Corpus Christi and the USS Lexington

[AJ]

I'm cringing every time somebody here refers to the Lexington as a "boat".

I don't think I ever heard a "Brown Shoe Sailor" call the USS Saratoga anything but a "Boat".

Of course, being a Jarhead on "The Boat', I murdered the Naval lingo. Walked into Flight Deck Control one day and the Master Chief told me that "506 (one of my aircraft) was going to be respotted on the bow". I responded "O.K., up front on the pointy end." He just about had a coronary. He started in on how we non-sailors had no clue as to the Naval vocabulary. I stopped and told him bow, stern, amidships, deck , overhead, ladder, hatch, porthole........etc. Explained how we were taught all that in Boot Camp. Then I said again "up front on the pointy end?" He just shook his head and went back to drinking coffee.

 

[jcelect]

Guess some of you Bubbleheads spent time at Kings Bay? Lived close by and where got to go aboard a Trident.

Not this one! Look at the dates(60s)! I didn't see anything but Groton, Conn and Holy Loch , Scotland. The first class of boomers was the George Washington Class boats(598,599,600,601,602). These boats were built as a deterrent force and stayed at sea! Fleet boats weren't too crowded until we outfitted for the Cuban blockade! Things got real tight when we loaded out with a full load of live torpedos and 60 days of provisions!
jcelect

 

[LostintheOzone]

In the 1970s, "The Lady Lex" was the Navy's training carrier. Did my carrier quals on her - CVT-16 - in 1971. First eight arrestments. Haven't seen her since that time. Thanks for the photos and the memories.

She was there in Pensacola when I was there, 68-69. I was at NAS Saufley Fld. where VT-5 was stationed. Not an aviator but crash crew on all OLF's in AL.

 

[charlie sherrill]

HC-2???????????????????????

I think USS Little Rock was a sister ship to the USS Springfield.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

I was at Corey Field, Pensacola from Aug. 69-Mar. 70, CT school. I was
two bar stools down from a Lex sailor when someone threw a paving brick
in the open door and knocked the sailor off the stool. This was in a place
called, Trader Johns, I'm sure none of you officer types were never in
there.
Lex sailors piled out and caught the perps about a block away and was
giving them hand and foot massage until the shore patrol showed up.

 

[fordson]

I was at Corey Field, Pensacola from Aug. 69-Mar. 70, CT school. I was
two bar stools down from a Lex sailor when someone threw a paving brick
in the open door and knocked the sailor off the stool. This was in a place
called, Trader Johns, I'm sure none of you officer types were never in
there.
Lex sailors piled out and caught the perps about a block away and was
giving them hand and foot massage until the shore patrol showed up.

Ahh……Trader John's or TJ's…… a P-cola institute for the wayward. . Never heard of the place

 

[fordson]

She was there in Pensacola when I was there, 68-69. I was at NAS Saufley Fld. where VT-5 was stationed. Not an aviator but crash crew on all OLF's in AL.

VT-5 at Saufley Field was the carrier qual squadron for T-28C. I think VT-4 was the carrier qual squadron for the T-2 Buckeye. I recently read an article in Navy Times that manual/ hands on carrier landing training will be phased out as more and more computer assisted/controlled landing technology is introduced into the fleet aircraft. More sophisticated and larger drones will surely replace manned flight aircraft. The F/A-18 Hornet has a ACLS -Automated Carrier Landing System - but the Hornet Aviators I know don't really depend on it all that much. It's hard to imagine a computer controlling my aircraft to catch the number three wire while I "relax" and read the comics. Makes my hair stand on edge……….

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I have been on the USS Alabama many times, usually with kids or grandkids. I've been on the USS Texas once. I was stationed on the USS Springfield during my time in the Navy. I like ships. Looks like a trip to the Lexington might be in my future. I'll wait until it cools off some.

Couldn't fit through the hatch on the USS Drum eh????

 

[AJ]

VT-5 at Saufley Field was the carrier qual squadron for T-28C. I think VT-4 was the carrier qual squadron for the T-2 Buckeye. I recently read an article in Navy Times that manual/ hands on carrier landing training will be phased out as more and more computer assisted/controlled landing technology is introduced into the fleet aircraft. More sophisticated and larger drones will surely replace manned flight aircraft. The F/A-18 Hornet has a ACLS -Automated Carrier Landing System - but the Hornet Aviators I know don't really depend on it all that much. It's hard to imagine a computer controlling my aircraft to catch the number three wire while I "relax" and read the comics. Makes my hair stand on edge……….

