Veterans Get Together at the Pub

[sparks1093]

19 hours ago, zonacruiser25 said:

I guess we had luxury accommodations when compared with all those that served in theater during Vietnam

I just posted that picture on Facebook not too long ago and got into a discussion with a friend about the pros and cons of sleeping in top, in the middle or in the bottom rack. At least in the top rack you don't have to worry about someone stepping on your face as they climb into their rack.

[zonacruiser25]

4 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

I just posted that picture on Facebook not too long ago and got into a discussion with a friend about the pros and cons of sleeping in top, in the middle or in the bottom rack. At least in the top rack you don't have to worry about someone stepping on your face as they climb into their rack.

This was not right before a deployment.  Otherwise there would be a laver of canned goods covering the deck so the guy on the bottom had to squeeze down into his bunk

[jcjrsmith]

Jerry Smith - US Navy 1984-95 (force extended for a cruise). Electronic Warfare Technician First Class (EW1).  See my ships in my signature

Edited May 10, 2020 by jcjrsmith

[2chiefs]

We are both retired Navy:

Sallie: HMC retired in 1995 San Diego, Great Lakes, Hawaii

Terry:  EMCM retired in 1988 - 3 tours Vietnam (MST-2 - Seal Support), San Diego, Norfolk, Greece, Sardinia, Great Lakes, Hawaii.

[2chiefs]

1 hour ago, 2chiefs said:

We are both retired Navy:

Sallie: HMC retired in 1995 San Diego, Great Lakes, Hawaii

Terry:  EMCM retired in 1988 - 3 tours Vietnam (MST-2 - Seal Support), San Diego, Norfolk, Greece, Sardinia, Great Lakes, Hawaii.

Arrrggg... I forgot to put Sallie's 2-year tour in Japan at the Yokosuka Naval Base hospital...  I'm in trouble. (Also, she went to boot camp in Orlando).

 

Here's a picture from a Memorial Day celebration on the Freedom in 2015. The HR manager (I can't remember his name) aboard Freedom was a retired Senior Chief so he wore his uniform. Here is the Senior Chief, Sallie and the Captain. The oldest and youngest vets that cut the cake were a WWII Army veteran and an active duty Airman.

 

 

 

[2chiefs]

On 4/30/2020 at 11:34 AM, sparks1093 said:

My Navy friends will understand...going to the bo'sun's locker for 50 feet of shore line, going to the Engine Room for relative bearing grease or a BT punch, going to the fo'csle to see a sea bat.

There was also a bucket of steam and 50 feet of chow line.

[hannibal54]

Don't forget the overhead buffer.

[2chiefs]

1 hour ago, hannibal54 said:

Don't forget the overhead buffer.

Oh. I forgot.

Did someone mention the mail buoy watch?

[GeeDunk]

U. S. Navy  1955 - 1959

FT2  (Fire Control Tech)

U.S.S. Randolph  (CVA - 15)

[zonacruiser25]

Since we have so many sailors, how was your initial shellback ceremony?  Nothing like what we had on a cruise ship!

[sparks1093]

28 minutes ago, zonacruiser25 said:

Since we have so many sailors, how was your initial shellback ceremony?  Nothing like what we had on a cruise ship!

Still a Wog. My last ship was a couple of miles from the equator which is the closest I got. The skipper was urged to make the crossing but since he was a Wog himself he passed on the opportunity.

[WI-Cruiser]

48 minutes ago, zonacruiser25 said:

Since we have so many sailors, how was your initial shellback ceremony?  Nothing like what we had on a cruise ship!

Became a shellback on the USS Pharris (FF1094) back in '77.  Pretty typical for those days - King Neptune's court, garbage chute, truth serum, doused with fire hoses, raw knees from crawling on the non-skid, and of course the darling Royal Baby.  Nothing compared to my Chief initiation though.  Heard they've significantly toned down both now-a-days. 

 

Also a Blue Nose, but we didn't have any type of initiation.  Just remember very rough, freezing seas. 

 

[GeeDunk]

1 hour ago, zonacruiser25 said:

Since we have so many sailors, how was your initial shellback ceremony?  Nothing like what we had on a cruise ship!

 

1 minute ago, WI-Cruiser said:

Also a Blue Nose, but we didn't have any type of initiation.  Just remember very rough, freezing seas. 

 

Still have scars on my knees from crawling on the Flight Deck.

Who can forget the Garbage Chute after it was in the Sun for a few days.

 

Also, a Blue Nose; almost made it to being a Red Nose.

We were a few miles from the Antarctic Circle; but, never crossed it.

