Calling all Aircraft Carrier Veterans !

MacLawn · Feb 2, 2015

JP-5 in bug juice, shower water? Oh yes, man, that happened a lot on my ship, USS Coral Sea CVA 43, '69-'71 for me. I was on USS Hyman DD-214 before Coral Sea. Agent orange mess was also sucked down our vents into engine room #2, my place. Gubmint won't admit that one either, but Australian gubmint researched it and proved it was bad.

Subic Bay, Olongopo, eh? Pulled in there one time after 45 days at sea, could hardly walk on ground. Oh me. Thanks for keeping this thread going.

Leejohn · Feb 3, 2015

"JP-5 in bug juice, shower water? Oh yes, man, that happened a lot on my ship"

I was on the FDR CVA42 from 1958-62 and that never happened that I know of. I was wonder how it could even happen?

RoyJackson · Feb 3, 2015

Leejohn said:
"JP-5 in bug juice, shower water? Oh yes, man, that happened a lot on my ship"

I was on the FDR CVA42 from 1958-62 and that never happened that I know of. I was wonder how it could even happen?

Never happened to me either, and I was on the Saratoga. We'd get a little salt water in the potable water now and then, but never any JP or av-gas. I was deployed on the Sara from 1970-1974.

mjarrels · Feb 3, 2015

To this day, SOS on toast points is the best food ever.

mark, USN Retired

mjarrels · Feb 3, 2015

Did two back to back tours at NAS Cubi Point Republic of the Philippines, VC-5 and AIMD Cubi Point. Lived in Olongapo, best taco's I ever had were at Via's on Gordon Street about one block south from the main gate at Subic. UA bar was my place to go along with folks from VA-93 from USS Midway. Cubi and Subic was the home away from home for the Midway. USS Midway is now a musem in San Diego. Dang, I'm getting old!

mark, USN Retired

drajj5 · Feb 16, 2015

Read this thread from start to finish.

I am amazed that although it has been close to 20 years since I served......The language written and it's context is still familiar to me? I felt like I had returned- understanding all those acronyms as if I reported yesterday. How I retained anything is amazing as I was only in for 8yrs and yet now, I regret not staying for the duration of my career. I got stuck in Naval Station Washington for my first tour and although was interesting I was forced to stay squared away 24/7. Afterwards I went to the detailers office (drove there) hollered out to all those Chief's sitting at their desks and said, "who has the dirtiest job"? I was an undesignated airman at the time.

AS Chief said come sit here and explained that I would be wearing coverall's while working on GSE. I had no idea what GSE was, but wearing coverall's to work appealed to me... Took the test and passed (rated/not PNA) That same Chief sent me off to school to receive the billet for my next duty station.

never though that I would miss it - times change I guess

Varmintmist · Mar 4, 2015

Connie and Kitty, just workup dets as a 6333 stuck in VAQ 129 yet still attached to MAG42.

More than my brain bucket was green if you dont get the MOS

ACC · Mar 25, 2015

Strange...I was on board the Saratogo from 1974 - 1975 and it was nightmare! If you could find a head that ever worked in was filled with leaking pipes and green moss...when you showered you smelled like JP-5 Fuel...you could taste it in the drinking water. ****, better than 98% of the bunks were infested with crabs and you would often see cockroaches running on top of the food in the mess hall...

RoyJackson said:
Never happened to me either, and I was on the Saratoga. We'd get a little salt water in the potable water now and then, but never any JP or av-gas. I was deployed on the Sara from 1970-1974.

tractorshopper · Mar 25, 2015

One time we had a beer day going through Suez Canal. 45 days straight with no port visit. Was quite a site. Steel beach picnic on the flight deck and you look right or left and see nothing but desert. Look fore or aft and see a very small waterway that you're floating through.

I was on the Teddy Roosevelt. AMH3. My squadron was HS-3. CSAR/Anti Sub squadron out of NAS Jax. H-60 Seahawks.

Our berthing was directly under the #2 arresting wire. I used to be able to sleep through anything.

Garandman · Mar 25, 2015

My father was part of the original crew of USS Wasp (CV18). Built at the Fore River Yard in Quincy and their shakedown was the trip to the Panama Canal. He served past the end of the war when the ship was used to return soldiers to the US from Europe. He died in 1997 at age 76 and around 50 of his crew mates attended the wake and services. He went to reunions until age 70 or so.

I have a map which he kept (highly unauthorized) of her movements during WWII, I'll see if I can make an image good enough to post.