Taking the plunge

[MadDogDriver]

Anchors Aweigh? Coming from an airdale, that's funny. We old retired blackshoe sailors really know what anchors aweigh is.

Nice catch on the play on words. Only real sailors would've caught it.

My Navy career was unusual for most airdales. I actually was a "shoe" on an old FRAM II, USS Cone DD-866, out of Charleston before I went to Pensacola. Had a Mustang skipper who was aggressive about his young JOs really learning how to drive the ship. I loved it! The destroyer's wardroom and ships company composition is very similar to the F/A-18 squadron numbers and personalities.

You're right about the comforts improving dramatically. My first stateroom was right under the main deck behind Mount 51, Hot, Noisy, but great forced air system ha ha, but even then the flat tops were light years ahead of my 1943 tincan. Now they not only have AC but internet and phone access instead of the old MARS station and the "I love you, OVER" conversations.

Great Memories.

 

[mjarrels]

Anchors Aweigh... we actually "lost" a golden anchor from the USS America on Gozo Station back in the early 80's. Chain broke.

mark

 

[MadDogDriver]

Anchors Aweigh... we actually "lost" a golden anchor from the USS America on Gozo Station back in the early 80's. Chain broke.

mark

I was there!! Small world. Did you get your "Did the Ditch" patch when we went through the Suez? Also remembered the security going home after Sadat's assassination.

 

[mjarrels]

Yep... did the ditch X two. Was on Staff of CVW-11 at the time. Lot's of liberty on that cruise. Palma, Singapore, Perth and I spent a weekend on Diego Garcia.

mark

 

[CJ4]

Maddog,

My backhoe came with the optional mechanical thumb. We have alot of rock where i'm at as well..........uggggg!

 

[jinman]

Anchors Aweigh... we actually "lost" a golden anchor from the USS America on Gozo Station back in the early 80's. Chain broke.

mark

You guys are killin' me. I was on Gonzo station back in 1980 and with the Nimitz when she launched the helos on the doomed hostage rescue mission to Iran. I was aboard the USS Gridley CG-21. We didn't do the ditch, but we did make a diplomatic visit to Mogadishu, Somalia. We had a cookout at the US Embassy where we brought the hot dogs and hamburgers and they supplied the beer. We had a total of 400 bottles of beer for the entire crew. That was all the beer there was in all of Somalia.

 

[mjarrels]

It really is a small world. I found out about two months ago that when Marcos was forced from the Phillippines, my wifes uncle was the one who signed off the aircraft "safe for flight". I did not know my future wife at the time. Aircraft tow tractor was used... keeps it tractor related.

mark

 

[MadDogDriver]

Aircraft tow tractor was used... keeps it tractor related.

mark

Yeah I guess this is a tractor forum. It's amazing though how small this world really is.

We're hoping to get the tractor, fel & bh tomorrow, albeit temporarily. Then it'll go back for the remote, grapple and other things later when they arrive.

YES Pics will be provided.

 

[MadDogDriver]

Maddog,

My backhoe came with the optional mechanical thumb. We have alot of rock where i'm at as well..........uggggg!

Glad you could get a word in with all this "squid" talk going on.

My BH (& tractor) are supposed to show up tomorrow. It has the mech thumb already on it, but the hyd kit is delayed so we'll have to wait a little bit for the full featured BH to be up and running. Can't wait!!!

 

[MadDogDriver]

You guys are killin' me. We had a total of 400 bottles of beer for the entire crew. That was all the beer there was in all of Somalia.

At least it was real beer. Our "steel beach" picnics were the "near beer" variants for awhile and then it was 2 cans per sailor later in my career (every 90 days I think)?? Made for great liberty ashore though.