Shipyard stories

Shipyard Stories

Hey guys, I really appreciate your interest in the Shipyard thread but I was pretty much burned out with it and more than willing to let it die.

This is Wilbur's site and he is the man. If he wants it gone it's gone. I am thinking about starting a thread about your experience in the military. Good, bad or otherwise. On this thread I found out that Wilbur was a cook in Vietnam and Jackie made Spec. 5 in two years along with getting a security clearance. I'm sure there are other interesting stories out there we just need a place for it and it is not here.

Thank you,

Mort
 
A former EM Chief teaching school had a good story. The FBI visited the ship twice. Sub Tender, I think.
First was for a 4 door car/limo Admiral stuff. It showed up on the pier. 2 weeks later the FBI showed up...Maybe NCIS...long time ago....
Next was for an Sidewinder missile. FBI was there 5 days later. No missile.
Supply signed off on the chits. They got ordered....prolly because it was a sub tender. Nukes got the money first.
Anyways. These guys would just make up NSN numbers...this went on for 6 mos....maybe...till the 2nd FBI visit.....all an honest mistake/typo...
 
FBecigneul said:
Just how long do you expect me to be good?
Nah, at that time I was of the opinion that it took only two years. Apparently not. I did get expert in everything I shot. Does that count for something besides a medal? No pay?
Click to expand...

You don't have to be good, you just have to be lucky. I had to stand in front of the CO 3 times but it never went in my record book.....so I got one by default.

What were you shooting?
 
FBecigneul said:
Yeah, well, I made Sergeant E5 in two years over there and didn't get my good conduct medal
What's with that?
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Francis. When I signed off my ship. The PN1 said no medal ceremonies for a couple weeks. Oh, and they ran out of Good Conduct Medals(also Expeditionary Medal, 2nd Sea Service, 2nd Battle "E"). I was passed due. By 9 mos......Sometimes you can git your medals.....
Well, I made a comment "that's good. I can travel to Texas and visit family." That was Tuesday. Left for Texas on Wed. Got back to San Diego on Sunday. Awards Ceremony on the previous Friday.
My friends told me the Capt., XO, and Chief Engineer were hunting me down...they were still trying to get me to re-enlist...and give me my medals. Made sure the Command knew about that a**hole PN1. Heard he was forced to retire as an E6. CO and Command were not really happy with him.....
 
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FBecigneul said:
We were shooting the M14 then, Mort.

Zipper, you have to make the best of your opportunities when they come along. When going through the clearing procedures, you have to clear the motor pool, library, supply, and recruiting, among others. In clearing the recruiting office the Major said, "Wow, E-5 and under two years, I can guarantee you E-6". I asked if he could guarantee I wouldn't make E-1 again. You know the answer to that so I told him I wouldn't re-enlist for his rank. I was then told I had an attitude.
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Francis, I'm was also an E-5 under two. I first made Spec-5, but was running the entire Commo Department, so they cut orders and stuck three stripes on my arm.

When I got ready to ETS out, they gave me about the same thing they offered you. "Six for Six". You take 6 years, get a bump in grade to E-6, and a $6000 reenlistment bonus. The E-6 would have to be deferred untill I had 48 months in.

I had to remind them that I was a Draftee, proud of that US before my service number, and they could stick it where the sun did not shine.
 
dmort said:
Hey guys, I really appreciate your interest in the Shipyard thread but I was pretty much burned out with it and more than willing to let it die.

This is Wilbur's site and he is the man. If he wants it gone it's gone. I am thinking about starting a thread about your experience in the military. Good, bad or otherwise. On this thread I found out that Wilbur was a cook in Vietnam and Jackie made Spec. 5 in two years along with getting a security clearance. I'm sure there are other interesting stories out there we just need a place for it and it is not here.

Thank you,

Mort
Click to expand...

