Welcome to the Meadville324 Blog. This is only the Entry point of the Blog. To see All Posts, Click on the 2009 (3) at the lower right below the Falgout Plaque Logo under "Blog Archive". This will give you the option of going to the 2nd post or 3rd post as well. They are just long pages of comments from shipmates. When they get too long, I start a new page. Pictures are at the bottom of each page.
Kent
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I made it so we can post anonymous now, so unless we start getting a lot of spam or interlopers, we can keep it that way to make it easy for our guys to post. Just select anonymous and it will let you post.
ReplyDeletekent
This is Jim Bradford reporting for duty, request permission to come aboard!!
ReplyDeleteGreat, it is working. I see that when using the anonymous log on, it is important to always sign your name so we know who is speaking.
ReplyDeleteIf a person signs up for a free google account, then it will put your name above your post each time.
The Comcast email server is down, so I have no email this morning.
kent
Note to Jim Bradford: Were you not the one that dove and recovered the helm in Mauai? I distinctly remember ole GMG1 Jones telling the story of you coming up after tying a line to the helm on the bottom??
ReplyDeleteKent Henson
Lee Danner sent me this quite a while ago, a good Guam story when we were there in 1965 getting our sonar dome fixed. I hope he doesnt mind me sharing this with you.
ReplyDeleteLee's story follows:
USS Falgout had stopped at Guam on the way to the great Asian war in the early spring of 1965. It seemed like a tropical paridise. Abundant sun, light warm sea breeze and the monotony of the surface of the greasy slick Western Pacific only broken by the long low swell. After my one and only North Pacific cruise of the previous winter, it was as going to heaven.
Falgout had a new capt., Lcdr. Greff, for the most part a good crew and a welcomed change of scenery. Looking back I sort of pity those sailors that spent their entire enlistment making the picket tour between Hawaii and the Aleutians. Especially under the command of the likes of Falgouts infamous M.J.B.
The ship had been at Guam a week or so. In and out of drydock, and tied alongside a pier that was as convienient a berth as could be had in that remote port. I was in the duty section along with another scullery (maid)mate and two other non-rated buddies from engineering(snipes). Late one evening we decided if liberty ashore with the usual drunken stupor was not available, we would seek entertainment aboard in the form of a swim party. We mustered on the foc'sl deck out of view of the quarterdeck watch and began our unauthorized fun. Diving from the peak of the bow, swimming in the warm brine of Apra bay. After a short while, Ensign Carmen appeared from one of the forward light traps and asked shyly if we were supposed to be carrying on in such an un-military fashion. Someone replied "I don`t think so, but you're welcome to join us". Carmen was not in the watch section, he just happened to be aboard. By God, he stripped to his skivvies and dove in! There may have been a sentry posted on the foc'sl. If so, he only stood by and enjoyed the show. As luck would have it the quarterdeck was alerted by the merryment, and the messenger sent forward to investigate. He advised us on deck, myself and two others waiting our turn to dive to clear out before the officer of the watch came up. We did, and made it to our quarters safely. The others scattered like rabbits and weren`t seen until morning. At the next morning muster I was surprised to be called from the ranks by the division officer and told to report to the wardroom at a specific time. I didn`t have to be told what for. At the appointed hour I arrived in a timely fashion to find two of my swim mates already waiting. The two who had been with me on the deck. We were called in one at a time. There sat Capt. Greff and another stern looking officer. It may have been Lt. Albright the XO. Capt. Greff began by announcing that I had broken the rules, it was not a formal discipline action, but he wanted it understod that this kind of skylarking reflected badly on the ship as a whole, and he expected a keen military bearing especially in full view of the rest of the fleet present. While in the duty section at that! As the interview evolved, It became apparent that his real interest was in finding out who the officer among our party was. Not so much the other enlisted men. How he found out about an officer(Ensign Carmen) must have been reported by the quarterdeck messenger. No name just an officer. This vexed Capt. Greff considerably. Capt. sir, I replied to his question of who. "Yes there were others present, but they were not in our group, I don`t know their names. If an officer were present I didn`t see him." This same question was put into various wordings to induce a contradiction I suppose. But I held firm even tho fearing the worst of punishment, remembering the real or imagined wrath of former Capt. M.J.B
It didn`t take long. Maybe fifteen minutes from opening question to final decision. The good captain said something to the effect, "I appreciate your loyalty, but I do not appreciate and will not tolerate infractions of ships regulations. Off the record you are confined to the ship, loss of liberty for three days." The other two got the same. To my knowledge Ensign Carmen was never discovered as a participant.
I would like to think good Capt. Greff went back to his cabin satisfied. Smiling to himself and thinking "these goofy kids". I returned to my space thinking "we`re lucky to have a so good and fair commander".
My Guam story doesnt have any good intentions or moral, other than "dont
ReplyDeleteswim in Apra Harbor".......Maybe this is the reason I dont remember your
story because we were afraid of repercussions the next day as well and
kept a low profile. Nick Weaver and I and somebody else I dont
remember were over at the EM club that same trip and got bored with
drinking night after night, and decided to go back to the ship, so we
acted like we were going to steal some motorcycles and thus got a free
ride back with the shore patrol. When we got back, Nick wanted to dive
off the SIGNAL BRIDGE into the harbor.....and he did, with a giant war
whoop!! Several times!! I chickened out and dove off the main deck port
side and declared I was going to swim to the other side of the
harbor....needlessly to say the beer wore off in about 75 strokes and I
barely made it back to the side where they had a jacobs ladder waiting
for me, I was so exhausted, my arms wouldnt lift me high enough to get
my feet in the jacobs ladder and I was getting weaker all the time. I
think somebody lowered the ladder some more so the end was in the water,
and I finally made it up on deck very sober and relieved not to have
drowned. The next year, a kid from the Lowe (DER 325) did the same
thing and all they found of him was a tibia, a foot and a tennis
shoe.......a shark or barracuda got him....... A shudder went down my
spine as I read the messge....
Keith Throckmorton just sent this and wanted to try to copy it to a post on the blog. Here goes:
ReplyDeleteFrom Keith:
46 years ago today, April 5, 1963, I graduated from USNTC Bainbridge Radioman "A" School Class 8-63. I had 3 weeks leave then on my way to the Falgout. Little did I know what was ahead........
USNTC Bainbridge was no more in 1976. Closed for good. It is history but had a great history going back to 1942. It was named for Commodore William Bainbridge. Prior to that it had been the Campus of Tome School for Boys. It was also the location of NAPS, the Naval Academy Prep School.
Today, Bainbridge is remembered by a strong USNTC Bainbridge Association. I am a member and a member of the renunion committee. Our reunion will be help in October in Norfolk not far from here.
A special time in my life.
Keith
Hi Shipmates,
ReplyDeleteI was reading about he Guam story, That was quite interesting. I lived on Guam for about 2.5 years I was working for Raytheon as a senior field engineer, This was in the later part of the 80's and early 90's. I was working at the tracking site on Andersen Air force base. I was working directly with the Navy all CT types. It was just me and two technicians.
From working with the Navy again it had changed too much for me. I liked it much better when we were in. Your are right about the harbor in Guam. When I was there a couple Japnese toursist had eaten some raw fish they caught and they died. There were all kinds of warning signs posted do not eat the fish and no swiming. I have some stuff from the old Falgout days if I can find it I will try and figure out how to post here.
