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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Remember going topside after chow and helping the messcooks haul the evening chow sharpshooter buckets up on deck via the A/B hatch and helping the messcook jackass it over to the dumpster (Edible Garbage dumpster)....After that, pulling a pack of sea stores, nickle-a-pack Luckies or your trusty Kaywoodie and Prince Albert pouch out of your pocket, joining the men who would become your lifelong shipmates and firing up, remember those times? "Hey Dex, wanta take a run up to Bells." "No better not...promised to help that kid from Philly...forget his name,...... trace out his Trim and Drain system." Yeah maybe, I'll catch the after chow flick and hit the rack early...Whotz the movie....???" "CATTLE QUEEN OF MONTANA...starring Barbara Whatzername." "Barbara Stanwick you dumb bastard. Doncha remember we had that damn thing aboard on that Med Run two years ago?" "NO." "Speaking of movies how come one of you idiot movie runners can't get hold of Natalie Wood in SPLENDER IN THE GRASS?" "Hey is it true that Tab Hunter is light in his loafers?" "How'n the hell would I know?""The Kittiwake's serving waffles and sausage in the morning, wanna go?" "Sure, leave a morning piss call request for 0700, with the Below Decks Watch and I'll meet you forward of the conning tower fairwater at 0730....give me time to run up to the pierhead and grab a paper." And so it went, young men in the prime of life, with their butts parked on empty five gallon MEK cans, smoking stale non-filtered cigarettes and sharing the closing of another day as a part of the American forces afloat. Never thought that damn near 50 years later, I would be sifting through those memories and recognize them as the best of days spent with the finest men I would ever know. I feel sorry for lads who came out with bad memories and spent the rest of their lives whining...grousing, bitching and moaning about how rotten everything was. SAD. DEX |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2357
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Thought that had something to do with my job....Prison Guard as we are called, (amongst many things ) ....'screws'
My Unit has started to become one 'happy' ( gay ) unit....lots of free love here amongst the convicts. I had to sit in on a security interview asking whether he was being stood over for sex, "no boss, I enjoy it with those other two"
I got angry.....how can a prisoner be getting more sex than me? It just ain't right now is it?
We have one with full blown AIDS who is just one sorry and disgusting sight to see when he comes up to talk to you. I have no sympathy for the bastard either after what he did to some young boy so him rotting away is OK with me. I just don't wish to come across him when he has dropped dead.....my CPR will consist of me using my feet for the compressions. We also have one with HIV who is just wanting to be with anyone and everyone, so now we have to make sure no one goes into his cell or he into theirs.....of course when we confronted him yesterday, he called us 'racist'....that's a way out of most things but not this one.
Anyway, back on subject....as an Able Seaman, E3 perhaps....I was back there on 4's when part of the Casing Party ( Berthing Party )....standing next to the White Ensign ready to render return salutes to merchant vessels.....Standing there at the 'ducks arse' was something else....I always feared falling overboard and being chewed up by the screws. But I sure loved it, it was 'MY' Position and mine only. Lots of great memories back there on the 'ducks arse' 
Blue.....off to deal with the 'happy' convicts |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Blue, Hate to blow your discourse.... In the US NAVY "screws" are propellers...Thus "Twin Screws" two propellers. "Guards" are pipe bumpers welled to the ship (boat) to act as fenders to keep the screws from bouncing into the pier or the pilings supporting the pier. Next...a screw guard has nothing to do with prison screws (guards) and inmates playing "hide the weenie". On the old conventional subs...the screwguards were aft and that section of deck was where raghats collected and sat on crates, empty five gallon chemical and paint cans, and the after capstan and held tribal meetings, discuss the equity or lack there of, of naval policy...regulation...sports...automobiles...merits of female anatomy configuration...athletes foot...anchor pools...the execs ugly dog...and the quality or lack thereof of the Geedunk Truck hotdogs (Roach Coach)....All of life's quandries, questions and philosophies. SCREW GUARDS = propeller protection devices. DEX |
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Old Salt
Posts: 431
| Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Remember sitting there smoking sea stores and BSing about nothing and everything. Some of my fondest memories come from sitting around the AER hatch drinking cold coffee smoking stale sea stores and saying not much. Guys can do that, say nothing and enjoy it.
Women gotta talk, men that care about each other don't gotta talk. Some of those nights 10 words were said and consisted of "Gotta Light"
"yeah"
"Lets hit Bells in the mornin"
"Pitcher and Slim Jims, Breakfast of Subron 6"
Nights in harbors from here to there and back to NorVa again. Decades of Boat Sailors, different but the same world wide.
Looking back it was not the only thing I did or accomplished, but the thing that defined me and helped me become what I am today.
