Shipyard stories

[dmort]

Man Overboard

I bet they had a safety meeting afterwards, and at the next formation they would address the cause and what steps were to be taken to prevent another "man overboard" etc., etc.

I got a good bang in the head once because I wasn't wearing my helmet. I asked our Corpman to look at it....big mistake. It was now a reportable accident and it would be sent to Regimental Headquarters. They would then require every gun battery at their next formation, that this accident and results would be part of the general info released at those formations.

Because my accident wasn't criminal my name wouldn't be mentioned. Back at the gun battery things were a little different. Everybody knew who I was, so I had to stand in front of the battery formation and tell them how stupid I was for not wearing a helmet.

So Tim, did they get on you very much after your dunk in the water? .....Just asking .


Mort

P.S. you were right on the free clothes as it applied to our work uniform utility/fatigues. They could be "surveyed", which meant turning in old ones for new ones.

If the free clothes issue kept you from "shipping over" you owe me!

 

[zippy06]

I bet they had a safety meeting afterwards, and at the next formation they would address the cause and what steps were to be taken to prevent another "man overboard" etc., etc.

I got a good bang in the head once because I wasn't wearing my helmet. I asked our Corpman to look at it....big mistake. It was now a reportable accident and it would be sent to Regimental Headquarters. They would then require every gun battery at their next formation, that this accident and results would be part of the general info released at those formations.

Because my accident wasn't criminal my name wouldn't be mentioned. Back at the gun battery things were a little different. Everybody knew who I was, so I had to stand in front of the battery formation and tell them how stupid I was for not wearing a helmet.

So Tim, did they get on you very much after your dunk in the water? .....Just asking .


Mort

P.S. you were right on the free clothes as it applied to our work uniform utility/fatigues. They could be "surveyed", which meant turning in old ones for new ones.

If the free clothes issue kept you from "shipping over" you owe me!

Ah. Nope we were too busy and under manned. I was the LPO and only getting paid E4. This was San Diego and the reminents of the jimmy carter navy. Very little money to go around. Heck. Some of the newer DD's Gas Turbine ran out of gas money.....

Owe you? for not shipping over. Glad I got out when I did. The economy was roaring. I should have moved back to MI. Wages were way better.

 

[zippy06]

San Diego was end of the train tracks............

 

[dmort]

Brig Duty

On one of the ships I was on, I was assigned to the ships brig.

The brig was small and not intended to hold more than a couple of occupants.

So there is me: a chair, a small desk, an old log book, and a total stranger on the other side of the bars. We either weren't suppose to talk, or he didn't want too. The end result was total silence. I obviously like to BS with people so the novelty of drawing brig duty was quickly wearing off.

Who is being punished here? He even has a bunk to lay on and I don't...this really sucks!

Out of desperation I started reading the log book. Log book entries follow a simple format and you don't have to know much more than what time it is. The narratives are usually limited to less than five words. Chow was served at xxxx hours excetera.

I will just say SOME of my brothers in the Corps found log entries to be a challenge.

This all, of course, from someone who didn't know when not to wear a helmet.

Semper Fi

 

[dmort]

Tim,

Thanks for putting up with all my questions....I have learned afew things in the process.

Mort

 

[zippy06]

Tim,

Thanks for putting up with all my questions....I have learned afew things in the process.

Mort

That's cool.

 

[zippy06]

On one of the ships I was on, I was assigned to the ships brig.

The brig was small and not intended to hold more than a couple of occupants.

So there is me: a chair, a small desk, an old log book, and a total stranger on the other side of the bars. We either weren't suppose to talk, or he didn't want too. The end result was total silence. I obviously like to BS with people so the novelty of drawing brig duty was quickly wearing off.

Who is being punished here? He even has a bunk to lay on and I don't...this really sucks!

Out of desperation I started reading the log book. Log book entries follow a simple format and you don't have to know much more than what time it is. The narratives are usually limited to less than five words. Chow was served at xxxx hours excetera.

I will just say SOME of my brothers in the Corps found log entries to be a challenge.

This all, of course, from someone who didn't know when not to wear a helmet.

Semper Fi

My last few weeks in, I was waiting for my first hernia operation. Had 3. All from being too good a worker. Maybe genetics...
And had extended to help train some new guys. And make another RIMPAC CRUISE. Figured that might be my last chance to see Oahu, HI.
Anyway. Got to do Brig Chaser Duty. for a couple weeks. NOT Fun.
Last guy, I escorted out the gate. I put in handcuffs behind thumbs up(I was bailiff at his Courts Martial. Bad guy.). We were ordered to take him to the gate. And do what we were ordered. We get there. And 2 Huge guys grab him. Throw him to the ground. I am ordered to sit on him. We swap cuffs.
The Huge guys toss him into the car. Head first. He hit the other door head first....
I said that was cool. One of the guys indicated he was one of the best gang bangers. Worked alone. I wished him death......he was trying to hide in the Navy.

