Who will tell me a story?

[a cat]

I'd like to hear one!

You can choose the topic, but if you can't think of anything, here's a
suggestion:

What's the most scared you've ever been?

[D.J.]

Post by a cat
I'd like to hear one!
You can choose the topic, but if you can't think of anything, here's a
What's the most scared you've ever been?

Most scared. Hmm...

I was in the US Navy, late 1960s to early 1970s. We were coming back
from the Mediterranean Sea.

We had about 3 hours warning. some of the radio and radar gear was
down, we weren't too concerned as we were about it, in a month or so
later we got back to home port, to the ship yard for equipment fixes
and probably a few upgrades. Vacuum tube/valve stuff, nary a
transistor to be seen.

Just as we got near Bermuda, the Executive Officer spoke on the PA
system and told all of us.

"At this time we believe we will stay afloat. We are heading away from
the hurricane. That is all."

Some of the guys fought over life jackets. The inflatables were inside
the ship. The kapok ones were stored outside, as they smell very badly
when wet. The inflatables weren't enough for the entire crew.

50 foot waves. The main deck of the ship is about 25 feet above the
waterline. Main deck, outdoors, is mostly under water.

I tied myself to my bunk. We could all hear the howling wind. The ship
rocked back and forth, moved sideways.

The movie, The Perfect Storm, I saw part of it on tv, showed a more
accurate picture of what we went through than previous movies.

I was getting more and more tired. So, I went to sleep. One of the
guys got angry, shouted at me.

I explained that if the ship was okay tomorrow, I still had to work,
so I'm sleeping, they could do what they wanted.

We eventually got way from the storm. The waves had taken paint off
the hull of the ship. The entire outside of the ship was coated with
dried on salt.

I asked the signalman, flags and Morse code via spotlight guy, up on
the signal bridge what it was like. He told me, at 52 feet above the
water line, he could see the tops of the waves go by at his eye level.

Two guys were injured, both cracked ribs. One broken collar bone. They
had untied themselves from their bunks to go to the restroom, just as
a wave hit the stern of the ship. Launched them across their berthing
space. Crunch.

We all survived, no one washed overboard. But we almost capsized...
more than once that night. The hurricane ? You may have heard of it.
Camille.

[a cat]

Post by D.J.

Post by a cat
I'd like to hear one!
You can choose the topic, but if you can't think of anything, here's a
What's the most scared you've ever been?

Most scared. Hmm...
I was in the US Navy, late 1960s to early 1970s. We were coming back
from the Mediterranean Sea.
We had about 3 hours warning. some of the radio and radar gear was
down, we weren't too concerned as we were about it, in a month or so
later we got back to home port, to the ship yard for equipment fixes
and probably a few upgrades. Vacuum tube/valve stuff, nary a
transistor to be seen.
Just as we got near Bermuda, the Executive Officer spoke on the PA
system and told all of us.
"At this time we believe we will stay afloat. We are heading away from
the hurricane. That is all."
Some of the guys fought over life jackets. The inflatables were inside
the ship. The kapok ones were stored outside, as they smell very badly
when wet. The inflatables weren't enough for the entire crew.
50 foot waves. The main deck of the ship is about 25 feet above the
waterline. Main deck, outdoors, is mostly under water.
I tied myself to my bunk. We could all hear the howling wind. The ship
rocked back and forth, moved sideways.
The movie, The Perfect Storm, I saw part of it on tv, showed a more
accurate picture of what we went through than previous movies.
I was getting more and more tired. So, I went to sleep. One of the
guys got angry, shouted at me.
I explained that if the ship was okay tomorrow, I still had to work,
so I'm sleeping, they could do what they wanted.
We eventually got way from the storm. The waves had taken paint off
the hull of the ship. The entire outside of the ship was coated with
dried on salt.
I asked the signalman, flags and Morse code via spotlight guy, up on
the signal bridge what it was like. He told me, at 52 feet above the
water line, he could see the tops of the waves go by at his eye level.
Two guys were injured, both cracked ribs. One broken collar bone. They
had untied themselves from their bunks to go to the restroom, just as
a wave hit the stern of the ship. Launched them across their berthing
space. Crunch.
We all survived, no one washed overboard. But we almost capsized...
more than once that night. The hurricane ? You may have heard of it.
Camille.

Wow. That is a harrowing story. Thank you for sharing.

Did you know about the storm before hand or was the executive officer's
announcement the first you heard of it? That would be pretty terrifying
if you were just going about your day, the ship *sinking* not even a
concern, and then you hear that...

[D.J.]

Post by a cat

Post by D.J.

Post by a cat
I'd like to hear one!
You can choose the topic, but if you can't think of anything, here's a
What's the most scared you've ever been?

