U.S.S. MT. KATMAI AE 16: 1969-1973

MILITARY NEWS

2008-01-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

Navy Charts Blue Water Diplomacy

2007-09-04T07:48:00.001-07:00

MAJURO, Marshall Islands - Hellenty Phillips' 6-year-old daughter Marian had a piercing earache, but her family could not afford to pay $5 for her to see a doctor.

So Phillips turned to doctors and nurses visiting her tiny Pacific island nation on a 10-day humanitarian mission organized by the U.S. Navy. For free, they diagnosed Marian's ear infection and gave her ear drops and Tylenol.

Such scenes are being repeated across the Pacific and Latin America this year as the Navy deploys two ships to nearly 20 poor nations to treat ailments and repair infrastructure.

Behind the bandages and new school roofs is the hope patients and nations receiving care will become better friends of the United States.

Military commanders also hope the assistance will bolster weaker nations plagued by poverty and unemployment, preventing them from becoming breeding grounds for extremist ideologies and terrorists.

"It's part of raising the bar throughout the region, raising the prosperity," said Adm. Robert F. Willard, Pacific Fleet commander, during a visit to the Marshalls, a former U.S. territory, to see the work on the ground. "There are real strategic benefits to what we're doing."

Willard told sailors such missions would become an annual event for the Pacific Fleet and a core part of the Navy's operations in coming years. U.S. commanders in the Middle East and elsewhere also are considering using the humanitarian ships to help boost security in their regions.

On Majuro Atoll, Phillips and her daughter Marian visited a makeshift clinic that one of the USS Peleliu's medical teams set up under tents on a converted tennis court.

Chinilla T. Pedro, who interpreted for Phillips and others seeking care, said some learned of the services by word of mouth.

"At the beginning today, they were kind of shy. They were coming around asking us what is going on? Do we have to pay $5? We said no, treatment is free here, so slowly they started coming around," Pedro said.

Such clinics generally serve several hundred people per day. Those needing operations are referred to the Peleliu, where surgeons can repair hernias and perform cataract surgery.

The amphibious assault ship also has construction engineers on board to do infrastructure repairs. One team on the remote atoll of Arno Arno in Marshalls worked to replace the roof on a schoolhouse for 80 students.

At the end of the Peleliu's five-nation tour this month, its 180 doctors, nurses and other professionals will have treated some 30,000 people. Its infrastructure projects in the countries visited - the Philippines, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Marshalls - are expected to affect the lives of 100,000 people.

Navy sailors have long done community service in their various ports of call in both rich and poor countries. But sending ships on monthlong missions takes military humanitarian work to a new level.

The strategic potential of such deployments dramatically came to light when the U.S. Pacific Command sent ships and planes to deliver food, tents, and medical care for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

The assistance lifted U.S. approval ratings in predominantly Muslim Indonesia to 38 percent in 2005 from just 15 percent two years earlier, according to a poll by the Pew Global Attitudes Project.

Indonesian opinion of the U.S. declined again last year, with the Pew poll saying only 30 percent of respondents had a favorable view of the U.S. But the rate was still above its low.

The Pacific Fleet followed up last year by dispatching the USNS Mercy hospital back to Indonesia's tsunami-ravaged Aceh province.

The white-hulled vessel also stopped in places unaffected by the giant waves, like the southern Philippines, where U.S. forces are helping the Philippine Army fight insurgents linked to al-Qaida.

This year, the Navy sent the Atlantic Fleet's hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, on a four-month, 12-country voyage to Latin America. The trip including stops in Colombia, Ecuador and Nicaragua. It is expected to treat some 85,000 patients with free vaccinations, eye care, surgeries and other procedures.

Willard said Central Command leaders - who oversee the U.S. military in the Middle East and Central Asia - want to run a similar mission in their area, as do officials at the European Command, which has responsibility for Europe and Africa. Each mission costs an average of $20 million, the admiral said.

"These aren't trivial missions and they're expensive. But we're willing to pay," Willard told several hundred USS Peleliu crew members as the ship sat anchored in a lagoon off the Marshallese capital.

The idea is expanding beyond the Navy.

The Pacific Command this summer tasked the Air Force with sending doctors, nurses and technicians to three remote Pacific island nations. A C-17 cargo jet flew down to Vanuatu, Kiribati and Nauru with 50 medical personnel for 10 days in late July.

"What better way to help improve our image, if you will, and to create friendships, than through aiding people with medical problems?" asked Lt. Gen. Loyd S. "Chip" Utterback, 13th Air Force commander.

China's Army Hacked Pentagon Network

2007-09-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

China's Army hacked into a computer network at the Pentagon in an attack that has US officials concerned about the growing regularity and sophistication of China's technological assaults, the Financial Times reported Tuesday.

Computer specialists with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) penetrated an unclassified network used by policy aides to US Defence Secretary Robert Gates in June, resulting in a weeklong shutdown of the system, the newspaper said in a report that quoted unnamed US officials.

The PLA has demonstrated the ability to conduct attacks that disable our system ... and the ability in a conflict situation to re-enter and disrupt on a very large scale," a former official was quoted as saying by the Financial Times, adding that China's Army has also hacked into the networks of US defence companies and think tanks.

The penetration of the Pentagon network three months ago came after the US Defence Department had staved off the hacker attacks for several months and as China's military has been testing the Pentagon networks hundreds of times a day for the past few years, the British newspaper said in a report from Washington.

An unnamed senior US official told the Times that "no doubt" existed that China was monitoring e-mails sent on unclassified US government networks.

The report was not the first accusing China's Army of breaking into the computer networks of foreign governments. Germany's Der Spiegel news magazine reported two days before German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Beijing last week that Chinese hackers had infiltrated German government computers with spy programs.

The article said intelligence services suspected hackers in the Chinese army were behind the online attacks on computers in Merkel's offices, the Foreign Ministry, the Economics Ministry, and the Research and Development Ministry. The first spy programs were found several months ago, it added, citing an investigation by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Germany's domestic intelligence agency, and the Federal Office for Information Security.

Although Wen and Merkel did not address the charges in Der Spiegel's report when they spoke to reporters August 27, Wen vowed that his government would take measures to eliminate hacker attacks.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman also said during Merkel's visit that Beijing opposes and has outlawed computer hacking and is cooperating with other countries to combat computer crimes.

British Sign Carrier Contract

2007-08-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

The British government has signed contracts for the construction of two large aircraft carriers -- the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy. Given the designation CVF (for aircraft carrier-future) during their development, the new carriers will displace some 65,000 (metric) tons full load compared to approximately 100,000 (long) tons for the Nimitz class nuclear powered carriers.

The aircraft carriers will enable the Royal Navy to remain a major political-military force despite the recent reductions in the Navy’s ships, aircraft, and submarines.

The two British ships, to be named Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales, are scheduled for completion in 2014 and 2016, respectively. The ships will operate conventional aircraft, which will make arrested landings and will launch with a ski-ramp (rather than catapults, as in U.S. carriers).

The carriers will replace three small, “Harrier carriers” of the Invincible class, ships displacing 19,500 tons full load that were completed in the early 1980s. Those ships could only operate Harrier-type Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (VSTOL) aircraft and helicopters. Despite her small size and being able to only operate VSTOL aircraft, the Invincible and the slightly larger VSTOL carrier Hermes were key players in the British victory against Argentina in the Falklands in 1982. (The Hermes has since been transferred to the Indian Navy.)

The British carriers are expected to operate the U.S.-developed F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) as well as helicopters. The CVF design is unusual in having a “split” starboard-side island structure with two starboard, deck-edge elevators connecting the hangar and flight decks. The design provides for supporting 500 aircraft sorties over five days, consuming perhaps 800 metric tons of ordnance.

The ships will have gas turbine engines with electric motors providing a maximum speed of 25 knots (compared to 30+ knots for U.S. nuclear carriers). The manning goal for the carriers is some 600 plus up to 800 in embarked squadrons and command staff, i.e., a total of about 1,400 men and women.

The French Navy is planning to build a variant of CVF. That ship has a scheduled completion goal of 2015 when the one existing French carrier, the nuclear-propelled Charles de Gaulle, is scheduled for a refueling and major overhaul. It is unlikely that the French can meet that completion date.

Sailors Salute USS Indianapolis Survivors

2007-07-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

Navy News | PO2 Matt Grills | July 16, 2007
Indianapolis, IN. -- Sailors and Marines honored survivors of USS Indianapolis (CA 35) on July 7 at a parade and private ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new gallery chronicling the Navy’s worst disaster at sea.

At the Indiana War Memorial, Sailors from Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Indianapolis piped aboard 40 of the World War II cruiser’s remaining 80 survivors.

The Indianapolis is best known for delivering components of the atomic bombs to Tinian in the Mariana Islands during the final days of the war. Headed to Leyte, an island in the Philippines, the Indianapolis was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine just after midnight on July 30, 1945. Of the 1,200-man crew, about 800 were believed to have survived the initial sinking. But after waiting for rescue five days in shark-infested waters, only 317 were found alive.