 

[dmort]

Tim
You should watch The Last Detail with Jack Nicholson, Randy Quaid made in 1973, great flick. Another great flick Cinderella Liberty with James Caan.

Mort

 

[dmort]

Movies

Another good movie "An Officer and a Gentleman". The film takes quite a few liberties for entertainment value, but it shows what most junior officers go through when they don't qualify for Annapolis.

I think like Annapolis, these officers have a choice of serving in the Navy or the Marine Corps upon graduation.

The bottom line is they graduate with respect for senior Marine/Navy NCO's.....who all have more time and experience in the real world of the military.

Mort

P.S. Enjoy the movie.

 

[zippy06]

Tim
You should watch The Last Detail with Jack Nicholson, Randy Quaid made in 1973, great flick. Another great flick Cinderella Liberty with James Caan.

Mort

Done it.
Sand Pebbles was better. I was home on leave. My Mom wanted to watch it and ask about the movie. She was happy for the info.....Thought it was mostly HOLLYWOOD BS(before I got to explain some things)...But, she got to see what my brothers, sister, and I got to see on an everyday basis.....all though it was a little dated.

 

[zippy06]

Another good movie "An Officer and a Gentleman". The film takes quite a few liberties for entertainment value, but it shows what most junior officers go through when they don't qualify for Annapolis.

I think like Annapolis, these officers have a choice of serving in the Navy or the Marine Corps upon graduation.

The bottom line is they graduate with respect for senior Marine/Navy NCO's.....who all have more time and experience in the real world of the military.

Mort

P.S. Enjoy the movie.

I had another long story. I deleted it, again.
In short there were/are some Capt. that believe the Navy is run by the Chiefs. I saw this first hand. An Ensign was assigned to E-Div after 6 mos with Deck Div. So he could Qual. as Officer of the Deck. Came to E-Div to stand watches in Main Control.
Most Officers that came to E-Div. were in the Sh*t or needed RETRAINING......This one guy thought he was better than the rest. Because his Daddy paid for Harvard or some BS.
He tried to tell myself and another Electrician, how we were going, to do the job.
When the E-8 found out. The Ensign got bitched out. Unfortunately, it was in the passageway. And not private.
The E-8 saw me walk down past the missile house and saw the shop door open.....so The Senior Chief grabbed this guy by the collar. And dragged him up to the Capt. Stateroom.
He got a B**** out from the Capt. And didn't wear rank for 30 days. 30 days confined to stateroom. Had to issue apology to Chief's Mess.
I was told. All the Senior told the Capt. was your boy ain't getting with the program....

Hope that makes sense.....

 

[dmort]

Camp Matthews

In 1959 I went through rifle qualification at Camp Matthews. It was closed in 1964.

The issue rifle was the 30-06 Garand it would fire a 150 grain bullet at 2800 fps. The rifle had been issued to us at M.C.R.D. for drill use, tear down and assembly and a means of punishment for seemingly minor infractions.

On your knees, back straight, arms extended and hold the rifle in your hands palms down. I know we aren't in great shape but some of you Garand owners might want to try this...just for the hell of it. Remember, you can't let your arms drop and you can't lift the rifle to give you any advantage...90 degrees, that's it.

So we are at camp living in tents on wooden platforms and sleeping on cots. How difficult could a quarters inspection be now? This will be a breeze...it's a tent. Not so, did you know you could clean and polish nail heads? We didn't either.

The first several days are all classes: understanding your sights, minute of angle, how to keep your note book, reading flags and snapping in. All these classes require you bringing your rifle and on your arrival stacking arms. During classes rifles would be inspected by one of our Drill Sgt. He interrupted one of our classes and called out a serial number...it was my rifle. I had committed the cardinal sin of having the bolt closed on a rifle range. The end result was my attempting to open the bolt in front of a. formation with my nose. I couldn't do it and it hurt like hell. I didn't know this was just a practice for standing in front of another formation for not wearing a helmet. When we got back to M.C.R.D. I also had to sleep with my rifle. That part was easy and provided some laughs for the others in our hut.

Back at the range I was shooting well and felt I could qualify as a Sharp Shooter. On qual day I choked and ended up as a Marksman. My first real disappointment, only because I could do better. I ended up later shooting Expert but never over 230. That was still enough to get an invite to try out for the Division Rifle Team. The Battery Commander and my wife were both opposed, but for different reasons. The Battery CO expressed his opposition by just saying no and that was the end of it.

