# Indian Ocean Adventures One



## Pecos (Aug 2, 2020)

In 1976 I took a team with me and augmented the crew of a Fast Frigate (Small Destroyer) that was headed into the Indian Ocean. Ships going into remote areas like that are often beefed up with specialists. I had linguists and a number of other specialists with me. I normally spent my time in CIC (Combat Information Center). These are some of the photos that I came across a few days ago:
I joined the ship for this three month assignment when she first entered the Med headed for the canal.

The very first time I went through the Suez Canal was in 1964 and the edges were littered with bombed out tanks and what-not from and early Mid East War. On this trip I observed that bombed out ships hulls had been added to the mix. I do not recall which side made the decision that blocking all traffic through the canal gave them an advantage. But they did it and I imagine that getting those broken up hulls lifted out of the canal was not an easy task, They still had not cleaned up all the damaged vehicles and tanks.


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## Aunt Marg (Aug 2, 2020)

A lovely tidbit of history.

Love the pictures!

Can't help but think the isolation and being out in the middle of nowhere had a way of taking it's toll on crews.


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## jerry old (Aug 6, 2020)

If memory is correct-Arabs (Nasser-Egypt) made the decision to block the canal to block possible use by Israel's military.
Seemed dumb to me, Egypt was much more dependent on canal than Israel. 

Always wondered if that was Nasser's decision or the Egyptian Military-not a clever move.
 It really hurt Europe financially, remember that.


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## Pecos (Aug 6, 2020)

jerry old said:


> If memory is correct-Arabs (Nasser-Egypt) made the decision to block the canal to block possible use by Israel's military.
> Seemed dumb to me, Egypt was much more dependent on canal than Israel.
> 
> Always wondered if that was Nasser's decision or the Egyptian Military-not a clever move.
> It really hurt Europe financially, remember that.


I think you are correct and it created a whale of a mess. The Suez Canal sure didn't look like a tourist attraction.


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## oldman (Aug 7, 2020)

Great experience, but I prefer land. I did consider the Navy before I joined the Marines, but just decided that I could serve my country better on land. When I spoke with the Naval recruiter, he could not promise me that I would be assigned to a carrier, so I crossed the Navy off of my list.


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## jerry old (Aug 7, 2020)

Have you noticed, Vets seem to have the same general interest, the same values, the same general outlook on life.  
Perhaps, this is a faulty interpretation, but it appears that way to me.


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## Pecos (Aug 8, 2020)

jerry old said:


> Have you noticed, Vets seem to have the same general interest, the same values, the same general outlook on life.
> Perhaps, this is a faulty interpretation, but it appears that way to me.


In general I think that they do, but not always.


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## jerry old (Aug 10, 2020)

"Stars in your eyes"
In the past few months there have been many police chiefs and sheriffs  on TV.
It does not matter if there from a metro center, or from a berg no one has ever hear of each of them appears with four stars on his collar.

Veterans know their insignia, for a police chief or sheriff to decorate himself
with four  stars is ludicrous, if not insulting. 
I saw the sheriff of my rural  county a few months ago, prancing around with four
stars on his collar- ridiculous.

There are close to half a million in men in the U.S. Army.
The cap for Lieutenant Generals is seven, that is roughly one four start general for 70,000 troops.


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## OneEyedDiva (Aug 26, 2021)

Wow! Awesome photos. Is that you in the top one? What a piece of history. You *sure* have had an interesting life!


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## Pecos (Aug 26, 2021)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Wow! Awesome photos. Is that you in the top one? What a piece of history. You *sure* have had an interesting life!


Yes, that was me and I would have been about 35 at the time.


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## cdestroyer (Aug 27, 2021)

ah crap, now I have to address you as sir!


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## Pecos (Aug 27, 2021)

cdestroyer said:


> ah crap, now I have to address you as sir!


LOL, I see myself as an “ordinary joe” these days. Pecos works just fine.


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## cdestroyer (Aug 27, 2021)

yes sir!


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## feywon (Aug 27, 2021)

My Grandad was Navy in WWI, died of Spanish Flu and buried at sea so family story goes.  Dad was Merchant Marine (blind in one eye, disqualified him from other services).  Uncles, Cousins in various services, including a sister in Navy in the early 60's.  

