O.K. This is what I looked like about 47 years ago. This was on the U.S.S. Sandlance SS 383 while in Hawaii on our way to the South Pacific. (I should have stayed in - and stayed that young(LOL)). I did have a good time on the boats and I think I was just naive enough not to realize you are only there to keep a weapon operating until it has expended all of it's fighting capability and then it (and you are expendable). Of course the Navy wants the boat back so they can use it again and again. I guess that may not be too accurate of an analysis. They did put this boat out of commission and we were taken off and re-assigned to another boat, then they sunk this one as a target. But, in war time, this is just a weapon system designed to inflict the most damage to the enemy as it can and if it is lost, then it was a good investment. People are important, but we must always keep in mind that there is a bigger need than just our skin. Sometimes 'purpose' is more important than skin (Jesus taught us that). The memorial photo is a display of Plaques with the names of the Submarines that were lost/sunk during the second World War. This is not often shown on "the Visitors sight seeing maps", but it is on the "Submarine Base" at Pearl Harbor. There were an average of 85 to 100 men on each boat.

Visitors? Look Suspisious to me!

So, what kind of visitors come to your door? I was out checking the deck about noon and caught some movement around the dock. A family of four 'Land Otters' were roaming about the dock. They have a very peculiar way of defecating on your lines left on the dock. We encourage new comers to the dock to return the 'extra' line back to the boat.

Maybe a Historical Fact?

No! It is not your vision, nor is it the focus on the camera. It is the '5"X25 deck gun on U.S. Submarine going off. Yes, I may have been the LAST man to fire a 5" deck gun from a Commissioned United States Submarine. This occurred in April or May of 1963, on board U.S.S. Sandlance SS 390. I had been assigned to the Submarine for the "Re-commissioning and transfer" over to the Brazilian Navy, which took place from February to July of that year. I was a Torpedo man and there are no 'gunners mates' on Submarines, and sense I was as close to one as we had, I was given the job. I can remember when the Skipper called me into the Wardroom and advised me that I was to "Be in charge" of the deck gun. My first reaction was "WOW, I'm in charge of a Deck Gun!" What I knew about a deck gun, you could put in a thimble and still have room for your finger. In total I had one (1) deck gun, two (2) .50 calibre Machine guns Six (6) Thompson Submachine guns and Three (3) M-1 Gurands and twelve (12) .45 cal. Colt Automatics. There was enough Ammunition to protect the Vessel. The daunting task came when I had to go to the Island in the middle of Pearl Harbor and sign for 100 rounds of 5"X25; each round weighed 75 lbs. and each came in its own case (7,500 lbs +). I looked around and I was the only one there. The guy at the loading dock said he could have someone put them near the Launch that I had come over on and two other guys helped me load them on the launch (3 hours of loading. When I arrived back at the Sub, no one was happy to see me (especially the 12 guys who had to help me load the rounds down into the armory locker). On deck behind the 'sail and between the gun, is a tube that was designed to pass ammo up and down, so we loaded the ammo down through it, into the galley and under the galley where the ammo locker was located. Several days later I went over to "battleship row" where I met with a first class gunners mate who gave me a book and some instruction on the firing procedures (not complicated). As I was about to leave, he asked me, "How do you keep the gun dry when you submerge?" I replied "You don't!" He said I should probably give it a 'heavy coat of grease' before we left port. It turned out that if you keep a good coat of grease on the gun you really don't have too much trouble. I had a 5 gallon bucket and a big mop handle with a couple of rags wired around the end (5.50 in diameter) every time we came into port I would run up and swab the bore. a couple weeks later we scheduled a firing of all the weapons (I was excited). We were out just past the horizon of Hawaii when the skipper stopped all engines and we were going to 'sink the Ocean'. I had already tested the small arms, we were going to test the .50 cla's. and the "Big Gun". I brought one of the fifties up on deck and it fastend into a stantion on either side of the sail area. I loaded the first of the belt fed ammo into the weapon, I looked up at the skipper and he said,"Let her rip!" I aimed about ninety degrees from the boat and about 300 yards out. I sqwezzed the triggers (two operated by the thumbs). When the first round went off it statrted shakeing the statiuon and about the 12 round the weld on the station broke and the whole thing started to go over the side. I grabbed the handles of the gun, but couldn't get my thumbs off the triggers, now the gun went to one side and the base of the station didn't quite brake off but held on one sid and now the gun (and bullets) started to walk towards the boat - from 300 hundred yards to the hule. It was if someone was shooting at us (they were, it was ME). At the last second I get my thumbs off the triggers and the gun quit; I held onto the handles and kept the gun from falling into the ocean. The Captain desided that that was enough of the Fifties. He said we should now fire the "canon". I set up with five (5) rounds of 5"X25 and when ready the captain gave the order to fire. I fired the gun and when it went off; all the deck wrenches "popped" out of their holders in the deck and went over the side (26) in all. We fired the gun five times and secured from the excercise and headed back into port. Several weeks later we recieved word from the Dept. of the Navy that we were to be assignd an "efficiencey 'E'" with 1 hash mark for the gun. I asked why and the Skipper said it was we were the only Submarine in the Navy with a Deck Gun! SO, to my knowledge, I believe that I was the Last man in the U.S. Navy to have fired a desck gun from a U.S. Submarine. Late Spring 1963! Several weeks later we had a "Decommissioning Cerimoney" and turned the U.S.S. Sandlance over to the Brazilian Navy where it was renamed and Commissioned in the Brazilian Navy as "The Rio Grande Del Sol".