Hey Guys!
ReplyDeleteI'm a little more open to this blog than I was trying to figure out how to handle e-mail. I went aboard the Falgout in July of 64 and stayed until July of 67. Radioman rating and worked with Keith Throckmorton for a short time before he left. The two radiomen that I have stayed in touch with over the years both passed on, and its good to have others to chat with. Don't have much time to spend keyboarding, so will say good bye for now, but will check in from time to time to see whats happening.
Ken Neufeld
John and Ken were some of my favorites in the radio shack. I know that they have stories to tell. They both had great careers in the time they spent in the Navy and I am proud to contact with them now. We went through the same shit on Falgout and we survived. Kent, I am ready to reproduce DVDs of those years we spent on Falgout as new shipmates come aboard.
ReplyDeleteWe have a great dialogue going regarding those years on Falgout over 45 years a go. Some retired from the Navy while some did not. What has been going on with those that did not retire and went on to other careers. We had a lot of in common during our Falgout years and who knows, maybe after we went our own ways after the Navy. I left the Navy in 1965 and enjoyed a 40 year law enforcement career. I started off as a Virginia State Police Trooper and then spent 35 years with the Fairfax County Virginia Police Department, a major police agency in our country, where I retired. While there, I worked in and supervised most major areas. After retiring and moving here to Hertford, NC, I worked part time as Court Bailiff in Perquimans, Chowan, and Pasquotank Counties. I wanted to work full time one more time. I currently work full time at the Harvey Point, Defense Testing Activity, less than a mile from my home by water on the Albemarle Sound in Hertford, NC. My wife, Patricia, is a registered nurse and audits agencies for Medicaid fraud. She is also a published author of "The Adventures Of Ish And Parr" a wonderful children's book. Between the both of us we have many children and grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteKeith had some 8mm film (remember film??)that he had converted to a DVD and he has been sending copies to old Falgout'eers as contacted. I will try to get some more made soon to send him so he can distribute them to new arrivals.
ReplyDeleteGuess it must have been the second picket cruise in 64 for this story. The first cruise I spent two weeks either lying in the rack or thinking about jumping overboard from seasickness. The only thing that saved me was the cook at mid-rats giving me saltines with tons of peanut butter on it. He knew once I got it down it was never coming back up. Anyway it was a Sunday and I got order to go up to the bridge and report to the officer of the deck. Don't remember his name but told me they needed the "key to the captain's sea chest". And that I should go down to 1st Div. and see First Class Bricker who soon was to be made Chief. Well I proceeded down to 1st Div. asked for Bricker and there he was fast asleep in the rack. Well I was on a direct ordered mission so I started wakeing him up. After coming around he asked what the hell I wanted and I told him. As the words were coming out of my mouth all I could make out from the roar coming back from Bricker was "you want f---king what". Well I scurried back aft to B-2 engine room hoping that was the one place he'd never find me. I think eventually I did end up spending a couple of hours in the paint locker. Never did find that key though.
ReplyDeleteBob Kelly EN3
Good story Bob........I can identify with it, my first picket, I was sick as a dog, didnt think I would ever get over it, took a few days and a lot of soda crackers.
ReplyDeleteOn a sad note, an update on Bricker. He had GCT/ARI combo scores almost in the genius range, highest I ever saw for a BM. It was a "closed" rating, so it still took a long time to make rate until the Vietnam War came along.
As you may remember, he retired as soon as he could after making BMC, a couple of years at most. He went back home to Indiana where he had an ailing mother, in a town not too far from where my wife was from, so we visited them one time in 1970 I think it was.
Anyway, in 1977 as we were leaving Hawaii, we were visited by ENC BOVEE's wife our last night on the island, she had flown in from the West Coast. BOVEE had made E-9, but shortly before this he died of a brain tumor. Anyway, she informed us that Bricker had come home one evening and shot and killed his wife and then just sat down in a chair and waited for his son to come home and call the police. He spent the rest of his life in prison in Indiana. My wife and I were just stunned, as his wife had been a good friend of hers when we were on the Falgout. Bricker was a decent guy when he was sober, but when he was drinking, he could get really nasty.
Kent Henson
I remember the first picket in 64, I was new on board and assigned to mess cook duties. What a pain in the ????. Never got sea sick but that was hard work. My feet were sore all the time from my new boon dockers and carrying that big garbage can back to the fantail to dump with a buddy was work. Especially when the ship was moving in all directions. I can't remember the cooks name, but big blond guy, he was cooking steaks one night and the shipped rolled violently and he dumped the whole gunboat full of steaks on the deck. Then bent over and picked them up and placed them back in the gunboat. I never ate steaks that night, but you guys did! Favor activity was throwing rotten potatoes at the sea gulls and goony birds. Was really glad when my tour of duty in the gally was over.
ReplyDeleteKen Neufeld
Hi Keith, I would love one of those CD's you were talking about! Jim.
ReplyDeleteI remember that cook very well, he's the one who gave me the crackers and peanut butter. He was actually a good guy and good cook. If you were lucky enough to have the mid watch and he was making cherry vanila ice cream for old man Breen, you would get a little taste. Remember Breen and saving the bread loaf wrapers. The worst time with KP duty was working in the spud locker with that stupid peeling machine that never worked. But where else did you learn to eat with one hand holding the fork and the other hand balancing the tray when on Picket Duty in the Straits during February. To think all this stuff is still stored away in our heads after all these years. Kelly-San
ReplyDeleteKen Neufeld's comment on carrying a shitcan in rough weather just gave me a flashback to those rough winter pickets when the stern would come OUT of the water and vibrate like crazy before slamming back down, and it reminds me of a story.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been about my 2nd or 3rd patrol, about 5 days out, I remember it was my last pair of wife-ironed dungarees, and that was always a sad day, like parting again........I was a newlywed at the time. It was rough as hell and I had gotten all cleaned up and dressed and was coming through the chow line for breakfast, got my eggs and bacon and oatmeal and milk and just as I was nearing the entrance to the engine room there on the messdecks, the ship lifted up in back and rolled very steeply to port, I quickly sat my tray down on a mess table and clamped it down with my finger tips under the table, the ship hung forever, then came back upright and I leaned, anticipating a roll the other way, but it fell back the SAME way and I went under the mess table to port along with my tray, broken crockery and oatmeal, milk, several runny eggs, etc.........I was a mess, had to go back and start all over getting dressed, this time in wrinkled ole shipboard washed dungarees!! Leaving the messdecks with all the old DER salts laughing and pointing was really embarrassing!!
Kent Henson
To Kent Henson:
ReplyDeleteI want to thank you, you probably don't even remember, but just before my tour was over in 67 I came up to see you about re upping. You didn't have time to talk with me, so I went on my merry way. Got out and went to work for NCR the old National Cash Register Co. and worked for them in various capabilites for 33 years. Retired when I was 55 and have been having a blast since. Have ridden my motorcycle over 100,000 miles since I retired. My wife and I live on a farm in KAnsas and are planning our next trip to California and then across this great nation with the Run for the Wall motorcycle organization. Planning on seeing Keith and his wife when back on the east coast in May/June. Plan on 7000 or so miles. Then home for a few weeks then plan on heading out to Alaska. Enough about myself, and hopefully will share more memories next blog.