One of my sons was Navy, (the other was disqualified due to congenital heart issue), actually trained at Great Lakes like his Aunt. First duty was at Whidbey Island, Anti-Nuclear Sub Warfare specialist, he refused to re-up unless he got sea-duty, so got retrained at Norfolk then joined crew of a newly commissioned Destroyer the O'Kane in Maine. Their maiden voyage was down east coast thru Panama Canal and to Pearl Harbor. Over the years they went to Persian Gulf twice (1st time right after 9/11), and once he was loaned to an Army unit on the grand in mid-east. 

Ended up staying at Pearl for 16 yrs, retiring in 2014.  CO recommended he have a small ceremony--that rituals important.  He flew his sister and i out there for it.  Knew my Dad (who died in '95) would have been tickled at something they put on the plaque he was given:  "Fair winds and Fallow Seas"


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## SmoothSeas (Aug 27, 2021)

Former Merchant Marine here - your post and the picture brought memories...

Been through the Suez a good number of times - ain't all that impressive, really - nothing but a ditch filled with water and endless sand on either side.

Now, transiting the Panama is something to behold - once I'd acquired the union seniority, I'd lay for those west coast of South America runs - the turn-around was generally fast. the seas were usually smooth, and the fun was mas barrato...


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## Pecos (Aug 27, 2021)

feywon said:


> My Grandad was Navy in WWI, died of Spanish Flu and buried at sea so family story goes.  Dad was Merchant Marine (blind in one eye, disqualified him from other services).  Uncles, Cousins in various services, including a sister in Navy in the early 60's.
> 
> One of my sons was Navy, (the other was disqualified due to congenital heart issue), actually trained at Great Lakes like his Aunt. First duty was at Whidbey Island, Anti-Nuclear Sub Warfare specialist, he refused to re-up unless he got sea-duty, so got retrained at Norfolk then joined crew of a newly commissioned Destroyer the O'Kane in Maine. Their maiden voyage was down east coast thru Panama Canal and to Pearl Harbor. Over the years they went to Persian Gulf twice (1st time right after 9/11), and once he was loaned to an Army unit on the grand in mid-east.
> 
> Ended up staying at Pearl for 16 yrs, retiring in 2014.  CO recommended he have a small ceremony--that rituals important.  He flew his sister and i out there for it.  Knew my Dad (who died in '95) would have been tickled at something they put on the plaque he was given:  "Fair winds and Fallow Seas"


I like to read about "all-Navy" families, and yours would certainly be one of them.

My adopted father was an Lieutenant in WWII and was on a destroyer when he participated in the big battle for Okinawa. Later, he went ashore with the Marines. He then spent time on the mainland of Japan with the occupation forces.

My step father was in the Navy during WWII as a gunners mate and was on the USS Lexington during the Battle of the Coral Sea. His gun tub was shot up during the battle and a Japanese aircraft hit the side of the ship and exploded just below him. He said that the cooling water hose to his gun was cut during the battle but that he just "poured the coal to it anyway, knowing that the gun would be damaged." After the battle the ships crew fought fires for almost 24 hours before it became clear that it was a lost cause. They abandoned the ship and he was quickly picked up by a destroyer.  Later he was in the Atlantic when his ship was hit by a German torpedo and he had to go swimming again. It was actually the last day of the war and he was in the water for 24 hours that time.

One of my uncles was a Radioman and spent WWII on small craft fighting on the inland waters of China. Another uncle was also a Radioman and spent time on a destroyer in the Pacific.

I was in for 31 years, starting when I was 17 as a Seaman Recruit and retiring as a full Commander in 1991.

My son was an Anti-Submarine Warfare specialist and a Rescue Swimmer. He spent most of his time riding choppers off of the aircraft carrier the USS Kennedy. He was involved in two rescues, one during the day in the Caribbean in calm waters. The other in the Eastern Med at night in bad weather and heavy seas. A jet from the carrier went down with two people and they first had trouble finding them. The other rescue swimmer on the chopper went down while my son stayed aboard. When he tried to hoist the first fellow out,  the cable snapped. In direct violation of regulations, my son tossed the choppers own life raft into the water, and somehow managed to splice that cable together and get everyone aboard. For his actions, he was awarded a metal and that rescue became the Navy's "Rescue of the Year" in the annual competition of the year between the services. The Coast Guard won that year (they nearly always do) for a rescue in the Northern Pacific.