[zonacruiser25]

8 hours ago, WI-Cruiser said:

Became a shellback on the USS Pharris (FF1094) back in '77.  Pretty typical for those days - King Neptune's court, garbage chute, truth serum, doused with fire hoses, raw knees from crawling on the non-skid, and of course the darling Royal Baby. 

We had a Hot Dog skipper so when we transited from Australia to Pearl,  he had the boat cross the dateline and equator so we all became Golden Shellbacks.  We didn't have the garbage chute or non-skid but we had a weeks worth of garbage saved in the freezer and spread on the galley floor to crawl through with getting eggs in skivvies and swatted with hoses.  Oh for the good old days!

[Giantfan13]

USAF 1966-1969

3 years Ramstein AFB Germany

3 Month TDY Da Nang AFB Viet Nam

 

Glad to meet all of you

 

Cheers

Len

[djjoe]

The pic of the racks brought back memories. In 1963 I started on the USS Independence (CVA-62), had a top rack on 03 level directly under flight deck. The first time I heard an F4 Phantom land was an experience not to be forgotten.  Went to the Belknap (DLG-26) in '65 after ET, Crypto, and test equipment school. I was discharged in 1969 as an ET1. I always thought the best rack was the middle. After many cruises on Royal Caribbean, they inducted us into the Officer's Club AKA Pinnacle last August. The Senior Chief in the photo is Mark Sette, PNCS, USN Retired. He's a great guy and loves to meet former Navy, actually all veterans at his gathering aboard a cruise ship.

[crewsweeper]

Operated with the Belknap many times in the late 60s-early 70s.  Fine ship.

 

Those ranks though would have been luxury office quarters on the older tin can I served on( canvas racks and bottom lockers).

And still way better than the new racks on the DDG my last 2 years.

 

[2chiefs]

20 hours ago, djjoe said:

The pic of the racks brought back memories. In 1963 I started on the USS Independence (CVA-62), had a top rack on 03 level directly under flight deck. The first time I heard an F4 Phantom land was an experience not to be forgotten.  Went to the Belknap (DLG-26) in '65 after ET, Crypto, and test equipment school. I was discharged in 1969 as an ET1. I always thought the best rack was the middle. After many cruises on Royal Caribbean, they inducted us into the Officer's Club AKA Pinnacle last August. The Senior Chief in the photo is Mark Sette, PNCS, USN Retired. He's a great guy and loves to meet former Navy, actually all veterans at his gathering aboard a cruise ship.

Thanks for Mark's name. 

[2chiefs]

On 5/11/2020 at 10:26 AM, WI-Cruiser said:

SNIP

Nothing compared to my Chief initiation though. 

SNIP

 

Open the breech.

Inspect the breech.

The breech is dirty sir.

Clean the breech.

Load the breech.

Close the breech.

Ready on the left, ready on the right, ready on the firing line.....

Edited May 13, 2020 by 2chiefs

[2chiefs]

17 hours ago, RETNAVY1996 said:

They send them to bed the night before now, initiation is over at midnight.  To make you all feel even worst about what has happened, a local CPO mess is ordering staplers to sell with the deck plate chiefs emblem.  Made me cry.

 

I am proud that I was able to be a "judge" for several initiations. It's sad that it's gone. The current crop probably don't miss it now but those CPO's that were on active duty during the transition must have been devastated.

 

T

[sparks1093]

15 hours ago, 2chiefs said:

 

I am proud that I was able to be a "judge" for several initiations. It's sad that it's gone. The current crop probably don't miss it now but those CPO's that were on active duty during the transition must have been devastated.

 

T

I would suspect so. I kind of knew the GOAT locker was going to change substantially when they started ranking chiefs at a command against each other, bringing wardroom politics into the GOAT locker. My last command had 18 chiefs, all but 5 of us had stars- how do you objectively rank a master chief OS against a senior chief yeoman or a chief bo'suns mate?

[davekathy]

Better late than never, as today is Armed Forces Day. 🍻

[2chiefs]

14 hours ago, davekathy said:

Better late than never, as today is Armed Forces Day. 🍻

Thanks and cheers to you.

 

[k9trix]

I've never been to the veteran's get together, I wasn't sure if many people show up.  I think I might check it out next time.  

 

USAF Security Police 1991-1996, Yokota Japan, Norvenich Germany, and Dyess TX.

[davekathy]

52 minutes ago, k9trix said:

I've never been to the veteran's get together, I wasn't sure if many people show up.  I think I might check it out next time.  

 

USAF Security Police 1991-1996, Yokota Japan, Norvenich Germany, and Dyess TX.

The ones I've gone to haven't had a lot show up. The Captain and the CD have hosted the ones I've attended.  The date and time will be posted in the Cruise Compass and at GS.