Navy thread

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Llarry

The first three Royal Australian Navy officers have graduated from U.S. Navy nuclear power school. The three officers -- two LCDRs and a LT, who are already qualified in RAN submarines -- will now complete training at a moored training ship and in the future will be assigned to Pearl Harbor-based Virginia class nuclear attack submarines.

This is the first step in the AUKUS plan to provide the RAN with SSNs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AUKUS

They’ve come a long way from totally being against nuclear subs. Good move and obviously they have an admirable safety track record.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by c1pher

They’ve come a long way from totally being against nuclear subs. Good move and obviously they have an admirable safety track record.

However, New Zealand has a prohibition against port calls by nuclear-powered vessels, so the Aussies are going to have to stay away from their friends in NZ.

[billnchristy]

Another couple good ones:

We had to build a lot of scaffolding to do jobs and one of them had cross bars that were a little low, probably 5'5" or so. After we built it the officer on watch came up and complained that it was a safety hazard and we needed to fix it. We couldn't change the platform height so we went back to the shop and grabbed a bunch of one inch foam sheets and wrapped the entire scaffold in foam. I also made a sign to hang on the bar that said "WARNING: SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA" and had a stick figure bleeding profusely from his head. His only response was "You guys are assholes" as he walked off shaking his head.

Another job we had a Lieutenant approach us, 3 guys standing around with chainfalls, shackles, straps and other assorted rigging gear, and ask "Are you guys the riggers?" I responded "Sir, we prefer to be called lifting and handling Americans."

[c1pher]

Zelenskyy can fit under that.

[Llarry]

The latest Navy ship class has entered service. The replenishment oiler USNS John Lewis (T AO 205) is the first of class and 19 others are coming; the second of the class has undergone sea trials. The crew consists of 99 civilian mariners, with no mention of an active-duty Navy detachment. It looks to me like it has a helo deck, but no hangar.

Sort of an odd-looking stack? Diesel power.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_John_Lewis

[billnchristy]

Those USNS ships are pure torture. They'd pull along side us for replenishment and there would be women in bikinis sunning themselves on the deck. I had a buddy attached to one as a helicopter mechanic, one of like 5 Navy people on board, he said it was a magical way to go to sea.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by billnchristy

Those USNS ships are pure torture. They'd pull along side us for replenishment and there would be women in bikinis sunning themselves on the deck. I had a buddy attached to one as a helicopter mechanic, one of like 5 Navy people on board, he said it was a magical way to go to sea.

I don't know if you were last at sea in a Navy ship after the 1990s when more women started coming aboard but now with substantial numbers of females at sea in the Navy it would not be quite as much torture, I would think. My last time at sea was mid-1980s.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Llarry

I don't know if you were last at sea in a Navy ship after the 1990s when more women started coming aboard but now with substantial numbers of females at sea in the Navy it would not be quite as much torture, I would think. My last time as sea was mid-1980s.

Uh….you’re wrong. Newer ships that accommodate women are a little better but older ships retrofitted for women usually end up giving them a lot more space and the men have to endure. Women are now about 20% of the force. So it’s not as simple as saying, you get this room and this head. I’ve seen some ships where the open birthing accommodates 60 people but only houses 20 women, and then men 80 are then crammed into a second 60 man space with half the head/ shower space.

Working with them on shifts is about what you’d expect of any sailor however the more physical work is difficult for them and you worry someone else will get hurt if they can’t do their job. Fortunately most women on in less physically demanding jobs, helping to alleviate that issue.

[billnchristy]

First cruise was 1997-98, we had maybe a dozen on the whole ship. Last cruise was 1999-2000 and we had several hundred. No bikinis though, just dungarees or khakis. We had some pretty awesome females in my division. My upper level watch, Becky, was our "beer wench" when we played pirates on watch. She was a cool chick and had no problem working, even climbed in the condenser when we were cleaning it.

There was a female electrician that was occasionally on watch when I was and she had a straight up sexy voice. It sounded like those late night infomercials for girls girls girls when she made announcements on the 1mc. She was strictly a radio personality though, if you know what I mean!

We had an ET that had an amazing body and not just Navy amazing. A couple examples:

I was walking behind her in the shipyard admiring her form and watched a shipyard worker drive by on a forklift and gawk so hard he hit a bollard.

She also won an amateur strip contest in Ft. Lauderdale when we were in port there. They were going to try to Captain's Mast her for it until they found out the XO and CHENG were at the club, likely rooting her on. It got dropped real quick.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by billnchristy

...
There was a female electrician that was occasionally on watch when I was and she had a straight up sexy voice. It sounded like those late night infomercials for girls girls girls when she made announcements on the 1mc. She was strictly a radio personality though, if you know what I mean!..

