Your best moment in the military.
USS Tarawa pulls into Hong Kong....takes up a Mooring Buoy adjacent to the China Fleet Club. Me and the XO having a Cup of Coffee in his State Room....when is heard over the 1-MC...."Captain to the Bridge.....Captain to the Bridge!".
The Engines had been Rung Off, Port Watch Stations Set. Crew getting ready for Liberty.
XO drops his Cup...sez "Follow Me!"....and off like Hares we go to the Bridge and arrive just as does the Captain.
The newest Ensign aboard....who had the Watch...looks at the Captain and says...."The Morring Buoy has parted its Anchor Chain....we are underway without power and are drifting down on the Sterrett (Guided Missile Cruiser)...Engine Room is responding to Bells....I have given Helm Orders to maintain our heading!".
The Fantail Watch Stander on the Tarawa could have shaken Hands with the Bow Watch on the Sterrett....but the ships did not touch.
As the Skipper was stood there in his Y-Fronts and tee shirt....he probably could have used those infamous Brown Corduroy Trousers Sailors talk of so much.
Young Ensign rose to the occasion...did all the right things....saved his Captain's Career...and made himself a very good friend in the Skipper that day.
If you think Train Wrecks happen in Slow Motion....Ship Wrecks really take time!
I saw a Navy Captain contemplating life as a Retired Commander for a bit there that day.....even though it was not his fault what happened. At the time all he said was "Well Done! I have the Conn!".
The Engines had been Rung Off, Port Watch Stations Set. Crew getting ready for Liberty.
XO drops his Cup...sez "Follow Me!"....and off like Hares we go to the Bridge and arrive just as does the Captain.
The newest Ensign aboard....who had the Watch...looks at the Captain and says...."The Morring Buoy has parted its Anchor Chain....we are underway without power and are drifting down on the Sterrett (Guided Missile Cruiser)...Engine Room is responding to Bells....I have given Helm Orders to maintain our heading!".
The Fantail Watch Stander on the Tarawa could have shaken Hands with the Bow Watch on the Sterrett....but the ships did not touch.
As the Skipper was stood there in his Y-Fronts and tee shirt....he probably could have used those infamous Brown Corduroy Trousers Sailors talk of so much.
Young Ensign rose to the occasion...did all the right things....saved his Captain's Career...and made himself a very good friend in the Skipper that day.
If you think Train Wrecks happen in Slow Motion....Ship Wrecks really take time!
I saw a Navy Captain contemplating life as a Retired Commander for a bit there that day.....even though it was not his fault what happened. At the time all he said was "Well Done! I have the Conn!".
I was once lit up by the Sterrett's fire control radar ... while I was delivering some material via VERTREP.
It was the CWIS.
Luckily, the firing key was not enabled. I promise you, it was a bit spooky to watch that little robot tracking me ... would have ended in tears were the key "on" versus "off."
My Officer in Charge had a quiet word with the XO of Sterrett the following day. Seems their pre-VERTREP checklist was not quite followed that day ...
Hehe, China Fleet Club/Hong Kong. Memories indeed!
It was the CWIS.
Luckily, the firing key was not enabled. I promise you, it was a bit spooky to watch that little robot tracking me ... would have ended in tears were the key "on" versus "off."
My Officer in Charge had a quiet word with the XO of Sterrett the following day. Seems their pre-VERTREP checklist was not quite followed that day ...
Hehe, China Fleet Club/Hong Kong. Memories indeed!
I played the "Drunken Sailor" routine in Hong Kong a few times....and would have won an Oscar for my performance. Twas there doing Drug Suppression Operations in concert with the Hong Kong Police.
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SaS
"I saw a Navy Captain contemplating life as a Retired Commander for a bit there that day.....even though it was not his fault what happened. At the time all he said was "Well Done! I have the Conn!"."
As they say "tea and medals" come later
I bet the Ensign got a good report out of that one !
"I saw a Navy Captain contemplating life as a Retired Commander for a bit there that day.....even though it was not his fault what happened. At the time all he said was "Well Done! I have the Conn!"."
As they say "tea and medals" come later
I bet the Ensign got a good report out of that one !
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If you're describing the 80's (84?) HK visit, SASless some of my colleagues were entertained very well on board, thank you (I was on duty so couldn't go) your "drunken sailor routine" probably caused little offence as US servicemen were conspicuously better behaved than our own. Around that time two (I'm not making this up) Scottish Squaddies nicked a rifle and tried to hijack a Cathay airliner at Kai Tak!
As for drug suppression, I remember well the exasperated fury of a Police colleague at that time having requested RN surveillance of a drug boat which they instead boarded and seized. Result ; two year investigation down tubes for three hapless deckhands
As for drug suppression, I remember well the exasperated fury of a Police colleague at that time having requested RN surveillance of a drug boat which they instead boarded and seized. Result ; two year investigation down tubes for three hapless deckhands
If you have any friends who were Hong Kong Police....ask them if they ever made a Liaison visit to Subic Bay. If they admit to it....tell them the Beer is on them or you will tell everyone about a place called Marilyn's II in Subic City and how much the British Hong Kong Police enjoyed the place.
Yes.....there is a story to be told.
In Court one morning in Hong Kong....elbow in my ribs....whispered in my ear..."I say Mate....it is the wee small brown chap in the Red Jumper!"....as I was supposed to Identify the Drug Dealer we had done a "Buy Bust" deal with in the early hours of the morning. I had long since ceased acting the "Drunken Sailor".
Yes.....there is a story to be told.
In Court one morning in Hong Kong....elbow in my ribs....whispered in my ear..."I say Mate....it is the wee small brown chap in the Red Jumper!"....as I was supposed to Identify the Drug Dealer we had done a "Buy Bust" deal with in the early hours of the morning. I had long since ceased acting the "Drunken Sailor".
OLD RED DAMASK
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SLR with an LMG mag. Now there was a rifle!
Seem to recall that match turned it from semi auto to full auto, not that I tried it
Yes a Captain with the **/** a Geordie regiment did that. He and his guys were ambushed whilst performing a covert VCP in a transit van (acting like IRA) when they were jumped by the IRA. Said Captain emptied two mags on auto. The report was filed. Along with that and his idea and implementation of cementing two Z298 (? memory fails me if that is the right set, man pack radar with an acoustic warning) radars into the chimney's on the roof at Belcoo, and a couple of GPMG's with Chieftain solenoids, which were operated from the Ops room which I rigged up (he did kill a few cows btw), said GPMG's aimed across the border.Unfortunately prompted HQ at Lisburn to post him away from the regiment for being too aggressive and causing too much trouble. He was a soldier's soldier and a great officer.
Did a 2 year tour and 2x4 month ones over there.