I guess we are back in business....we will see how it goes.
 
zippy06 said:
Francis. When I signed off my ship. The PN1 said no medal ceremonies for a couple weeks. Oh, and they ran out of Good Conduct Medals(also Expeditionary Medal, 2nd Sea Service, 2nd Battle "E"). I was passed due. By 9 mos......Sometimes you can git your medals.....
Well, I made a comment "that's good. I can travel to Texas and visit family." That was Tuesday. Left for Texas on Wed. Got back to San Diego on Sunday. Awards Ceremony on the previous Friday.
My friends told me the Capt., XO, and Chief Engineer were hunting me down...they were still trying to get me to re-enlist...and give me my medals. Made sure the Command knew about that a**hole PN1. Heard he was forced to retire as an E6. CO and Command were not really happy with him.....
Click to expand...

Tim
Did you ever get your service awards ?
 
FBecigneul said:
We were shooting the M14 then, Mort.

Zipper, you have to make the best of your opportunities when they come along. When going through the clearing procedures, you have to clear the motor pool, library, supply, and recruiting, among others. In clearing the recruiting office the Major said, "Wow, E-5 and under two years, I can guarantee you E-6". I asked if he could guarantee I wouldn't make E-1 again. You know the answer to that so I told him I wouldn't re-enlist for his rank. I was then told I had an attitude.
Click to expand...

Francis. I did make the best of my opportunities. And I retired at 53. And am enjoying it. No matter the cost.
I shoot 2 to 4 days a week.....in the summer, I help get plates going at Monroe RPC and then drive up to WW to shoot bowling pins or plates.
And occasionally run a Score match.
Tim B.
 
Enlistment Programs

During the draft in the 1950's only the Army had tours of three years or less. The other branches were four years. The Navy did have a tour called the "Baby Cruise" where if you enlisted when you were still 17 you would get out on your 21st Birthday. I don't know about the other branches but in 1960 the Maine Corps dropped the 4 year program and cut it to three years. This was an effort to bring units that were understaffed up to operating strength.

The Cuban missile crises showed we never made it. In order to send a fully manned gun battery they had to take people away from other batteries. The leftovers were assigned to a reserve pool...and I was part of that reserve pool. I didn't feel slighted at all.

The Cuban missile was a scary and anxious time in the US. We were going to confront the Russians and people were glued to their radios or TV sets. The whole thing doesn't seem real anymore but we were looking at the possibility of WWIII....really.

As usual, I've wondered away from the original topic.

Mort
 
Mort: I remember those days all too well. Even more frightening to me was 1957 sitting with my dad in front of his short wave radio listening to the first Sputnik signals from space. First time I remember ever seeing real fear on my dad's face. He, a WWII and Korean vet yet the fear was palpable that day. Thanks to all who served, we survived both and continue to prosper.

Keep the stories coming, please. Like most vets my dad never talked about his experiences. Stories like yours educate us all. bob
 
Sputnik

Sputnik was a scare because it showed the Russians were ahead of us in their Rocket Program. It was a real surprise because everyone assumed our technology was ahead of theirs.

When I was in grade school we had to practice air raid drills. The threat from Russia was in the back of our minds from an earlier age...it was very real.

When the Cuban missile crisis started there were plans to invade Cuba if we had too. What the results of that would be was anyone's guess. We were required to fill out a short form Will and Brown Bagger's (Married personnel that lived off the base) were sent home to get their personal life in order.

My wife was pregnant at that time and we did't want her to be alone if the s... really hit the fan. Our plan was for her to live with her parents.

There were three Marine couples (we were one) living in small apartments above a bar in Vista CA. In a short time we were called back to base until I was the last one.

Saying goodbye was really difficult. This wasn't a landing exercise where I would be gone a week or two. No one knew when, or if we would ever be back...the world could be upside down any day.

I ended up in a reserve pool and never left the base. Everyone else was boarding ship in San Diego and heading for the Panama Canal. I was able to contact Patricia and tell her I was still at the base and restricted to same.

The reserve pool was assigned to an empty barracks whose personnel had left. We weren't allowed to go inside and slept with all our gear outside. We all had Rubber Ladies you could inflate by mouth and sleep on. The empty bunks with a mattress would have been a hell of a lot better. We weren't going anywhere...go figure.

Mort
 
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