If I had tried out and made the team how well would I have done under the pressure of competition. Your not just shooting for yourself anymore you shooting for the team. Anyway , it never happened but it is fun to think about. How many people even get an invite? I will just go with that and feel good about it.

Mort

PS Tim, I did see Sand Pebbles and liked it. What really caught my eye was the old steam engine on the ship. Another great flick from another time.

 

[dmort]

The 6' x 6' x 6'

After completing the Basic Infantry Course (4 weeks) I was assigned to a 105 Howitzer Battery at Camp Pendleton.

I had received operating instructions from my gun chief and had been through numerous dry run drills at the gun park.

My training was interrupted when I was sent to the mess hall for thirty days of mess duty. This was not punishment but S.O.P. for new guys (A.K.A screws). Anyway, we are out in the desert at 29 Palms. After several live fires my gun chief said, "It's my turn to pull the lanyard". It's really simple...you pull the damn thing and the gun goes off. But, you have to pull it all the way. When the battery fired it was a short budda...and then a boom. Booms are not acceptable.

The Gunnery Sgt came down the line asking, "Who in the hell was that?" Because I obviously had my head up my a...I would now have plenty of time to think about my errant ways, while digging a 6' x 6' x 6' hole in the ground.

I had heard of this punishment/disciplinary measure already, but dismissed it as a fairy tale or punishment seldom used...not so.

My own tool was the small folding shovel that was part of my pack gear. I knew I couldn't possibly do this but I went at it. No smoke breaks, nothing.

Some word came down we could start eating our rations that dated from the Korean War....yummy!

I don't remember much after that, but back in garrison during regular morning formations, that same Gunnery Sgt. asked if anybody had Geometry or Trig to raise their hands. I raised mine and although I didn't know it then, it changed the rest of my life.

Mort

 

[dmort]

Reality Check

To avoid any issues with this post, the word heck will be substituted for any word you feel is more appropriate.

I had already seen a kid slammed up against a wall for not calling it a bulkhead. On a head cleaning detail I saw a Sgt. and a Cpl. come in and the Sgt. kicked a kid in the butt, because he was crying while he was scrubbing the floor. Excuse me....the deck. The Cpl. asked me what the heck I was looking at. Eye contact was to be avoided, so I turned and faced the bulkhead. I never saw them leave.

All this was in staging where you were held, until there were enough people to form a platoon. Until that day training, or T1 day hadn't started yet. On T1 day you met two Buck Sgt.'s who would be your constant antagonists for the next 11 weeks.

T1 day was something everyone remembered and was the subject of conversation and laughs aboard ship, or anywhere beer was served. Sometimes someone would assume the role of the Drill Instructor and someone as the Pvt. These role playing skits could be hilarious. Some of this I remember personally or from stories from other Marines.



Before you clowns arrived I was living in the Bachelors Quarters getting drunk and laid every night...and now I'm here! I have to live with a bunch of cheap ass civilians who couldn't make it as civilians. What the heck are you doing in my Marine Corps? Are you here to heck it up? Well that is not going to happen and I will tell you right now some of you will not graduate with this platoon, You will ever make it.

Was that a wink?
No Sir.
What is the first word out of your mouth?
Sir, the Pvt. wasn't winking.
Good thing it wasn't a wink. There are no hecking winkers in my Marine Corps.
Sir, no Sir, I wasn't winking at you Sir.
You called me a you? Do you know what yew is? It's a female sheep and do you know what happens to female sheep? Do I look like a female sheep to you? Do you think you can heck me?
Sir, you are a Sgt. Sir!
Wrong answer asshole, I'm your Drill Sgt.....So the wink was a blink?
Sir, yes Sir!
Did I say you could blink?
Sir, no Sir!
You Pvt. are a hecking clown, and clowns in my Marine Corps will never make it out of here.


People who were failing under pressure were sent to S.T.U. (Special Training Unit) and their time at S.T.U. did not count towards their training days...it was all lost time. They wore grey sweatshirts with S.T.U. in large block letters on the back. Their life was really miserable, but at some point they could choose to stay in the Corps and resume training, or go out the gate with a less than Honorable Discharge.

I remember standing in formation and watching a passenger plane coming into San Diego Airport and I asked myself if anybody out there really knew what the heck was going on in here.

Mort
Semper Fi

 

[dmort]

Sundays at M.C.R.D.

We always had a half day off on Sundays, but unless you went to church services you were confined to quarters (aka, your quonset hut). Each hut would be provided with a few issues of the local Sunday paper that had to be shared.

Sitting on your bunk or your foot locker was "Verboten".....you read the paper, or wrote letters while sitting on the concrete deck. You could use the foot locker as a table for writing letters....nothing else.