Ken Neufeld
Ken, Thanks accepted but not by ME. I am sure you have me mixed up with PN2 Creasey who spent most of his time turning away anything that looked like it might mean more work for him, he was always "busy". In fact one evening someone like you came up there for help and he turned them away and I had had it up to here with his attitude so I blew up and took him to task over it and we almost got in a fight.
ReplyDeleteAs a Personnelman, he was in charge of enlisted records, and as a Yeoman, I was in charge of officer records, so I would not have been the one that turned you away unless I told you that you would have to see Creasy, as I was not permitted to work with enlisted reenlistments.
But it worked out well in the end for you and for that I am glad.
Kent Henson
Kent:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification. All this time I had been thinking you were responsible. Well it has been 42 years, memory isn't as good as it used to be. I don't even remember Creasy. Guess he didn't make much of an impact on me.
The guys had been mentioning the event when Capt. Greff ran into the ammo piers. I remember than one very well, the only thing I don't remember is our sister ship that we changed bows with. Was it the Newell? Does anyone remember?
Ken Neufeld
Hey Ken, I just noticed something else about your post on the guy in ships office turning you away in 1967. I left the ship in October 1965, so it wasnt me or Creasy either one as he left in 1964. It was one of those other "feather merchants" (grin).......seriously I always hated that attitude amongst people that were supposed to serve the crew. In your case it worked out for the best though.
ReplyDeleteIt was the Haverfield (DER 393) that we exchanged bows with. We used to call her the HaverGout for a few months afterward. I was going to do a post on that last night, it was quite an experience. I was on the bridge as a phone talker standing next to the Captain and the XO when it happened. I think I have an old email that I sent to Keith Throckmorton a couple of years ago that I can paste onto this site.
Kent Henson
Hitting the pier on Ford Island.
ReplyDeleteRemember we had been ordered in from our northern barrier patrol early by an emergency movement order to conduct a change of command, refuel, rearm, and form up a task unit of 4 DER's and head for Vietnam as quickly as possible.
We needed repairs to the main engines as always so the ship was "cold-iron" the whole inport period and LCDR Greff did not even get a chance to get it underway and see how it handled with Breen to guide him as is almost always the case before a change of command. He had always been in steam-driven ships that had 60,000 shaft hp instantly available, ahead or astern, at the turn of a valve wheel in main control. On Falgout, we had a tenth of that, 6,000 shaft horsepower total from the old Fairbanks locomotive diesel engines that had to be stopped completely, and then restarted in REVERSE, which took about a minute and a half, IF there was enough air built up in the air banks. You had to plan a LONG way ahead to get your backing bell on a DER.
I will have to finish this in another post as it was refused, probably too many words.
See continuation below.
Kent Henson
This is a continuation of the story about hitting the pier at Ford Island.
ReplyDeleteThe XO Albright had had his ass chewed out by LCDR Breen in front of the bridge crew on the way out of Adak about 30 days before for saying something regarding shiphandling to Breen while he had the conn. Breen read him out like a seaman deuce. I was standing right beside him when it happened, it was embarrasing.
This further set the stage for this unfortunate incident that happened to a really good skipper. Greff was going way too fast for a DER as he approaced the pier (he was used to the quick response on the DDG he had just come from), thinking he could back down quickly. The XO, not knowing him yet, (and because of his recent ass-chewing experience probably) was reluctant to say anything to him until it was too late. Greff ordered an emergency backing bell but it just never came and we hit the pie going about 7 knots I think it was.
When we finally got moored, he came down to the ship's office and asked for the JAG Manual to see what kind of reports we had to make. He said, "they are going to hang me for this." I felt so bad for him.
But contrary to that, I also witnessed a short while later, his bosses, the Commodores from CortRon 5 and from DesFlot 5, both came aboard and this crusty ole four-striper put his arm around Greff's shoulders and said, "Don't worry Clarence, we are going to make this go away, we will smoothe things out." And they did.
In fact they had the bow replaced and we were underway the next day before the sun had set!! And we made it all the way to Guam before we had to stop for drydocking and more repairs to the sonar dome.
I don't mean to monopolize this forum, but Keith Throckmorton and I have been uncovering old memories for about three years now....it is amazing how the exchanging of stories continues to wake up the old long-dormant brain cells !!
Long-winded Henson
Do you remember that we also had a huge hole in one of our rudders that we also had repaired in Guam! Jim.
ReplyDeleteI remember a cupple of times when we would run over a fishing net at night and we would be dragging this mile long net behind the ship and I had to go down and cut the net off around the prop shafts, that got me into SCUBA diving and I still do it today and love it! Jim.
ReplyDeleteyes, indeed, I remember you being the ship's unofficial diver. That seemed awful brave to me. Diving in the open ocean and if somebody accidentally turned over the screws, sharks, etc......whew!
ReplyDeleteKent
I remember, so well, the time we struck the pier at Ford Island. It had been a quick change of command and LCDR(then)Greff had not had the opportunity to skipper Falgout. I was in radio central on the O2 level, amid ship, directly below the captains cabin and bridge. There were no port holes and due to the very slow speed, there was no sensation of movement. All seemed toatlly still until we struck the pier. What a strange feeling to feel no movement and then abruptly stop.
ReplyDeleteKent is mailing the DVDs that were made from 8mm movies I made between 1963 and 1965. The conversions were made in 2006. There is some deterioration from age but there is still approximately 1 and 1/2 hours of great memories. Bob and Jim, I will get them off to you as soon as I receive them. If any of you know of other Falgout shipmates, that we do not know of, Kent and I will be most happy to send them a copy. Wishing you and yours a most happy and joyful Easter. Keith
Posted a drawing done for the ship's Sat Nite newspaper by RMSN/3/2 Dougherty (Red Dawg). He was a talented sketch artist. I am sure everyone remembers the hours we spent removing useless brackets....!!
ReplyDeleteKent Henson
Kent, those shots are Great ! What is not great is the fact that none of us look that young anymore. I just turned 66. Speaking of mess cooking, when I reported to the mess deck to mess cook, the Mess deck MAA was Floss,EN2. He was a obeise individual with a bad attitude. He was smart however in the fact that he mad second class in minimum time and I understood that he was only 19 when he made it. I never knew what happened to him as I went to Chiefs quarters as their mess cook. I understood that he recommended me for that. A GREAT assignment !
ReplyDeleteI remember one time in Pearl, Red Dawg painted a shirt I used to ware when on the beach, it was a surfer riding a wave at night holding up a lantern and for a board it was a "jar head" and under the picture it said "Midnight Surfer" (loved that shirt)!! Jim.
ReplyDeleteGot the other Red Dawg sketch cleaned up and it is posted below. I notice he misspelled your name Ken............but I always loved this cartoon. Hello to REd Dawg wherever you are !
ReplyDeletekent Henson
PAINT DISPOSAL !!
ReplyDeleteBroussard and I were getting ready for zone inspection and Eller tied us up doing some kind of paperwork for him, so we were late getting started, Broussard had gotten some haze gray, white and pea green paint from the paint locker that morning in open pots with brushes of course. We had some touchup to do on the borders, the bulkheads and in the overhead on some lagging I think. I know we needed to paint those hateful borders along the edge of the tile, again, the only ship I ever saw that did that, filled and painted those damn borders along the tile edges, but I have to admit, you couldn't hide any dirt in the cracks, cause there weren't any cracks........anyway I digress.
