If you were in the Navy, did you spend any time on a ship? What kind?

Question

I was land based in a helicopter squadron, but we were attached to a Carrier, the USS Ranger, I made two Wespac cruises.

Mac 1 hull, A carrier is the cadillac of the seas, even in the roughest waters, it was smooth and comfortable, no puking. Although they did have a tendency to get jet fuel in the drinking water, that was nasty, and not worth a damn for showering in!

Harold A, remember in the mid 70's, when Idi Amin, hijacked that American plane, We spent about 2 month's off the coast of Africa, on 5 min. alert, ready to launch a complete air strike, never seeing land, only calm water, in unbearable heat, alway's in flight gear, helicopters running, and ready to launch a complete Task force in 5 min.s . You want to talk miserable, that was miserable. And drinking sea water, made into fresh water, talk about PUKE!!

John_gal, 10 years, 2 months at sea? That's painful to hear something like that!!

Answer 1

I was on the USS Ricketts (DDG-5), the USS Preble (DDG-46), and the USS Guam (LPH-9) from 1977 to 1992. The Ricketts was the first ship to reach the Persian Gulf after the hostages were taken in Iran. Of course, the LaSalle and a frigate were already stationed there. We weren't supposed to be in the part of the world. We started getting strange orders from the Carter White House when we neared Egypt a month earlier. We left Pakistan on 4 August and didn't make landfall again until January 17th. We held the record until the carriers showed up. We also went on half rations and lost weight. Made a tour of Europe in the NATO fleet in two back to back cruises. We visited every non-communist country in Europe except Sweden in 1981.
The Preble did nothing during my time on board except do shipyard work.
The Guam was there for the Gulf War I. We also went to Somalia with the Trenton to rescue the embassy staff in the first week of 1991. We ended up with 181 and 1/2 people from 31 different countries on board. Our people did the first night refueling of a helicopter in flight and one doctors performed the first at sea C-section in the navy. Total time at sea; 10 years, 2 months.

Answer 2

I served in every type command in the Pacific Fleet except for AirPac. Here are the hull types in order:
Destroyer Escort (USS Kyne)
Submarine Tender (USS Nereus)
Nuclear Cruiser (USS Long Beach)
Environmental Research Ship (USS Banner).
In addition to all of those I also served as Medical Department Representative of a Mine Squadron of 36-foot minesweeper boats, a Naval Beach Group, and with all three Marine Divisions involving several "gators" as transportation.

Answer 3

I spent 18 months on USS Myles C. Fox (DDR-829). Did 4 months in the yards in Charleston, SC. 6 weeks training in GITMO. 7 month MED cruise. Longest time at sea with going into port was 28 day while involved in NATO exercises, other wise 2 weeks would be the longest, port calls in the MED went from 3 to 5 days. Some of our longest times were in October 1962, steaming at condition 3, during the Cuban missile crisis. Not every one on a can got sick, as a matter of fact after you got your sea legs very few got sick. The were a number of times we took rolls that it was easier to walk on the bulkhead. The biggest while I was aboard was a 60 degree, scarier then any amusement park ride. The best thing about a can was a small crew and you got to know everyone. The crews consider anyone who served on the ship to be shipmates. Check out our association web site.

http://mylescfoxdd829.net/

The other ship was USS Little Rock (CLG-4). I was only aboard for 5 months the whole time in the MED. I reported aboard just a bit before midnight and we departed an 0800 for a 7 month MED cruise. We had gone to the MED to relieve USS Springfield (CLG-7) of 6th Fleet Flag so she could come back for a yard period. With 6th Fleet aboard our MED homeport was Villefranche-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera. Of course we got to the liberty ports. With 6th Fleet aboard and his family there we spent a bit time there. It was pretty funny to see the Admirals kids water skying behind the Admirals barge. RHIP. Being a cruiser you would think we would not have too much problems with rough seas, wrong. The conversion to a Talos missile cruiser with the missile house on the main deck made her a bit top heavy and she could take some pretty nasty rolls.
So with the 11 month I spent in San Diego for boot camp and school then 13 months at White Sands Missile Range, my best time in the Navy was the time on that tin can.

Answer 4

I'm still in the Navy. I spent 8 months stationed on the USS Halsey (CG 23) back in 1993, and did a 6 month Western Pacific deployment, homeported in San Diego. I was also stationed onboard the USNS Pecos (T-AO 197), forward deployed to Singapore then moved to San Diego. Since we were forward deployed, that counted as a deployment. I was also stationed on the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) for 5 years. I did 2 deployments on her, 1 for 8 months back in 2003, and a 6 monther back in 2005. My CoC sucked on the Nimitz, but the carrier life itself is pretty cool.

Answer 5

I spent 20 years, 2 months, 1 day in the U.S. Navy (9/65 11/85). I was on 5 ships (USS Tutuila ARG-4, USS Howard W. Gilmore AS-16, USS LaSalle AGF-13, USS L.Y. Spear AS-36 and USS Nimitz CVN-68...you can see these on my 360 photo section), 6 continents (not Australia), over 30 countries (some more than once)(stationed in 3), crossed the equator by ship 4 times, picked up enough of 8 languages to get something to eat, not get lost and carry on a limited conversation. I was at 2 stateside stations (one of them twice).
My last Med cruise, on the Nimitz, we spent over 90 days at sea without liberty (at 'benoville'...33N, 33E...aka BAGLE STATION) but the Roosevelt beat that a couple of years ago...can't remember how many, but I know it was over 100 days with no liberty. Liberty on a carrier sucks. Wait forever in line then have to ride for almost an hour to the pier. I was ready to retire and in Naples, heading for a small town to the north to visit Italian friends and I was told, "You can't go on liberty by yourself," by the SPs! I spoke better Italian than that snot nosed punk spoke English! I stepped back, then saw a group coming and fell in just behind and 'with' them and walked out the gate. Then I beat feet for the train station.

Answer 6

In my four years of active duty ('75-'79) I was on two ships: USS FULTON (AS11) a sub tender; and the USS RECOVERY (ARS43) an auxilliary repair and salvage vessel. Today (2007) I believe both vessels have been scrapped.

I made a six month MED deployment on the RECOVERY, crew of 50 (about 200 feet long, resembled an ocean going tugboat). Power puking all the time.

Answer 7

Don't listen to the Army guy.

Carriers all the way. Plankower on the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).

I would only do carriers or subs, if they allowed females. Not a big fan of limited port calls, services and walking on the bulkheads in rough seas.

Answer 8

Im Army, but I spent six long months sailing in circles on the USS Mt. Whitney with no portcalls. The experience validated every reason I didn't join the Marines or Navy.

I respect anyone that can do that, but its not for me. I was ready to bang my head over and over into a bulkhead after two weeks.

Answer 9

the only ship i spent time on was the uss john f. kennedy (cv-67), when we went out to sea it seemed like we never went into port, and going for weeks with seeing nothing but water on all of sides of you can drive you crazy after a while, but i got through it and i feel i am a better person for it.

that was a little before my time i was on it from the mid '80s to early '90s, the worst we had was going through hurricanes and on of the worst part was when we went through the suez canal, you are basicly a target when you are going through there, and some of the worst water we had was when they filtered the water from the red sea, i also lost a couple of friends while i was there when their planes crashed in the med.

Answer 10

my husband was attached the the USS Abe Lincoln for 4 years. In that time he also went out on the Carl Vinson, the John C Stennis,and the Constellation when it was still commisioned..