Author Topic: Das Boot  (Read 28224 times)

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Offline wobblywalrus

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Das Boot
« on: March 03, 2015, 12:21:18 AM »
More to come...

Offline manta22

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2015, 10:59:06 AM »
WW;

This is how the microwave oven was discovered-- really!

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ
Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Offline fordboy628

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2015, 11:40:17 AM »
WW;

This is how the microwave oven was discovered-- really!

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Yep.   One of the engineers working on early radar had a chocolate bar melt in his shirt pocket while unwittingly exposed to the "cone".

Unsure if he was wearing a "pocket protector" . . . . . .
 :cheers:
Fordboy
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Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2015, 09:53:17 PM »
There is all sorts of radar of many different types on the ship.  The closest I got to that one was to read the plaque and to take the photo.  After that I stayed far away.  The communications guys say the radar and radio men have girl children and seldom boys.   

The trip started out well.  My youngest boy Werner, Rose, and me are sipping lattes while overlooking the Honolulu zoo from our lofty hotel room.  A few hours later and I am in this.  The "Chosin Hill" Marine berthing room on the USS Comstock.  It all happened so fast...   

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2015, 10:12:03 PM »
A guy says "See that light with nuttin on top of it.  You will need somewhere to dry your clothes and towels.  Put something there now.  Always keep clothes on it so no one claims it."  I did and that was where I dried the bath towel and washrag every night.  Most of the overhead pipes are used for similar purposes by the others.

This is my rack.  Werner's is above it.  There is a sheet metal box with a gas mask in it on the ceiling at at one end.  I slept with my head under it and woke up in the middle of the night to pee.  I forgot it was there and cracked my head hard on it.  That was when I learned to sleep with my feet at the gas mask end.  I also did the same on Werner's drawer.  He leaves it open.  The rack is small and I can barely turn over.  It is hot and uncomfortable in it.  These are some of the larger racks.  Many are tighter.  Six racks open onto this little aisle between them.  The pix shows it in a rare moment when it is clean and clear.  It is pretty busy when six guys are getting dressed in a hurry.

Right now lack of sleep, etc, is helping me to develop an attitude.  This is a trait that will help during the remainder of the eight day voyage. 

Offline manta22

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2015, 11:46:08 AM »
WW;

That reminds me of the troop ship I sailed on to Germany. One tip-- don't get the bottom rack! When there are three or four seasick guys lying in their bunks over you......   :-(

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ
Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Offline Stan Back

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2015, 12:47:03 PM »
Double the room we had on the Blatford for 30 days going west to Vietnam.
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Offline floydjer

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2015, 09:19:29 AM »
Thankfully you made the trip back east Stan.... :cheers:
I`d never advocate drugs,alcohol,violence or insanity to anyone...But they work for me.

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2015, 10:45:29 PM »
The Comstock is one ship in a three vessel Amphibious Battle Group.  The largest ship, the Makin Island, is sort of like an an aircraft carrier.  It accompanied us on this trip.  The newest ship, the San Diego, stayed in Hawaii for a day or two longer.  It caught up with us by the time we reached California.  The ships are docked in Pearl Harbor before we leave in the first photo. 

The fuel for the US Pacific Fleet was in a big tank farm near the naval base.  The tanks were close together, and if one burned, it is likely the other ones would catch fire, too.  The Japanese were so intent on destroying ships and planes that they did not bomb the tank farm.  That, and the US carriers being out to sea, was gook luck for us.  The war would have been vastly different if we would have lost the fuel, the carriers, or both, I am told.

The Navy learned from this.  The closest we are to the Makin Island for most of the trip is shown in the second picture.  Note the little ship far away on the horizon.  That is the carrier.  An officer said that keeping the ships apart, and that most of the fleet is all over the Pacific and not in port, makes it harder for us to have a big loss in a surprise attack.

   

Offline RidgeRunner

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2015, 11:13:32 AM »
     Thanks for posting the pics and comments, all bringing back a lot of memories.  With time the good have made the not so good worthwhile.

                    Ed

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2015, 10:23:54 PM »
It is nice that it brings back memories.  This is the second Comstock.  The first one was in the Vietnam conflict.  One of my friends was on it.

The flight deck is on the aft.  Pilots train at taking off and landing.  This first heliocopter looks a bit like a Huey.  The second one is an Apache.  The Taliban know the sound of these bigger ones and they scatter when they hear one coming in, I am told.

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2015, 10:34:19 PM »
A bigger 'copter.  The source of these flying things is the Makin Island, as seen in the blurry photo.  There are Harrier jets on it, too.  Ospreys are seen when we are offshore from California.  I an not sure if they are from land or the Makin Island.  The only good thing I hear about them is it will be a nice day when they are phased out.  None of the Marines I talk to like them.  They prefer the other helicopters.

A lot of these photos seem to be slightly tilted.  This is a ship and it is bobbing around and never level. 

Offline RidgeRunner

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2015, 08:38:49 AM »

  This is a ship and it is bobbing around and never level. 

     Brings up another fun memory - learning to time the dipstick to the roll of the ship to get an accurate sump reading on the mains and generators.  :cheers:

                  Ed

Offline mtkawboy

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2015, 12:02:05 PM »
There not phasing out Ospreys, they just bought a crap load of them and my son will be flying one. The early problems were with the computer programming that controls the takeoffs and landings. Its so complex that no pilot can handle it manually. Wish him luck guys, it wasn't his first choice but you get what they need

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: Das Boot
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2015, 11:21:24 PM »
Hopefully the problem is figured out.  I hope your son is safe.

The ship does not have windows except in the bridge.  This lady is in charge up there.  She is not the captain but she is the officer in charge.  At night the room is dark and the only things visible are lights on displays and control panels.  No running lights are used when cruising in the open ocean.

This picture is of the ship.  It is from the boat deck and the bridge is six stories up from there.  The decks and ladders, etc are not lit at night.  It is a spooky journey up to the bridge and back on the outside decks in the dark, believe me.  I did it one time and that was enough.

One leaves the interior decks by opening a hatch, entering a pitch black compartment, closing the hatch, walking to the other end of the compartment, opening a hatch, stepping outside, and closing the hatch.  This is done night or day.  The compartment is a light lock so there are no signs of illumination for the enemy to see.