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  • #31
    "...So, Steve, I have time till X-mas to start feeling aches, eh?"

    All summer and fall unless you wish Christmas early this year. If so, shoot me an address and I'll have two boxes on their way next week.
    "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski
    "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." Lester Bangs

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    • #32
      Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
      Not quite...but he was there. A Fireman 1st Class (think boiler room) on a CVL...he was proud to say as an 18 year old he was the Oil King. He was also off the coast of Japan, which was where he was awarded his Bronze Star doing DC work after a kamikaze hit.

      Thanks for recalling, Dude.

      Where do we get such men......
      First, props to your father. Knowing the penurious way in which the Navy and Marine Corps conduct business vis-a-vis decorations, one can rest assured that whatever he did was in fact above and beyond the call of duty. Had it been the normal, everyday, valorous sort of thing we all hope we are capable of, he'd have gotten a pat on the head and a hearty, "Well done!"

      A point of clarification (not that it matters), as rate and rating terms have changed a lot in the intervening 70 years; but was your father a petty officer? See, now days, a sailor who is "striking" from within the "Fireman" apprenticeship group (there are six apprenticeship groups in the Navy; Seamen, Firemen, Airmen, Hospitalmen, Dentalmen, and Builders). All aspiring enlisted engineers start out life as Firemen Recruits = E-1, Firemen Apprentices = E-2, and Firemen = E-3. They "strike" for one of the Engineering Petty Officer ratings; e.g. Machinist Mates (MM3, MM2, MM1, MMC, MMCS, and MMCM), Gas Turbine Technicians, Electrician's Mates, etc., etc., etc. The point of all this being that a Fireman 1st, would now be called a Fireman, period. If your dad was a petty officer, holding down the Oil King job at 18 (and that is indeed impressive) would be appropriate. If, on the other hand, he was a designated striker, and still a Fireman, that would be even more impressive. The terminology in those days, if a petty officer, would have be Water Tender 3rd (WT3), WT2, and so on. If not a petty officer, he could still be Oil King, regardless of rank or rate, but would have been a designated striker. In other words, he has declared his intentions to be a Water Tender, and even though still "only" a Fireman, he would have been a "Fireman 1st, Water Tender striker." As boilers became more powerful and complex, and things like automatic combustion control systems added to the field, the term "Water Tender" was discontinued, and the term "Boiler Technician" adopted.

      In the modern era therefore, a designated striker would be called a Boiler Technician Fireman, or BTFN. Of course, even the Boiler Technician rating is now gone, and the few boilers still in the fleet on the LHA/LHD-class ships are now maintained and operated by Machinists Mates (MM) holding a Boiler Technician NEC (Navy Enlisted Code = MOS or AFSC). Anyway, like I said, I'm just curious, and maybe I can give you a little more insight into your father's service. Regardless, he sounds like a hell of a guy. :hug:

      And now for one of those teachable moments. A "boiler room," while a term once used in the Navy, now days is to be found in the basement of a New York City tenement building. Just sayin'. :whome:

      Seriously, if the boilers and main engines on a US Navy warship are in separate spaces, the spaces are referred to as the Fire Room and Engine Room, respectively. If they are both found in the same space, as was the case in the Forrestal through John F. Kennedy-classes of CV, it is called a "Main Machinery Room" (MMR), as opposed to "Auxiliary Machinery Room" (AMR) which contains things like distilling plants, Ship's Service Turbine Generators (SSTG), Air Compressors, and so on. Basically everything one would find in a MMR except the boilers and main engines. For instance, again in the non-nuke supercarriers, there were two AMRs and four MMRs. The order of the spaces from forward to aft went Number One AMR, Number One MMR, Number Four MMR, Number Two AMR, Number Two MMR, and Number Three MMR. No, that wasn't a typo; Number Four MMR is in the forward plant. The two longest propeller shafts are Number One and Number Four. They are the two outboard shafts. Number Two is next longest, and Number Three the shortest.

      I did this cartoon for some other thread, maybe on this site or another. It all runs together after awhile. It shows the non-nuke CV engineering plant layout (and reactor compartments aside, USS Enterprise; one off, unique critter that it was). Among other things, it also shows you why Number Three MMR earned the much deserved sobriquet of "Reach-rod Jungle." A "reach-rod" is an extension device permanently affixed to a valve hand wheel that is not within easy reach due to other things being in the way. That condition applied to just about every majore valve in Number Three MMR. I think you can probably figure out why, just with the picture.:confu:



      Jeez Louise, how the hell did you get me talking about engine rooms in a thread about medications?!!!!:slap:

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      • #33
        "Jeez Louise, how the hell did you get me talking about engine rooms in a thread about medications?!!!!:slap:"

        Uhhh...better living through modern chemistry?
        "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski
        "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." Lester Bangs

        Comment


        • #34
          Skipper,

          I understand well what Dad did....I made it a point of knowing. He was a Fireman 1st as opposed to Seaman First so I relaize he was a juniuor enlisted sailor and not a PO. He enlisted on his 17th birthday in World War 2 and spent his 18th at battlestations off of Okinawa. I have written about him previously on the WAB (and other places) which is how The Dude (AKA S-2) knew the story. When his ship was hit by a kamikaze he crawled through a maze of pipework to get to a wheel (which he turned 28 times....28 TIMES is a catch phrase in my family because of that!) to stop the steam from escaping and to bypass the break in the line. He was awarded the Bronze Star for that.

          2 years in the Navy...joined on his 17th birthday in 1944 and was discharged 2 days after 19th birthday in 1946.

          Sadly, he passed away at 2355 on 31 DEC 2000 (that man was going to get every bit out of the 20th Century!)