Ill go to my grave
Damn Proud Ill be wearing Dolphins when I report to the Pearly Gates (If we are allowed to enter there, I sure hope I dont have to spend the rest of forever in the AER bilges or # 2 Sanitary)
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: Mike, You defined my feelings exactly
I grew from boy to man and developed the work ethic that became the hallmark of my professional life riding antique submersible iron. Our skipper Cdr, Ed Frothingham was probably the greatest influence in molding the character of the man I became...and our COB Senior Chief "Dutch" Vanderheiden is another fellow who kicked his ideals and values in my butt with his size 12 brougans. It took me many years to realize how wearing Dolphins and riding old wornout smokeboats defined me for a lifetime. Thanks Mike for reminding me. DEX |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2357
| Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Yeah I got that mate hence the latter part of my message....the 'ducks arse' was the 'back bit' of the submarine....where I used to stand duty for Berthing Party.
As always, love your stories mate.
Blue *_* |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 539
Location: Palm Bay, Florida | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Nice story Dex, but one of us has CRS. My memory says those sea store smokes were a dime a pack or a buck a carton in 1955.
Do you remember Hank Pendergraft from Requin? ET1(SS) I think. He was my recruiter in Cleveland in '54. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2191
Location: Port Ludlow, WA (the Olympic Penninsula) | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
"Topside, control - if the exhaust from the battery charge is choking you, go aft (s**t for brains)"
Edited by crystal 2009-05-21 6:24 AM
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 11-25-06c.jpg (46KB - 459 downloads)
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Old Salt
Posts: 264
Location: Harrison, NJ | Subject: RE: Mike, You defined my feelings exactly
dex armstrong - 2009-05-20 10:26 PM
I grew from boy to man and developed the work ethic that became the hallmark of my professional life riding antique submersible iron. Our skipper Cdr, Ed Frothingham was probably the greatest influence in molding the character of the man I became...and our COB Senior Chief "Dutch" Vanderheiden is another fellow who kicked his ideals and values in my butt with his size 12 brougans. It took me many years to realize how wearing Dolphins and riding old wornout smokeboats defined me for a lifetime. Thanks Mike for reminding me. DEX
Dex, you hit the nail on the head on that one. I, too, grew from a boy to a man and developed the same work ethic. I also developed a thirst for knowledge that stays with me to this day thanks to all those crusty Chiefs and First Class who "taught" me over the years.
When I was teaching, I used them as my "mentors." They never knew it, but they taught me how to teach.
A couple of years back, when, as National Commander of USSVI, I participated in a Holland Club Induction in Groton, I had the pleasure of introducing my Sub School Instructor.. It was totally unplanned; I didn't know that he was being inducted. I thanked him for the knowledge and "attitudes" that he and the rest of the Submarine Force gave me.
IMO, you'll never find better "teachers" that those in the Submarine Force, both past and present. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: Tom, That was the case for me......
In the early 90's REQUIN had her first reunion. Folks kept coming to me with questions long forgotten and to see if I remembered stuff..."Hey Dex, you remember our call sign?" "Rocketwolf" "How bout our call letters?" "NYEC...New York eats crap"...We sat in Control one evening and ran through all the diving commands and raghat responses" I later found out that when the boat was decommissioned I still held the record for the fewest questions missed on a nine hour blindfolded walkthrough with Lt. Joe DiGiacomo, our engineering officer....Missed two...last roller at a tube muzzle wasn't bronze like all the others, it was phenolic. And U.S. Guage didn't make the #2 Sanitary Tank levelometer...It was made by YARWAY" The sub force taught you study habits that gave you damn near fifty years of total retention and recall...best damn instruction I was ever exposed to. Most of us really have no awareness of how many things we say and do...how we act and why we don't quit...why we react to tight situations like we do....and why we are so bloody loyal to each other. Tom. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the magnificent job you did shepherding USSVI along....You did a superb job and I for one am deeply grateful. DEX |
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Plankowner
Posts: 5024
Location: Gulfport, MS | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Sea Stores smokes in those days were actually nine-cents a pack... 90 cents per carton. The COB put the extra dime a carton into the slush fund for those great ship's partys... especially the three day ones in Yokosuka where each duty section could go for two days. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1431
| Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Pig - 2009-05-22 4:33 AM
Sea Stores smokes in those days were actually nine-cents a pack... 90 cents per carton. The COB put the extra dime a carton into the slush fund for those great ship's partys... especially the three day ones in Yokosuka where each duty section could go for two days.
Been there, done that!  |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1269
Location: Hopewell Junction NY | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Pig - 2009-05-22 7:33 AMSea Stores smokes in those days were actually nine-cents a pack... 90 cents per carton. The COB put the extra dime a carton into the slush fund for those great ship's partys... especially the three day ones in Yokosuka where each duty section could go for two days.
By the mid-60's the price had ratcheted up to $1.10/carton. Same deal with the slush-fund.
Our COB figured out once that if you added up all the cartons we purchased in one year, every smoker had to smoke 2 per day to account for all of them.