“It makes me very emotional to know what these men went through,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Jennifer Monroe-Johnson, who saluted each survivor as they entered the Indianapolis exhibit. “They took time to thank me for my service when they did so much more.”

Set to open to the public in August, the USS Indianapolis Gallery features a detailed scale model of the cruiser, pennants, commissioning postcards, programs and photographs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1936 embark, and a war bulletin notifying the ship of the Pearl Harbor attack.

In a brief ceremony, Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman and Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson welcomed survivors to the Indiana War Memorial.

“We are proud of our namesake’s place in World War II history,” said Skillman, who declared the entire Indianapolis crew honorary Hoosiers. “You are important players in our state’s history.”

Personnelman 3rd Class Jonathan Rome helped cut the ribbon to the long-awaited gallery, greeting survivors as they entered.

“It’s great to see them,” he said. “A lot has changed in the Navy, but our uniform continues to mean a lot to them. You can see it in their eyes.”

Paul McGinnis of Wheeling, W.Va., who served as a signalman aboard the Indianapolis, declared the exhibit to be first class. He said he appreciated the military’s presence at the event.

“It’s nice to know we still have Sailors today,” McGinnis said. “I’m Navy all the way.”

Earlier in the day, hundreds of people lined the streets of the city’s downtown for a parade honoring the Indianapolis survivors. Riding in a fleet of classic cars, the survivors waved to hundreds of cheering onlookers as about 30 Navy Sailors marched behind them.

“Even being associated with these men is an honor,” said Chief Yeoman Henry Harris. “It touches a spot deep down, making you proud to be an American. I tease them, reminding them that they’re still Sailors and shouldn’t get too rowdy. When they get together, they have a great time.”

The reunion ended with a remembrance service at the USS Indianapolis Memorial beside the city’s downtown canal. Sailors and Marines escorted survivors to their seats and presented each with a red rose.

Marine Staff Sgt. Aaron Conger walked beside Earl Riggins, one of nine survivors of the Indianapolis’ 39-man Marine detachment.

“Three of them came this year,” Conger said. “They love seeing the Marines out here. Whenever they spot us, they stop us and tell us stories. They have nothing but praise and thanks for us. They remind me why I do what I do.”

Riggins called it an honor to meet his modern-day Marine Corps counterparts.

“They’re all dedicated people,” he said. “They do their job as we did ours. They’re the cream of the crop.”

Capt. William Toti, who commanded the submarine USS Indianapolis (SSN 697), a Los Angeles-class submarine, spoke, calling the survivors’ story the stuff of legend.

“You have inspired us with great examples of courage and perseverance,” he said. “We are among the few -- the very few -- to have had the privilege of knowing you. How lucky we are to be in your presence.”

Toti said that just as World War II was a struggle for America’s survival, so is the current global war on terrorism.

“You show us that sacrifice for your nation is not a spectator sport,” he said. “If you were able to persevere in 1945, how can we not?”

The morning was especially poignant for Construction Mechanic Apprentice Trevor Buckett, who traveled from Port Hueneme, Calif., to be at the memorial service. Buckett’s grandfather, Victor, survived the Indianapolis sinking.

“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” Buckett said. “He’s one of the reasons I joined the military. These guys are my heroes.”

At the Indiana War Memorial, Sailors from Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Indianapolis piped aboard 40 of the World War II cruiser’s remaining 80 survivors.

The Indianapolis is best known for delivering components of the atomic bombs to Tinian in the Mariana Islands during the final days of the war. Headed to Leyte, an island in the Philippines, the Indianapolis was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine just after midnight on July 30, 1945. Of the 1,200-man crew, about 800 were believed to have survived the initial sinking. But after waiting for rescue five days in shark-infested waters, only 317 were found alive.

“It makes me very emotional to know what these men went through,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Jennifer Monroe-Johnson, who saluted each survivor as they entered the Indianapolis exhibit. “They took time to thank me for my service when they did so much more.”

Set to open to the public in August, the USS Indianapolis Gallery features a detailed scale model of the cruiser, pennants, commissioning postcards, programs and photographs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1936 embark, and a war bulletin notifying the ship of the Pearl Harbor attack.

In a brief ceremony, Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman and Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson welcomed survivors to the Indiana War Memorial.

“We are proud of our namesake’s place in World War II history,” said Skillman, who declared the entire Indianapolis crew honorary Hoosiers. “You are important players in our state’s history.”

Personnelman 3rd Class Jonathan Rome helped cut the ribbon to the long-awaited gallery, greeting survivors as they entered.

“It’s great to see them,” he said. “A lot has changed in the Navy, but our uniform continues to mean a lot to them. You can see it in their eyes.”

Paul McGinnis of Wheeling, W.Va., who served as a signalman aboard the Indianapolis, declared the exhibit to be first class. He said he appreciated the military’s presence at the event.

“It’s nice to know we still have Sailors today,” McGinnis said. “I’m Navy all the way.”

Earlier in the day, hundreds of people lined the streets of the city’s downtown for a parade honoring the Indianapolis survivors. Riding in a fleet of classic cars, the survivors waved to hundreds of cheering onlookers as about 30 Navy Sailors marched behind them.

“Even being associated with these men is an honor,” said Chief Yeoman Henry Harris. “It touches a spot deep down, making you proud to be an American. I tease them, reminding them that they’re still Sailors and shouldn’t get too rowdy. When they get together, they have a great time.”

The reunion ended with a remembrance service at the USS Indianapolis Memorial beside the city’s downtown canal. Sailors and Marines escorted survivors to their seats and presented each with a red rose.

Marine Staff Sgt. Aaron Conger walked beside Earl Riggins, one of nine survivors of the Indianapolis’ 39-man Marine detachment.

“Three of them came this year,” Conger said. “They love seeing the Marines out here. Whenever they spot us, they stop us and tell us stories. They have nothing but praise and thanks for us. They remind me why I do what I do.”

Riggins called it an honor to meet his modern-day Marine Corps counterparts.

“They’re all dedicated people,” he said. “They do their job as we did ours. They’re the cream of the crop.”

Capt. William Toti, who commanded the submarine USS Indianapolis (SSN 697), a Los Angeles-class submarine, spoke, calling the survivors’ story the stuff of legend.

“You have inspired us with great examples of courage and perseverance,” he said. “We are among the few -- the very few -- to have had the privilege of knowing you. How lucky we are to be in your presence.”

Toti said that just as World War II was a struggle for America’s survival, so is the current global war on terrorism.

“You show us that sacrifice for your nation is not a spectator sport,” he said. “If you were able to persevere in 1945, how can we not?”

The morning was especially poignant for Construction Mechanic Apprentice Trevor Buckett, who traveled from Port Hueneme, Calif., to be at the memorial service. Buckett’s grandfather, Victor, survived the Indianapolis sinking.

“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” Buckett said. “He’s one of the reasons I joined the military. These guys are my heroes.”

Navy Allowed to Use New Sonar

2007-07-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

Associated Press | July 13, 2007
HONOLULU - The federal government wants to extend by five years its rules allowing the Navy to use a new low-frequency sonar, despite objections from environmentalists that the technology may harm whales and dolphins.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday that the low-frequency active sonar used to detect submarines at great distances would have a "negligible impact" on marine mammals species and stocks.

The Navy, in requesting the five-year rule extension, asked for permission to use the sonar in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea, NOAA said in a document submitted to the Federal Register.

NOAA has opened its proposal for the five-year rule extension to public comment through July 24. It will issue a final decision on the extension after reviewing any submitted comments. The current rules expire Aug. 16.

The Natural Resources Defense Council, which challenged the low-frequency rules when they were first established five years ago, said it was disappointed with NOAA's move.

"This particular system generates noise pollution over a staggering geographic scale," said Joel Reynolds, a council attorney. Reynolds said the council plans to sue again if NOAA finalizes the rule extension.

Scientists say sonar may mask the echoes some whales and dolphins listen for when they use their own natural sonar to locate food. Navy sonar may also startle some species, in particular beaked whales, prompting them to rush to the surface with dangerous consequences.

The current rules require sailors to shut down their sonar when marine mammals are nearby and adopt other measures to protect the animals.

Mark Matsunaga, a U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesman, said the Navy is happy with the NOAA decision. "We had requested the extension and we're pleased," Matsunaga said.

Low-frequency active sonar is operationally available on only two ships the Navy uses. Those vessels are in the Western Pacific, and they haven't been allowed to use such sonar near the Hawaiian Islands.

The low-frequency active sonar is a newer technology than mid-frequency active sonar, which the Navy has installed on many of its submarines and other vessels.

In both cases, sailors pump sound into the water and listen for any objects the sound waves bounce off of. Low-frequency active sonar, however, travels greater distances than the other variety, and environmentalists say it poses a greater danger to marine mammals.

Dragon Skin Backers Hammered on Hill

2007-06-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

Military.com June 07, 2007
The technical expert solicited by a major news network to certify its tests of Dragon Skin body armor admitted Wednesday that the controversial vests weren't "ready for prime time."

