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Memories Popeye's Sea Stories
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I remember on the Americas aft mess deck, Dam roaches were walking all over the bread one day! I ate on the foward mess deck after that one. USS America mess deck.
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yep..America was a mess....Our berthing was directly underneath the forward mess decks..yikes! It seemed to me that after the workups for the cruise that the cockroach problem had subsided in our berthing...
You know that America was sunk as an experiment in May 2005.
http://articles.dailypress.com/2005...rcraft-carrier-sunk-naval-sea-systems-command
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I remember the last beer day on CV-66..we had three beer days that cruise. On the last beer day my guys gave me a total of five beers. That in addition to the two I had already consumed.
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Yes she is 16.000 ft under now.
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Some former America sailor in Norfolk owns this now.I remember the last beer day on CV-66..we had three beer days that cruise. On the last beer day my guys gave me a total of five beers. That in addition to the two I had already consumed.
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Now those are real sailors..
I remember now old Buffer-face did many strange things to get sent back stateside. But they did not work. After his stint in the brig he was assigned as a permanent coup(berthing) cleaner. When we did finally get back to the states it was only then that he realized his wife did not want him anymore. He got out of the USN. I wonder where he is now? Or if he's still among the living.
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As posted by my now deceased friend desertswo at skyscrapercity on 13 April 2013..desertswo served aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) from '78- '81....
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(aboard Connie)We used to hate, hate, HATE getting underway for two or three weeks to carrier qual all of the reserve air squadrons, Navy and Marine Corps, on the West Coast. They weren't our guys, and when thrown in with all the other work up stuff between deployments, it was just more time away from home, which wasn't very popular. I know you know all this stuff Popeye, but this is more for the digestion of our friends from the UK.
One thing that I did experience though was the A-4 Skyhawk. This was 1979-1982 time frame and they were still in reserve squadrons in the Navy, and I'm pretty sure still in some active squadrons in the Corps. In those days, when we normally shot and trapped nothing smaller than an A-7, I had never seen an A-4 at sea. I'd seen plenty of them around, and my brother-in-law flew them in between the A-1 Skyraiders he started in and the RA-5C Vigilantes he finished his flying career in, but I'd never seen one shot and trapped in person. They were bridal airplanes for starters so that was an extra step I wasn't used to seeing, but the biggest thing was seeing them on the PLAT Television on final approach. When you are used to seeing these huge F-14s that sort of blot out the sun and are so rock solid in their flight characteristics making approaches, and then here comes this little A-4 that flew for all the world like one of those bats you see early in the evening, flitting around, seemingly out of control. I swear, I didn't think any of them would catch a wire at first and that we'd have a bunch of accidents, but no, that's just the way they are. Just something different to break up the monotony. Judging by the relative size of the airplane to the "shirt" on deck, I imagine that the T-45C Goshawk looks very similar to the A-4 on approach.
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(aboard Connie)We used to hate, hate, HATE getting underway for two or three weeks to carrier qual all of the reserve air squadrons, Navy and Marine Corps, on the West Coast. They weren't our guys, and when thrown in with all the other work up stuff between deployments, it was just more time away from home, which wasn't very popular. I know you know all this stuff Popeye, but this is more for the digestion of our friends from the UK.
One thing that I did experience though was the A-4 Skyhawk. This was 1979-1982 time frame and they were still in reserve squadrons in the Navy, and I'm pretty sure still in some active squadrons in the Corps. In those days, when we normally shot and trapped nothing smaller than an A-7, I had never seen an A-4 at sea. I'd seen plenty of them around, and my brother-in-law flew them in between the A-1 Skyraiders he started in and the RA-5C Vigilantes he finished his flying career in, but I'd never seen one shot and trapped in person. They were bridal airplanes for starters so that was an extra step I wasn't used to seeing, but the biggest thing was seeing them on the PLAT Television on final approach. When you are used to seeing these huge F-14s that sort of blot out the sun and are so rock solid in their flight characteristics making approaches, and then here comes this little A-4 that flew for all the world like one of those bats you see early in the evening, flitting around, seemingly out of control. I swear, I didn't think any of them would catch a wire at first and that we'd have a bunch of accidents, but no, that's just the way they are. Just something different to break up the monotony. Judging by the relative size of the airplane to the "shirt" on deck, I imagine that the T-45C Goshawk looks very similar to the A-4 on approach.
