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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2672
Location: New Jersey | Subject: 2 Questions about Nucs
I know MM's and EM's were a nuc rating. Was ET's and IC also a nuc rating.
Running at speed was the engine room noisy in the room itself...I know the later boats got quieter and quieter on the outside.
I thought about this as I watched Mega Machines tonight about the building of the Virginia class and it's capabilities. Unbelievably they never have to refuel during the lifetime of it's class. That's astonishing...Anyway, just those two questions.
Edited by Runner485 2019-07-06 5:15 PM
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2490
Location: East Coast of Wisconsin | Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
In the real early days of nukes Many ratings were converted to ET. At the plant, I had a guy reporting to me that was a submarine cook. He had the test scores which allowed him to convert to ET, I think rate for rate. Anyway he was a reactor operator as an ET1 (SS). Also had an EN that converted to ET. Same guy made E-8 chief as an ET.
Re noise. Can't say as I was never on a nuke even for a visit but the power plant was a high noise level place. Containment was a bear when the reactor coolant pumps were running.
On a nuke boat, I can envision much the same thing plus turbine and reduction gear noise. They must do a heck of a job is sound proofing so the boat isn't making a bunch of noise underway.
Also understand the carriers don't have to refuel either. Lifetime core !!
I'll be interested in reading the other answers to your questions. |
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Plankowner
Posts: 9165
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
We had non-nuc ICmen. My shipmate John "Chainfall" Pryzbyla, who use to be on this BBS before he passed way, was IC.
The engine room on Flasher was noisy, main turbine, 2 SSTG's, Air conditioning and refrigeration plants plus the stills, 8000GPD and 1200 GPD and 3 hydraulic systems. But not as noisy as a diesel engine room. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1796
Location: Albany, GA. | Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
Maybe my hearing was gone already, but in comparison to an industrial power plant, the sub engine room wasn't that bad. We had an IC First named Kirkland that was a nuke in the seventies. The EN's became MM's and resented the heck out of it. I remember Chief Bean, he was an EN then an MM. Had one of those fold up mini bikes he took on patrol, but I never saw him ride it. |
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Admin
Posts: 2297
Location: Renton, WA | Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
Mid to late 70s nukes were MM, EM, ET. Some MM's qualified as ELT's as well (Engineering Laboratory Technicians)
I don't recall anything that stood out in the engine room for noise. Reduction gears sang a bit during faster bells. Lot's of gear had its own sound including the "tink tink" noise of steam traps. You developed an ear for any "wrong" noise though!
Used to love to stand next to the Chief at morning quarters underway and hum in tune with one of the harmonics of the background noise - then I would hum just a little "off key" and sure enough, the Chief would start looking around for the source. I did that for months before he figured it out. |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 130
Location: Kennewick, Washington | Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
Runner -To be accurate, MMs and EMs are not nuke ratings. They are standard general Navy ratings. What differentiates the Non-Nuclear from Nuclear classification are their individual training and NEC rating. Being Nuclear trained will get you a nuclear NEC designation. They take the same rating exams as all of the other MMs and EMs in the Navy. Nuke ETs have their own NEC, but also take rating exams with all of the other ETs in the Navy. Non nuke trained ETs take care of the communication, radar, and other electronic items at the forward end of the boat. ICs are a different story. We used to have forward non-Nuke ICs that took care of phones, communication,and alarm systems, but had nothing to do with the Nuke plant back aft. ICs that were Nuke trained were treated the same as being EMs. MMs could also have other Nuke NECs such as being an ELT or Nuke Welders.
As far as the noise levels in the engine room dring operation, they were pretty low level. You could easily talk with the watch standers and didn't need to wear any hearing protection even with all the equipment in operation. |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 715
Location: Conway, NH | Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
Runner485 - 2019-07-06 8:14 PM
I know MM's and EM's were a nuc rating. Was ET's and IC also a nuc rating.
The Reactor Controls div was manned by Electronic Techs and ICmen were part of E-Div. They, along with MM and EM, went through Nuc school.
After a while the Nuc trained IC disappeared.
Today advancement exams are by NEC for Nuc trained MM, ET and EM. Non-Nuc MMs, for example, don't have to worry about Nuc MMs "stealing" MM billets. No more top heavy M, E and RC Divs. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2672
Location: New Jersey | Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
Thanks Dan, this was the response I was after...
"As far as the noise levels in the engine room dring operation, they were pretty low level. You could easily talk with the watch standers and didn't need to wear any hearing protection even with all the equipment in operation." |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1576
Location: Wollongong, NSW | Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
The problem is not just the audible sound but the ultra highs and lows that emit (to us) at non-audible frequencies. The damage that can be done is extensive. Higher frequency damage in the ear has been shown to create damage that does creep into our audible ranges. |
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Mess cooking
Posts: 37
| Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
When I went through nuclear power school at Mare Island in 1970, there were MM, ET, IC, and EM.
IC could train for reactor operators just like the ET's. Unfortunately, about the time I graduated from prototype in Idaho, IC were doomed to be in electrical division.
Later on, it was found that nuke IC's were killing the quotas for the general IC rate. We could score high without even knowing the advancement exam material. Thus when I was ICC, I received a letter from NAVPERS with 3 options: Convert immediately to EMC, take the EM advancement exam, or get out. As soon as I accepted option 1, I made EMCS when I got to COMSUBRON 10.
On a totally unrelated note, while I was at Mare Island Nuke School, the MAA was a TM1 Toomy. First time he saw my name tag, he asked if my Father was ex-Navy. Seems he and my Father served at Fleet ASW school in San Diego.
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2672
Location: New Jersey | Subject: RE: 2 Questions about Nucs
Mike there must have been a lot of conversions going on back then. A guy I worked with on SS485 was a FN when I got out in Feb '64. He stayed in, eventually made EN1 and was serving on nuc boats by this time. He was told to convert to MM or he will be surfaced. So he converted to MM1SS. I don't believe he stayed more then 20. He never made MMC. |
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2 Questions about Nucs