It got to the point where we were gonna be painting late at night, and it would barely be dry by the next morning for inspection, and of course now it was too late to turn in the paint pots to the paint locker. We tried to ignore it, but it became clearer to us as the night wore on that we were gonna get done, but we were going to be in trouble trying to hide that damn paint. It was one of those "all interior Zones" inspection where the whole damn ship was gonna be inspected so nobody was gonna let us hide paint in their zone...............plus just having paint outside the paint locker after-hours was practically a capital offense, much less let Breen find it on Zone Inspection!!
This was one of those patrols in summer time where the sea was like slowly undulating jello and sunset was about 21:30... or so.. Anyway, we finally got everything cleaned up and painted sometime after midnight and were ready except for these three half-full paint pots.......
Continued in next post........
kent
completion of PAINT DISPOSAL.....
ReplyDeleteNow, more background.............I guess it was Metzler that was on leave that patrol (remember he was all approved for leave for a patrol, and damned if the Capt didnt draw HIS name for the free leave and the $250!!, what a coincidence??) and they were short of officers, so they made one of the JOOD's a new OOD and let Chief Ross stand some JOOD watches, well, so happens Ross has the damn mid watch................but we didnt know it.
Well, Broussard and I finally decided we would turn out the ships office lights, open the weather deck hatch to port and slip out, close the door, stand there till we kinda got accustomed to the dark and then throw the paint pots as far as we could and just hope to hell none got on the side of the ship (because Broussard was logged out with the paint and brushes!).......... and of course there was no top on them, they were just large vegetable cans from the galley.
Well, we stood there and stood there and the night just got blacker, so finally we crept to the lifeline and I said, On Three, 1, 2, 3..............and we threw the sumbitches as far as we could throw them, and then froze..............damn, all hell broke loose, squawk, squawk, squawk, we had thrown the pots right into a bunch of bedded down GOONEY BIRDS!! ...........the damn signal lamp from the bridge came on and swept around showing the birds in the water and flapping and squawking, and Broussard and I were pinned against the bulkhead alongside a large lifejacket locker, trying to hide from the bridge as they swept the lamp back down the deck and Ross was directing them where to look.........and you could hear him yell for the messenger to come looking down the deck, etc..........to see what was going on..........
We finally got up the nerve to slowly open the hatch to ship's office and slip back in.........then we rolled on the floor dying laughing.....we sat there in the dark till danger was past .......but then we realized that the birds were gonna be covered in paint the next day, and Broussard was logged out with that paint.............
We held our breath for a couple of days, and nothing ever came of it, but you can imagine the fear struck in our hearts when those birds started that squawking! I think Broussard probably made some kinda deal with the paint locker guy to not report our paint pots not being turned in. Everybody liked ole Broussard and would do stuff for him. And Chief Ross as CMAA was tied up leading the Capt around for inspection all day the next day..........whew!!
You almost had to be there!! I can almost relive the terror now!!
On the picture of Broussard, I see the torpedo davit and winch in background, I remember all the hours we spent shining that brass! The day
ReplyDeleteBreen walked off the ship for the last time we were standing there painting the winches haze gray, Breen saw us and then looked the other way! Jim.
Good story Jim ! I am sure there was a lot of satisfaction in painting that davit winch!
ReplyDeleteI am amazed now at all the time we wasted chipping paint off of brass and then shining it. The other thing that used to piss me off was that the shine you could get with the low bidder's Navy polish was not good enough for Breen, you had to buy your own cans of brand name BRASSO from the ships store to get a shine he would accept. And the ship's store was always well stocked with that stuff for us poor stiffs to buy with our meager resources.
Kent
Speaking of brass, how about all that was traded to MarySue in Hong Kong for cleaning, painting and clearing the garbage on the ship. I think they figured out by the second WestPac tour where that brass might be ending up.
ReplyDeleteWe always thought the snips were selling it on the black market for beer money!!!!! Jim.
ReplyDeleteI made a few changes at the beginning of the Blog for clarity. I deleted all the entries regarding Testing, and titled it "See ALL Posts" for simplicity's sake.
ReplyDeletePosted a couple of new pictures also.
If you guys have pictures you want to share, email them to me and I will post them.
Kent Henson
Hey Guys:
ReplyDeleteI still have a copy of Look magazine from 1965 that Kent got the pictures from that are shown below. Can't imagine how many times I have pulled it out to show people.
Does anyone remember the Thanksgiving that we almost sunk tied up to Bravo piers? Can't remember why, but it was a big mess.
Ken Neufeld
Yes, indeed, Ken, I had the duty that day and my wife had planned to come to the big Thanksgiving Dinner until that happened. I can still see ole Vinnecour organizing the eductor crew there in the M&R Div compartment to dewater the engine room. We had taken on a pretty good starboard list, best I remember.
ReplyDeleteI believe Keith Throckmorton has a story on it also as he was on board and I think became part of the dewatering effort.
Kent Henson
Ken, that is amazing you still have the whole magazine from then. I don't think I ever saw it. My wife had cut that picture out, wrote on it and sent it to her Mother back in Indiana. it ended up in her brother's possession for many years until it resurfaced last summer.
ReplyDeleteKent Henson
I sure do remember Falgout sinking while tied to the pier on Thanksgiving. We were on holiday routine and dumb me did not get off the ship fast enough. I remained aboard lounging around in my rack and had planned on going on liberty after noon chow. When the flooded was discovered, all liberty was cancelled and all on board went to work in the flooded engine hole, which included me. I recall looking into the hole and could only see wires and pipes extended above the water level which was above most of the machinery. It was a scary sight to see that. The sound and security watch had somehow missed the occurence until it had become that serious. I never knew what action was taken against whoever it was nor did I ever know who it was. Falgout was to have deployed on patrol but had to be delayed in doing so. Myself and everyone else on board spent the rest of the day in the hole working on what ever we could do. Breen was also down there and on this occasion seemed to appreciate our efforts. He was actually friendly to us. It was a long, sweaty, and tiring day. The BIG lesson I learned from that was if I had liberty, "get off the ship !" and go somewhere. After the water was pumped out, it was most visible from the pier how far the Falgout had gone down.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Kent can explain exactly what valve was involved in making the flood happen.
Keith
Bob Kelly, were you on board by then?? Being an Engineman, you probably know more than the rest of us about it........
ReplyDeleteMy memory of this is fading, all I remember was that "two valve protection" from the sea had been violated when a valve or pump was sent to the tender for overhaul, leaving only one valve in line and it failed and the engine room flooded over a period of time, a LOT more time than the hour in which the S&S watch was supposed to check all spaces. I don't think anyone was ever punished for this incident, or it escapes my memory, if so. In hindsight, it sounds awful fishy. Looking back at morale on board during this period, I would suspect that someone turned the handle on that valve. There was a JAG Manual investigation done, but again there was no responsibility assigned nor was there any punishment that I remember.
Kent
I sent the following story to Kent three years ago. It describes my re-association with Breen after I left the Navy.
