Thursday, November 10, 2011

Destroyermen - My Navy

Peeps, this is MY Navy...the ships of the 60's.  The ship with the 710 on the bow is the USS Gearing DD710 - a Sumner Class Destroyer like the one I was on.  The other two, USS Brownson DD868 and USS Bordeon DD881 are both Gearing Class Tin Cans very similar to my ship.  The both have the helo decks on the stern that housed the unmanned torpedo carrying drones (the orange airplane looking thing that never worked.)

The refueling teams made up of Bowsanmates and Snipes (sailors whose duty stations were below the main deck) worked the refueling process, and the men on the main deck pulled the lines over hand over hand and in a tank tread like fashion.  That was what I did during refueling.  I was always wet – which is a good thing because those who got wet got a shot of rum from sickbay.

Also, on my first sea tour my General Quarters station was in the gun mount on the main deck and the man you see standing between the guns watching the powder canister fly out the back after firing was my job.  To make sure they went out the escape hatch.

And I miss the dungarees, t-shirts and denim shirts and wearing the white pillbox hats.  Today’s Navy wears a tri-blue colored camo concoction with boots.  I don’t know who they are trying to hid from out on the open sea.  And if they go overboard, how will they be able to find them.   I miss the traditional outfits.

Anyways, if this does not post as it should, go to YouTube and key in Destroyermen or copy and paste this into your browser.

 <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ih7ygOUz_Wg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

or

http://youtu.be/ih7ygOUz_Wg
.
.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Cool video. Civilian question: what was the purpose of hosing down the chain and anchor as it was brought up?

Coffeypot said...

The chin is in salt water and salt is a huge corrosive agent at sea. And the chin is stored below decks and would rust through if not cleaned off. That is also why we have to chip paint and repaint all the time. Remember seeing all those rust stains running down the sides of ships, salt water run off.

Rita said...

On this 11/11/11 Veteran's day, thank you for your service CP. We can never repay you for your sacrifice.

Coffeypot said...

Thank you Rita...but you can repay...sex would work just fine.

Rita said...

Great. I'll send Nancy right over. I'm sure she'd be happy to repay you.

Coffeypot said...

OMG, Rita! I just had a bout of importance come on. Send her back to the cave she slithered out of.

THINGS YOU'D NEVER GUESS ABOUT ME said...

Coffey, we're going to get to meet you some day, some how, and when we do, just make sure to tell Joe: "Hey! Look over THERE!" for a second.

By the time he looks back, we'll just be shaking hands. ok?

And if you don't "get this", you ain't Navy.

Coffeypot said...

BM, no need to distract Joe...a kiss from you would be worth an ass-whoopin. Sailors have been sneaking and stealing kiss's since Noah put the Ark in the water.

JihadGene said...

Have a great Veterans Day LOOONG time!!!