In an investigative report broadcast by NBC May 20, the network used the expert opinion of Dr. Phillip Coyle - the former director of test and evaluation at the Pentagon during the Clinton administration - to certify results of side-by-side tests conducted at NBC's expense in Germany.

In testimony submitted to the House Armed Services Committee during a June 6 hearing in the issue, Coyle stated Dragon Skin - manufactured by Fresno, Calif.-based Pinnacle Armor - was "better … against multiple rounds and in reducing blunt force trauma" than the Army's current rifle-resistant Interceptor armor.

But after being confronted with conflicting information by lawmakers who questioned the NBC test results and provided Army-supplied data of vest failures from a May 2006 test, Coyle backed away from his staunch defense of Dragon Skin.

"You're saying today ... that you cannot say that it's ready for prime time. That's your testimony?" Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) asked Coyle.

Coyle agreed that the NBC tests fell short of proving Dragon Skin was ready for fielding.

Alert: Tell your public officials how you feel about this issue.

Sitting beside Coyle at the hearing, Pinnacle president Murray Neal put forward a vigorous, if disjointed, defense of his product, telling lawmakers in written testimony the Army was manipulating test results, conducted unfair shots on his armor and released contradictory data to lawmakers and the media.

"Nothing jives, nothing makes sense," Neal told committee members. "The information coming from the Army is fraught with inconsistencies."

Video: Do U.S. Troops Have the Right Body Armor?

While calling the failure of his vest to stop a round on the second shot of the Army test a "once in a while" occurrence, Neal denied Army claims that a dozen more rounds penetrated his Dragon Skin vests.

He argued x-ray photos of one vest the Army claims failed showed the Dragon Skin disks had stopped the round.

"The bullet did not go through the armor," Neal said flatly.

Army officials responded by showing lawmakers a video clip of Neal inspecting the same vest after a test shot, watching engineers dig the penetrating round out of ballistic clay backing.

"Are you telling me if you were wearing this vest ... and that round hit you in the chest, would that have killed you or not?" a skeptical Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) asked Neal.

"No," he replied.

The Armed Services Committee hearing is the latest round in the long-simmering debate over Pinnacle's claims that its armor system - which uses a series of linked ceramic disks wrapped around a Soldier's body to stop armor-piercing rifle rounds - is better than the Army-issued Interceptor vest that uses four rigid ceramic plates.

At the request of Hunter and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), the Army conducted a so-called "first article test" for Dragon Skin armor at a private ballistics lab in Maryland last year to see if the Dragon Skin technology met Army specifications.

Those tests resulted in 13 penetrations in 48 shots, the Army claims, including a full penetration on the second shot of the first test vest.

Investigators with NBC conducted their own series of tests at a German lab this spring, firing dozens of armor-piercing rounds at both Dragon Skin and a vest they said contained Army-issued plates, though Coyle cast some doubt on whether they were the same plates used by Soldiers in the field.

The NBC tests showed Dragon Skin absorbing many more rifle rounds than the Army vest, prompting Coyle's assertion that Dragon Skin was better than Interceptor armor.

Coyle, Neal and NBC are calling for another series of independent, side-by-side tests to prove once and for all which armor system is better.

"The best way to resolve this matter would be for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command to conduct comparable side-by-side tests of both Interceptor and Dragon Skin body armor," Coyle said.

While Hunter subjected both Neal and Coyle to harsh questioning over their claims, the California lawmaker agreed that another round of tests is the only thing that will put the issue to rest.

"We need to straight away, in an expeditious way, to find out if there's value to this system," Hunter said. "And if there is value, we need to extract it as soon as possible and get it to the troops in the field."

Intrepid Ceremony Commemorates D-Day

2007-06-06T07:25:00.001-07:00

Associated Press | June 06, 2007
NEW YORK - The historic aircract carrier USS Intrepid is fresh from a body scrub and makeover, including a stem-to-stern painting with 7,000 gallons of traditional naval haze-gray - enough to cover about 400 large houses.

The gleaming carrier begins the last leg of its two-year renovation on Wednesday, the 63rd anniversary of D-Day, one of the most momentous events of World War II.

"We picked D-Day to move Intrepid to commemorate the victorious Normandy landing and to remember the thousands of servicemen and women who sacrificed and served to save Europe from the ultimate terrorist," Bill White, president of the Intrepid Air, Sea and Space Museum, told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

A ceremony to welcome the Intrepid to Staten Island and to honor the allies who stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, is planned at the Homeport Pier.

Military.com's Warfighter's Forum D-Day Special

Former Intrepid crew members, Commander Eric Christensen of the Coast Guard, and public officials are to participate in the laying of a wreath to honor those who lost their lives at D-Day.

The 41,000-ton ship-turned-military museum was refloated over the weekend after two months in drydock in Bayonne, N.J., where it underwent the exterior overhaul, including repairs to its weather corroded keel.

On Staten Island, the ship will undergo an extensive interior refurbishment, including the installation of new high-tech exhibits and state-of-the-art visuals and interactive displays. The work is expected to take 18 months to complete.

Intrepid is scheduled to return to Pier 86 in the Hudson River on Manhattan's West Side on Veterans Day 2008, when "a Super Bowl of ship returns" is planned, White said.

The museum will be taking a new "green" approach, changing lighting to conserve energy and requiring vendors to use environmentally friendly material - even the film used to photograph guests.

The $70 million project, which includes $8 million in Intrepid renovations and $50 million to rebuild the aging, city-owned Pier 86, is funded with public and private money.

So far, $4.5 million in private and corporate contributions have been raised, with $3.5 million more needed to cover the cost of Intrepid's renovations.

The Intrepid, launched in 1943, survived five Japanese kamikaze plane attacks and lost 270 crew members in the last two years of the Pacific war, spearheading the naval defeat of Japan. Besides World War II, Intrepid served in the Korean and Vietnam wars and as a recovery ship for NASA astronauts.

Doomed for the scrap heap in the early '80s, Intrepid was rescued by New York developer Zachary Fisher, who transformed it into a military museum that opened in 1982. It recently drew upward of 700,000 visitors a year.

Oldest U.S. Carrier Makes Last Voyage

2007-05-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

Oldest U.S. Carrier Makes Last Voyage
Associated Press | May 23, 2007
TOKYO - The USS Kitty Hawk, the U.S. Navy's oldest ship in full active service, embarked on its last major maneuvers Wednesday before being decommissioned next year.

The 46-year-old vessel - the only American aircraft carrier permanently deployed abroad - eased out of its berth at the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka, just south of Tokyo, escorted by a carrier strike group of cruisers and guided missile destroyers, Naval spokesman John Nylander said.

The voyage, to last several months in the western and central Pacific Ocean, was expected to be the last major mission for the ship before it is replaced next year by the USS George Washington and sent back to the United States for decommissioning, said Rear Adm. Richard B. Wren, commander of the Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group.

"This is the last trip for USS Kitty Hawk," Wren told reporters.

The Kitty Hawk, with a crew of more than 5,500, was commissioned in 1961 and has served in Vietnam and Iraq.

The diesel-powered ship was deployed to Yokosuka in 1998, and will be replaced with the nuclear-powered George Washington as part of the U.S. military's effort to modernize its forces in East Asia - an area of potential flashpoints with North Korea or China.

But the vessel's replacement sparked a backlash in Japan, where critics oppose the basing of a nuclear-powered warship in domestic waters. Japan's government backed the idea, however, saying the George Washington would boost regional stability.

Nuclear-powered warships have visited Japanese ports hundreds of times since 1964, and the United States has provided firm commitments to Tokyo regarding the safe use of Japanese harbors by the nuclear-powered vessels.

Laser System Targets Friendly Fire

2007-05-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

Military.com May 16, 2007

It's a deadly problem that has plagued U.S. forces in every conflict. And though military officials have been highlighting it for years, they still haven't found a solution everyone can agree on.

Friendly fire accounts for enough U.S. and allied casualties that it's a cause of grave concern among commanders in the field - with ever-more lethal and precise weaponry sitting in the U.S. arsenal, mistaken targeting carries with it a lethal guarantee.

One company that's trying the lift the cloud of doubt has developed an innovative way to identify friendly forces in a fraction of a second.

Brought to you by the same folks who make the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System - or "MILES" gear - used in field exercises, the new Optical Combat Identification System developed by Cubic Defense Systems presents a simple solution to a nagging problem.

"A few years ago we got to thinking about other applications of laser technology and that led us to do research in other wavelengths unrelated to MILES," said Steve Sampson, VP in charge of advanced programs at Cubic Defense. "The nature of warfare has changed and it's required that out whole application of technology has had to refocus."

Cubic has developed and tested a system that works both on vehicles and, more importantly, can be placed within the gear of dismounted troops. The way it works on a dismounted Soldier is through a laser "interrogator" mounted on his rifle and "smart reflector" embedded in the target Soldier's gear. When a trooper targets a potential enemy, he presses a button that activates an eye-safe laser beam that shoots to a man-sized target as far as one kilometer away.