Most scared. Hmm...
I was in the US Navy, late 1960s to early 1970s. We were coming back
from the Mediterranean Sea.
We had about 3 hours warning. some of the radio and radar gear was
down, we weren't too concerned as we were about it, in a month or so
later we got back to home port, to the ship yard for equipment fixes
and probably a few upgrades. Vacuum tube/valve stuff, nary a
transistor to be seen.
Just as we got near Bermuda, the Executive Officer spoke on the PA
system and told all of us.
"At this time we believe we will stay afloat. We are heading away from
the hurricane. That is all."
Some of the guys fought over life jackets. The inflatables were inside
the ship. The kapok ones were stored outside, as they smell very badly
when wet. The inflatables weren't enough for the entire crew.
50 foot waves. The main deck of the ship is about 25 feet above the
waterline. Main deck, outdoors, is mostly under water.
I tied myself to my bunk. We could all hear the howling wind. The ship
rocked back and forth, moved sideways.
The movie, The Perfect Storm, I saw part of it on tv, showed a more
accurate picture of what we went through than previous movies.
I was getting more and more tired. So, I went to sleep. One of the
guys got angry, shouted at me.
I explained that if the ship was okay tomorrow, I still had to work,
so I'm sleeping, they could do what they wanted.
We eventually got way from the storm. The waves had taken paint off
the hull of the ship. The entire outside of the ship was coated with
dried on salt.
I asked the signalman, flags and Morse code via spotlight guy, up on
the signal bridge what it was like. He told me, at 52 feet above the
water line, he could see the tops of the waves go by at his eye level.
Two guys were injured, both cracked ribs. One broken collar bone. They
had untied themselves from their bunks to go to the restroom, just as
a wave hit the stern of the ship. Launched them across their berthing
space. Crunch.
We all survived, no one washed overboard. But we almost capsized...
more than once that night. The hurricane ? You may have heard of it.
Camille.

Wow. That is a harrowing story. Thank you for sharing.
Did you know about the storm before hand or was the executive officer's
announcement the first you heard of it? That would be pretty terrifying
if you were just going about your day, the ship *sinking* not even a
concern, and then you hear that...

We knew there was a storm, but when we zigged to get away from it, it
zagged and caufght us. We had just a few hours notice.

When he made the announcement, we had been bouncing around for several
hours.

[songbird]

Post by a cat
I'd like to hear one!
You can choose the topic, but if you can't think of anything, here's a
What's the most scared you've ever been?

likely around the time i was born and very young.
to me the most scared would mean that i didn't know
what was going on or had no basis of comparison.

those early months gave me some sort of PTSD
symptoms, various other fixations and quirks,
and means of coping that are less than optimal.

that i know these things now is helpful, but it
took me many years to get to this point.

and today, i think i saw my ex-gf at a store but
i do not think she saw me. since i did not get a
very close look it may have been someone different
who looked alike, but that is what makes it more
interesting to me. not being sure puts me back in
that space where i don't know what is going on.


songbird

[Gary Woods]

Post by a cat
I'd like to hear one!

Well, I was too young and dumb to be scared:
My Navy anti-sub patrol squadron was assigned to patrol a restricted
zone off Christmas Island (the one in the South Pacific, now returned
to its islander name; "Kiribati), where B-52 bombers would drop the
occasional H-bomb, using a radar reflector a few miles off our flight
line as ground zero. I never thought "Hey, if that bombardier is just
a little off...."
We never spotted any ships foolish enough to violate the restricted
zone, but there was a Russian fishing boat _just_ outside the line.
Best equipped fishing vessel you ever saw; antennas from stem to
stern! we picked it up on radar and flew over, just to have a look,
barely clearing the mast....the crew were playing vollyball on deck,
doubtless bored to death. In the "Bow lookout" seat (plexiglas nose
cone below and forward of the cockpit, crew electrician, good ole
Tennessee boy.
"Flight from Bow-one a them Russkies gave me the finger; what should I
do?"
Pilot: "Well, give it back!"
Bow: "But I give it ta him first!"
It can't compare with riding out a hurricane in a tin can; this old
airdale is OK with thatI

[D.J.]

On Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:35:00 -0400, Gary Woods

Post by Gary Woods

Post by a cat
I'd like to hear one!

My Navy anti-sub patrol squadron was assigned to patrol a restricted
zone off Christmas Island (the one in the South Pacific, now returned
to its islander name; "Kiribati), where B-52 bombers would drop the
occasional H-bomb, using a radar reflector a few miles off our flight
line as ground zero. I never thought "Hey, if that bombardier is just
a little off...."
We never spotted any ships foolish enough to violate the restricted
zone, but there was a Russian fishing boat _just_ outside the line.
Best equipped fishing vessel you ever saw; antennas from stem to
stern! we picked it up on radar and flew over, just to have a look,
barely clearing the mast....the crew were playing vollyball on deck,
doubtless bored to death. In the "Bow lookout" seat (plexiglas nose
cone below and forward of the cockpit, crew electrician, good ole
Tennessee boy.
"Flight from Bow-one a them Russkies gave me the finger; what should I
do?"
Pilot: "Well, give it back!"
Bow: "But I give it ta him first!"
It can't compare with riding out a hurricane in a tin can; this old
airdale is OK with thatI

Well, good grief Gary. There were some good old boys on my ship. Bless
their hearts.

I've seen one of those pretend trawlers as well. So many antennas and
gear, no place for fish, but they did have something resembling nets.