Wish I'd Had A Pipe in the Fleet

[mso489]

Indulge me in harking back, but if I overdo in other posts, let me know. I served on a minesweeper

during the Vietnam War, off the DMZ (demilitarized zone, which was a misnomer). I had a rare cigar

aboard, but mostly in port, away from the ship. Most shipmates, if they smoked, smoked cigarettes,

for which "the smoking lamp was lit in all authorized spaces." One guy chain smoked entirely bumming

cigarettes (personality disorder, don't ask, high trained sonarman with more rating than most). On distant

hindsight, I wished I'd puffed a pipe while aboard, despite the throttling sea air. It would have been a solace,

and also given me a little elbow room of individuality. The cigarette bumming guy wouldn't have bothered

me, and "management" (the officers) might have been put off, as they were when I got round glasses frames

in Hong Kong. An afterthought. Guys and gals on active duty, who are on Forums, already avail themselves,

but here's a prompt if anyone wonders if they "should."

 

[mso489]

coalsmoke, you had almost as rough a ride as I did on the 'sweep. That devil was all-wood, Washington Spruce,

and round-bottomed. DDG's roll like crazy, I hear. The old MSO class, now defunct, rolled, pitched, and yawed,

that is, rolled on the diagonal. We'd have gotten to what we thought was one extreme of the ship's motion and

then it would roll a little further in an unexpected direction. Like you, no doubt, I'd feel the ground rolling after

days ashore. And when they finally turned off the four aluminum Packard (yes, Packard) diesels in port, the silence was so deafening

it kept you awake. No tattoos. My brain is tattooed. We ran a typhoon evasion in the South China Sea. It did't

feel like we evaded much. We threw a fifteen foot radio antenna. Delivering messages to the bridge during the

storm was much like swimming underwater.

 

[grouchydog]

I have nothing to add but to offer you both my thanks for your service. 8)

 

[mso489]

One thing sailors all know is how, after weeks or months at sea, as you approach a port and land, it gives off

this "new" smell, terra firma, that smells (this is actually true and quite vivid) of new-baked bread. Nothing like

it in the world.

 

[mso489]

Crossing that bridge to Olongapo City in the dark was like hearing the cries of the damned, beggars under

bridge calling out. The poverty was powerful. The first time I went to the dumpster off the ship, I swung

open the door of the dumpster and there was a whole little factory, people picking and sorting the discards

from ships. Those folks were actually a little better off, having their own business.

 

[oldreddog]

Wonderful stuff Gents and a pleasure to read. Thank you.
But don't get me started...we'll be here talking about this all day!
By all means please do!