The smart reflectors mounted in the Soldier's equipment - which are matchbook-sized devices placed to allow 360-degree coverage - absorb the laser beam, remodulate it, and send back a signal that tells the shooter he's a friendly. The answer can be displayed in the Soldier's rifle sight.

And it all happens in less than a tenth of a second.

"For years the Army focused on combat ID on the high-value, big armored platforms - but we're not having big armored tank battles in downtown Baghdad anymore; it's dismounted, urban warfare," Sampson said. "Only in the last few years has laser technology gotten to the point where we can field something that is practical in size, weight and power for a dismounted Soldier or Marine."

The man-portable OCIdS gear includes batteries that can run for "thousands of interrogations" on the gun-mounted laser and "tens of thousands" of replies on the reflector, which uses a watch battery-sized power supply, Sampson explained. Vehicle-mounted interrogators can send and receive the laser signal over several miles using much greater onboard power generation.

Engineers at Cubic are still working to refine the system, spending about $20 million since 2005 to test the new combat ID technology. Another round of Army field tests are scheduled for this summer. Though Sampson doesn't expect a formal Army requirement for a system like his until around 2009, Cubic hopes to offer the man-portable system for less than $2,000 per soldier and around $20,000 per vehicle.

Sampson also said the technology in his OCIdS gear can be adapted for long-range communications - not just combat ID - but he was cagey about revealing the details.

"What we are able to accomplish today, physically wasn't possible a few years ago," Sampson said.

First SEAL Tapped to Head SOCOM

2007-05-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

Vice Adm. Eric Olson, President Bush's pick to lead U.S. Special Operations Command, will achieve two notable firsts if he is confirmed by the Senate: He will be the first Navy officer to lead the command since it was formed two decades ago and the first SEAL to earn four stars.

Olson, 55, has been nominated to replace Army Gen. Bryan "Doug" Brown, the Defense Department announced Thursday. Brown, who has been the Tampa-based SOCom commander since September 2003, is planning to retire in July after 40 years in uniform.

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New Plan for Better Vets' Care

2007-04-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

New Plan for Better Vets' Care
Associated Press | April 25, 2007
WASHINGTON - Injured Soldiers and veterans grappling with backlogs and red tape will now fill out less paperwork, get more screenings for brain injury and have an improved claims system, a presidential task force said Tuesday.

Responding to criticism about poor treatment of injured Soldiers, the interagency task force headed by Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson released its report and recommendations for immediately improving veterans' care.

The panel acknowledged that government procedures are unwieldy, with unacceptable gaps as service members and veterans move from military hospitals to the VA's vast network of 1,400 hospitals and clinics.

"The federal government must be responsive and efficient in delivering our benefits and services to these heroes," Nicholson said in announcing recommendations to improve care for troops and veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. "They should not have to fight bureaucratic red tape for benefits earned by their courageous service.

"We are not perfect," he said. "We recognize that this huge bureaucracy needs a major transformation."

Pointing to poor coordination between the VA and Pentagon, the recommendations call for a joint electronic case management system that would allow officials to share files and to track patients much as shipping companies track packages.

Case managers will be added to help guide troops and their families through the process, and all veterans receiving care in VA facilities will be tested for mild to moderate brain injury, an often unseen problem that can emerge months after finishing service.

Blaming backlogs on "improved outreach," Nicholson said he also has requested money to hire more staff to help reduce the time spent processing benefit claims - now an average of 177 days - to 125 days.

The task force, which includes Cabinet secretaries and officials at eight government agencies, also urged the creation of a joint disability claims process to be handled by the Pentagon and VA to speed delivery of benefits and reduce disparities in the system.

President Bush said he welcomed the recommendations and instructed government agencies involved to report on their progress within 45 days. "The brave men and women who have volunteered to protect and defend our country deserve to receive the highest level of support from our grateful nation," Bush said in a statement.

Critics say the Army consistently rates Soldiers' injuries as less severe than do their counterparts in the other armed services and the VA. One congressional commission has suggested the Army might do so to avoid paying higher disability benefits.

Lawmakers on Tuesday welcomed the report but noted that many of the recommendations - such as improving cooperation among agencies - weren't particularly new.

"Pronouncements that imply that reports equate to progress are premature," said Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., the top Republican on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. "When we see federal agencies - principally the Pentagon and VA - working hand in glove for the benefit of veterans, then we can talk about real progress."

Some Democrats were more critical.

"While I am glad that Secretary Nicholson is finally talking about a plan for moving forward to help our veterans, neither his findings, nor his recommendation are news to Congress," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. "As we enter the fifth year of this war, it is crystal clear that the administration has never adequately planned for wounded warriors coming home."

Among the report's recommendations:

-Expedite housing claims and other services for returning service members from Iraq and Afghanistan, some of whom become homeless.

-Expand eligibility of small business loans to provide more opportunities for veterans to become self-employed. The Labor Department will also work with veterans as they recover from injuries to ease their transition to civilian life.

-Improve outreach with additional newsletters and job fairs for veterans.

Nicholson presented the recommendations to Bush on Monday. The task force, charged with devising immediate solutions that would not require additional funding or new legislation, said it will continue to monitor agencies and will meet again in 45 days to report on the progress.

The task force is one of several commissions and congressional committees investigating ways to improve veterans' care following disclosures in February of shoddy treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

A separate presidential commission, chaired by former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, is expected to release its recommendations by late July.

God Is Busy today

2007-04-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

A United States Marine was attending some college courses between
assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of
the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of
the ACLU. One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He
looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I
want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15
minutes." The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten
minutes wentby and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am God. I'm still
waiting." It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine
got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him
knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold. The Marine
went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were
shocked and stunned and sat there looking on in silence. The professor
eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and
asked, "What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"
The Marine calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting
America's soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid crap
and act like a jerk. ................So, He sent me."

"phoenix22"

Fallon Takes Reins of Central Command

2007-03-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

March 17, 2007
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - For the first time since the United States created a combatant command with responsibility for the Middle East, Northern Africa and Southwest and Central Asia, a naval officer took over the helm of U.S. Central Command here today.

Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, a naval aviator with almost 40 years of service, assumed duties as commander of CENTCOM from Army Gen. John P. Abizaid, who is retiring after leading CENTCOM for more than three years.

Fallon comes from commanding U.S. Pacific Command, the largest geographical command in the military, where he worked to improve military ties with China.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates presided over today's ceremony. He praised Abizaid for the work he did in the Middle East while commanding CENTCOM. Abizaid studied the region's culture extensively, becoming an expert and forging important relationships with the people, Gates said. Abizaid took over the command early in the Iraq conflict, at a time when there was much work to be done, he noted.

"He accepted enormous responsibility at a crucial time in history," Gates said of Abizaid.

Under Abizaid's leadership, CENTCOM helped Iraq conduct three elections, form a new government and constitution, and grow the Iraqi security forces threefold, Gates said. In Afghanistan, he noted, thanks in large part to Abizaid's efforts, NATO countries have stepped up and taken responsibility for the security of the country, in partnership with Afghan security forces.

Gates said he is confident that Fallon will build on Abizaid's good work, noting that the admiral brings decades of experience and a record of success to the command. He praised Fallon as one of the military's top strategic thinkers, who built important relationships with other nations during his time in Pacific Command.

After relinquishing command to Fallon, Abizaid thanked the members of the coalition for the work they do with CENTCOM. He also thanked the officers under his command, who he said do so much to fight the war on terror, provide humanitarian assistance, and strengthen partnerships around the world.

"Never has a commander been so blessed by a team of capable and heroic leaders," Abizaid said.

Abizaid noted that war is never easy, and the war on terror will be long and will require "courage and time." Victory against terror will require not only military effort, but also political and diplomatic work, he said.

"This conflict is greater than the sum of Iraq and Afghanistan," Abizaid said.

Upon taking command, Fallon thanked Abizaid for the legacy he left and pledged to strengthen and nurture relationships with members of his command and other nations. Fallon acknowledged that much work lies ahead of CENTCOM in the months ahead, and that Iraq and Afghanistan are both at critical points. However, he said, the troops and commanders of CENTCOM and allied countries are capable and dedicated, and can help the people of the Middle East achieve what most people in the world want: peace, security and stability.

"In concert with our allies, if we put our minds to it, there's very little we can't accomplish," Fallon said.

CENTCOM was created in 1983 and is responsible for U.S. military activity in a 27-country region in the area between U.S. European Command and Pacific Command. CENTCOM is responsible for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, focused on defeating terrorism, strengthening regional stability, building the capacity of partner nations, and protecting U.S. interests in the region.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,128957,00.html?ESRC=navy.nl

Navy to Deploy Anti-Terrorism Dolphins

2007-02-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

Associated Press | February 13, 2007
SAN DIEGO - Dozens of dolphins and sea lions trained to detect and apprehend waterborne attackers could be sent to patrol a military base in Washington state, the Navy said Monday. In a notice published in this week's Federal Register, the Navy said it needs to bolster security at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, on the Puget Sound close to Seattle.

