sanitary line when they got underway. Made for quite a mess on the pier.
12/07/2009 10:51 PM
In the late 90's we moored outboard a SSBN in Bangor WA to fix some material issues onboard the SSN.
Doc comes back onboard and see's the SSBN topside watch beating off in the guard shack. Several other CPOs caught other SSBN individuals doing same.
Doc solved the problem by dropping off a tube of NSN Icy Hot with the label removed. Should have heard the screaming!
12/08/2009 4:07 PM
Only difference between fast boat topside watches is that they don't use the dogshack to take care of business...
12/08/2009 7:55 PM
Gotta be tough!
12/08/2009 7:59 PM
Back in the 70's, SSN boat pulled into Holy Loch to fix some material issues.
SSN boys on liberty were observed half way up one of the hills between Sandbank and Dunoon going after it with a Scottish sheep.
We heard they fell in love and took the anamial back to their boat for all to share. And that story belongs in the more recent post.
12/09/2009 10:41 AM
Guess those sheep were well trained by all the SSBN crews! Probably didn't flinch a bit
12/09/2009 2:28 PM
The only problem the SSBN crews had was keeping the herd from screwing the other crew....(Hmmm, same problem back in Groton...)
We solved that with these:
http://www.cattlestore.com/p-1447-coburn-ewe-marking-harness.aspx
Had one marker for the gold crew and one for the blue crew...
12/11/2009 3:48 PM
RimPac 1983..Shot waterslugs at a CV 5 times,the referee on board that unit would not acknowledge,So we launched aux tank #3 at him...A turd at 70-psi did more dammage...Destructo#2
11/25/2010 5:36 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home