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 66th or 67th Submarine Birthday Ball, Part 2Moderators: Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page] | |
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Roger Ramjet |
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Mess cooking Posts: 35 | Subject: 66th or 67th Submarine Birthday Ball, Part 2 We last left our 'crew' - composed of the majority of the off duty sections of three submarines, standing - (well, most of them were standing, some on their own, others with the assistance of their new found mates) - at the Base gate in Naples, Italy. It is a fairly long walk from the gate to the submarine piers and the initial part of it passes through the Italian BOQ, a series of masonry buildings with iron shutters at the windows. We had been reminded (perhaps one time too many) that while passing this section we were to maintain a "quiet modicum of decorum" as a measure of respect towards the officers in their repose. Well frankly, this evening, we really weren't in the mood to show much respect to anybody who hadn't already earned it! We were 'lit-up' and on the move, albeit slow and unsteady. As we stumbled through the BOQ our boisterous talk alone was enough to draw a few loud admonitions from the balconies above. Although most of us were unable to understand more than a few words in Italian, (and those had to do with the three necessities of life - The intake of food, - the expelling of food - and sex) we had no trouble understanding the intent of what was said.. Now as there may someday be someone reading this who is not submarine related and has no understanding of the relationship between the enlisted crew of a diesel submarine and the officers aboard that submarine, I feel an obligation to clarify a few points. Diesel submarine crews formed a bond that was nearly unique throughout the military.. I have been told that Army men in combat together form the same bond, but that bond does not include their officers... A newly assigned Army officer can send half his squadron straight uphill into the maw of a machine gun nest and have full expectation that every man-jack among them will charge forward without question....... Don't try that with a submarine crew. As an aside story, we once carried a contingent of Marines for some sort of covert operation involving letting them out in black rubber rafts while we were decks awash so they could sneak ashore and do what Marines do... In a conversation with the commander, he told us exactly what I've just said.. "These boys will charge straight into the jaws of hell if told to... Where if I told a bunch of you Navy guys to do the same thing you'd tell me to "Get F*ck*d!".. He was dead right! Submarine officers (with the exception of the Captain and in some cases the XO) had to 'earn' the respect of the crew. It was not granted them by way of uniform and insignia, it came via actions alone.. You let some Ltjg screw up a couple times and endanger the boat and he'd be lucky to be able to form up a party to load stores at the dock! This is the sort of attitude our 'crew' had, which combined with a snoot-full of red wine, created sailors without a great deal of 'respect' for much of anything! (Especially foreign officers from some other country!) We replied to their reprimands with a bombardment of rocks and beer bottles... They closed the iron shutters and allowed us to pass without further hindrance. (A wise move on their part!) Some of the Cobbler's new found friends had already visited the 'fabled' port of Palma and discovering how we had been diverted back to Naples from a course towards Majorca, they took great enjoyment in expounding at length on the delights we had been deprived of! The possibility of departing that evening for this siren song of the Med became the topic of conversation and plans began to formulate... The first opportunity that confronted us was in the form of a small YO.. A Yard Oiler is utilized to refuel ships within the harbor and as such we assumed would have plenty of fuel to get us to our destination. They are not a large vessel by any standards, but we deemed it large enough to accommodate our 'crew' and as there were no guards in evidence to oppose us, we climbed aboard! Now you might think that with no less than a dozen or so Enginemen among us we'd be able to 'start' nearly anything with a means of locomotive power in it, but bringing this small ship to life eluded us, despite our best efforts.. I no longer recall what the problem was, maybe it was steam powered, but whatever, it defeated all endeavors and we solemnly climbed back up on the dock, dejected. Somewhat further along, as we made our way back to the 'sub-pens' we came upon an Italian Frigate, the sort of ship that in battle would be tasked with locating and sinking enemy submarines.. To say there is little love lost between "tin can