Uss Neversail

Stumpy,

You're bringin' back old memories, buddy! 1966 was a great year! I was in that recruit center for about three months, going through basic training. Then I got shipped off to a minesweeper in Long Beach, the USS Illusive MSO-448. My Naval career ended up lasting 4 years active and 21 years in the reserve. I'm glad I'm not in the reserves right now, as my previous Naval diving unit was disbanded and the members are now driving trucks in Iraq.

Chester

Hi stumpy and Chester
It is so interesting to hear of your memories,
on the US Neversail.
Our naval bases here in Plymouth,
in the Souh-West of England, are all
named HMS Drake, HMS Raleigh etc.
although they are all static naval bases, and as such never sail anywhere!
However, in Dartmouth, where the Royal Naval College is situated,
they do at least have an old destroyer,
moored in the River Dart estuary, for the training
of the young naval officers.

Hi Stumpy Chester and Kieth

Here at Portsmouth The mother of all Naval Bases, we have many satellite stations
including HMS Collingwood named after Nelsons Second in Command at Trafalger.

During the war Lord Haw Haw claimed that the Germans had sunk it on a number of occasions.

Regards

Arthur

Hi Jim,
I've always been fascinated by the Navy,
and it's ships.
Allthough I was too young to be drafted,
if I'd have had the choice, the Navy would have been my destination'
I mentioned in other threads, that I am particularly interested,
in the US involvement in the Pacific War, and have
a great collections of films and documentaries
relating to that campaign.
However my greatest memory is
that of twice visiting The USS Arizona Memorial, and sitting
on the bridge of the Missouri,both of course at Pearl Harbor.
To me, looking at that roll call of names, at the Memorial,
will always be, a very special memory!

Best Wishes,
Keith

Quote

Originally posted by Stumpy@Aug 14 2005, 04:10 AM
It was aboard Neversail that many American sailors learned all the distinctively naval terminology, such as port and starboard, bow and stern, decks, overheads, bulkheads, ladders, forward and after brow, forecastle (pronounced foc-sul, quarterdecks, etc. I even learned to tie several of the more common knots aboard her. Like I said, she was a good training aid for aspiring sailors.

[snapback]20316[/snapback]

Yes, all that Naval terminology was interesting to learn. Once you were out in the "real" Navy you learned saltier terms, such as "splicing the main brace" .

Quote

Originally posted by Stumpy@Aug 14 2005, 04:10 AM
My favorite uncle served aboard a minesweeper in WW2, Chet.

[snapback]20316[/snapback]

My third ship was an old WWII steel-hulled minesweeper named the USS Surfbird ADG-383. It was an auxiliary degaussing ship, homeported in Sasebo, Japan. As a Navy diver, during a military mine exercise with Thailand and Great Britain, I actually got to live on a British minesweeper for two weeks while doing the exercises. It was certainly a change of pace compared to the US Navy. Instead of gray steel bulkheads everywhere, the crews' quarters were all decked out in mahogany and nice cushy chairs. Plus, every day you received your ration of 2 cans of beer and a tot of rum , something totally unheard of in the US Navy.

Chester

Quote

Originally posted by ethanedwards@Aug 14 2005, 05:07 AM
However my greatest memory is
that of twice visiting The USS Arizona Memorial, and sitting
on the bridge of the Missouri,both of course at Pearl Harbor.
To me, looking at that roll call of names, at the Memorial,
will always be, a very special memory!

[snapback]20317[/snapback]

Display More

Keith,

The USS Arizona is very special to many Navy veterans. I particularly liked the tribute to it in the movie Big Jim McLain. I thought it was well done. I also enjoyed seeing the memorial area before the current structure was installed.

Just about every year, during my reserve active training, my diving unit would go to our parent unit in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for two weeks training (a tough job, but somebody had to do it ). The USS Arizona was always something we were in and around. One year, some of the active duty divers actually did a hull survey of the Arizona, which had not been done in about 40 years. One of the divers told of shining his lantern into a port hole and seeing a room totally dry, with a table and a chief's hat and a pair of glasses on it. That would indicate that there are indeed many compartments still without water in them. Our unit was only able to do a hull survey on the USS Utah. She was sunk on the other side of Ford Island from the Arizona. I found a glass port hole lying on the bottom, away from the ship, which was tempting to take, but we were under strict instructions that any parts of the ship were parts of the memorial and to be left untouched. One of the other divers actually found a Thompson sub-machine gun lying on the deck, naturally quite rusty. That was a REAL tempting find, but alas it is still there.

Chester

Quote

Originally posted by Stumpy@Aug 14 2005, 07:53 AM
I've visited the Arizona numerous times. I was stationed at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii for 3 years during my second tour of duty in the Army. Believe me, Chet, Hawaii is not nearly as glamorous and exciting when you're living there for 3 years and trying to support a family on an E-5's pay.b The cost of living was outrageous.

[snapback]20321[/snapback]

Stumpy,
I indeed understand your feelings. After a few two week periods of Active Duty in Hawaii the novelty wore off. For entertainment sometimes we would sit down along waikiki beach and watch the tourists walk by. They always had this look on their faces like they were looking for something but couldn't find it.

Chester

Hi Jim and Chester,
Thanks also for sharing your memories of Pearl Harbor,
I also saw the memorial to the Utah,
as our guide was very well versed in the sites.
I brought back a VHS from the Arizona Memorial,
entitled, 'Remembering Pearl Harbor'
it was made especially for the memorial, and shows,
extensive coverage of undersea, in and around the
ship.
Jim,
I was there in 2000 and Mighty Mo,
is anchored behind the Arizona, and
is now a permanent museum there.
I have photographs and video, of the spot
where the surrender of Japan, was signed.

Keith

Quote

Originally posted by Stumpy@Aug 14 2005, 08:20 AM
This shows you how old Jim's memory ain't what it used to be. According to this web site, Missouri was decommissioned in February 1955 and then moored in Bremerton, Washington for 30 years. Well, at least I had the general area and time correct. :lol:

Sometimes I wonder if I'm developing Altzheimers.

[snapback]20326[/snapback]

Stumpy,
During the Reagan Presidancy the Mighty Mo was restored to her former glory, with cruse missle tubes installed in the rear deck. It cost a couple of hundred million. She was deployed to the Lebanon conflict and a friend reservest went on special active duty to serve aboard Her. He gave me a video of her 16 in guns going off there. It was something to see. Currently several cities are vieing for Her as a museum and tourist attraction. San Francisco was high on the list until recently when the gay mayor and board of supervisors voted against it because of the militarys policy towards gays.
San Francisco suddenly was no longer a tourist attraction to many military families.
During a prior administration the Mighty Mo visited San Francisco during Fleet Week, and my family visited it.
Chester

Hi Chester,
It was a very interesting tour,
they took us around the mess decks,
past the'Missouri Express' and
and we all sat down, in the galley(canteen),
I'm not sure of the Naval terminolgogy of these areas!!
We also got to see, at the stern of the ship,
indentations, caused by kamikaze planes hitting the side.
The highlight being, the surrender deck, the Might Mo's
most sacred exhibition.
I was just looking at the Deck Log, I brought
back as a souvineer, and it says
in 1998 the Mighty Mo, reached Hawaiian waters,
and its final destination at historic Ford Island.

Keith

Hi Jim,
Arthur might know something different to this,
but we did have the Royal Marines
at Bickleigh, Nr Plymouth.
There may well have been another one.
Perhaps Arthur will confirm that!

Keith

This topic is not something I can contribute to in any way however it is fascinating reading the many accounts of life in the navy and thanks to all for the excellent contributions.