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The Skyhawk was at one time nicked name "Scooter".
I actually served on a ship that had A-4s assigned to it's air wing. The USS Hancock (CVA 19). We had three Skyhawk squadrons as part of CVW-21. VA-212, VA-55 & VA-164.
Those aircraft had poor or no nose gear steering so a guide bar had to be used to maneuver the A-4 on the flight deck.
One thing I liked about the "Scooter" was that it almost never had hung ordnance. If it went off the pointy end of the ship with Mk 82 500lb bombs ..it would comeback empty.. and Ordies delight!.
Scooters were also very reliable aircraft..more than likely due to their simplicity.
I actually served on a ship that had A-4s assigned to it's air wing. The USS Hancock (CVA 19). We had three Skyhawk squadrons as part of CVW-21. VA-212, VA-55 & VA-164.
Those aircraft had poor or no nose gear steering so a guide bar had to be used to maneuver the A-4 on the flight deck.
One thing I liked about the "Scooter" was that it almost never had hung ordnance. If it went off the pointy end of the ship with Mk 82 500lb bombs ..it would comeback empty.. and Ordies delight!.
Scooters were also very reliable aircraft..more than likely due to their simplicity.
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I think they look particularly fetching mate 
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I was scanning the popeye archives and found this sea story that happened to me on Sunday Aug 11, 2002 at NAS North Island SD CA. This was posted in a yahoo group nearly 16 years go..I lived in San Diego from October 1977 until August 2004
On Sunday Aug 11, 2002 since I still love the Navy I decided to go over to North Island to take some Video of the three carriers in port since this does not happen very often. I was sure I could take pictures because I have seen many people on base after 9/11 taking photos. As I soon found out taking any sort of photography was frowned on in certain locations on base.
First I went to the "Connie"(CV-64) then Nimitz(CVN-68). No problem. Then I went to that fine ship named after that great American, USS John C. Stennis CVN-74. While I was taking video of the ship two of CVN-74 Master-at-arms(USN Police)saw me and shouted for me to "stop
filming!!" I did!
I was detained in the "Master-at-arms shack" on the Stennis's berth for about one hour and twenty minutes. They asked me all sorts of questions. I had to talk to the CDO(Command duty officer) & the intelligence duty person.
They took my picture.They explained no photography was allowed on base. That was
news to me because the people on the 'Connie" asked me did I come on base for their tour. I wondered why all those civilians were lining up to go on board CV-64. They reviewed the tape and "EDITED" the portion with the master-at-arms telling me to stop filming. These men where only doing their job. They where very polite and professional. I felt very nervous(YA THINK!) I was sweating like Shaq O'Neal. They let me go and said they where sorry to detain me. I was given the camcorder back with the tape minus about one minute.
Bet you did not have that much fun on Sunday!
When I picked up my (ex)wife from work I told her what happened. She laughed and said "I wish they would have kept you.Then I would not have to feed your fat ass!"
I think she was kidding!? NOT!!!..note the words (ex)wife.
On Sunday Aug 11, 2002 since I still love the Navy I decided to go over to North Island to take some Video of the three carriers in port since this does not happen very often. I was sure I could take pictures because I have seen many people on base after 9/11 taking photos. As I soon found out taking any sort of photography was frowned on in certain locations on base.
First I went to the "Connie"(CV-64) then Nimitz(CVN-68). No problem. Then I went to that fine ship named after that great American, USS John C. Stennis CVN-74. While I was taking video of the ship two of CVN-74 Master-at-arms(USN Police)saw me and shouted for me to "stop
filming!!" I did!
I was detained in the "Master-at-arms shack" on the Stennis's berth for about one hour and twenty minutes. They asked me all sorts of questions. I had to talk to the CDO(Command duty officer) & the intelligence duty person.
