Going from USNR to USN
Gil
Posted 2018-08-09 10:40 AM (#89900)
Master and Commander

Posts: 1597

Subject: Going from USNR to USN

In 1966 I had completed my one year of attending monthly Reserve meetings and my two weeks a year and reported for active duty at Terminal Island, which just happened to be my Reserve Center as well and home of the USS Roncador. My very first meeting a year earlier my mother had ironed my uniforms and as I'm standing at quarters everybody else has their creases inside out - surprise, surprise.

The Master at Arms finds out I'm a Reservist and has it in for me.  Maybe there were other factors that led to that, but I think he's singled me out.  His attack begins by asking me to fill out a chit for something, luckily after my draft physical I knew what a chit was.  When I turned it in he raised it in front of everybody and announced we in the Regular Navy do not use blue ink - never heard that before or since.  After that he took every opportunity to belittle me until my Reserve Center bailed me out

I was assigned to a barracks with two guys and had already my car on base.  I was given the duty the first time and only required to walk through all the barracks continuously, this even included the Wave barracks.  Stupid me didn't spend all my time there.  Not knowing much about duty I drove home (five miles) away after I was relieved and showed up to my barracks the next morning.  My roommates went crazy and explained I couldn't do that.

My MAA never found out about my error.  He got really pissed when my Reserve Center requested I be transferred to them during the days instead of working with the other transients.  The normal transient workload was pretty easy, but the Reserve Center gave me the one task of waxing the basketball court once a week.  I wound up spending about three moths there because my first set of orders had me going to Survival school, River boat school and then Da Nang for assignment on a riverboat - WTF!!!!!!!!!

During my year of USNR luckily me and three buddies had volunteered for boot camp and submarine school at Hunters Point (six weeks total) of our civilian time.  On a Friday evening they pulled my folder at Terminal Island because I questioned my orders.  I was so happy to see the huge SG on the pulled folder  for submarine graduate, but the Chief said I'd have to wait until Monday to see what was up.  After a rough weekend my previous orders were rescinded and a month later I was to report to the USS Pickerel out of Pearl Harbor.  Other than the Nautilus the Pickerel's surface was on television every week in the series The Silent Service - I felt like I knew her.  I was so happy and relieved , no riverboats, no being shot at - all because of submarines.

Being assigned to the Reserve Center kept me off duty and my barracks watch, but I did have one more encounter with the MAA.  I was parking my car late at night and saw him trying to start his jalopy.  I had a beautiful '62 Chev 327 and made it a point to drive slowly past him and not render assistance.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
C Stafford
Posted 2018-08-09 11:55 AM (#89901 - in reply to #89900)
Senior Crew

Posts: 224

Location: San Diego, CA
Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

I had a good experience in the Reserves.
I joined when I was a senior in high school. Went to regular boot camp in San Diego after graduation. After boot camp, enrolled in junior college in SD.
The next summer, I went to Reserve sub school in Hunters Point. Then went back to college.
Went active through Naval Base in SD. They saw that at a "SG" designation and sent me to the Barbel SS 580.
No muss and no fuss.

My last day of active duty was back in SD and they gave me the Mid fire watch.
Gil
Posted 2018-08-09 2:10 PM (#89902 - in reply to #89900)
Master and Commander

Posts: 1597

Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

When were you in?  I loved just looking at the Barbel at Pearl, never got to be on a Nuke.  In the time I was in it seemed like the Nukes were breaking down, and smoke boats had to fill in for them as replacements, often on Pearl to Pearl 90 day runs.  Of course that was just the scuttlebutt that we heard and passed around by us on diesels.
Bob T
Posted 2018-08-09 3:16 PM (#89903 - in reply to #89900)


Senior Crew

Posts: 233

Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

>When I turned it in he raised it in front of everybody and announced we in the Regular Navy do not use blue ink - never heard that before or since.

Some place I have worked required signatures in blue ink to identify the original; copies turned the blue into black. Too old to remember where.
Ric
Posted 2018-08-09 3:26 PM (#89904 - in reply to #89900)


Plankowner

Posts: 9152

Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map.
Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

In 1969, after completing a two week stint on Cusk SS 348, we moored in Long Beach along side the Roncador. (Reserve Boat) I was due to go back to Seattle by catching a plane from LAX. Two weeks without a shower and I figured one would be nice for the flight. I couldn't on Cusk as the shower was full of potatoes. I talked to a guy on Roncador and they said if I didn't mind a cold shower and cleaned up after I could use the Officers shower. So I did. DAMN cold!! Didn't matter after all. Sitting on the plane in my dress blue gaberdine's exuding all my Navy charm with a foxy young thing seated next to me I was in a great mood until she asked the stewardess to change seats and pinched her nose indicating I smelled!!! LOL Two weeks on a diesel will do that it seems!
Scrivener
Posted 2018-08-09 4:15 PM (#89905 - in reply to #89900)
Senior Crew

Posts: 217

Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

Chris, what year was you at Hunter's Point? I joined the reserves between my junior and senior years in high school. During my senior year I spent my Christmas vacation in basic training at San Diego. I was at Hunter's Point during the summer of 1965 after I graduated from high school.
Holland Club
Posted 2018-08-09 9:26 PM (#89907 - in reply to #89900)