The base is home to submarines, ships and laboratories and is potentially vulnerable to attack by terrorist swimmers and scuba divers, the notice states.

Several options are under consideration, but the preferred plan would be to send as many as 30 California sea lions and Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins from the Navy's Marine Mammal Program, based in San Diego.

"These animals have the capabilities for what needs to be done for this particular mission," said Tom LaPuzza, a spokesman for the Marine Mammal Program.

LaPuzza said that because of their astonishing sonar abilities, dolphins are excellent at patrolling for swimmers and divers. When a Navy dolphin detects a person in the water, it drops a beacon. This tells a human interception team where to find the suspicious swimmer.

Dolphins also are trained to detect underwater mines; they were sent to do this in the Iraqi harbor of Umm Qasr in 2003. The last time the animals were used operationally in San Diego was in 1996, when they patrolled the bay during the Republican National Convention.

Sea lions can carry in their mouths special cuffs attached to long ropes. If the animal finds a rogue swimmer, it can clamp the cuff around the person's leg. The individual can then be reeled in for questioning.

The Navy is seeking public comment for an environmental impact statement on the proposal.

The Navy wanted to deploy marine animals to the Northwest in 1989, LaPuzza said, but a federal judge sided with animal-rights activists concerned about the effects of cooler water, as well as how the creatures would affect the environment. Water in the Puget Sound is about 10 degrees cooler than in San Diego Harbor, which has an average temperature of about 58 degrees, LaPuzza said.

Since then, the Navy has taken the dolphins and sea lions to cold-water places like Alaska and Scandinavia to see how they cope.

"They did very well," LaPuzza said. If the animals are sent to Washington, the dolphins would be housed in heated enclosures and would patrol the bay only for periods of about two hours.

Stephanie Boyles, a marine biologist and spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said that sea mammals do not provide a reliable defense system, and that they should not be kept in small enclosures.

"We believe the United States' citizens deserve the very best defense possible, and this just isn't it," Boyles said, adding that dolphins are easily distracted once in open water. "They don't understand the consequences of what will happen if they don't carry out the mission."

Dolphins can live as long as 30 years. LaPuzza said the Navy occasionally gives its retired animals to marine parks but generally keeps them until they die of old age.

The Navy has been training marine mammals since the 1960s and keeps about 100 dolphins and sea lions. Most are in San Diego, but about 20 are deployed at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga.

The Navy hopes eventually to downsize its marine mammal program and replace the animals with machines.

"But the technology just isn't there yet," LaPuzza said. "The value of the marine mammals is we've been doing this for 35 years, and we've ironed out all the kinks."

Navy Relieves Sub Commander

2007-01-21T19:14:00.000-08:00

Associated Press | January 20, 2007
WASHINGTON - The Navy announced Friday it relieved the commander of a nuclear submarine that was involved in an incident that killed two Sailors.

On Dec. 29, rough seas swept four American Sailors from the deck of the submarine off the coast of southwestern England. The USS-Minneapolis-St. Paul was leaving Plymouth harbor when the Sailors were knocked into the water by surging waves. The four men were taken to a hospital in Plymouth, where two were pronounced dead.

According to officials, an initial review determined the incident was avoidable and due in part to a poor decision by the commander. A formal investigation is still under way. He was identified by a Navy statement as Cmdr. Edwin Ruff.

According to the Navy, Ruff was reassigned to a shore-based post in Norfolk, Va. The decision was made by Vice Adm. Chuck Munns, commander of the Navy's Submarine Force in Norfolk.

"Munns took this action due to a loss of confidence in Ruff's ability to command," according to the service statement.

Ruff and another officer on the submarine received a letter of reprimand this week.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul, assigned to the 6th Fleet, had just completed a week long layover in Plymouth, about 210 miles southwest of London.

Based in Norfolk, Va., the sub was heading to sea for routine duties when the accident happened.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,122460,00.html?wh=wh

Death at Sea

2006-12-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

A sad subject to bring up but it did happen, and when you lose a friend, it hurts for a long time.

One guy in mind I am sorry to say I don’t remember his name was only 19 and on his first tour to Vietnam while I was on my third.

He thought he knew better than we did about safety and paid for his foolishness with his life.

They were opening the covers off of number 3 hold....each hold cover weighs in at about 2,000 pounds. The Lift operator always yells out to make sure no one is under the crane deck or on the covers....wouldn't want anyone to fall in.

Anyway this guy was preoccupied reading a comic boo and failed to tell the crane operator that he was under the deck, right in front of the 12 inch pad eye that held the cover upright as it was locked into place.

Anyway the crane operator opened up the hatch covers and slammed them into position....One of the guys on the side with a locking pin in hand noticed a lot of blood coming down the towards him.

He immediately yelled out for the crane operator to pull the hatch cover off of the guy....To his horror he found the guy alive impaled on the pad eye with most of his lungs and heart hanging out of his chest.

The guy was crying for his mom and saying he did not want to die, as the medics rushed up on deck to try to save him...but like a man aught in between two railroad cars they knew he would die as soon as they moved him off of the pad.

We held funeral services later that day, and a chopper from Da Nang flew out and picked up his body...His grieving parents did not want him buried at sea.

Everyone was in shock but we had tin cans and a carrier to rearm so we had to go back to work....The XO came on the IMC and said there would be a talk in the morning about his death and safety precautions not bang followed....but it never happened...The captain decided that rearming ships was more important especially to a crew that most of us had already been on ships for over 3 years....The lecture would be handled by the deck Chiefs and then only to the new guys...But I noticed a lot of the old guys listening in...I guess a certain amount of smugness can only go so far....gdh

TO MUCH TIME OFF....

2006-11-30T09:51:00.000-08:00

When we came back from our second tour admiral Zoowalt instituted his 2 on 5 off day policy for ships in port. So we were allowed to fly home for the weekends or what ever we choose to do.

My parents had to moved to Red Bluff in Northern California about 160 miles of Port Chicago (Concord)

One weekend I just did not want to get up and make the trip back down the 5. I actually over slept...My Mom woke me up about 4 am and said I had better get going, so up i got and borrowed the pick up to drive south.

Anyway, I ran into hail, heavy rain, snow in the Napa Valley and made back to the ship 2 hours late, one hour after I was supposed to open the galley and start cooking the morning meal.

As I walked up the gang way I could hear grumbles coming from the Officer of the Deck....As I saluted the flag and then him he started to yell and bitch about me being late and all and I just said "Sorry, Im late, but I had a hell of a time getting down from up north....Just look at my truck, all muddy and dirty....I forgot to mentioned that it was clear at home when i left 3 hours late but after looking at my truck he then started yelling at me 'are you crazy driving through all that weather just to get back to the ship'

This was way before cell phones and call boxes on freeways and along the 5 at this time the only towns were Pixley and Potterville (Really)

I just shrugged my shoulders and headed for the galley....Sometimes it just paid to not say anything and play dumb....Nothing more was ever said about me being late but every one wanted to knew how I made such good time through the storm that was now drenching the ship and surrounding area.

How many Turkeys does it take to feed a crew of 300?

2006-11-22T15:20:00.000-08:00

the obvious answer is to many, but one of the things that they neglected to tell me when I went cooking on my second tour was just how many turkeys does it take to feed a crew of 300. Add in the hams and real mashed potatoes (the only time we used real potatoes for mashed ws at Thanksgiving and Christmas), it meant that the new striker got to stay up all night and stoke the fires to cook all of the turkeys and hams needed.

And since I was the newest striker that meant me...Of course one year later I was the Watch Captain so I got to sleep in and we just happen to be in port in Hong Kong so most of the crew was ashore for the Christmas Holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who visits my website.

How to make the Chief Engineer squirm

2006-11-20T16:16:00.001-08:00

While I was a deck ape my first cruise I went mess cooking, which is pretty good duty if you can get it...

Anyway, I was washing vegetables because we had just got a load from Japan, and everything from Japan needs to be washed good because they use human manure...No cows, except Kobe Beef...

Anyway the New Chief Engineer, heard the water running and looked in and told me to stop what I was doing, I was on report for using water. I tried to explain to him what and why I was using water to clean the veggies.

As soon as he was gone I headed for my division officer and told him what had just happened...He called the chief, the captain and the XO and we had an impromtu Captains Mast right then and there. He instructed me to bring up a case of unwashed vegetables, so I did.

The chief explained to the XO why he wrote me up...In my defense, all I had to do was hold up a celery bunch covered in its human manure mud and say. Sir, I will stop using water to wash this stuff, but this is what it is going to look like down on the serving line...Case dismissed...

The Chief Engineer, the first night he showed up for his fresh donuts, he was politely told sorry chief, you have been black listed for writing Hall (me) up...

The next day he looked me up, apologized and said he was just doing his job, yata yata...Thats what I mean about getting away with murder....imagine, a Chief apologizing to me, a lowly seamen apprectice...He got his donuts the next morning he was on watch...

2nd tour madness

2006-11-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

Like i said before this is a narrative as I remember things as they happened, but not in any order...

