On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:40:30 -0500, John H.
wrote:


I sure envy you guys. One of my wildest dreams was to go for a destroyer
ride in the North Sea. I did get offered a ride while in San Diego, working
with an Army diving detachment, but I ended up having to change the plans
about a week before the scheduled ride. We would have been out for about a
week. One of the big regrets in life!

You would have liked it. But if you really want do it you still can
get a ride to Europe via the North Sea on any number of merchant
vessels. Maybe even steam driven. That's how I'm going to Europe
when my wife gets the time and demands I visit Poland with her.
I don't fly. The QE2 prices aren't bad either when you figure it's a
nice room with a balcony over the sea for 4 or 5 days, all the food
you can eat, and transport to Europe.
I can even get on a ship here in Chicago that goes to Europe.
Won't be much different than a destroyer if my only visit to the North
Sea is any indication, since the seas didn't allow for much speed.
That was my only NATO operation.
Here's what you won't do.
1. Come alongside a Limey oiler for refueling expecting them to get a
line across with a monkey fist, and suddenly see them shoot a line
cannon instead. The damn spear on it penetrated the 1/2' thick,
wall of a 6" wide aluminum stanchion about 20 feet from where I
was standing. Our deck apes weren't happy at all as they struggled to
pull it out, I swear I could hear the Brits laughing.
Most of our superstructure was aluminum.
2. Highline across rough seas to the cruiser U.S,S. Columbus as a
casualty control observer.
I watched a few guys go before me. Our ships would roll apart and up
they would go, then down as the ships rolled toward each other, and
the chair went low enough for the first guy his feet were in the
choppy sea moving at maybe 15 knots, which was our speed needed to
keep steady way in those waters.
He was spun around, the rope was tightened, and things went smoothly
after that.
My concern was if the carrying rope broke. Though we wore a life
jacket, the chair and pulley were heavy steel, and would take you
right to the bottom if you didn't get out of it quick.
Suddenly the chair was back and somebody was yelling "Smith!"
I ran over, jumped into the chair, was buckled in, and off I went.
I might have been given some quick instructions, but don't remember.
I don't really remember much of the ride as I was hauled 50 or 60 feet
across to the Columbus. I didn't get wet. I was probably holding my
breath anyway.
What I remember well is the deck apes on the Columbus grabbing the
hanging straps of the chair to steady it, and being lowered quickly to
the deck. I grabbed my seatbelt to free myself, and damned if I
couldn't get myself loose. One of the apes quickly freed me and
I got out of the way. I think my legs started shaking thinking about
that rope breaking and me sinking to the bottom.
I made damned sure I knew how to unbuckle myself from that chair
before I highlined back a couple days later.
I can't for the life of me even remember the return trip, but here I
am, so it was a success.

--Vic.