I would imagine that they wanted your son to fly aboard long range search aircraft out of Whidbey Island, and frankly that would be a bit on the boring side, except when the Russians or North Koreans come out to take pot shots at them. Over the years there have been a number of these and there was one shot down off the Russian Coast. There were plenty of things going on in Pearl, so I imagine that your son had plenty of different jobs, including some staff work at Third Fleet or at Pac Fleet. Still, 16 years on Oahu. I am a bit envious.

I greatly enjoyed your post.

Pecos


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## feywon (Aug 27, 2021)

Pecos said:


> I like to read about "all-Navy" families, and yours would certainly be one of them.
> 
> My adopted father was an Lieutenant in WWII and was on a destroyer when participated in the big battle for Okinawa. Later, he went ashore with the Marines. He then spent time on the mainland of Japan with the occupation forces.
> 
> ...


Great story about your son.  i have no doubt there are thousands of such stories that only the family, close friends and military comrades know. 

Oh Seth loved Hawaii so much he stayed. Hasn't married but has long time GF and friends from service days there. When he visited us in Sept of 2012 not long after our move here i heard him on phone with a landlord he'd dealt with a lot over the years, as he needed a new and longer term place when he returned. The guy was apologizing to him because the only available place was in a somewhat 'rough' Waipahu neighborhood few of the haole (which means 'outsider' not 'white') service people would live in. Seth told him "No problem i've lived surrounded by locals before, treat everybody respect with have had few problems." The guy held the apt for him and he is still there 9 yrs later. 

My Dad was a radioman in Merchant Marines, later built his own HAM operator system. Had post cards from around the globe confirming contacts (i know HAMs have special name for those, but can't recall at moment). He often helped people check on relatives during difficult post hurricane times with phone lines down in Tampa area. 

My Irish Grandma got a kick out of the way i enjoy family stories, other peoples as well as my own.  i just wish i had asked her more questions about grandpa and their lives when Dad and other kids were young. But she was somewhat intimating at times.


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## Pecos (Aug 27, 2021)

SmoothSeas said:


> Former Merchant Marine here - your post and the picture brought memories...
> 
> Been through the Suez a good number of times - ain't all that impressive, really - nothing but a ditch filled with water and endless sand on either side.
> 
> Now, transiting the Panama is something to behold - once I'd acquired the union seniority, I'd lay for those west coast of South America runs - the turn-around was generally fast. the seas were usually smooth, and the fun was mas barrato...


Did you go swimming when the ship dropped anchor in the center lake? We always had sharpshooters posted for any sharks that might show up. We were also allocated two cans of beer while were were at anchor and had to drink them in the motor whale board.

On one of the Destroyer I briefly rode, the ship has an idiot kid who made bets with other sailors that when we came out of the cannel, he was going to jump over the side. As a warship, we were first to exit the cannel and we had all those big merchant ships behind us who must have really been pissed while our skipper darted around between them rescuing that idiot. That sailor was promptly courts marshalled and shipped back to the states for a big spell in the brig.

I made two trips through the Panama Cannel and it was a lot more interesting. There was some political unrest going on at the time and we had to stay in locations where we could duck for cover in case we started getting small arms fire.

I only got into two posts on the West Coast of South America, Valparaiso Chile and I believe Santiago, Peru. They were both a lot of fun. I had to stand Shore Patrol in Valparaiso and herd all the drunks back to the ship. In one "house of ill repute" I ended up rousting a Merchant Sailor who thought that it was funny as hell. That would have been in early 1965. Now if that was you, I will apologize even at this late date. 

Pecos


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## Pecos (Aug 27, 2021)

Pecos said:


> Did you go swimming when the ship dropped anchor in the center lake? We always had sharpshooters posted for any sharks that might show up. We were also allocated two cans of beer while were were at anchor and had to drink them in the motor whale board.
> 
> On one of the Destroyer I briefly rode, the ship has an idiot kid who made bets with other sailors that when we came out of the cannel, he was going to jump over the side. As a warship, we were first to exit the cannel and we had all those big merchant ships behind us who must have really been pissed while our skipper darted around between them rescuing that idiot. That sailor was promptly courts marshalled and shipped back to the states for a big spell in the brig.
> 
> ...