Our second tour found us in Subic for some emergency repairs to one of the boilers.

One night we were alerted that they had a tropical storm coming in...but we could not leave, so we had to make the ship ready for the storm which meant putting camels inboard of the ship between the Pier to protect the side of the ship.

But we had no power so that meant that the crew would have to move the ship by mussel power, plus there would be no tugs, they were all busy helping the fleet leave so that they could ride out the storm at sea.

This meant a all hands affair, and working thru the next 6 hours 120 men managed to move a 600 foot ship 100 feet down the Pier, and successfully place the camels inboard..

Our reward, 3 days off in Olangapole, in the middle of a Tyhpoon.

This is the time when i and my girl friend were in bed together and lightning hit the building...she hopped out of bed, naked, knelt over to cross her self, said a quick prayer and hopped back into bed with me...Thats one way to remember being hit by lightning...

Going the long round about way home on Emergency Leave

2006-11-08T17:11:00.000-08:00

In 1969 on my first tour to Nam, my dad went into surgery shortly after arrival in the Philippines. Because of his condition it was thought that he might not make it.

I applied for Emergency Leave, and it was granted just as we were leaving for the line. So what might have a short trip to Clark Air Base turned into 'the trip home the extra long way'

I was lifted off by Chopper but because the seas were so rough i had to hoisted aboard. Then after lifting several others up, the chopper was off to the Sacramento AOE 2 for a hoped short stop and then catch there mail chopper into Da Nang. We were delayed on the way so naturally I misssed the nail flight. So I had to spend the night on board the Sac. The first thing I noticed was the speed. she was able to do almost 28 kts while the Katmai could only manage 14 kts. But she was headed for a rendezvous with the Connie the next day where i would again chopper over and catch the 12 noon shot to Da Nang.

Missed that flight again, because this time the chopper was forced to stay in the air delivering supplies to several other destroyers and more ammo to the Connie....So I leaned out the bottom hatch and took same really good pictures.

When we finally landed on the Connie I was told to find a bunk and wait for the next days flight in, so I did. I also managed to find my cousin Jim. We spent the evening talking, watching night flight ops and meeting some of his friends.

The next morning after breakfast i boarded a C-130 mail and passenger plane and was catapulted off of the Connie and headed for Da Nang.

We arrived in Da Nang Air Base at about 3 in the afternoon. I checked in and was told that they had a Pam Am Mail plane heading for Travis Air Base in Northern California. Great!

At 2:pm I woke up from my coomfy spot on the floor to the sound of a VC rocket attack. You might remember this, it was the attack on the Marine Barracks. Guess what. They naturally canceled the flight because Pam Am would not fly into an active "Hot Zone"
So I and the rest of the passengers bound for the states had to wait till morning to see when or if we flew out.

In the morning, they told me that I was to catch a gunship bound for Com Ron Bey Naval Base and hopefully catch a 2 pm flight for Tokyo. Sure enough, at 11 am we boarded the gunship and head to the south over Indian country, escorted by two other Gunship.

At 1:pm, I went through customs and had to turn in all of my weapons. That was sure a disappointment. Then we boarded a Flying Tiger DC 10 bound for Japan and then on for a 11 hour flight to Evanston Washington.

When we left Com Ron Bey at 2:30 pm Thursday. It was 110 degrees when we left. We arrived in Japan at 11:pm in a snow storm. After one hour on the ground for refueling, we then took off for the 11 hour overnight flight to the states. I awoke abut 5 in the morning to our first meal. There were 239 other military personal on board so it took them awhile to feed us all. I then went back to sleep.

At 11:am Thursday morning we arrived in Washington. I caught another plane right after that and arrived in San Francisco for a short stop and then on to Ontario California on PSA. Remember short mini skirts they wore as uniforms? I sure do.

Anyway I arrived Ontario, caught a taxi cause I wanted to surprise every one. I made it home at 2:35PM Thursday Afternoon. 5 minutes after I left Vietnam.

As a side note to all of this traveling, I returned to the ship in a round about way too. but that will be for the next story.

In the beginning, there was Boot Camp....

2006-10-31T09:29:00.000-08:00

I arrived at San Diego Naval training center on June 16th 1969 at about 2:30am after a 2 hour bus trip down from LA.

Got to bed about 3am....got woke up at 5...Now I know what they mean by the 'Longest Day'

Luckily I played the drums so I was sent to the Drum and Bugle Corps...Best thing I ever did, except it meant 2 extra weeks in basic. we actually did three dress inspections a day and marched 10 miles a day playing as we marched every where...Even our tests.

Got word they wanted us to march in a parade in Chino. I went straight to my CO and asked if I could go home for the afternoon, something never allowed in Boot Camp. I explained i only lived 10 miles away, I would take four of my friends with me and my parents would have all of us back by the time we had to leave back for the base. We did it, and I even spent some worth wile time with my then girl friend who was amazed to see me all decked out in whites and having lost 30 pounds...Damn I looked good at 175...

Army to spread burden of combat

2006-10-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

Updated 10/27/2006 10:25 AM ET

WASHINGTON — The prospect of combat in Iraq for at least another four years is prompting the Army to realign its forces to prevent a small slice of soldiers who are shouldering much of the fighting from wearing out.

Pentagon records show one-fifth of the Army's active-duty troops have served multiple tours of war duty while more than 40% haven't been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

That disparity is behind the Army's plans to shift some soldiers to high-demand wartime specialties that could ease the burden on combat forces.

The Army announced this month that it plans to maintain its current force level in Iraq through 2010. There are about 105,000 soldiers in Iraq, 15,000 in Kuwait and 16,000 in Afghanistan.

The Army is moving soldiers from specialties such as artillery and air defense to high-demand roles: infantry, engineering, military police and intelligence, Special Forces, civil affairs and psychological operations, said Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, deputy chief of staff for Army personnel.

The Army has more soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan than the other services combined. It expects to complete the realignment by 2011.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged this week that the Pentagon is sending active-duty troops overseas more frequently than it wants to, which is once in three years.

About 42% of the Army's 500,000 active-duty soldiers have not deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. They include about 80,000 fresh recruits, most of whom are being trained. More than 90,000 others are in the so-called institutional Army, those who train, equip and manage soldiers.

By 2011, there will be 50,000 more troops available for deployment than in 2001. Part of that will be accomplished by having civilian Army employees take over certain jobs from soldiers, freeing them up to fight.

Five years of fighting have put the Army on the verge of wearing out vital soldiers, said James Carafano, a retired Army colonel and military analyst at the Heritage Foundation.

The Army is still structured to fight Cold War enemies, which prevents it from deploying more troops, he said. "It's not a usable force in terms of mix and composition."

The Army has sent more than 144,000 active-duty, National Guard and Reserve soldiers to Iraq or Afghanistan more than once. Army deployments typically last one year. Some soldiers, including special operations forces, have shorter tours.

Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where many Special Forces soldiers are based, is home to the Army's most-deployed soldier. That soldier, whom the Army declined to identify, has been sent to Iraq or Afghanistan nine times.

That's a "pocket of stress that we need to be concerned about," said retired Army colonel James Martin, an expert on military culture who teaches at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.
Posted 10/26/2006 10:47 PM ET
Updated 10/27/2006 10:25 AM ET

http://tinyurl.com/t9kdp

Multiple War Hero Michael J. Novosel dies.

2006-10-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

Novosel's service to his country spanned three wars - World War II, The Korean War and The Vietnam War. He was born in Pittsburgh area town of Etna, Pennsylvania, the son of Croatian immigrants, and grew up during the Great Depression fluently speaking both his parents' tongue and English. At the age of 19, Novosel joined what was then the Army Air Corps. That was just ten months prior to Pearl Harbor, and by 1945, he was a Captain flying B-29 bombers in the war against Japan. He left the service for a brief time due to reductions in force after the war was over and settled in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, to raise his family.
Novosel joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves and went back on active duty to again serve his country during the Korean War. He left the service again in 1953 and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve in 1955. In 1963, Novosel was working as a commercial airline pilot when a deep sense of patriotism called him to return to active military duty. By then, he was 42 and the Air Force did not have space for any more officers in the upper ranks. It was then that Novosel made the decision to give up his rank of lieutenant colonel in the Air Force to join the Army and fly helicopters as a chief warrant officer with the elite Special Forces Aviation Section. He served his first tour in Vietnam flying medevac helicopters (Dustoff) with the 283rd Medical Detachment. His second tour in Vietnam was with the 82nd Medical Detachment. During that war, Novosel flew 2,543 missions and extracted 5,589 wounded personnel. On the morning of Oct. 2, 1969, he set out to evacuate a group of South Vietnamese soldiers who were surrounded by the enemy near the Cambodian border. The soldiers' radio communication was lost and their ammunition expended. Without air cover or fire support, Novosel flew at low altitudes while under continuous enemy fire. He skimmed the ground with his helicopter, while his medic and crew chief yanked the wounded men on board. He completed 15 hazardous extractions, was wounded in a barrage of enemy fire and momentarily lost control of his helicopter that day, but when it was over, he had rescued 29 men. Novosel completed his tour in March 1970. In 1971, then Pres. Richard Nixon placed the nation's highest award for valor in combat, the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor, around Novosel's neck. Among his many other awards, Novosel received the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart Medal.
He was inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 1975. When Novosel retired as the senior warrant officer with the Warrant Officer Candidate Program in 1985, he had been a military aviator for 42 years and was the last WW II military aviator in the U.S. to remain on active flying duty. Novosel accumulated 12,400 military flying hours, including 2,038 in combat during his career. Upon his retirement, he received a rare honor for a living hero when the main street at Fort Rucker, Alabama was renamed "Novosel Street." While residing in Enterprise, Alabama, Novosel remained active in the military community during his retirement. He frequently was invited as the honored guest for military lectures and ceremonies spanning the entire country to share his unique insights, even until the final weeks before he died. His book, "Dustoff - The Memoir of an Army Aviator," was published in 1999.
Diagnosed with a recurrent cancer in November 2005, he had undergone a series of highly successful treatments at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The cancer tumor had been greatly reduced in December 2005 and January 2006. In February 2006, Novosel concluded chemotherapy and other treatments and waited to regain strength in preparation for surgery on March 7. His prognosis appeared excellent. Despite new and innovative procedures to reduce trauma, he never fully recovered from the shock of the surgery. He died April 2, 2006. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

