2008-01-12 22:07:20 colorado springs CO USS RODNEY M DAVIS FFG60, USS RONALD REAGAN CVN76
This is a reply to the question about sextants. They no longer teach how to use one in school. As a fact CEL NAV is gone. Lucky for me I had a great QMC and QM2 when I became a QMSN. So I learned from doing, we have sun line races and shot moonlines during the day. PROUD QM2
2008-02-07 16:05:35 Minneapolis, Minnesota USS Orion AS-18
Served as QM3 on submarine tender USS ORION in Charleston, SC (SUBRON 4) 1973-1975. Not much for a QM to do on a ship that rarely went to sea, but I enjoyed my time there.
2008-03-21 00:02:53 Milwaukee, WI AOR-4, Lots of things that begin with "L"
Nice to see SOMEONE is taking the time to acknowledge what a great rate we share. There's not another career in the Navy I'd rather have than that of a professional navigator. Let's get nautical!
I am looking for anyone within driving distance of Sacramento, CA that would be interested in assisting in the formation of a maratime museum with the possibility of displaying a nuke boat. If you are interested, please email me at rikndeb@comcast.net with your contact info. This is absolutely serious.
Logged over 80k miles aboard the USS Harlan R. Dickson in the late Sixties as a QM2. What a great adventure. I was offered OCS and a commission to "reup," however, I left to pursue a career writing software. I really missed the sea [not so much the military], to keep my sealegs I went sailing and diving as often as possible.
2008-05-18 20:02:29 Saint Marys, Ga DD981, SSN669, SSN709, SSBN740, SSBN736
Brothers, never forget those years at sea standing watch up at the plot. Midwatch seastories, diving in high currents, chart shifts, position reports, foggy nights on the surface, OOD's from hell, rigging the bridge in high seas in the dark or rain, numb drink runs, favorite dividers and pencils, piloting in liberty ports excited and piloting out hungover. Good times, bad times....our time.
I once stood watch with one of the dumbest O.O.D.'s ever. We where in the Persian Gulf and had a "black line of death" put on the chart (Iran's territorial water line). The CO actually gave a whole brief on staying outside of this line because we didn't want to piss off the Iranians. So what does this guy do (he was the DCA by the way), he crosses it. All these meetings he crosses it. Iranians send a PC out to mess with us, they point their lovely 5-inch cannon at us and thankfully nothing happened. This is also the same guy who later on will not let the GM's fire flare's or warning shots at two speed boats who cross right underneath our bow. Another Cole in the making. The fact that the DCA never allowed the GM's to fire any kind of warning was conveniently deleted from the deck logs. This guy was a real winner.
I came across this site after feeling sentimental the day after Veterans Day. It's good to see someone keeping up a site like this. I loved being a QM. I've always believed it was the best rate to be on a ship. I'll never forget or regret those years out at sea.
I somehow managed to make it from non-rated, non-designated, deck force on a tin can out of Norfolk to submarine qualified Quartermaster, surface warfare qualified LT(JG), OOD aboard several ships on the west coast. It took me 23 years and, it seems as I approach retirement age, I loved every minute of it. Met a lot of good people and great shipmates along the way. Quick sea-story that I'm sure most of you can relate to: Made a surface transit on a diesel boat from Guam to Pearl in the late sixties. Two typhoons. No stars. No sun. No Loran (only had "Alpha"). And, we lost the Mk. 18 halfway through the transit when several thousand gallons of seawater made it through the upper and lower conning tower hatches into the control room. We purloined the magnetic compass from the life raft that was stowed in the forward escape trunk, secured it to the forward edge of the cockpit (too rough to dive) and made our way into Pearl on DR and on time. How, I'll never know. Actually, as Quartermasters, you all know we were working our asses off trying everything we had available to find our position. And finally, did, several days out when the weather broke east of Midway. I sometimes wonder what the navigational challenge is today, with a GPS unit and a cell phone in every bridge watch-standers shirt pocket. But, then, I'm sure ol' Nathaniel Bowditch would have scoffed at us. I, too, enjoy the website. Dale
2008-12-29 22:26:42 San Antonio, TX CVN-74/MHC-56/MCM-1
Ordred 80 charts for our "Homeport change to the West Coast last month", while making chart corrections our Skipper came on the 1MC and informed the crew that we would be heavy lifted in Apr and deploy to Japan for up to a year!!! I'm stuck trying to order all new charts for Japan's AOR!!! That is the Mine Sweep Navy for you!!!
2008-01-12 22:07:20
ReplyDeletecolorado springs CO
USS RODNEY M DAVIS FFG60, USS RONALD REAGAN CVN76
This is a reply to the question about sextants.
They no longer teach how to use one in school.
As a fact CEL NAV is gone.
Lucky for me I had a great QMC and QM2 when I became a QMSN. So I learned from doing, we have sun line races and shot moonlines during the day.
PROUD QM2
2008-01-19 20:20:12
ReplyDeletePennsauken, New Jersey
CLG-7, DD-842, DD-820, DD-873, DD-880, FFG-16, FF-1095
2008-01-23 13:38:22
ReplyDeleteOrange County, CA
SSN 765
2008-02-07 16:05:35
ReplyDeleteMinneapolis, Minnesota
USS Orion AS-18
Served as QM3 on submarine tender USS ORION in Charleston, SC (SUBRON 4) 1973-1975.
Not much for a QM to do on a ship that rarely went to sea, but I enjoyed my time there.
2008-03-21 00:02:53
ReplyDeleteMilwaukee, WI
AOR-4, Lots of things that begin with "L"
Nice to see SOMEONE is taking the time to acknowledge what a great rate we share. There's not another career in the Navy I'd rather have than that of a professional navigator. Let's get nautical!
