USS Pittsburgh Returns Home
USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) returned from a Northern Run on Friday to her homeport of Groton. Here's a story on the deployment, with a picture:
More pictures from the Navy website can be found here and here, and there's a 17 photo spread from the New London Day here.A couple of thoughts:
1) According to the Navy article, the boat made port calls to Faslane, Scotland; Haakonsvern, Norway; Brest, France; and Portsmouth, England. That's a good set of ports for an Atlantic run.
2) The caption of the first picture in The Day indicates that they had two "first kisses" -- one for officers and one for enlisted. Has this become more common? It seems to me that it would just tend to emphasize the officer-enlisted divide. (Please note that I'm not questioning the intentions of the wives, just making an observation. I've learned that it's a very bad thing to get on the wrong side of Submarine wives.)
2) The caption of the first picture in The Day indicates that they had two "first kisses" -- one for officers and one for enlisted. Has this become more common? It seems to me that it would just tend to emphasize the officer-enlisted divide. (Please note that I'm not questioning the intentions of the wives, just making an observation. I've learned that it's a very bad thing to get on the wrong side of Submarine wives.)
Here's a blog entry from a guy who has collected "first kiss" photos. What is your best memory of a deployment / patrol return ceremony?
posted by Bubblehead at 4:06 PM
31 Comments:
Bringing the greatest crew and ship back from our Gulf and Med Deployment. A 2x clean sweep for the "Fighting Double Nickel"!!
10/19/2010 5:33 PM
Returing to San Diego from WESTPAC in the 80's on USS *******, the CO and COB were both served divorce papers while greeting spouses on the pier. Both were great guys and I learned a lot from both.
As for the WESTPAC, much "love" deposited by all in Japan (3 times), Chin Hae, Hong Kong, Subic (3 times), Guam and Brisbane. Those were the days when the CO came over the 1MC after crossing the dateline and said "what happens on WESTPAC, stays on WESTPAC".
Oh, and why did they get divorce papers? Probably not why you think...both wives found their true loves as WESTPAC widows!
We, as a CREW knew how to keep secrets and had each others backs.
Those were the days!
10/19/2010 6:20 PM
Returning from the first Med deployment following a loooong refueling overhaul. One of our NAVETs was married to a woman who had to be at least 60 years old. She was standing on the pier, looking happy as all the other wives. He finally came topside, where myself and most of E-Div was bringing on shore power. As soon as he got within range of him, she started beating the holy crap out of him with her purse! One of my guys grabbed the purse to stop her, and she jerked it back and commenced to beat the crap out of him! We wrestled the purse from her and literally had to pin her on the pier to keep her from trying to kill the poor guy. She was screaming "LET ME UP YOU ASSHOLES, HE's A DEAD MAN!!!" Base security came and hauled her raging carcass away. Helluva return to port reunion!
I never did figure out why she wanted to kill the guy. He was definitely not the running around type.
10/19/2010 6:37 PM
I only thought this only happened in sea stories, but this is a "I was there" no-sh!tt3r...
STS2's wife gave birth while on deployment. STS2 was caucasian, STS2's wife was caucasian, STS2's son... wasn't. Found out on the pier.
-LT L
10/19/2010 8:17 PM
We came back from West Pac on Greeneville, and someone had arranged for the Hooters girls to be there greeting the crew. The wive's club was NOT happy about that one.
10/19/2010 8:47 PM
STS2's wife gave birth while on deployment. STS2 was caucasian, STS2's wife was caucasian, STS2's son... wasn't. Found out on the pier.
Although not common, it is genetically possible for two Caucasians to conceive a child that will be born with dark features. Probably not in this case, but it is possible.
10/19/2010 8:52 PM
How long will it be until some female comes back two months pregnant after a three month deployment on the boat, and greets her husband on the pier. You can see that day coming.
10/20/2010 3:32 AM
What the hell is a 'first kiss?'
And what happened to the Cake Lady?
10/20/2010 6:19 AM
I was a bachelor through most of my career. I almost always had duty the first night back from deployment.
10/20/2010 8:41 AM
Back on the Lewis & Clark when we would pull in to Charleston it was always at the Alpha pier at the weapons station. Several of the wives decided to greet us in skirts/dresses with nothing on underneath (God Bless them....) Well for what ever reason, this time we tied up next to the USS Holland...the ladies were all lined up and ....uh, overlooking....the boat. On top of that it was quite a windy trip down the brow. They NEVER decided to greet us that way again....
10/20/2010 10:08 AM
etc_ss_ret - when were you on the L&C? I did a middie cruise for a patrol summer (July, Aug, Sept) of 1980 with the Blue crew (if memory serves). Left out of K-Bay. The crew had to go back out another couple of days after the patrol for an ORSE.
10/20/2010 12:04 PM
LT L -
"I only thought this only happened in sea stories, but this is a "I was there" no-sh!tt3r..."
Is it possible it was only a collosal joke?
Otherwise, the wives really dropped the ball on this welcome home (assuming the wardroom did not have advanced warning). Surely someone had to visit the enlisted man's wife after the baby's birth.