From Vietnam Magazine Decemeber Edition

2006-10-22T13:45:00.001-07:00

Taps

ding ding...ding ding....ding ding...Now its taps, taps, all lights out, the smoking light is out, Quartermaster make last round to the OD...Security break out your side arms. Shore Patrol detail man your posts...Now set the watch, condition 3...The galley is open for mid rats for the Mid Watch, Now taps...

About this time the movie would let out, the changing of the watch would take place if out at sea and every one who smoked would light up if they smoked...Those of us in the galley would break out the wine, get the Pizzas ready to sell, and the baker would bake off about 40 dozen donuts or cinnamon buns which found the captain at the back door with his hand out...Thats how we managed to commit murder and get away with it, but that's for another story and time...

Yep, life was sometimes really good aboard ship...

2006-10-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

More rules of Etiquette in the PI

When out on your own, not with your girl friend, always make sure the girl you pick up is indeed a girl and not a benny boy and that she is only carrying one butterfly knife...If she had two, it means it is either her Mothers or she kicked someone ass to get that one over a dispute over either money owed or a guy....
***

2006-10-22T13:44:00.001-07:00

Rouge Wave

During Typhoon Ann we experienced a rouge wave that was estimated to be 110 feet high...We had confirmation from several other ships.

The Connie was under Condition A, meaning they were not at combat stations but they were button up for the storm and were on a course that took them into the wind and the trough of the waves, or another words they were riding with the waves, keeping the rolling to a minium.

At 1;22am the ship began to roll up to the left and rise up. The OD ordered the rudders to be brought amidships to try and stabilize the ship...The ship continued to move up and took on a roll of 35 degrees, but at the same time rising up wards over the wave.

The ship crested at 125 feet above the water at the front of the ship or what is called the bow....She held that position for 5 seconds then fell...She fell 125 feet causing a loss of gravity that wrecked or damaged several jets with several crewmen hurt.

As she fell the center beams which connect the ship cracked and boomed with the sound of doom....Several people reported that the ship had broken in two, but it was not the case...the Connie had never before risen 12 stories then fell, the ship was not used to such abuse...In reality, they were lucky to be afloat.

The Connie returned to Subic then went to Japan for refit and repairs and it was several months before she returned to duty...

2006-10-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

Rules of etiquette in the PI...

Never tell the Moma San that her monkey tacos taste like fish...You find butterfly knife in place of nose...;)

Never eat Balutes especially if they are 100 years old...first you can't afford them and second, there is a good chance you wont make it to the john.

2006-10-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

Surfs Up
Attention all hands, prepare the ship for heavy weather...Lower all booms and housings, seel all hatches and life boats...block in all ammo on the main deck...Expected seas to be running in the trouft...Expected wave heights, 80 feet...Expected wind speed 160 kts....Expected rainfall rates, 2 inches per hour...Expected...Typhoone Ann...Cat 5 max....Rig safety lines on the fore decks...All hands restricted to below decks....The galley is closed...The barbershop is closed...The smoking lamb is lite in all crew decks...

The Chaplin will give a special service tonight before we enter the storm...

What we got...80 foots seas, the greatest storm in recorded Western Pacific History...top winds speeds of 200 kts....Two pallets of 500 pound bombs broke lose and were crashing about on the main deck...1st division had the pleasure of going out into that black morass of a night and securing them...and 42 inches of rain in 24 hours....gdh

What??? Hong Kong Again?

2006-10-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

I mean after all you can only go to Hong Kong so many times, we had been there 5 times already and the last time the British authorities made us anchor clear out by Green Island which is out by the half sunken rusting shell of the Queen Mary.

The reason we had Nukes on board and ships with nukes were not allowed inside Hong Kong Harbor and it was almost a one hour boat trip in but that's where we were and as it turns out, we had a pretty good time.

We had a crew of women come aboard to paint the ship. Where else in the world can you paint an entire ship for left over food from the Galley. And since I was Galley Captain, I made sure that the ladies had all of the leftovers they wanted. Turns out, they would take all of our scraps and fat and other items that growing American boys wont eat and make it into some of the best Chinese food I had ever eaten.

The other benefit...Some of those young Chinese ladies would sleep with you just to be safe....Of course we had to go down to the boats to be serviced so to speak, but I know of one officer who had one or two ladies up to his cabin for the night...I mean after all, aren't Officers considered officers and Gentlemen and above such things...yeah right...

JANE FONDA

2006-10-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

I had the great misfortune of hearing Hanoi Janes infamous speech and I have also heard her twice apologize to the Veterans of Vietnam...So where is she now 35 years later? on a freedom bus calling all of today's military people child killers and rapists.

Instead of demoralizing us, her speech pissed us off, we wanted to kill her and every gook we could get into our gun sites.

And the feeling is still there...If Jane was ever convicted of Treason I would be the first to volunteer for the firing squad...Just put a gun in my hands mounted on my wheel chair and I will giggle with glee like she did on that 70 mm gun mount in Hanoi with here NVC playmates...

NIGHT OF THE HAND

2006-10-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

One of the first things I learned when I reported aboard ship was that the ship was haunted, yes haunted...Seems a Chief had died during the Korean War and being out at sea they did not have any place to put his body...His family wanted his body home instead of the traditional burial at sea, so they had to put him into the ice cream freezer.

As a result, The chief haunted the ship cause it seems he had in his will to be buried at a sea if the time came, his wife wanted otherwise.

Anyway one night in November 1972 on our third tour of duty one of the Deck officers was down in the office in the number 5 hold doing his paper work...As he typed his report the lights flicked off...Now, lights on board a ship that was 25 years old were of the old toggle switch designed, meaning they had to be turned by hand to turn them off.

As he reached up to turn on the light, he felt the icy hand of death grab it and hold it tight...He wrenched his hand loose and literally flew up 5 decks to the main deck...He said he felt the icy hands clutching at his heels as he climbed the ladder.

When He got to the main deck he sat down on his butt, crossed himself and said a few prayers....He was the ships Chaplain.....and he never went back down to the hold again...They had to send some guys down to get his stuff and transfer his office above decks....There reports...One guy was as white as sheet and the other hands was shaking...

We had a special mass to say prayers for the chief or who ever it was down there....it didn't work...But more on that in another story,,,:p

CONDOMS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE QUARTERDECK

2006-10-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Announced on the IMC to everyone on board.

The officer of the deck would add this little caveat when ever we would pull into a foreign port, like Hong Kong, Subic, Japan, etc...But he once raised a lot of eyebrows and caused a lot of questions to be asked, when he announced CONDOMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON THE QUARTERDECK! Sexual disease tests will be available upon return to the ship in the Pharmacists mates cabin.

There was only one problem...We were in Concord (San Francisco) Our home base and we had several hundred wives and family members and guests aboard.

Oh the looks and questions...Oh boy...

ROAST BEEF AGAIN

2006-10-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

Yes roast beef served 22 different ways each week while underway...Yankee Pot Roast, Southern Roast, Pot Roast, New York Roast...And bitch bitch bitch....Roast Beef again, so we would change...Liver and onions (I hated that, Hell I hated cooking it) Rabbit (They swore it was rabbit but it looked like tiny little people sometimes) and then of course Lobster...

Lobster that you could easily use as a dangerous weapon...Of course it was Lobster Tails no whole lobsters, only admirals got the live stuff (well we had an admiral on board but his chopper crashed so he was stuck with us)

Then they would bitch if we didn't have Roast Beef for Midrats (4th meal of the day served at midnight)...Seems everyone loved roast beef sandwiches, but only at night, only for watch and we never had any left.