sailors" and submariners would be an understatement of monumental magnitude.. This ship was "Med moored", stern first with a brow the width of Broadway running down to the after deck... We stopped at the land end of the brow. The mass of swaying, drunken, surly, sub sailors, several dozen strong must have made an impression on the single deck watch viewing us apprehensively from the terminus of this gangway, for as we discussed the merits of Shanghai-ing this war vessel - (after all, her 'engines' were already running, we could see wisps of smoke at her stacks) - he fled below decks! We took this act of blatant military cowardice as an invitation to board and board we did, running down the brow like a band of attacking pirates, (I even had a sword - remember?) but very quickly we learned that one fainthearted guard does not a ships company make! Alarms sounded and lights went on, men poured out of passages, doorways and hatches... 'Things' became sobering very quickly... Lurch and I ended up in Naples Harbor (an immersion the Corpsman later told me would most likely cause my demise) and I don't really recall what happened to everyone else, but you may rest assured it wasn't good....... I have been very fortunate in extricating myself from the clutches of "The Powers that be"....... Be they Shore Patrol, local Police or Officers in Charge and this was one of those moments. Lurch actually saved me by getting me on to dry land but in all honesty I can't remember how he did it.. We fled into the night and eventually made our way back to our respective boats..... Remember the sword with the gold sash and silver hilt? Well I had damn near cut my ankle to the bone for a long-thin spatula with tinfoil wrapped on the handle and a yellow ribbon tied around it! I gave it to Chief Bubba to cook with... I think he threw it overboard! And that shipmates, was the end of my most memorable Submarine Birthday Ball, the 67th of the Submarine Service, as it was held in Naples, Italy... It's a damn wonder any of us are still alive! I often have a moment of silence for those of us who are not... I remember them all so well, for they were, as you are, my brothers. With great respect, Roger Ramjet | ||
| Flapper |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1107 Location: Tucson AZ | Subject: Bravo! The subject line says it all. | ||
| Roger Ramjet |
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Mess cooking Posts: 35 | Subject: RE: 66th or 67th Submarine Birthday Ball, Part 2 "The subject line says it all" Flapper, If you are implying that I can't even keep my years straight, you couldn't be more wrong! TSpoon and I are simply having a differing of opinions as to when this event actually took place. He seems to have be stuck in a time warp that has set his memory bank back one year... (I think they were simply reusing last years ashtrays!) I only made one Med trip and I have my Qualification sheet proving that I qualified on that cruise in 1967.. How can an ashtray, (handmade or otherwise) hold any sway over a man's qualification certificate? Of course it could be that you were actually passing along your congratulations for a great sea story in which case you of course couldn't be more correct! Where but at a Submarine Ball could one indulge oneself in such high jinks? I actually don't give a rats pa-toot what year it happen in (although it had to be 1967 - sorry TSpoon, you know I luv ya, jus' the same!) it was one hell of a good time! G'd nite Lurch wherever you are! Thanks fer pullin' my half drowned ass outta Naples Harbor! I wouldn't be here without ya! Ramjet | ||
| Flapper |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1107 Location: Tucson AZ | Subject: It was the latter, RR Roger Ramjet - 2008-05-17 1:31 PM"The subject line says it all" {SNIP}Of course it could be that you were actually passing along your congratulations for a great sea story in which case you of course couldn't be more correct! {SNIP}Ramjet I was clapping my hands and shouting 'Encore!' I talked with one of your shipmates (Bruce Mitchell) yesterday at our Tucson USSVI meeting; I think he confirmed that those events happened in '67. | ||
| Roy Ator |
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Great Sage of the Sea Posts: 892 Location: Palo Pinto County, Texas | Subject: RE: 66th or 67th Submarine Birthday Ball, Part 2 Roger Burleigh! You scoundrel you! After all of these years, I finally learn why I had such acute hangover symtoms just about a month prior to my 34th birthday. It had to have been sympathy pains! I spent most of April and May of '67 on a "med cruise" as well aboard the Casimir Pulaski 633B. Of course we dove and surfaced on the Atlantic side of the Strait of Gibraltor. BTW, I've never seen the Med. Can't help but wonder about that Tirante shipmate T. Spoon having a hand in it. LOL DBF, Roy | ||
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