ReplyDeleteI was a Virginia State Trooper in the early years of my career. I was assigned to Arlington, County. I was single then and had time on my hands. I had a couple of high school friends that were seniors at the Naval Academy which was not far from Arlington. One of them was Larry Poh. I don't know if you crossed paths with him during your career , but I felt he would be a career officer. Also, Larry and I had been at Bainbridge NTC at the same time. He was in NAPS and I was in RM "A" School. Anyhow, one Sunday afternoon in the spring of 1967 I drove out to the Academy to visit Larry. After the visit, I asked him if he knew Breen which he did. I told Larry that I wanted to drop in on Breen (un-announced) and with that Larry obtained Breen's address and gave it to me. Breen and his family lived in an apartment on campus. I did not know what to expect from him but I just felt the urge and challenge to do it. After all I , like you, had pissed him off one way or another on a number of occasions by disturbing him. Me mostly by knocking on his cabin door on Falgout while routing the boards. I just HAD to do it, if you know what I mean. I knocked on Breen's door. He answered, looked at me, broke into a big smile and said most warmly "You are Keith. You were a radioman on the Falgout". He immediately invited me in, introduced me to his family and insisted that I stay and have supper with them, which I did. He had a lovely family. He seemed to genuinely enjoy my visit and respected the career that I had chosen. He invited me back on several other occasions. He coached one of the youth swim teams at the academy. He wanted me to go to the Army-Navy game with him in the fall but something came up and I didn't go. It may have been work. Eventually as time went on , I lost touch with him. He seemed to truly want me as a friend. I formed this conclusion of Breen. He never spoke of anyone other than his family. I saw him as a very lonely man with no friends other than his family. In looking back, that was obvious by the way he ran Falgout. I don't think he knew how to have friends but deep down wanted too. I have had a number of military friends over the years, both enlisted and commissioned, but I could never imagine any of them running things and treating people like Breen did.
Keith
Don't recall that incident at all. I came on board just after the holidays in 64. Then the next picket cruise I believe was in Feburary. One of the best times to be in the Straits! The snipe that was in charge of the soundings was Roger Chastain, always walking around with his dip stick and rag. I'm really suprised who ever was on watch didn't get put on report. You had to report in to the OOD on the hour.
ReplyDeleteBob Kelly
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI just think that you may be right about Roger Chastain. I had forgotten his name but that rings a bell regarding this incident. Soundings seemed to be his devoted and total life. He did always have a dip stick and rag. Kent, do you remember any disciplines and of whom ? Bob, they probably kept it hush hush to protect the suspect(s) safety. After, Thanksgiving was ruined for many of the crew.
Keith
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteGreat forum you have creatd here Kent. I'm a novice "computer guy", so getting up to speed on posting skills. Some of my lifes fondest memories are of my short (1 year) tour aboard Falgout. Funny how things stick in a twenty year old brain. I hope more Falgouteers, especially of our vintage log onto your blog. I see you saved my Guam incident that I had mentioned a few years back. Capt.Greff is forever my hero on that account.
I was in the starboard light trap foreward when we hit the ammo pier. Mess duty, so in work uniform and out of sight. The deck crew in dress white per usual. I had spare time and was watching the docking. I remember it clearly "we're gonna crash". I put my back to the foreward bulkhead, it was an abrupt stop, but a spongy feel. The fore peak crumpled like an accordian.
Lee Danner
Shipmates,
ReplyDeleteIf all of you recall, they would raffel off in-port basket leave after patrols during our inport period between patrols. I always dreamed of winning but I never did. I did, however, get a weeks "basket leave" and I must say reluctantly from our bosses. It was sometime in 1964. The Commodores Olympics were held annually. This event was track and field and feats of strength competition among the ships in our flotilla. Some of the events were team events. Breen wanted Falgout in the competition but no one aboard volunteered due to low morale. After no one volunteered to compete, he offered a weeks basket leave to anyone that entered and won an event. Still, no volunteers. Our division officer came to me and told me I had been "volunteered" to compete in the event. Also, there was also a very muscular black guy, who was also a boxer, named Brown that was volunteered. He was assigned to "M" Division. As no one had volunteered, time was short before the event. They gave us one afternoon off early to go to the YMCA to work out with weights as if that would do any good. Only on Falgout....... Anyhow, Brown and I decided that we would enter the push up competition as a team. Our total score would be the our individual scores combined. We both felt pretty confident about our chances in this event. We waited until last, to see what we had to do to win. It was a piece of cake. I did 100 maybe a few more. Brown did 70 plus. No one was close. We won hands down. When we got back to the ship, we were excited about our leave. Darn if our bosses didn't try and back out of the basket leave promise. I don't think they really expected us to win anything. Anyhow after protesting, Brown and I got our leave. We spent a great week at Ft. Derussy. That was one of my good memories
Keith
It seems like I would remember if anyone was punished for that flooding incident. I know there had to be a JAG Manual investigation of any flooding, and they always resulted in recommendations for (or against) disciplinary action. That report would have been typed by me in the ship's office. Looking back over my experience in later years, it sure seems to me now like it was soft-pedaled if no one got the pinch. Somebody authorized the removal of a critical valve or pump without a blanking plate. And somebody was NOT checking that main engine room every hour as they should have been. Somebody's head would normally have rolled, but for some reason it did not happen, and I just don't remember anything about the results of that investigation as to disciplinary recommendations or if there were any to follow. It tickles my mind that there may have been a couple of Letters of Reprimand, but I wouldn't swear to it.
ReplyDeleteI am disappointed I can't remember for sure as many other incidents are still so clear.
I just had a thought. The skipper, just by virtue of him being the all-responsible Captain, would have also been a Party to the JAG Manual investigation so the investigation would have been done by someone from the Squadron FIVE office, and they typed the report up there, so we may never have known the results if Breen was held responsible.
Dennis Lee is supposed to join the blog this week, maybe he remembers or knew something we didnt.
Kent
Side note on Bricker BMC,
ReplyDeleteThe first week I was aboard i was in deck div. At muster I thought "wow, this is like boot camp" Bricker got nose to nose with seaman Johnson and said... "If you were my kid I'd pinch off your head and crap in the hole" things mellowed out after Sundin had to be rescued off Diamond Head by hellicopter.
Lee Danner
Ft. DeRussy, now there's a fine memory. One of the best Army decisions ever made to build that fort in the middle of Waikiki Beach. All those sunburns we endured just to watch those beautiful bikini clad kanaki women strolling by while sucking down a couple of Primo's. And where else could you get a good steak dinner at the EM club for under $5. Sure was better than hanging out on Shit Street. As Bob Hope would say "thanks for the memories".
ReplyDeleteBob Kelly
I mentioned El Gato to Keith a couple of years ago and he had not heard XO Eller called that. When he asked me about it, I wrote him about this incident.
ReplyDelete(Note: I believe it was Ken Neufeld or John Jolly that discovered that LT J. B. Eller passed away about 10 years ago, age approx 68 years)
I thought most people called him that behind his back. It means "The Cat", he was everywhere, if you were doing something wrong, he was there, and nailed you. He was always roaming the ship at night and early in the mornings when XO's were supposed to be in their bunks.