2008-04-07 20:58:30
ReplyDeleteI am looking for anyone within driving distance of Sacramento, CA that would be interested in assisting in the formation of a maratime museum with the possibility of displaying a nuke boat. If you are interested, please email me at rikndeb@comcast.net with your contact info. This is absolutely serious.
2008-04-28 22:58:37
ReplyDeleteFort Myers, FL
DD-708
Logged over 80k miles aboard the USS Harlan R. Dickson in the late Sixties as a QM2. What a great adventure. I was offered OCS and a commission to "reup," however, I left to pursue a career writing software. I really missed the sea [not so much the military], to keep my sealegs I went sailing and diving as often as possible.
2008-04-29 20:20:45
ReplyDeleteKingsland
SSBN633, SSN676, SSBN742, SSBN738
A true Quartermaster at heart. Maintain a steady course and speed!!!!
2008-05-08 22:21:52
ReplyDeleteDes Moines, WA
DD833,ASR7,SSBN626,SSN584,SSN683,SSN696,SSN693
out of the navy 12/78,I'm still going to sea. My QM training helped on my deck officer exams. Sorry to hear about submarine QM's.
2008-05-18 20:02:29
ReplyDeleteSaint Marys, Ga
DD981, SSN669, SSN709, SSBN740, SSBN736
Brothers, never forget those years at sea standing watch up at the plot. Midwatch seastories, diving in high currents, chart shifts, position reports, foggy nights on the surface, OOD's from hell, rigging the bridge in high seas in the dark or rain, numb drink runs, favorite dividers and pencils, piloting in liberty ports excited and piloting out hungover. Good times, bad times....our time.
2008-05-28 09:46:43
ReplyDeleteMilwaukee
SSBN 623, SSBN 608, SSN 575, SSBN 654, SSN 708, SSBN 736
What is a great day to be a Quartermaster? Any day!!
2008-05-30 23:48:32
ReplyDeleteStratford, OK
SSN 678, 666, SSBN 728, 730, 738 and 740
JOEY
God, I love ya but you are such a woosssssssssssssss. I am with you brother. NEVER forget the Spiders on the MID WATCH.
2008-08-26 04:29:04
ReplyDeleteYorktown, TX
CVN-71
I once stood watch with one of the dumbest O.O.D.'s ever. We where in the Persian Gulf and had a "black line of death" put on the chart (Iran's territorial water line). The CO actually gave a whole brief on staying outside of this line because we didn't want to piss off the Iranians. So what does this guy do (he was the DCA by the way), he crosses it. All these meetings he crosses it. Iranians send a PC out to mess with us, they point their lovely 5-inch cannon at us and thankfully nothing happened. This is also the same guy who later on will not let the GM's fire flare's or warning shots at two speed boats who cross right underneath our bow. Another Cole in the making. The fact that the DCA never allowed the GM's to fire any kind of warning was conveniently deleted from the deck logs. This guy was a real winner.
Always remember: Land is a navigational hazard.
2008-09-19 11:12:05
ReplyDeleteOn the High Seas
DD985, CG 67, CG62
I just happend to stumble back on to the site. thought I would make a new entry. Here doing what Quartermasters do! hope you all doing well.
2008-11-12 11:36:26
ReplyDeleteHouston
FF-1057
I came across this site after feeling sentimental the day after Veterans Day. It's good to see someone keeping up a site like this.
I loved being a QM. I've always believed it was the best rate to be on a ship. I'll never forget or regret those years out at sea.
2008-11-24 09:51:22
ReplyDeleteWiggins, MS
DD-757; COMNAVBROCEANORVN; DD-940; SS-480; SS-349; SSBN-622(G); SSN-672; SSN-612; LPH-11; BMU-1
I somehow managed to make it from non-rated, non-designated, deck force on a tin can out of Norfolk to submarine qualified Quartermaster, surface warfare qualified LT(JG), OOD aboard several ships on the west coast. It took me 23 years
and, it seems as I approach retirement age, I loved every minute of it. Met a lot of good people and great shipmates along the way. Quick sea-story that I'm sure most of you can relate to:
Made a surface transit on a diesel boat from Guam to Pearl in the late sixties. Two typhoons. No stars. No sun. No Loran (only had "Alpha"). And, we lost the Mk. 18 halfway through the transit when several thousand gallons of seawater made it through the upper and lower conning tower hatches into the control room. We purloined the magnetic compass from the life raft that was stowed in the forward escape trunk, secured it to the forward edge of the cockpit (too rough to dive) and made our way into Pearl on DR and on time. How, I'll never know.
Actually, as Quartermasters, you all know we were working our asses off trying everything we had available to find our position. And finally, did, several days out when the weather broke east of Midway. I sometimes wonder what the navigational challenge is today, with a GPS unit and a cell phone in every bridge watch-standers shirt pocket. But, then, I'm sure ol' Nathaniel Bowditch would have scoffed at us. I, too, enjoy the website. Dale
2008-12-24 01:00:55
ReplyDeleteFFG-37, LST-1198, LKA-116, LST-1189, LPD-8, LPD-10, LSD-50
Great site, glad I found it. Maybe I'll contribute some to the Sea Stories section in the future.
LST QM. You've never lived until you've run your ship aground on purpose.
2008-12-29 22:26:42
ReplyDeleteSan Antonio, TX
CVN-74/MHC-56/MCM-1
Ordred 80 charts for our "Homeport change to the West Coast last month", while making chart corrections our Skipper came on the 1MC and informed the crew that we would be heavy lifted in Apr and deploy to Japan for up to a year!!! I'm stuck trying to order all new charts for Japan's AOR!!! That is the Mine Sweep Navy for you!!!