Very difficult for me to believe considering the likely impact on the STS2's ongoing morale, the subdued effect on the other families and the likely problem for those who had to worry about STS2's performance after the public embarrassment.
This kind of rare surprise happens to civilian fathers who are home every night, so it is bound to happen to submariners who are not even home once a week.
10/20/2010 1:53 PM
A navy band played 'Anchors Away' as we left. No welcome home whatever when we got back to the State Pier.
As soon as the brow was in place, stewards carried the Lieutenant's belongings across and he left with unceremonious dispatch to his family's lone, waiting car.
About 30 minutes later the CO announced what was happening, no specifics.
The next day (I had never seen this before or again) there was a large tent pitched on the pier.
One-by-one a few of us were called by a JAG officer to give our deposition. One of the two saddest things I ever had to do in my service.
Always in duty section one (single guys) whenever we arrived anywhere. Fondest memory was passing along casino operator's offer of night on the town to my buds after getting him and his son an abbreviated belowdecks tour.
They all showed me pictures of themselves with dancing girls the next day. Wondered if they showed their wives (just kidding).
10/20/2010 2:15 PM
Pulling into the pier at St Croix and being greeted by "One legged lil" and her cooler of beer!
I think she died about the same time the pier got destroyed by some hurricane.
10/20/2010 2:16 PM
@Vigilis
STS2 was a dick; I'm not terribly surprised that no one ashore had any contact with his spouse during deployment. No one was terribly surprised that Mrs. STS2 was sleeping around.
-LT L
10/20/2010 2:56 PM
Pulling into port following a few months out. Getting relieved from maneuvering because there is someone on the pier that wants to say hi!
Walking out the sail to see: girlfriend, ex-fiance, other girl friend all in a group and talking together.
That evening turned very interesting..
10/20/2010 3:08 PM
I was no L&C from 1982 to 85. Picked her up in the shipyard in NN and made the first few patrols out of Charleston on TW Moore's crew.
10/20/2010 3:09 PM
vigilis said:
"...'Anchors Away'..."
Away? Seriously?
10/20/2010 3:21 PM
Anon @ 3:21 PM -
Yes. During cold war days, haing a navy band at any pier was rare. We were as much mystified as we were appreciative!
@LT L -
That would do it alright, thanks.
10/20/2010 3:29 PM
@vigilis...I think the anonymous at 321 is commenting on your spelling specifically "away" instead of "aweigh".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchors_Aweigh
10/20/2010 4:05 PM
Anon @4:05 PM
If not, he certainly should have been, thanks!
10/20/2010 5:04 PM
Our anchor was away once; we did pretty well without him.
Rackburn
10/21/2010 7:28 AM
@ Vigilis,
Sorry to recall your sad memories, but what did I miss here? Why did the Lt leave the boat so unceremoniously?
"As soon as the brow was in place, stewards carried the Lieutenant's belongings across and he left with unceremonious dispatch to his family's lone, waiting car.
About 30 minutes later the CO announced what was happening, no specifics.
The next day (I had never seen this before or again) there was a large tent pitched on the pier.
One-by-one a few of us were called by a JAG officer to give our deposition. One of the two saddest things I ever had to do in my service."
10/21/2010 11:12 AM
Anon @ 10/20/2010 3:08 PM
Was that interesting in a good way or in a bad way??
10/21/2010 3:26 PM
Anon @ 10/21/2010 3:26 PM
Definitely in a good way. It included dinner and a visit to the house to make sure everything was still ship shape.
10/22/2010 5:36 AM
Best WESTPAC return? Similarly to others, the evil, fleetwide cabal of the Married Mafia ensured I had duty on return days, choice weekend days, and any holiday not spent on leave. The promised repayment overseas never materialized- typical for Engineering, amirite?
Prior to my first PI visit we had a lecture from the CMAA to alert us to some of the typical scams to watch for. The merried CMAA closed with the reminder/ admonishment of "what happens in the PI, stays in the PI". I thought he was a hypocritical asshole.
10/22/2010 1:58 PM
as for me, only one first kiss. The winner is not allowed to be the CO/XO/COB/Ombudsman---they were all expected to politely decline.
Of course, when I was XO, the Ombudsman won, and had to follow the CO. lead from the front...
10/22/2010 3:58 PM
The future when/if DADT gets repealed is here.
10/23/2010 11:27 AM
USS Boise returns home from Iraqi Freedom after succsesful launch of all her missiles. Standing on the pier to meet us are the Squadron bubbus who before we left let us know in no uncertain terms that we were the second from worse sub in the squadron. But since ABC news,Good Morning America,local news and the SECNAV were gonna be there, they lined up with smiles and told us how great we were while I am sure they were taking all the credit. It was a great crew with only an average Wardroom and a command that was lost in nukedom. The worse 18 months of my career except for my division and the success of our mission.
11/05/2010 7:39 AM
The good thing about your information is that it is explicit enough for students to grasp. Thanks for your efforts in spreading academic knowledge.
11/11/2010 10:17 AM
USS Boise returns home from Iraqi Freedom after launch of all her missiles.
7/02/2012 12:07 AM
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