One of the times I remember well was a Sunday morning when I was second class. It was one of those bleak days, on our way north when no one was about really, after brunch, but before church call, I walked out onto the fantail for a breath of fresh air. As I stood there breathing in, I noticed this IC3 standing farther back on the fantail, and he didn't have his hat on (we were miles from any other ship or land!), so I thought, I am NOT going back there and tell him to get his hat on, so I better get my ass back in the ship before somebody sees me not doing my duty (if you remember, you always had to have a hat on if you were topside in Breen/Eller ship), so I ducked back in the light trap and into M Division compartment and started athwartships toward the ship's office. Here comes El Gato down the ladder and he says, "Henson, I saw that, you went out there and saw that 3rd class without a hat on and you didn't go chew his ass out!!" He then assigned me the punishment to find two people doing something wrong before 1000 each day and chew their ass out and report back to him who they were and what they did, and to not come around and tell him I couldn't find anyone, because there was ALWAYS somebody doing something wrong on the Falgout!!!
He was a character. I actually did it for a few days, but then we got busy and he forgot it. Every once in a while he would remember it and tear into me asking me why I hadn't been out ass-chewing, but somehow we would get off the subject again, and I'd be off the hook. Whew!
That's my short story made long about El Gato....
Kent
Bob, I totally agree with you about Ft. DeRussy. Kent advised me that after Vietnam got to going, Ft. DeRussy became a RR location for those serving in the war and it's use was restricted to such. Kent, please correct me if I am wrong. Another great location for liberty was Bellows AFB on the other side of the island. As with Ft. DeRussy, a nice cabin could be rented at $1.50 a night. The Bellows cabins, on the beach, would accomodate four people. In the DVD I am sending you and Jim, there are shots of me, Wallach ET2, and Robinson, RD2, spending Christmas 1964 there. As I reflect on Falgout days, there were many down days but many, many great days. Christmas 1964 was one of my great memories.
ReplyDeleteKeith
spliting hairs or pesky details,
ReplyDeleteActually the Falgout magazine photos are/were from Life Magazine, August 6, 1965. I have a copy on my desk as I write. The cover is full page foredeck of USS Oklahoma City blazing away with the 8 inch, three to a turret foreward guns.
Best regards, Lee
Another less of a safe haven was the downtown WMCA. I can remember Sweed Larson, Sam Samuelson and myself meeting up with Brown,Burgess,Bellamy and being introduced to Bali Hai wine. After missing the last bus back it was a comfort to know the locker room at the Y was always available as long as you could balance yourself on the bench. The rule was no sleeping on the floor. The Y also had those great music listening rooms where you could check out record albums and just relax and get away from it all.
ReplyDeleteShipmates,
ReplyDelete46 years ago today, by the day and not the date, my trek to Falgout began. On Wednesday, April 24 1963, I define as the worst day in my life not only for my reason above but I had to pass through Treasure Island Naval Station a real "Hell Hole".
My grandfather was born December 25, 1843. My father was born August 23, 1902. I was born March 25 1943. My mother was ten years younger than my father. I was a only child. There was a considerable age difference between me and them. While at RM School, my dad showed signs of serious ill health starting. I requested east coast assignment so I could occasionally go home and see them. I got west coast and Falgout.
On April 24, 1963 I left home for Treasure Island for transport to Falgout. It was a long flight from Friendship Airport (now BWI) in Baltimore to San Francisco. I arrived at Treasure Island late, not feeling well emotionally or physically. There was a seaman MAA on duty at the receiving barracks. He was in charge. It was too late for me to officially check in. Anyhow the guy was an asshole. I noticed some PO's and PO1's apparently under his supervision and doing some floor cleaning and other field day stuff. They were transients as me. I had no sooner walked in the door when he told me that someone was needed for mid-watch in some building and that would be me. By this time, I was dragging but I went in my dress blues to stand the watch. About 0300 someone checked on me and felt that I must be sick. I was relieved and sent to the infirmary with a 102 degree temperature. The next morning I did get to see the fog roll in over Alcatraz. They determined that I had chicken pox and sent me to Oakland Naval Hospital later in the day. The hospital was on the side of a hill and a considerable walking distance from the main road. I was put out on the main road, sea bag and all, and I had to walk up the hill to the hospital. When I finally got there I was ready to pass out. I can not remember a lot as I was so sick. I remember hearing a doctor wanting to know who made me walk up there. He was pissed. My temperature was 104 degrees. I spent four weeks there and they treated me well. I was in a ward to myself. I started hearing stories on how transient petty officers often got into trouble even busted and it was not uncommon for them to actually have to work for SN's assigned there.
Four weeks later I was released from the hospital went back to Treasure Island for transport to Falgout. I was weak and scarred up from the chicken pox. The moment I exited the bus, I was grabbed for all night mess cooking. Still hadn't checked in. Anyhow, myself and four others shucked fifty crates of corn each crate containing five dozen ears of corn. It was into the next morning when we got through. Welcome to Treasure Island....Still hadn't checked in with my orders. To be continued..........
Keith
Keith,
ReplyDeleteI had a simmilar experience at discharge. I was AG2 and treted like a seaman recruit. That was in Seattle, Jan. 1968.
Lee
Thanks Lee.......no wonder I had never been able to find that magazine in the library. My wife told me it was Look, all we had was a torn out page that her Mom saved.
ReplyDeleteI am glad I never had the pleasure of going through a receiving station like you and keith.
Kent
Through out High School I enjoyed photography and had my own dark room at home. So when I decided to join the Navy for many reasons, the main one was because of the photography school. The recruiter of course said no problem you're a High School graduate. Living in NJ I reported to the NY office to be sworn in and shipped off to Great Lakes. However San Diego was closed down for three months, due to a meningitis outbreak, and I had a choice of going to San Diego for boot camp. Well counting ahead 9 weeks from September picking SD instead of Great Lakes was a no brainer. Anyway after boot camp we go to classification and there they assign me to electrician school. So I say what about the photography school I asked for? They say Oh, your recruiter should have signed you up as a "aviation recruit" instead of a "seaman recruit". After two weeks of school myself and 3/4 of the classes are failing because we're all not where we wanted to be nor were promised to be. So the Commander of the school tell us to get out and go back to re-classification. There the personnel guy tells me it was all bullshit and that they needed electricians and everybody is a seamen recruit when they come in. However the only way I would be able to get into photography school was to be assigned to an aircraft carrier and apply from there. Well I already heard the stories about those cables snapping on the flight deck and wanted no part of that. So after I arrive on the Falgout what's the first thing they ask me, would I like to be assigned to the electrical shop! I'm saying to myself what is it that you people don't understand. So instead of taking those naps by the big board in B2 like Zaro, I'm down in B3 cleaning bildges with Wally Powierza yelling at me. A sad after note to this story. It proved to be a risky job being around cables on any ship as we learned from loosing Ed Ownby during refueling while on Market Time patrol.
ReplyDeleteBob Kelly
That is a great story Bob, there were so many mistakes in classification in those days. The recruiters would tell you about anything to get you signed up. Then the classificaiton PN's told you that you were a seaman recruit, but made you a fireman anyway, they could as easily given you the green stripes...instead of red.
ReplyDeleteBut the "gods" were determined to make you an electrician. That is funny, even after you got to Falgout.
I remember Wally Poweirza well, he was a character. Of course my view of him in the first class lounge was a lot different than yours from the bilges!
I do remember vividly when one of the engines would crack a liner while on patrol and often in rough seas, and you guys would be down there for about 48 hours straight rigging that liner out, patching it with devcon, polishing and putting everything back together. Guys would come up covered from head to toe with grease and just fall into their racks. I forget what those liners weighed, but rigging and hoisting them in heavy seas was certainly a way to get killed. And if it was a lower liner, the crank had to be lifted also did it not, Bob?? Whew, there should have been some kind of commendation medal for doing that under those conditions.....