We could put out sliced ham, Bologna and three types of fresh cheeses, but the roast beef always got eaten and if we did not serve it they bitched.

Why, I don't know...I guess it was just the principle of the thing....I mean roast beef 22 times a week...But as I told one complainer we served eggs every morning for breakfast, why don't you complain about that...He responded by saying he did not eat eggs so it did not matter to him...Funny thing, I must have cooked 500 dozen eggs a voyage and never ate one....I hate eggs too, but I love roast beef....

The moral of this story is...

STOP THE DAMN SHIP FROM ROCKING

2006-10-19T13:54:00.000-07:00

Or how to mess up the captains aim while he is on the hello flight deck shooting clay pigeons....

Oh yeah...:p

MAN OVERBOARD!

2006-10-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

A drill we practiced for but hoped it would never happen...Well one day it did...And it was on purpose....Seems one of the guys back on number 4 hold was up on the bomb loads with another standing ready with straps to hook up the loads when they were ready to transfer to the other ship along side....

Suddenly the ship took a roll and the load already in the air swung back and hit the loads they were on knocking them off balance....The guy had two choices...Allow the loads to fall on him and most likely crush him or go into the water....He looked around in a split second and saw a tin can (destroyer) off in the distance and decided right then and there he would rather get wet, so he jumped....

As soon as we had mustered on deck for roll call, the tin can had him safely on board and about an hour later he came back aboard via bosons chair from the other ship, cheering as he came over the rail, yelling at the top of his lungs..."I got the mail, I got the mail, I went swimming and got the mail"...He also brought two movies, a load of ice cream and 20 pounds of pot for the officers (remember an officer was supposed to be above such things, so they did them)

New Navy Ship Being Built With WTC Steel

2006-10-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

New Navy Ship Being Built With WTC Steel - and It Survived Hurricane Katrina

NEW YORK Apr 3, 2006 (AP)— With a year to go before it even touches the water, the Navy's amphibious assault ship USS New York has already made history twice. It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center, and it survived Hurricane Katrina.

That combination of disasters gives the ship a unique standing among the 500 or so Avondale, La., shipyard workers building it, said Tony Quaglino, a crane superintendent who postponed retirement to have a hand in the New York's construction.

"I think Katrina made us more aware of the tragedy in New York," said the 66-year-old Quaglino. "One was manmade, one was natural, but they're both a common bond."

USS New York is about 45 percent complete and should be ready for launch in mid-2007. Katrina disrupted construction when it pounded the Gulf Coast last summer, but the 684-foot vessel escaped serious damage, and workers were back at the yard near New Orleans two weeks after the storm.

The ship was an impetus for many of the yard's thousands of workers to return to the job, even though hundreds lost their homes, Quaglino and others said.

Northrop Grumman employed 6,500 at Avondale before Katrina. Today, roughly 5,500 are back on the job, working on the New York and three other vessels. More than 200 employees who lost their homes to Katrina are living at the shipyard, some on a Navy barge and others in bunk-style housing.

"Their dedication and devotion to duty has been, to say the least, epic," Philip Teel, a vice president for Northrop Grumman Corp. and head of its ship systems division, told a Navy League dinner audience in New York on March 22.

"It sounds trite, but I saw it in their eyes," Teel said in a separate interview. "These are very patriotic people, and the fact that the ship has steel from the trade center is a source of great pride. They view it as something incredibly special. They're building it for the nation."

USS New York is the fifth in a new class of warship designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1800575

Medal-winning pilot mustered for three wars dies

2006-10-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

ARLINGTON, Va., April 14, 2006 – Six Medal of Honor recipients and the Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights, were among those gathered at Arlington National Cemetery here yesterday to pay their last respects to retired Army Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. "Mike" Novosel, a Medal of Honor recipient and former Golden Knight. 82d Medical Detachment, 45th Medical Company, 68th Medical GroupPlace and date: Kien Tuong Province, Republic of Vietnam, 2 October 1969 Entered service at: Kenner, Louisiana. His long History can be found

2006-10-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

You didn't know it was all women shooting at you I bet....

It has been revealed that during the Tet Offensive of 1967, one squad of 24 VC we're all young woman.

During Tet this 24 woman squad took pot shots at guys swimming in bomb craters hitting several. It was revealed that this same squad took part in active snipping and sapper attacks on the 24th ID.

After the war the NVA awarded the survivors of this special squad the Vietnam Medal Of Valor.

Those survivors today, are scattered through the country, many having families after the war. It might not be an uncommon question in the Vietnam of today for their grandchildren to ask..."What did you do in the war Grandma?"

This young ladies name was Vo Thi Mo. Her home was destroyed by US forces when she was 15, thus fueling her hatred of us.

Her first VC assignment was as a spy working in the US 25th ID's headquaters division.

After that she became commander of the all woman VC C-3 company.

Story is from Decembers Edition of Vietnam Magazine, by Kelly Bell.

2006-10-17T18:43:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine just got benefits for Agent Orange...He actually didn't want it but his own doctors referred him, so he got 40%....they immediately sent more documentation so he can get at least 80%.

He was a Medic with the 4ID and got sprayed...twice...But he never complained....he just developed problems that got worse and worse, so his doctors said enough.

How many people have you heard of that that didn't want the benefits due them...not many i wager...

2006-10-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

How to piss off an Admiral

In October 72 we were behind the USS Chicago an 8 inch gunned Cruiser with missiles several 5"50 flash less gun mounts and some some old obsolete 3 inch pea shooters like we had.

Anyway we were about 1/2 mile behind her as we were moving up the Vietnamese coastline off of Quan Tre' The lookouts reported that they could see a puff of smoke billow up from the Chicago and some flames. It appeared that the VC had launched a Sam missile at the ship which scored a hit on one of the old 3 inch mounts.

But that didn't matter...The VC had the audacity to attack the Admirals ship...He ordered and fired a full 9 gun 8 inch response to take out the missile emplacement. A few seconds later we saw a small puff on the beach and then a roar as about 20 missiles and small arms ammunition went up in a mini mushroom cloud. We could hear every one on the Chicago cheering so we joined in.

2006-10-17T18:42:00.002-07:00

December 25, 1971, while on Yankee station rearming Tin Cans, cruisers and a couple of carriers.

The Captain called down and said we had a can due along side that had been shooting for over 11 hours and needed a quick meal...So I had the mess cooks come up join the other cooks and we made over 400 hundred sandwiches for them...We also sent over 10 gallons of ice cream and all of their Christmas mail...Sure made their day.

2006-10-17T18:42:00.001-07:00

DAMN, I NEVER GET TO SHOOT

Sorry its to expensive...

My weapon after I became a cook was a Heracles's hand held missile firing platform...All you had to, was put the missile in, take off the cover, point it and the heat sensors would go after the heat source of whatever you were shooting at hopefully a jet or something of that nature, the fore runner of today's stingers.

Anyway, I never got to shoot it...Each missile cost about $300,000 and they didn't want to waste them....Personally, now that I have had years to reflect, I think they were actually concerned that if we aimed wrong, the damn thing would come back at us and blow us up.

2006-10-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

THE WEST END CLUB

Why was it called the West End Club, because it was on the west end of Olangapole...Anyway it was famous for the Filipino Fire dance....What was the Fire Dance?

It is where a young lady or woman strips naked and then gets on top of the bar...They then paste long strips of toilet paper and others assorted flammable paper items to various parts of her body, especially to her breasts and Pubic area.

Then as she dances around they light all of the paper on fire and she dances until the fire burns off most of the paper or till she throws it off, the object being is that everyone in the bar is betting drinks on how close she will allow the fire to burn to her skin, or neither regions.

Another favorite sport was having the ladies dancing nude on the stage stick Brown San Miguel Beer up there, well lets just say use your imagination, and shake it around rather vigorously, and when they were done offer it back to the onlookers, slightly warmed up and a bit frothy.

No comments as to the taste or objectiveness's of this whole exercise, than to say, You had to have been there...

Yes sir, The West End Club, just south of the Jungle, and no not that type of jungle...That's another story...;)

2006-10-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

ABANDON SHIP DRILL

You know you are screwed when you have a fire drill and they give out the following coordinates so you know how far you have to go before you survive...

Miles to nearest land, 1200 miles to Guam, 4,200 to Hawaii, and 1700 miles to the Philippines.

Depth of water, 26,000 feet over the Marina Trench.

No swells, no wind for sails, no rain, no clouds and temp in the shade 105, humidity, 100% and dew point 80%.

You might as well as go down with the ship, damn...

2006-10-17T18:38:00.000-07:00

SWIM CALL!!!!

NO WAY IN HELL...am I going to go swimming in water snake, gook infested water...Good said he, take a 50 caliber and shoot anything that comes near to the swimmers...Cool said I...

We were 25 miles off of Cambodia in the same waters that the Miaguerz was taken during the Carter years.

Some guys put a fishing line over the side to see what they could catch...After a couple a hours they pulled it up to find most of the fish stripped of there flesh to the bone...No I was not going to go swimming in the water...

Never did get to shoot anything either, darn it...