My mistake, it was Lima Peru.


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## Pecos (Aug 27, 2021)

feywon said:


> Great story about your son.  i have no doubt there are thousands of such stories that only the family, close friends and military comrades know.
> 
> Oh Seth loved Hawaii so much he stayed. Hasn't married but has long time GF and friends from service days there. When he visited us in Sept of 2012 not long after our move here i heard him on phone with a landlord he'd dealt with a lot over the years, as he needed a new and longer term place when he returned. The guy was apologizing to him because the only available place was in a somewhat 'rough' Waipahu neighborhood few of the haole (which means 'outsider' not 'white') service people would live in. Seth told him "No problem i've lived surrounded by locals before, treat everybody respect with have had few problems." The guy held the apt for him and he is still there 9 yrs later.
> 
> ...


I lived in Waipahu for a few months back in 1967 and did not have a problem, but when I returned to Hawaii in 1981, it had a reputation as a rough place. My wife grew up in Kailua. (We are coming up on our 37th year of marriage.)

I certainly wish that I had asked more questions as well. I am named after an Uncle who fought in the trenches in World War One and died from exposure to mustard gas. But, to my regret, I was too young and too dumb at that age to be interested. Shame on me.


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## SmoothSeas (Aug 27, 2021)

Pecos said:


> Did you go swimming when the ship dropped anchor in the center lake?


 no, didn't jump over the side for a quick dip - nor did any of the crew, at least that I'm aware of


Pecos said:


> We always had sharpshooters posted for any sharks that might show up. We were also allocated two cans of beer while were were at anchor and had to drink them in the motor whale board.



no sharpshooters, either  -  and no grog allocations  -  not even in the slop chest...



Pecos said:


> On one of the Destroyer I briefly rode, the ship has an idiot kid who made bets with other sailors that when we came out of the cannel, he was going to jump over the side. As a warship, we were first to exit the cannel and we had all those big merchant ships behind us who must have really been pissed while our skipper darted around between them rescuing that idiot. That sailor was promptly courts marshalled and shipped back to the states for a big spell in the brig.



silly lad, he deserved to be disciplined


Pecos said:


> I made two trips through the Panama Cannel and it was a lot more interesting. There was some political unrest going on at the time and we had to stay in locations where we could duck for cover in case we started getting small arms fire.



the Panama never ceased to amaze me - no political unrest there at the time I sailing - now the South China Sea was a whole 'nother story - our sister ship was boarded by pirates - they came up over the fantail with grappling hooks and looted anything of value out of the Old Man's office

I only got into two posts on the West Coast of South America, Valparaiso Chile and I believe Santiago, Peru. They were both a lot of fun. I had to stand Shore Patrol in Valparaiso and herd all the drunks back to the ship. In one "house of ill repute" I ended up rousting a Merchant Sailor who thought that it was funny as hell. That would have been in early 1965. Now if that was you, I will apologize even at this late date.

Valpo's probably the best port on the west coast run, imho, seconded maybe by Callao.  Some of those Brazilian ports were good, too - but then you didn't have to transit the canal

being able to see something of the world was a for-real education...

/ss


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## Pecos (Aug 27, 2021)

SmoothSeas said:


> no, didn't jump over the side for a quick dip - nor did any of the crew, at least that I'm aware of
> 
> 
> no sharpshooters, either  -  and no grog allocations  -  not even in the slop chest...
> ...


Wow, getting boarded by pirates, that would freak people out. That would be a real "education."

In an earlier part of that cruise, we did get into Salvador, Brazil and I liked that a lot. I heard fabulous music and saw some amazing dancing in their nightclubs. At dinner one night, I was served an amazing steak which in addition to being outstanding was just huge.


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## cdestroyer (Aug 27, 2021)

delete


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## cdestroyer (Aug 27, 2021)

delete


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## cdestroyer (Aug 27, 2021)

oops stepped on your post....


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