The quonset hut hatch doors were always open, so a quick check by the on duty Drill Sgt. was real easy.

We were encouraged to write home on Sundays to let our parents know how much we enjoyed our stay here as guests of the Marine Corps.

"I don't want to hear from your Mommy and if I get a letter from your Mommy, saying you didn't write your Mommy, I will personally kick your hecking ass".

After two or three Sundays even we started to get it and called them "Save your ass letters".

Mort
Always Faithful

 

[dmort]

Low Bid Soap

One of the first things you learn in boot camp is Mommy isn't going to do your laundry, so one of the first things you are issued are personal items, which contained laundry soap, scrub brush, toothpaste, etc. The Marine Corps called this your bucket issue because you could fit all these items into a galvanized bucket. No other service could introduce more anxiety, drama or tension into the issue of such simple items.

I just want to say our experience with the low bid laundry soap provided by the Navy lacked any form of quality control. They probably gave it to the Navy to get out from under storage fees....let the Navy/Taxpayer store this crap.

The above opinions were usually offered up at night in the hut, or during "Save your ass letter time" on Sundays. One of the unforgettable explanations for the poor quality was their last line of business, producing rubber hose gaskets and condoms.

Their motto "If it ever leaks you can always bring it back".

When people are cracking jokes like this it makes it really hard to write
.

Mort

 

[dmort]

Sgt. Salazar

Sgt. Salazar was a real mix of characters. He was the only drill Instructor who would sometimes provide a little humor...and he obviously enjoyed it. At other times surprise you with a seemingly violent reaction to a situation.
During mail call we would be at parade rest and come to attention when our name was called. You would say "Yes, Sir" take a step forward do a left face and double time around the formation. You would approach the on duty Drill Sgt. from his right as he held out the letter with his outstretched hand. The Duty Sgt. would be standing on a raised podium, your job was to snatch the letter from his extended hand without touching him. Sgt. Salazar called an offender back to the podium took the letter back and slapped him across the face with it....that really got your attention.

Sgt. Salazar was our instructor on our first day of going through the obstacle course. Near the end of the course when we were really exhausted we were to catch a rope and swing across a log lined pit. The pit had water in it of an unknown depth which was supposedly replaced with piss from the graduating platoon prior yours. Someone eventually ended up at 6:00 o'clock with no swing left. We watched this recruit slide down the rope and fall into the off colored water. Thia same person climbed up the side of the pit and on his last effort to pull himself out he touched the spit shined field boots of Sgt. Salazar. Sgt.Salazar again expressed his opinion on being touched by someone who was still less than a civilian low life...and put the bottom of his boot against the forehead of the offender and pushed him back into the pit. These little events got your attention and were never repeated.

I will later tell you about Sgt. Salazar's bad side.

Mort

 

[jackie schmidt]

Over the months, I have posted several pictures and commented on some of the work we performed on new boats.

Her is some pictures of the finished product. This is a good example of a modern 2600 Horsepower Inland Tug. The engines are 3512 Catepillars, the gear a Twin Disc 5600. The Propellar Shafts are 8 inch diameter swinging a 84 inch diameter Prop.

Our work included the Prop Shafts, Rudder Stocks, Tiller Hubs and the completed Steering Linkage, , Rudder Tubes, boring and cutting keyways in the Shaft Couplings, align boring the Struts and Stern Tubes, machining all of the various Bearings and Bushings, Drilling the Engine and Gear Foundations, and various knick knack stuff.

We bill out about $200,000 for our work on a boat this size.

The galley picture shows how nicely finished these vessels are.

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20880&stc=1&d=1524012798

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20881&stc=1&d=1524012865

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20882&stc=1&d=1524012930

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20883&stc=1&d=1524012988

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20884&stc=1&d=1524013138

 

[dmort]

Jackie,

the galley looks nice but the engineering space is really impressive! You guys are ready for inspection. The finished alignment bracket is very clean and neat.

I don't know if your shop did the deck plating, but the fitment is the best I have ever seen.

Thanks for your post and pics..

When my input is reduced to talking about Boot Camp you know this thing has pretty much run it's course.

Thanks again,

Mort

 

[jackie schmidt]

Jackie,

the galley looks nice but the engineering space is really impressive! You guys are ready for inspection. The finished alignment bracket is very clean and neat.

I don't know if your shop did the deck plating, but the fitment is the best I have ever seen.

Thanks for your post and pics..

When my input is reduced too talking about Boot Camp you know this thing has pretty much run it's course.

Thanks again,

Mort

Here is the basic machinery layout. It gives you an idea how simple it all really is.

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20892&stc=1&d=1524083828