Master and Commander

Posts: 2490

Location: East Coast of Wisconsin
Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

Interesting! I got a little different slant since the Korea war was ongoing when I enlisted. There were a bunch of USN-Rs aboard including the Engineer (This was on the AKA not my boat. We were happy to have warm bodies to help with the watch standing duties.
After my 10 years regular, I got our and enlisted in the Reserves. During my 2 week summer cruises the crew wouldn't let me touch anything since I was a reserve. I thought, break my heart!! I learned how screw the pooch many years before so you aren't going to get to me by leaving me sit in the crews mess telling sea stories for the 2 weeks. I even assigned myself mess cooking. My guess is not too many crew members ever saw an EN1(SS) with dolphins on mess cooking. All in all, had fun.
C Stafford
Posted 2018-08-10 8:52 AM (#89913 - in reply to #89900)
Senior Crew

Posts: 224

Location: San Diego, CA
Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

I joined the Reserves in 1964 at the Reserve center across from the Admiral Kidd Club in SD.
Went to sub school at Hunters point during the summer of 1965.
Went on the Barbel in 1967 - 69. It was stationed in Pearl.
Scrivener
Posted 2018-08-10 10:46 AM (#89916 - in reply to #89900)
Senior Crew

Posts: 217

Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

Chris, maybe we were classmates at Hunter's Point. If I remember correctly, the petty officer in charge of my class was named "Lund", or something like that. One thing nice about Hunter's Point is that it was close to my home, so I was able to get away a couple of weekends to see my girl, who I later married. It's hard to believe this was 53 years ago.
Gil
Posted 2018-08-10 11:34 AM (#89917 - in reply to #89900)
Master and Commander

Posts: 1597

Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

I was at Hunters Point in May of '65.  I remember because in Berkeley, down the road set the world record in the mile.  He thought he could make us into at least six minute milers - wrong.

Ric, the Roncador was so odd because they removed a lot of stuff from it, and the batteries as well.  Supposedly they replaced them with concrete, but the weight disparity made it float like a cork.  I thought submarines had a lot of space, but because they made room for us on purpose.

I'm surprised they guided you to a boat for a shower.  The Reserve Center had a wonderful huge shower room and was nice.  Also all the transient barracks had really nice accommodations.  Also Terminal Island had a great cafeteria.  Only detriment was on Sundays we had to eat in at least undress blues if I remember correctly.  Most Sundays you could have pork chop and eggs, or order whatever.  Only one cook on the Pickerel approached the ability of Hunters Point or Terminal Island IMO.  Everything served in the chow hall at Hunters Point was exceptional.

Funny thing is Hunters Point is in the news because of low cast housing they're building for the poor.  In my day they had the toughest Marine gate guards I ever ran into,  Also the night buses to the city got hit with random gunfire.  Regardless of all that being in San Francisco on an occasional weekend was a wonderful experience.

Hard to imagine Terminal Island is all gone these days as in the Long Beach Naval Shipyard.  In high school we'd drive to the old Long Beach Pike to just look and laugh at the drunk and stupid sailors - Never thinking a very few years later we'd take their place there and around the world.


Ric
Posted 2018-08-10 3:37 PM (#89920 - in reply to #89917)


Plankowner

Posts: 9152

Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map.
Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

Roncador was in Long Beach just south of LA in May of 1969. Not much there.
Gil
Posted 2018-08-10 6:42 PM (#89921 - in reply to #89900)
Master and Commander

Posts: 1597

Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

I think they moved the Roncador a few times, and its sail is now in San Diego as are a few others.

Jim Ryun broke the record that summer and caused our exercise program to quadruple.  By the time I walked to chow the feeling of throwing up left me.
JrKrup, Skimmer
Posted 2018-08-10 7:01 PM (#89922 - in reply to #89917)


Master and Commander

Posts: 1319

Location: Oxnard, CA
Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

Gil, was that TERMINAL Island (Long Beach), or TREASURE Island (San Francisco?)

Terminal Island was actually NavSta, LBeach. That's where the LB NSY was located along with a lot of civilian businesses. The U.S. Prison is also there. Lots of commercial fishermen there, and quite a few large boat yards who could handle wooden ships up to 200 feet.

TREASURE Island was all navy. No civilian businesses unless they were contractors.

Edited by JrKrup, Skimmer 2018-08-10 7:05 PM
Gil
Posted 2018-08-11 8:35 AM (#89931 - in reply to #89900)
Master and Commander

Posts: 1597

Subject: RE: Going from USNR to USN

Terminal Island Long Beach was where my Reserve Center was and where I reported for active duty.  Treasure Island was where we were sent for fire school, and the gun range during my boot and sub school at Hunters Point in '65.

The Terminal Island prison later housed Christopher Boyce, and supposedly it is where he learned to rob banks while incarcerated.  Boyce was imprisoned for selling data to Russia while at TRW.  in 1981 I went to work for TRW, and we were still being scrutinized for the margarita blenders in the "closed area" portrayed in the movie, "The Falcon and the Snowman, which was about Boyce, Dalton, and TRW - even though the movie called TRW by the fake name of RTX.