They took my picture.They explained no photography was allowed on base. That was
news to me because the people on the 'Connie" asked me did I come on base for their tour. I wondered why all those civilians were lining up to go on board CV-64. They reviewed the tape and "EDITED" the portion with the master-at-arms telling me to stop filming. These men where only doing their job. They where very polite and professional. I felt very nervous(YA THINK!) I was sweating like Shaq O'Neal. They let me go and said they where sorry to detain me. I was given the camcorder back with the tape minus about one minute.
Bet you did not have that much fun on Sunday!
When I picked up my (ex)wife from work I told her what happened. She laughed and said "I wish they would have kept you.Then I would not have to feed your fat ass!"
I think she was kidding!? NOT!!!..note the words (ex)wife.
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I wrote the below in 2003 when USS Constellation was inport in Hong Kong and a story that is no longer available on line was published in the San Diego Union Tribune about the shenanigans going on while Connie was in Hong Kong.
"Sailors still going to the Wan Chai (Suzi Wong) district? Gee I'm shocked! I got some good ,I mean GOOD sea stories about that place. Rated XXX.
Hey I wonder if those ladies of the evening, eerr I mean hostesses still are trying to slip guys a "Mickey"?
When I was on the Midway........Some dame slipped me one in Feb 1973, but I passed out outside of the bar in the street before she could rifle through my pockets. It was only about 1100. The shore patrol took me to the China Fleet Club to sober up. I did. Went out and got drunk
again. Oh there's more but I don't want to hurt your tender ears." ;o)
I've had no liquor of any sort to drink since Super Bowl Sunday in 2003
"Sailors still going to the Wan Chai (Suzi Wong) district? Gee I'm shocked! I got some good ,I mean GOOD sea stories about that place. Rated XXX.
Hey I wonder if those ladies of the evening, eerr I mean hostesses still are trying to slip guys a "Mickey"?
When I was on the Midway........Some dame slipped me one in Feb 1973, but I passed out outside of the bar in the street before she could rifle through my pockets. It was only about 1100. The shore patrol took me to the China Fleet Club to sober up. I did. Went out and got drunk
again. Oh there's more but I don't want to hurt your tender ears." ;o)
I've had no liquor of any sort to drink since Super Bowl Sunday in 2003
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Hey when I was on the USS Hancock CVA-19 I had a friend named Hairy-dog. .Hairy-dog was one of those guys that was always sent TAD(Temporary assigned duty). Mess decks,vent cleaning,laundry..you name it he did it.
Well ole Hairy-dog was TAD to side cleaners in August 1974 while we were in a RAV(restricted availability)in Alameda. He was on this little barge with his bosun mate buddies manning the air needle gun He was chipping away when he hit a spot and BIG chunk-o-ship fell out. You could see in a
berthing compartment. The Navy sent someone from NAVSHIPS to take pics and examine the hole.They x-rayed the ship,in random fashion, from
the hangar deck to the water line to determine the extent of the corrosion. This is how it as determined that CVA-19 would be sold for scrap. Oh
yeah they sent us on another cruise in 1975....
Well ole Hairy-dog was TAD to side cleaners in August 1974 while we were in a RAV(restricted availability)in Alameda. He was on this little barge with his bosun mate buddies manning the air needle gun He was chipping away when he hit a spot and BIG chunk-o-ship fell out. You could see in a
berthing compartment. The Navy sent someone from NAVSHIPS to take pics and examine the hole.They x-rayed the ship,in random fashion, from
the hangar deck to the water line to determine the extent of the corrosion. This is how it as determined that CVA-19 would be sold for scrap. Oh
yeah they sent us on another cruise in 1975....
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As posted by my now deceased friend desertswo at skyscrapercity on 13 April 2013..desertswo served aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) from '78- '81....
Download HiRes
(aboard Connie)We used to hate, hate, HATE getting underway for two or three weeks to carrier qual all of the reserve air squadrons, Navy and Marine Corps, on the West Coast. They weren't our guys, and when thrown in with all the other work up stuff between deployments, it was just more time away from home, which wasn't very popular. I know you know all this stuff Popeye, but this is more for the digestion of our friends from the UK.