My cruises were 77-78 & 79 so no WAVES on the ship. The chick at "beaver" had a voice that could melt stone! After a couple of years checking-in & out with FACSFAC one of the guys on the ship met her. He said she was about five-foot nuthin' and about 350 pounds! Her voice was VERY deceiving!

[Llarry]

The Iowa-class battleships built during World War II were built to just fit through the Panama canal. They had a beam of 108 feet and a few inches and the narrowest locks of the canal were 110 feet.

When transiting the Miraflores locks in October 1945 en route the Atlantic, the USS Missouri (BB 63) had about 8 inches clearance on each side. I suspect she needed some paint touchups after the transit. Here's a photo.

[billnchristy]

I thought the suez was tight, damn!

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by Llarry

The Iowa-class battleships built during World War II were built to just fit through the Panama canal. They had a beam of 108 feet and a few inches and the narrowest locks of the canal were 110 feet.

When transiting the Miraflores locks in October 1945 en route the Atlantic, the USS Missouri (BB 63) had about 8 inches clearance on each side. I suspect she needed some paint touchups after the transit. Here's a photo.

Back in the day we were leaving Inchon, Korea. The harbour had a lock system to keep the harbor water "pristine" (this was in the late 70's, so things may have changed). The wind was pretty strong and the pilot refused to take us out because of the ship's (LPD) large "sail area." Our captain decided to take full responsibility and out we went. We smashed the lock on the forward starboard side, gashing the ship and knocking some concrete chunks into the water. The ship then swung the opposite direction and hit the aft, port side, ripping off the garbage chute! The captain still got to finish the cruise.

[JP10]

Can’t keep up with current build schedules yet commit to help another country. Sounds like a great idea. Yes I’m fully cognizant that the plan doesn’t just include physical aspects. Nonetheless my opinion remains.
- opinion from someone actually building subs, carriers, surface combatants and the alike. Not just talking about it like bulk of our country.

[3798j]

Lt Cruiser USS Biloxi with its Curtis So3C Seamew

[3798j]

My father spent WWII aboard an LST (Landing Ship Tank or...Large Slow Target ). Barrage balloons provided some safety from straffing attacks.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by 3798j

Lt Cruiser USS Biloxi with its Curtis So3C Seamew

The SO3C is an interesting, if not particularly successful, airplane. They were delivered starting in mid-1942, but retired in early 1944, well before the end of the war.

One of the peculiarities was an air-cooled inverted V-12 engine of 770 cubic inches displacement. They could be used on floats or on wheels and in some versions were carrier-capable. If on wheels they could carry a 500-pound bomb on the centerline.

Curtiss' next floatplane, the single-seat SC, was much more successful but did not get to the fleet until late 1944. It had a pretty short life because of the advent of the helicopter.

By the way, check out the SO3C's "winglets"; waaay ahead of their time!

[Llarry]

USS Ramey (DD 688) refueling from a carrier- 1962. "Hold on boys!"

[Llarry]

I've always read the description of Japanese battleships in the 1930s through World War II as having "pagoda superstructures." Here's the Imperial Japanese BB Nagato, perfectly matching the term.

By my count the uppermost level forward is the O14 level! When I was stationed in Hawaii, a friend of mine was in port on the USS Long Beach (CGN 9) and I visited the ship. He took me up in that tall forward superstructure (in an elevator ) to (if memory serves) the O11 level. I was half-surprised my ears didn't pop or I didn't get a nosebleed from the altitude. There was a Spruance class destroyer close by and as we looked way down at that he said "Oh, look at the little toy boat!" (The Spruance class was 563 feet long and a pretty big chunk of metal.)

[Llarry]

The President has nominated ADM Lisa Franchetti, current Vice CNO, to be the next Chief of Naval Operations. If confirmed, she will be the first woman to hold that position and the first woman to be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Admiral Franchetti came up through destroyers and as a VADM, served as Commander, Sixth Fleet.

[Llarry]

The USS Canberra (LCS 30) held her commissioning ceremony two days ago in Sydney, Australia. Canberra is the first U.S. Navy ship to be commissioned in an allied country and is the second Navy ship to be named in honor of the Australian cruiser HMAS Canberra, lost in action in 1942. A fitting location for the ceremony and a fitting symbol of the close relationship between Australia and the USA.

[Llarry]

When I rode Pintado in 1972-73 I was exposed to "angles and dangles" but I never had the pleasure of experiencing an emergency blow. It must be quite a ride!