And I bitched about washdowns and brightwork polishing topside !!
kent
Shipmates,
ReplyDeleteThis is the conclusion of my experience at Treasure Island Naval Station, San Francisco, CA before and after Falgout. In looking back, I do not believe the worst day on Falgout could compare to this place.
Continued....After shucking corn all night, work was still not done in the mess hall. They served breakfast and we had to wait and clean the place up after breakfast, mopping floors (Deck) etc. It was around 1730 the previous day when we went there and around 1100 when we were dismissed. Finally, I got checked in.
After that, it was the usual shit details until a MATS flight had been scheduled. After that, your time was basically yours and they didn't mess with you much. Another big hassle was eating chow. The administration building was on one side of the base and the chow hall was on the other, so it seemed. The recsta was in the center. They did not issue a chow pass for duration to recsta sailors. Each time you ate, you had to go to the administration building, pick up a pass, and turn it in at the mess hall. It was a lot of walking and time involved. Most of us eat at the gedunk (not sure on spelling) which was not far away.
I was glad to get away from that place and get to Falgout.
I had to go through there again when I was discharged. Luckily, I was expedited due to the nature of my discharge and I was not there but a couple of days. When I arrived back, I reported to the recsta barracks as I had done previously. There were 4 or 5 guys ahead of me reporting in. There was a young BM2 processing us. (He had made that in less than 4 years and he was getting out for medical reasons he told me later) He was a real asshole. He was talking to the guys ahead of me like shit. Just before he got to me, a friend of his cut in and told him that there was a woman outside wanting to see him. That had struck some kind of a nerve and he didn't want to see her. He wanted his friend to get rid of her, tell her he wasn't there, but his friend didn't feel comfortable with a believable lie. It was my turn to check in and I told him I'd go out and get rid of her . I went out and did in fact do that. I was his best friend from then on. When I came back in, he told me I was on liberty status effective immediately and would not serve on any details. I don't know if the nature of my discharge had anything to do with that, but he was true to his word.
Good bye Treasure Island for the rest of my life !
Keith
OK......we've got some before and after pictures out there........come on send me some more so I can get yours posted!!
ReplyDeleteKent
My first day aboard meeting with XO Eller and CO Gravely.
ReplyDeleteI reported to Falgout in May 63. CDR (newly promoted) Gravely was the CO but only had a couple of weeks left before leaving for war college. He was from my hometown of Richmond, VA. I recall my first Monday aboard, I was waiting in the chow line for lunch. He came up to me, introduced himself and told me that he saw that I was from his hometown, Richmond. He then advised me that he was leaving and going to Richmond on leave before his next assignment. He told me that when he got to Richmond, he would contact my parents and let them know I was OK and assure them of my overall well being. He followed through with that. He called them and sent them some programs of honors he was receiving there. He didn't have to do that for me and them, but he did. That meant so much to us. My mother thought that was so special. It made me feel so encouraged at a time when I was still a little homesick and adjusting to shipboard life. During those years, racism was still open, alive, and well. There were a lot of southern boys aboard Falgout. EVERYBODY loved and respected Gravely. The last thing anyone would want to do would be to say something racist or disrespectful about him. That person would have a fight on their hands, I do believe. Gravely liked to spend his spare time in Chief's quarters playing poker with them instead of hanging out in the wardroom. He had been enlisted in WWII. I believe he was a BT. Anyhow, I always heard that when there were problems in the engine compartments, he would go down and get dirty working on the engines. Yes, VADM Gravely was loved and respected by all on the Falgout.
That same Monday and prior to meeting Gravely, I had another experience just before lunch. I got my ass chewed by Eller. It was hot and we were tied up to the pier with everyone working. I rolled my dungaree shirt sleeves up. I thought I had seen other sailors with theirs rolled up. Anyhow, Eller came up behind me and chewed my ass about my sleeves being rolled up and demanded that they be rolled down and buttoned immediately. I seem to recall that he made another sarcastic remark to the effect that didn't I know thats what buttons were for. I later pondered on how this "flaming asshole" could be XO under such a good man as Gravely. I still havn't figured that one out.
The calm before the storm...exit Gravely and enter Breen......
I was thinking the other day that they took Ownby to Radio Central after he was hurt because that was the closest and best air conditioned space on the ship. Were any of you RM's in Radio when they brought him in? I just remember being on the bridge and us racing to Poulo Condores island to where that seaplane tender was at anchor, so they could get him airlifted to the 8th Army Field Hospital. I went to the Wall there in DC in 1985 and found his name there on the second panel.
ReplyDeleteI always remember that sloppy minesweeper with the crew half-dressed as well as their commodore sitting on the wing of the bridge reading a paperback. They never sounded an alarm, never raised the breakdown flag, never said a word on the phones, etc..........just veered off until the hose broke. Ole Dave Baker, our Weapons Officer was chopping holes in the aluminum deck trying to hit that firehose and cut it in half, but it separated at the ball and socket and the ball hit Ownby right underneath the hard hat at the base of the skull. He was a kitty cruiser and had obtained an early out to go to college, I had taken him his orders to send to his wife about 2 hours earlier before we went to unrep detail. He looked a lot older, but he was only 20. Had a 19-month old baby.
He and I were both born in August, so we celebrated one of our "Eller" birthdays together, remember he used to give all the monthly birthdays a designated day off, and a special meal, so Ownby and I kinda got to know each other that day, and after that he would drop in occasionally to talk. He was sort of a loner.
Kent
Radio Central was L shaped. The watch supervisor desk, manuals and patchboards, with the three LOPs (CW operator stations), and a few pieces communications geat((transmitters and receivers) were in the immediate area when you walked in. Around the corner, out of that main space was our powerful URC-32 transmitter and not much more. Burn bags were kept there also. It had more space than the front area. As I recall, that is where they made Ownby comfortable until his transfer that night. There were a couple of others that stayed with him, probably our HM1. As a classified area there was not much open accessibility. All of us stayed in the main area of the radio shack.
ReplyDeleteFatal refueling,
ReplyDeleteOn Nick's Jason and Falgout site (page 1 Falgoutout photos) is a pic. of USS Leader, MSO490. I took the shot just seconds before she veered of and the line parted. Details of the crew are hard to make out, but I remember them as dressed and in manner as if from some third world coast guard unit. I too recal Ownby as looking older. Always thought he was thirty something, with that five oclock shadow two hours after shaving. He was more reserved in his social contact than most. If my memory serves me well, he was brought down to Doc Young,s sick bay late in the afternoon where he spent the night and the transfer was made the next day before noon. The reason that sticks in my mind is that sick bay was adjacent to the AG work space. On the same deck with ships office and ET shop.
Lee
damn typos!!!!
ReplyDeleteLee
You remember Ownby as I do. Because he was so reserved in his dealings with others and like you say, the 5 oclock shadow, I thought he was older as well. I was really surprised to find out he was two years younger than me when we had our "Eller" birthday meal in 1964.
ReplyDeleteOn most DER's, the ships office was located to starboard of sick bay (and the barber shop), but on Falgout during the overhaul, LT Eller did not like being below decks so he took the nice topside AG shack on the port side 01 level and made it ship's office/post office. He made the old ship's office below-decks into the supply/disbursing office.
