Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Wicked Awesome Nautical Stuff Part 1

PACIFIC OCEAN (July 25, 2014) The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111), front, USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60) and the The Royal New Zealand Navy multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury (L421) transit in formation during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise 2014. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dustin Knight/Released)
As yesterday was the Navy's birthday, I went looking for videos. One of my top sources for things of this nature is Gung Ho Videos, they rock. Check them out when you get the chance.

The Naviguesser's first assignment as a brand new ensign was to the USS Briscoe, DDG-977, a Spruance-class destroyer. He was actually onboard Briscoe in the photo below. Wave to the readers son!

As he was in M-Div, he was probably down in the engineering spaces. But note the flight deck aft on Briscoe. You can just make out the helo sitting there. His stateroom was directly under the flightdeck.

Noisy during flight ops?

Check.

Hotter'n Hell in the Gulf with a busted air conditioning system?

Check.

Yeah, he has some stories.

Mediterranean Sea (Apr. 23, 2003) -- The nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and Spruance class destroyer USS Briscoe (DD 977) underway in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea as aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3) conduct a formation fly-over during an air power demonstration for visiting Congressional Delegates. Truman and San Jacinto are currently on deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Michael W. Pendergrass. (RELEASED)

The new Spruance (DDG-111) is of the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers. So there was an entire class of ship named after the good admiral, now it's just the one ship. (The admiral himself is in the next photo, that's him on the left.)

Senior Navy officers visit Saipan, 1944 Present are (from left to right): Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, USN, Commander Fifth Fleet; Admiral Ernest J. King, USN, Chief of Naval Operations and Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet; Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN, Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas; and Brigadier General Sanderford Jarman, U.S. Army. Aircraft in the background is a B-24/PB4Y-1 type. U.S. Navy Photo

In the small world department, The WSO was originally assigned to VFA-32, yes indeed, she was a Gypsy. Her squadron was assigned to CAG-3, that's right, USS Harry S. Truman. Oh yeah, her new outfit, VFA-2, the Bullets flying with CAG-2 on USS Ronald Reagan which participated in this year's RIMPAC. My kids get around!

Anyhoo, enjoy the vid, classic Navy stuff.

12 comments:

  1. When I watch videos of CRUDES ships at sea, "Anchors Aweigh" always plays in my mind. When I watch jet vids though, it's always a rockin' soundtrack. Not sure why.

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    1. Ships are stately and relatively slow moving. I sometimes think of the soundtrack of Victory at Sea when watching ship videos.

      But yeah, rock and roll for jet vids, hands down. Though Buck's MMV.

      Delete
    2. My mileage DOES vary. I don't mind r'n'r per se, it's the over-played, pedestrian, brand I can't stand. And there's too damned much o' THAT in aviation vids.

      Delete
    3. I knew there was an "official" Buck reason. And there you have it.

      No one likes over-played and pedestrian.

      Delete
    4. However, this song works for both Surface and Air! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBXbQSu0UOo

      Delete
    5. Not to mention it's being from one of my favorite movies!

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  2. And then there's this: USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60) in the small world department. The DAVIS was SN2's first ride as a SWO. He (SN2) did NOT take kindly to me calling his boat the USS RODNEY KING. I dunno why...

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    Replies
    1. It IS a small world!

      Rodney King, snort, chuckle, guffaw. Yeah, don't think he'd appreciate that.

      Delete
  3. For a rollicking good time (if you're a reader and not a literary snob) check out the works of John G. Hemry (aka Jack Campbell). He was a plank owner on the mighty DD-963. http://www.jack-campbell.com/

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    Replies
    1. I shall have to check it out. I read voraciously and am no snob, I'm all for a rollicking good time!

      Thanks for the link!

      Delete
    2. Whoops, didn't phrase that very well, did I? Some grownups need their intermanet use more closely monitored. Hemry writes space opera and tells a pretty good yarn. You can tell there's an old sea dog at the helm.

      Delete
    3. I went to the website and was enthralled. I may need to throw money at that.

      Delete

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