Guena pig in a pipe

YES! This did actually happen (I was the driver - Helmsman, my battle station). I was assigned to a Nuclear Fast Attack Class Submarine (1963/64). We were in San Diego, California. Someone in the pentagon ask the Question, "What would happen if someone dropped a depth charge on a Nuclear Submarine?"; and sure enough someone said, "Let's Do It!" So, us being in the "Silent Service" We kept our mouth shut (but they picked us anyway). We were to head out off of S. California and submerge in less then 300 feet of water (very reassuring); They had a Submarine rescue Vessel standing by (I think it was the one that hit us). There were a couple of destroyers on station, and numerous other vessels. The purpose was to see "what if anything would happen to the reactor" when the tremendous shock waves hit the boat? Would the reactor shut down (or would the nuclear pile go 'critical' (get supper hot and melt EVERYTHING) - great thought)? How would you like to be a Guenna pig in a pipe? So, there I was at my Battle station with the skipper talking on the underwater radio to the destroyer above about to launch the depth charges, he was giving them our "EXACT" location - according to our sonarman who was very good. The 'drill' was to drop two charges, one about 150 yards infront and one about 100 yards behind. We were to remain on an exact course/speed and at an exact depth. The charges were dropped; and I will tell you that if you can imagine being inside a steel drum and having BABE RUTH hit it with a baseball bat, you would be close. All the guages at my station (there are many), went crazy, some just went blank, cork (sound proofing) was raining down on everything. I was without instruments for about 55 seconds, then many came back on line (eventually all did). The test on the reactor was very good overall. All there guages did about the samething, but as fare as the reactor itself ( classified - I'm still alive and don't glow in the dark). It really went well considering we didn't have to make any "repairs" from the experience, but there were a lot of VERY high officals who came to talk to the Captain. Over all, We got an "attaboy"!

In a Torpedo Tube while in a Colission!

What's it like to be in a torpedo tube when the "Collission Alarm" sounds? Well, I can tell you, because I did it (and not on purpose)! 1963 While in port in San Diego, California, I had to clean the torpedo tubes out (part of my job discription). I was 6' 2" tall and weighed 198 lbs. I had was eighth up from the shortest (of 93 men) on the boat (Submarines are called 'boats'). The torpedo tubes are 22' long and 21" (inches) in diameter. In order to clean them you have to go inside. This is to get the barnacles out that will grow inside there from the saltwater that is used to fire the torpedos. The tolerance of the torpedeo and the tube is very close and when you are loading a torpedo you can't have something that will stop the "fish" from going in (about two fingernail thicknesses). In order to get in you put a 'creeper' in the tube (like mechanics use to go under cars, only these are shaped like the tube). You then put your cleaning eqitment in front of the creeper (brush, small bucket w/soap and fresh water, and some rags) then you put your drop light in with these things - all infront of the creeper. Now you grab ahold of the front of the tube and pull yourself into the tube so you are up to your belt buckle on the creeper. Oh, your arms are out in front of you because you can't bend them back to scratch your nose - NO ROOM! Now you push yourself along with the toes of your feet to move to the end of the tube. When you get all the way inside; start cleaning (all around - top, sides, and bottom - in that order). As you clean, you use your toes to forward and back. On this occasion I was half done with the tube and I heard the "Collision Alarm" go off; now my mind went to work - we were tied to the dock in San Diego Harbor. How could we be involved in a collision? There was no continuity (in my mind) to these events. #1 - I was inside a torpedo tube and couldn't get out fast enough to repond to the alarm. #2 - Someone came into the room and unplugged my light and threw the cord in the tube with me, then they shut and locked the door. #3 - Then I felt the boat rock from the impact of what or who had hit us, THIS WAS NO DRILL! I can now testify as to the definition of DARK! Yes, we had been rammed by a Submarine Rescue Vessel (I guess business was slow that week). I was in the tube for about thirty-five minutes until they were sure we weren't going to sink because of any damage. When they open the door they asked if I was alright, and I said sure, it was the safest place on the boat - I was encased in a 1" thick bronze cylinder. The Captain interviewed me to make sure I wasn't looney from the experience and didn't have any anxiety about being on Submarines. "It is just one of those things that happens". We did sail to San Francisco to go into drydock to investigate any damage (We did it on the surface).

Pointman Tonight

Off to "Pointman" tonight. We get togther with other VETS and help each other deal with some of our issues (sometimes we solve some of the worlds problems, but most of the time we just talk about them (they can't be solved by us). This was me 46 years ago (yes a 'Gotee'). We were getting ready to go for a 6 monther - we surffaced just off Austrlia and went in for 18 days, then back down and chaced several vessels around the Pacific. We crossed the Equater at 00. 00.000 (N) and 180. 00.000 (S). Yes, I'm a "Golden Shellback" (you pollywags).

Religon or relationship?

We are born with a SIN nature, and when/if we find Jesus the Christ; then what do we do? We will always have a SIN nature; this is why we are at a constant odd with everything that comes into our life. Everything revolves around the choices we make; We have to Read and understand what the Lord is telling us in the Bible, then we have to "weigh" what comes into our lives moment by moment and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance as to how we are to act on what comes into our lives (for each of us it is different; that is why we each have to read the Bible). We will always have trials and triblation with us here on earth (this is where SATAN is runing his program). Be ware of the "Unholy Trio" (Me, Myself, and I). Those without Jesus are already out of the game, untill the Holy Spirit is awakend in them and they respond correctly. With out the Lord, you don't even get to be in the game, you just get what you GOT!

Party Time in CANADA

Off to Langley, BC. (Dec. 5 & 6)for a Christmas party dance and fun. We will be seeing a lot of GOOD friends. I hoope you have fun at what you R doing.

WOW! Yesterday I didn't have much; Now I have a BLOG site; just what a person needs, somethiong to keep him busy! Between this - FACEBOOK and TWITTER; what more do we NEED?