One thing that I did experience though was the A-4 Skyhawk. This was 1979-1982 time frame and they were still in reserve squadrons in the Navy, and I'm pretty sure still in some active squadrons in the Corps. In those days, when we normally shot and trapped nothing smaller than an A-7, I had never seen an A-4 at sea. I'd seen plenty of them around, and my brother-in-law flew them in between the A-1 Skyraiders he started in and the RA-5C Vigilantes he finished his flying career in, but I'd never seen one shot and trapped in person. They were bridal airplanes for starters so that was an extra step I wasn't used to seeing, but the biggest thing was seeing them on the PLAT Television on final approach. When you are used to seeing these huge F-14s that sort of blot out the sun and are so rock solid in their flight characteristics making approaches, and then here comes this little A-4 that flew for all the world like one of those bats you see early in the evening, flitting around, seemingly out of control. I swear, I didn't think any of them would catch a wire at first and that we'd have a bunch of accidents, but no, that's just the way they are. Just something different to break up the monotony. Judging by the relative size of the airplane to the "shirt" on deck, I imagine that the T-45C Goshawk looks very similar to the A-4 on approach.
Desertswo always had something interesting to say. Sad to see him go.
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Wow! That's the first photo I've ever seen of America sinking...
From Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_America_(CV-66)
"America was pummeled for four weeks with underwater explosives..still she did not sink. Finally she was sunk with EOD set explosives.
On 25 February 2005, a ceremony to salute America and her crew was held at the ship's pier in Philadelphia, attended by former crew members and various dignitaries. She departed the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility on 19 April 2005 to conduct the aforementioned tests. The experiments lasted approximately four weeks. The Navy tested America with underwater explosives, watching from afar and through monitoring devices placed on the vessel. These explosions were designed to simulate underwater attacks.
After the completion of the tests, America was sunk in a controlled scuttling on 14 May 2005 at approximately 11:30, although the sinking was not publicized until six days later. At the time, no warship of that size had ever been sunk, and effects were closely monitored; theoretically the tests would reveal data about how supercarriers respond to battle damage.[7]
On 16 May 2005, Naval Sea Systems Command released the following statement:
On 14 May at approximately 1130 am EDT, a solemn moment of silence was held as the aircraft carrier ex-America slipped quietly beneath the waves. The data collected during the 25 days at sea from these test events will be of great value to Navy engineers and designers to improve the design and survivability of the nation's future aircraft carrier fleet. The Navy will provide a video and bronze plaque to members of the USS America Carrier Veterans Association and the America Museum Foundation at a yet to be determined time in the future. We thank and honor all the veterans of the USS America who lived and fought for freedom and democracy aboard this majestic vessel"
From Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_America_(CV-66)
"America was pummeled for four weeks with underwater explosives..still she did not sink. Finally she was sunk with EOD set explosives.
On 25 February 2005, a ceremony to salute America and her crew was held at the ship's pier in Philadelphia, attended by former crew members and various dignitaries. She departed the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility on 19 April 2005 to conduct the aforementioned tests. The experiments lasted approximately four weeks. The Navy tested America with underwater explosives, watching from afar and through monitoring devices placed on the vessel. These explosions were designed to simulate underwater attacks.
After the completion of the tests, America was sunk in a controlled scuttling on 14 May 2005 at approximately 11:30, although the sinking was not publicized until six days later. At the time, no warship of that size had ever been sunk, and effects were closely monitored; theoretically the tests would reveal data about how supercarriers respond to battle damage.[7]
On 16 May 2005, Naval Sea Systems Command released the following statement:
On 14 May at approximately 1130 am EDT, a solemn moment of silence was held as the aircraft carrier ex-America slipped quietly beneath the waves. The data collected during the 25 days at sea from these test events will be of great value to Navy engineers and designers to improve the design and survivability of the nation's future aircraft carrier fleet. The Navy will provide a video and bronze plaque to members of the USS America Carrier Veterans Association and the America Museum Foundation at a yet to be determined time in the future. We thank and honor all the veterans of the USS America who lived and fought for freedom and democracy aboard this majestic vessel"
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