Worked on A6-A's, A6-E's, KA6-D's and EA6-A's. We had an ACLS incorporated in the aircraft, but no one trusted it and so never used it. Hence we never maintained that system. The same with the Terrain Clearance Mode of the Autopilot.

 

[AJ]

"Back in the early 60s" I went to see on one of the WWII Fleet boats! USS Sea Cat SS 399 out of Key West. That's 311' with 88 enlisted and officers. Then came the USS Abraham Lincoln SSBN 602. That was one of the first class of NUC boats! 140 crew with 16 missile tubes right in the middle! Out and under for 64 days out of Holy Loch, Scotland.
Hey Sal, thanks for the hats! I'm still wearing them!
jcelect

Couldn't fit through the hatch on the USS Drum eh????

I was on the USS Cod (SS-224) in Cleveland once. It was huge I thought at the time! Of course I was 10 at the time!

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

U.S. Pacific Submarines In World War IIServing in the submarine force myself for 20 years, albeit in the modern nuclear Navy, and being engrossed by reading anything I can get my hands on about submarines in WWII, I am awestruck by the selfless courage, sacrifice, dedication, determination, and brass ba**s displayed by the sailors of the diesel fleet boats who played such a significant role in winning back the Pacific Theater from the enemy.
I found this short, 20 page synopsis of the war in the Pacific fought by the submarine force. I hope anyone interested in our military's history will give it a read.

 

[LostintheOzone]

USS Midway is in San Diego, or at least it was the last time I was there. I took the tour and was impressed, mostly because I was never stationed on a ship the entire 4 years I was in the Navy, even with an ABH (crash and salvage firefighter) rate. Some yeoman must have screwed up when they decided to send me to N. Africa. Maybe they thought I spoke French, IDK.

 

[oddshooter]

It was the summer of '68, and I was in love with F4 Phantoms.
We were CVA 43, the Coral Sea aircraft carrier (Ageless Warrior), just back from Yankee station off Nam and catching Jarhead pilots from EL Toro? None of those guys had ever hit a deck and they were given 3 chances and then waved back to land base.
On the third try we cleared the deck and got the crash crew ready. Those pilots had one last try before their Naval Aviator career was over. They ignored wave offs and came in steep. They were going to plant that plane on the deck or else. All I remember was a bunch of crazies wanting to fly jets.

I had my chance at a catapult shot from a pilot I got to know. Just before we went up he told me there were 3 great things in life; one was a great bowel movement, one was an orgasm, and one was a catapult shot.
He then told me that the catapult shot was by far the best. I asked him how that could possibly be true? He said you get all 3 at one time.

I didn't ride with him after that.

Prescut

 

[SS336]

I like these old Navy stories and pictures.
My service was '64-'68. On submarines, the boat I qualified on was the Capitain AGSS-336. Made it's last West-PAC. Great "cruise", even got to spend Christmas in Australia.
Then was on the commissioning crew of the Carver SSBN-656, and did all the trials and 3 patrols.
Look back on the time fondly. Here's some pictures form the Naval archives of the Captain. Looked the same when I was on it. Non-snorkel, Balao class boat.





Some patches

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Steel boats, iron men

 

[jcelect]

What's the difference between a "sea story" and a "fairy tale"?
jcelect

 

[STCM(SW)]

What's the difference between a "sea story" and a "fairy tale"?
jcelect

This ain't no XXXX!

 

[charlie sherrill]

Couldn't fit through the hatch on the USS Drum eh????

I had to squeeze.

 

[JJEH]

Alright ladies, I received a message and the person was almost apologizing for "stealing" this thread.

Never ever stop telling your stories!

I love when a thread takes off like that and I love reading "war" stories.

Keep 'em coming!!!!!! Please!!!!

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

Guess some of you Bubbleheads spent time at Kings Bay? Lived close by and where got to go aboard a Trident.

I was stationed on the sub tender there in the 80's right after they opened up the sub base. There wasn't much in Kingsland back in those days. I spent 2 years at SWFPAC just before I retired in '93.