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 6180
Location: Summerville, SC | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Paul, are implying that some honest ,upstanding submarine sailor blue jackets may have done some thing slight of hand? Heaven forbid!! I think maybe it was because the cigarettes were of such poor quality that they burned twice as fast as store bought ones....... that's my story and I'm stickn to it.  |
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Plankowner
Posts: 9165
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
I was still buying them for 10 cents a pack in '68. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 6180
Location: Summerville, SC | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Bought some sea store cartons of Old Gold cigarettes once. Those damn things burned so quick you'd think you were smoking a dynamite fuse. Anyone bought sea store Chesterfield's? Those were near as bad. Then there were Viceroy. Just saying that name causes me to cough. Yes, Ric, they were 10 cents a pack during the '60s in sea stores and 25 cents a pack across the counter. I quit smoking in '67 when cigarettes went to 35 cents across the counter. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: Remember RALIEGH's?
There's the story of the tobacco buyer who went to a tobacco sale down in Raliegh NC...He saw that RALIEGH cigarettes were selling for $1.50 a boxcar load....and he purchased 75 boxcar loads...The warehouse sales guy said..."Sir that was a wise purchace, the Raliegh Company has changed the blend...to 90% horse manure and 10% tobacco." "Hell make that 200 boxcar loads...I didn't know there was any tobacco in the sonuvabitches." My Old Man smoked Ralieghs, when he died he had a stacks of packs of Raliegh coupons with rubber bands around them in his desk....He died of cancer...We cashed them in....For turning his lungs into a facimile of a Norfolk and Western locomotive fire box....We inherited a multi colored panel beach umbrella....a no name toaster that crapped out in less than a year.....and a small Black and Decker U.S. made electric drill which is still going great....not much compensation for a four ton load of pulmenary soot. Oh. Yes the rate was a dime a pack once past the International bouy...I stand corrected...waterboarding is an excellent memory refresher and The Duchess of Lumpies is good at it. DEX |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2253
Location: Foothills of the Ozarks | Subject: RE: I Remember RALIEGH's
My old man saved up enough coupons to get me my first "new" bicycle; just happened to be a Raleigh;
When I smoked we also got them for ten cents per pack; 20 cents a pack at the Navy Exchange in New London. I used to buy Lucky's and quit when I got tired of ripping the skin off my lips; screwed my "kissing" technique.
Aren't memories great?
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2540
Location: Wappingers Falls, NY | Subject: RE: Remember RALIEGH's?
My Grandfather smoked Raleigh's for the longest time and then one day, just threw them away. I think that was in the '60's...and he was already in his late 60's and lived long enough to see his 85th birthday...
Now, as for "water-boarding"...I have "more subtle" things I like to use for "memory refresher"...ya know, now that I think about it...instead of using that tactic (sorry to get political), they should send a bunch of the girls from the Bunny Ranch down to Gitmo...
yeah, yeah...I know our guys would love it...but if you let them loose among the "transients"...ya think they might get some results???
As I said, sorry for going "political"...I apologize to all of you...it just struck me funny!
Edited by miss lumpy bumps 2009-05-22 11:31 AM
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1269
Location: Hopewell Junction NY | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Personaly, I would take orders for the folks back home...40/50 carton worth at a shot.
We had one guy named Fitz****** that was stocking his brother's bar's vending machine with them in Queens, NY. I recall some pretty comical moments driving them all off base in a car.
It would not have too funny had we been stopped, but that did not happen.
Edited by PaulR 2009-05-22 12:02 PM
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 892
Location: Palo Pinto County, Texas | Subject: RE: Remember RALIEGH's?
Please, tell us more about this "Bunny Ranch"! It's been too long since I last went rabbit hunting ~
CRS dontcha know... I do recall having a .410 though.
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1454
| Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Ypu, I did buy Chesterfileds or Pall Malls (really they were he same). $1.10/carton and 23 cartons/per patrol. There was a saying around the boat that anyone smoking filter cigarettes would suck on a (well you know what I mean). Come to think of it they did burn down kind of quick especially after a couple months at sea. I chalked it up to youthful lungs. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2540
Location: Wappingers Falls, NY | Subject: RE: Remember RALIEGH's?
Ah, Roy...not that kind of "bunny"...a certain "bunny ranch" located in Nevada... |
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Old Salt
Posts: 403
Location: Sacramento/Twain Harte | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
Miss lumpy,
You being in New Yok, what the hell would you know about a cat house in Northern Nevada. Some counties of Nevada cat houses are legal. John396 |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1405
Location: Houston, TX (Best state in the US) | Subject: RE: Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
John396 - 2009-05-22 2:12 PM
Miss lumpy,
You being in New Yok, what the hell would you know about a cat house in Northern Nevada. Some counties of Nevada cat houses are legal. John396
Well, she did spend a weekend in NL with a bunch of Swine of the Highest Order...bound to have been a bunch of No s**tters there.....at the University of Bulls**t, headed up by the resident Dean, Dex, and his adjutant, Ray Stone! |
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Anyone remember sitting back by the screwguards?
