Navy AC Carrier question

[jeffrefrig]

A friend of mine who was stationed on an aircraft carrier when Viet Nam was pretty much wound down. Anyways, his first week or so he was informed about "Mail Buoy" duty. His turn, he had to sit someplace down near water all night with a long pole with a hook on the end waiting to retrieve the mail buoy. Some high ranking officer was on his morning stroll & asked "What are you doing, sailor?"
"I'm on Mail Buoy duty, sir." "Carry on."
I've never heard of this from any Navy vets but him. Seeing that plane on the wrong ship reminded me to ask.

 

[StrawHat]

Various forms of new guy hazing was the norm on ships, both US Navy and merchant ships. Similar to the new guy watching the horizon for the smoke release plume of the coal fired submarine.

Kevin

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Still looking for that Lefthanded Monkey Wrench.
I'll get back to you.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Still looking for that Lefthanded Monkey Wrench.

Grab a bucket of prop wash while you're there, would you please.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Well, I did catch a few Sea Bats for the new guys to see......

 

[dave1918a2]

Just a Navy 'snipe hunt'.

 

[LVSteve]

Seeing that plane on the wrong ship reminded me to ask.

I had to look that up. Here's a link for others.

Navy jets get covered in graffiti when they land on the wrong ship

RAF guy I knew said that when a Jaguar squadron was visiting a Tornado station, the Jag guys came out next morning to find a saucer of milk by the nose gear of each of their planes.

 

[BmcRet]

Don't forget the hunt for sound powered phone batteries.

 

[Rudi]

The old snipe hunt. We always sent the new kid on the site to get the board stretcher.

 

[Rustyt1953]

My dad served 23 years on active duty. Before I left to go to my first permanent duty station he gave me a list of stuff not to fall for.

I spent my hitch ungotten.

 

[yaktamer]

If there's one thing I'll never forget from basic training, it's watching that poor kid from some remote Alaskan village running from drill sergeant to drill sergeant on one of the training ranges in search of a bottle of liquid squelch.

 

[charlie sherrill]

Squeegy sharpener or sky hook.

 

[Murphy's Law]

Don't forget about the 10 yards of water line from supply ! Also, your elevator pass (carrier's & flat tops) sailors only.

 

[pmanton]

Yep. Bring back 10 yards of flight line and a gallon of prop wash.

 

[Shark Bait]

The same as telling the new guy to get the keys to the drop zone or the canopy lights for a night jump

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

Still looking for that Lefthanded Monkey Wrench.
I'll get back to you.

You didn't happen to find a water hammer while you were searching did you?

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

Don't forget the hunt for sound powered phone batteries.

Or the relative bearing grease

 

[m75rlg]

100 feet of shore line.

 

[wood714]

Never was in the military, but in my 32 years of printing I've sent a lot of press helpers after the paper stretcher.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

We looked for the kid we sent to find his muster button. Never found him.

 

[dant]

go get one....NOW

yes it was sky hooks and can crushers...........snipes after dark

 

[mojave30cal]

Or if you were a Radioman, it was carriage returns and line
feeds ( teletype machines).

 

[Protocall_Design]

When I worked at Boeing, someone sent a newbie to the toolroom for a No.2 blue sky hook. We said "OK. Wait here." We went and manufactured one, stamped it No.2 and painted it blue, all in about 10 minutes. They were very surprised when he came back with it!

 

[Mr. K]

I got stuck with The Mail Buoy watch on a West PAC and was part of getting an E2 to search for a bucket of prop wash on a Med Cruise. It was the good old days.

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

I got assigned mail bouy watch on my first deployment. I knew it was a gag but I went along with it.

I got posted in a chair with a mae west, binoculars, and one of those oversized navy helmets in an area not too far from the pilot house.

The crew on watch just looked at me and snickered, but left me alone.

I got approached by a Navy officer. I stood at attention and reported my post in a military manner and after those pleasantries were over, the officer asked what I was doing...all the while trying to keep his bearing. I told him.

He replied, "Son, you know there's no such thing as mail bouy watch, right?"

"Yes sir, but the rest of the guys are field daying downstairs and I'm up here enjoying the sun."

The officer lost it, saluted and yelled "Carry on, Marine!"

(A few minutes later I had a Corporal coming running up to me screaming and ordering me back to the berthing area!)