Kent Henson
Exit Gravely and enter Breen.
ReplyDeleteThe worst was yet to come, AND HOW ! Change of command was mid June. Exit Gravely and enter Breen. Things were about to change in a big way. After Gravely, Breen's arrival could be more described as "conquering" rather than assuming command. No one was ready for what was about to change life on Falgout so drastically as it had been under Gravely. Breen did his personnel inspection. It took forever. When he got to me, he stood in front of me and just glared. It seemed like an eternity. I thought "oh-shit", I'm in for it, but I must have passed. Next came Breen's fine tooth, white glove inspections of every inch of Falgout and that was not the half of it. Falgout, as you well know, was a WWI vintage ship. There were numerous brackets and other attachments still on the bulkheads, decks and overheads that were no longer being used for anything. They were welded on and until Breen, no other CO had apparently cared about them as they did not mean anything. No compartment or area passed Breen'snspection. In fact, all failed very bad. Every bracket and attachment had to be removed (chipped off), red leaded and painted. This was a lot of hard work along with his local ops schedule and regular ships maintenance, stores, etc. He re-inspected daily and we worked long hard hours. All flooring other over the steel decks had to be removed for inspection. Most of those floring spaces had to be painted. I know they did in radio. It was my impression that all of this seemed to wear Eller down. The ship finally passed.
I had just been assigned to the CPO mess. That space was really bad and I worked my ass off to make it pass along with my other duties there. I think that all of the CPO's felt sorry for me but they realized I was busting my ass by myself. We may have been one of the earlier spaces to satisify Breen and pass. I had my own locker in there. Each one of them always gave me $2.00 each payday. When in port, I was usually off the ship on liberty by 1000. I kept their quarters up and took care of chow and that is all that they asked of me. Other than that, my time was mine.
But it is like I said earlier, that period of time in my life has been so valuable through my adult life. The hard work, the discipline, the choice to succeed and grow as a person and leader. It had to be worked for. That was a lesson in itself. Those Breen days and his inspections sucked but I feel we were all made a little stronger in going through it.
Keith
I agree with your last paragraph Keith. We got a lot of life experience on Falgout in those formative early years.
ReplyDeleteI came on board as a 2nd class, never having been to sea before, so I knew people were gonna try to trick me or embarrass me if they got the chance, so I was very wary of everything. About the 2nd week I was there, we got underway for local ops in the nice calm Hawaiian waters and they showed me my rack which was an upper rack in R Division compartment there on the starboard side. I thought, "those guys are gonna let me roll out of that top bunk and then laugh like hell." So I found me some white-line and waited till after taps and laced from my bunk rails to the overhead piping so I couldnt fall out!!
Well of course the joke was on ME after all, because at reveille people saw me trying to get out of my laced up bunk on LOCAL OPS and thought that was humorous, saying, "Just you wait Henson till we get up north on picket, you may need that line then!!"
After Eller left, we moved back tothe OC Div comparment, and then I moved on back to the MAA shack right by after steering and the laundry, and it was a wild ride sometime over those screws!! They would really shake things when they came out of the water! I still, to this day sleep with one hand holding onto the headboard, just a habit that I started on Falgout and have used throughout the years on other ships and at home.
Kent
laced up bunks and terror on the North Pacific,
ReplyDeleteMy first job out of high school in 1963 was on a 65' tuna boat plying the West coast of USA. We fished from Oregon to Mexico and out 300 miles. So i was prepared for picket duty on Falgout: NOT! I had seen rough sea, but nothing like the Gulf South of Adak that winter of '65. My misfortune was that RM1 Redfern made me take the top rack, so I learned the lace up trick. I actually feard for the ship rolling over on one occasion. Before I was sent to mess duty I worked with the AGs, we would launch balloons and have to time it so we were on crests of waves, otherwise the ballon would be blown by storm force winds into a near vertical wall of water. After three or four failed attempts, Breen would, out of the goodnes of his heart let us secure. This was a double bonus; then I didn't have to take the coded data to the bridge for him to release for radio transmit.
Kent, you jogged my memory. now I remember it was an office, but supply and disbursing. Thats where we got paid. Also a small ships store or PX. I remember someone, the supply officer maybe, with a flour sack full of greenbacks and a .45ACP 1911 strapped to his hip on payday. Eller was just before my time, so the change was there. Sick bay was right at the bottom of the ladder midship. ET shop port, AG port and aft.
Lee
Hahaha.......Lee you would think that a 65' fishing boat would have prepared you for Falgout pickets! It was indeed a unique experience.
ReplyDeleteSo you missed the paydays with Eller sitting at the end of the pay line collecting his "debts" from the people who had borrowed money from the ship's slush fund. He did not want people loaning "$5 for $10" or "$10 for $20, so HE loaned money to sailors for 10% interest and we gave the proceeds to Navy Relief each year (along with the proceeds from the basket leave raffle).
This forum is good for jogging memories. I was trying to remember where the AG shack was re-located. I kept feeling it being to port but I knew that was the ET shop, so it was AFT on the port side....I just couldnt see it in this old memory. Thanks.
I also remember the difficulty you guys had in heavy seas, getting a balloon off. Just getting it inflated in stiff wind and heavy seas was a real chore without losing it or someone over the side, then to have it slam into the waves and die was heartbreaking, I am sure.
Kent
I'm sure everyone remembers the night we took that 62 degree roll on Picket. Lucky I remembered to tie myself in as well. The ship just stayed and shuttered on that roll what seemed liked minutes. I as well throught we were going all the way. All you could hear was the thuds and "oh shit" shouts from the ones that didn't take the tie down warning. In "M" division during those storms water always came in through the aft hatch. And the ones who forgot to tie their shoes up on the rack had a little suprise in the morning. Being in the engine room did have it's advantages, the rolls weren't as bad as on the 01 and above levels and in the winter a bit warmer with the engines and generator. However that all changed when we went to Market Time patrols. Then the engines were always running at higher revs and the temperature would be around 110 degrees. I think all of us in the engine room always had a dark feeling about being below decks (actually below the water line)during general quarters especially after the Maddox news at the time. Being below you never knew what was going on but always kept a eye on the distance between you and the ladders to the hatch. I think we were more worried about mines than torpedos.
ReplyDeleteBob Kelly
We have started another page of these comments, all you have to do is go to the top here and under "Blog Archive" click on "Second Post and Comments" to see the newer posts.
ReplyDeleteKent Henson
I was on the USS FAlgout from 11 Dec. 1961 to Aug. 1963. Served under Cdr. Friedman (good skipper), LtCdr. Gravely (great skipper) and LtCdr Breen (looked up definition of A_ _hole, saw picture of Breen). Lt. (El Gato) Eller was the XO during that time. I remember when I got order off the Falgout that I had the feeling that I was escaping. I was an ETRSN when I checked aboard in PH and an ETR3 when I was transferred. I remember Ownby and Wallick and the 62 degree roll. I was on the surface search repeater (AN/SPA-4A) next to the DRT on the port side of CIC. It threw me off my stool and across the DRT, tearing off the trace paper on the DRT. The only thing that kept me from going off the DRT to the deck was the steel post at the corner of the DRT. I thought I had broken my shoulder at first, but it turned out I just beat the hell out of it. Dick Curtis ETCM (SW)(CMC) retired.
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