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At random: "I don't know why we have to be down here on this hold down exercise(at the 60th hour). Hell, I went through this on the Thresher (SS 200) during WW ll with a Nip Sea Going Tug hooked onto our screw guards, trying to lift our butts out of the water. They didn't get us then, and these Tin Cans (ours) ain't going to get us now." -- "Hambone" Hamilton SD1 (SS). "Hambone" made 13 war patrols on USS Remora, SS-487, uttered these words in July 1957 during a hold down exercise off Kobe Japan.

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Forums-> How I Got Into Submarines	Message format

Coyote

Posted 2009-04-07 10:56 PM (#25626)

Master and Commander

Posts: 1388

Location: NE Florida

Subject: Timing is everything

I enlisted in Dec 57 and went thru boot at Great Lakes. The career advisor (remember him?) looked at my record and asked if I knew Herk Wise. I told him I bowled with Herk and that he was still doing well. The advisor had me take his name and tell Herk to call; I relayed that message on boot leave. Turned out they'd been shipmates on a cruiser in WWII.

The advisor then had me sent to sonar school at Key West, saying this was a coming rating and my scores supported it. The school was destroyer-oriented and not too hard. At-sea phases on PC's and DE's were part of the course. The top two people in each class were allowed to ask for submarines or helicopter duty. I was #2 (never could catch that guy).

One evening I was strolling down the line of submarines and decided to ask for a walk-thru. I picked Trumpetfish (SS425) and asked the topside watch if a walk-thru could be arranged. A few minutes later a third-class sonarman popped up and took me through the boat. It looked tight but clean and interesting.... the crews mess had a movie going... the after engine room had a couple of snipes cleaning up after an inspection plate got loose and filled the place with soot... a guy in maneuvering was under instruction on sticks...

It didn't look bad to me, so I applied. TBTG, I was accepted and headed for New London after graduation.

DBF Coyote

Edited by Coyote 2009-04-07 10:59 PM

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