          Thanks for explanation.
          “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
          Mark Twain

          Comment


          • #35
            Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
            Skipper,

            I understand well what Dad did....I made it a point of knowing. He was a Fireman 1st as opposed to Seaman First so I relaize he was a juniuor enlisted sailor and not a PO. He enlisted on his 17th birthday in World War 2 and spent his 18th at battlestations off of Okinawa. I have written about him previously on the WAB (and other places) which is how The Dude (AKA S-2) knew the story. When his ship was hit by a kamikaze he crawled through a maze of pipework to get to a wheel (which he turned 28 times....28 TIMES is a catch phrase in my family because of that!) to stop the steam from escaping and to bypass the break in the line. He was awarded the Bronze Star for that.

            2 years in the Navy...joined on his 17th birthday in 1944 and was discharged 2 days after 19th birthday in 1946.

            Sadly, he passed away at 2355 on 31 DEC 2000 (that man was going to get every bit out of the 20th Century!)

            Thanks for explanation.
            Cool! Like I said, I was just trying to see if we were all singing from the same sheet of music. It's like my father always being proud of being "the last of the right arm rates." Back in the day, every rating that grew out of the Seaman Apprenticeship group wore their crows on their right arms, while everyone else was on the left. Then the word came down from on high to make every uniform, well, "uniform." ;)

            Comment


            • #36
              Sir,

              You'd love to hear about his older borther, my uncle.

              He was 10 years older than Dad and joined the navy in 1937.

              His rate? Naval Aviation Pilot. Yup, he enlisted as an Aviation Apprentice and worked up to Aviation Radioman 2C. He was sent to flight school in the fall of 1941 and graduated from Pensacola in FEB 1942 as an NAP 2C and then within 4 months was an NAP 1C.

              His rate badge would have looked like this:



              By AUG he was commissioned an ENS(Temporary) and made it to LTJG (T). He flew FM2s off of CVEs and was part of TAFFY 3 off of Samar. Yeah, THAT TAFFY 3. After the war he reverted to Chief NAP and actually spent 3 years in that rate as a test pilot on the AD-1 Skyraider at China Lake. When the Navy did away with NAPs for heavier than air (they kept them in rotary and blimps for a while longer) he was made a LT and shipped out with the first squadron of AD-1s to Korea aboard the USS ESSEX.

              Retired as a LTCDR in 1965 and finished his career flying Phantoms.

              While I am his namesake and he jokinglky said I was out of the will because I went into the Infantry.

              I reminded him that 20/100 vision, color blindness and shitty math scores had more to do with it!
              Attached Files
              Last edited by Albany Rifles; 18 Jul 14,, 14:05.
              “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
              Mark Twain

              Comment


              • #37
                Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
                Yes, sir.

                Opiates and opioids are hydras. Being married to an ICU nurse I know about pain management....not to mention my own dealings.

                I use them sparingly whenever I am prescribed them....and stop as soon as possible. I feel for folks like yourself who have to deal with greater amount of pain.
                Me, I hate using pain meds, for whatever reason, be it all the horror stories I've heard or the clause of "do not operate heavy machinery" or bad experiences in the few times I have had to use them.

                Instead, I've got a host of mind over matter techniques at my disposal, from gate theory through distraction through redefination to creative application (ie, "push the headache out of your mind") to turning it off.

                All that said, though, hearing the stories of various here, of the similar paths I may have been on, I dread in fear what may be down the path.

                Comment


                • #38
                  Originally posted by desertswo View Post
                  Jeez Louise, how the hell did you get me talking about engine rooms in a thread about medications?!!!!:slap:
                  Hard to tell if you overdosed or went off. After awhile those highs and lows blend together... + =

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    It's funny, maybe I'm finally a lifer after all...I wake up, pop a horse pill of Motrin. Start the coffee while I shave. Commence drinking coffee for the next several hours. Pop in a Copenhagen after cup number 2. Induce a bowel movement of epic proportions within 30 minutes of popping in the dip. Like clockwork!
                    Last edited by Brinktk; 14 Aug 14,, 15:19.

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                    • #40
                      Originally posted by Brinktk View Post
                      It's funny, maybe I'm finally a lifer after all.
                      Two questions

                      How many pots of coffee do you drink per day?

                      Do you wash/rinse out your coffee cup?

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                      • #41
                        Originally posted by Gun Grape View Post
                        Two questions

                        How many pots of coffee do you drink per day?

                        Do you wash/rinse out your coffee cup?
                        I don't know how many pots I drink...I start with 2 mugs after PT, I have a big 24oz mug I take with me to work that gets refilled no less than two times before I put my dip in. I'd say about two pots per day at least. I rinse out my mug once a week.

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                        • #42
                          Gunny,

                          What is this rinsing of which you speak?
                          “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                          Mark Twain

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
                            Gunny,

                            What is this rinsing of which you speak?
                            Its some evil thing that my wife tried to do when she visited my office early in the marriage.

                            A foul process that removes the flavor layer from the mug.:insane:

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Originally posted by Brinktk View Post
                              I don't know how many pots I drink...I start with 2 mugs after PT, I have a big 24oz mug I take with me to work that gets refilled no less than two times before I put my dip in. I'd say about two pots per day at least. I rinse out my mug once a week.
                              Not a lifer yet.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                There is a reason I kept a 30 cup coffee pot in my Bradley as a company commander. And my canteen cup was stowed behind the coax ammo bin...well seasoned by by LSA and CLP.

                                People who rinse their coffee mug also use soap on their cast iron, I bet.
                                “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                                Mark Twain

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