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One night in 72 while firing during GQ both T1 and T2 experienced a misfire on the center guns.  We were told to keep the turrets pointed in a safe direction in case of a cook off while we steamed for the open sea.  T3 was firing like mad as we headed out of danger. When we were in open water, T2 was told to unload the misfired powder, insert a good one and clear the round.  When T2 lowered the the block, there was no powder canister behind the projectile!  The Weps boss came on the line and reamed out T2's Turret Capt. up one side and down the other.  Called the crew every kind of stupid there is.  Then he turned his attention to T1 and me, the unfortunate
soul who was acting as Turret Capt. this particular night. Weps wanted to know if there was indeed a powder behind the projectile. I rapidly gave the Gun Capt. the 3rd degree and he assured me that in fact there was a powder can behind the projectile.
    We lowered the block and what do you suppose we saw? NO POWDER!!!! What now?  Bob Clark told me to verbally go through the steps of removing a misfire and loading a new one.  As I did, he sent two guys outside, under the turret to fetch an empty powder case and return with it the same way.  When they returned with the case I told Weps that the powder was out of the turret and they were taking it to the side to throw it over board.  The two guys took the empty and flung it over the side and I reported "Misfire over the side."  We were then told to load a powder and clear the barrel which was done.  After all that we got a "Well done." from Weps and the CAPT!
 

It was probably Jan of '55 and I was fresh out of I C Electrician school at Great Lakes. I was told to go topside and fix the train warning bell on T 1.My first thought was "here we are in the middle of the North Atlantic. They ain't no railroads for hundreds of miles, what is this train warning s--t". None the less, I took my tools and headed for T 1,where the gunners very quickly informed me that a train warning bell has nothing to do with" trains." As it turned out the coil which activates the bell was burned out and no spares aboard. The only thing left to do was to rewind the old one, carefully counting turns as I unwound then rewind the coil. When it was reinstalled it did a
perfect job of protecting shipmates from railroads and the overhang of  T1 as it trained to point at the target. Boy the things they don't teach in school !!!
Gus Graden 54=55
 

  One thing I  remember about Montego Bay was being broke (it always seemed to me we were in a port between pay days) and just wandering around.  All the sidewalk vendors hawking their wares we had to get through when hitting the beach.  Being in some dive with this large female bartender wearing some sort of halter top and a shipmate saying, "Be careful, she's armed".  I asked what he meant and pointing at her he replied, "She's carrying a couple of 38's".  :)
  Walking through Beautiful Downtown Montego Bay and seeing a couple of guys buying pot off someone on a corner and when they walked away the seller pointed them out to a couple of cops who stopped them and after relieving them of their purchase going back to the seller to give it
back and split the small fee for letting them off with the cops parking a short distance away and the seller going though that routine with a couple of other guys.
 And one of my favorite times aboard the NN was when I had a radio show when we were at sea.  Was that same time Jeanne Dixon predicted a large Navy vessel would disappear in the Bermuda Triangle and nearly everyone stayed up all night just in case it was true?
On Sunday I celebrated my 51st birthday.  I have that one coming up in about seven weeks... ==sigh==
  Joe '69-71
Visit my home page:
http://members.tripod.com/~HomeSweetHomepage/index

   

Subj:	[NN] HMAS Perth
Date:	12/03/2000 1:45:08 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:    Buffet87@aol.com

Shipmates:
The following is an excerpt from the history of the HMAS Perth.  I just received it from one of her crewmembers, Barry Lehmann, now a police officer in Western Australia.  Barry and I have been communicating for some time. His E Mail address is blehmann@bigpond.com
Here is the excerpt:
"..On October 17 (1967), Perth joined the northern Sea Dragon element, relieving USS Goldsborough as support ship for USS Newport News.  The first mission took place off Sam Son, a small town on the northern side of the prominent headland Cap Chao, near the estuary of the Song Ma.  Here Perth attacked four coastal defense sites while Newport News fired on the primary target.  A sweep south into the Bay of Brandon followed before the ships turned north again, searching the coastal bays and river mouths for WBLCs. At 0800 on the 18th, the task unit was in the vicinity of Chau Khe about ten miles south of Sam Son, with Perth steaming 2 miles ahead of Newport News.   The ships had just identified a group of suspected WBLCs as fishing junks when they came under heavy fire from twelve or more coastal defense batteries.  Perth was hit as she turned away.  One 85mm or 100mm semi-Armour-piercing shell hit the rear end of mount 52, glanced off it, and penetrated 01 deck to explode in the confidential books vault.
No compartments  close to the confidential books vault were occupied at the time of the explosion, but 4 sailors moving along the main passageway were injured.  Two were seriously wounded  and were taken by medevac helicopter to the carrier Oriskany and from there to the naval hospital at Subic Bay.  In that action, Newport News and Perth received more than 200 rounds of enemy fire. The ships continued their assigned patrol and moved south to avoid Typhoon Carla. While completing a fire mission off the Red River Delta, the ships recovered 7 sailors from a sunken craft from the water, one was taken by a shark before he could be rescued.
(Perth then leaves the News for repairs and a visit to Singapore.  Rejoins us November 27th)
On December 3rd, the task unit was in the Bay of Brandon on a night H & I mission.  The News was firing at a choke point and highway crossings with Perth engaging coastal defense sites, when the ships again received heavy shore fire.  The task unit withdrew, replying with counter battery fire. (Perth then goes to Hong Kong and Subic)
1968
On January 9, Perth joined Newport News in Task Unit 77.1.1 for Sea Dragon. On that day, Perth fired at coastal defense sites while Newport News bombarded bridges, railway crossings, truck convoys and two missile sites north of Cap St. Anne in the southern Bay of Brandon.  A successful attack on 13 WBLCs took place in the morning of the 16th.  The task unit destroyed 7
and damaged 2 others.  The following day, Newport News attacked WBLCs in the Cua Bang immediately south of Cap Bang.  More suspected missile sites were attacked on the 19th.
That is the last mention of Newport  News in the article.  The Perth sailors were a great bunch, and good knock down some serious alcohol on liberty.  I remember hanging out with them.
The Perth was decommissioned and is to be sunk (or has been already) to provide an artificial reef for fish etc.
Hope you all enjoyed the trip down memory lane.
Al Siegel
ETR2 3/67-2/70
 

Subj:	[NN] True Sea Story
Date:	12/04/2000 11:31:57 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:    vindetta@bellatlantic.net  (Vindetta P. Fleming)

My step-dad, Edsel Potter, has been telling me some sea stories about when he was on the NN. One I found funny in particular was a story about a stolen turkey! This was told to him by an E-6 (Edsel didn't want to mention names but you all probably know him) who was over side cleaners.
It seems that some dignitary was expected on board to see the Admiral and he was told he would be served turkey. When they went to get the turkey....It was gone!! Somebody had stolen the turkey right from the oven!! The department heads were all called and told they were to find out what happened to that turkey!  Now this particular E-6 went on deck and there one of his own men was with an AWOL bag, and inside was the missing turkey! The E-6 didn't want to turn him in because he was one of his own men, so he told him to get rid of the turkey immediately and if he got caught, his butt was grass and he would be the lawn mower! The sailor tossed the turkey overboard and luckily did not get caught. The dignitary was served ham instead. Edsel says this is a true Sea Story. Now, does anybody want to fess up?
 

Subj:	(no subject)
Date:	02/10/2001 2:26:56 AM Eastern Standard Time
From:    Ricjandsuziq@aol.com

As an 18 year old E2 fresh out of Boot Camp and than Damage Control & Firefighting school in Philadelphia I boarded the Newport News at 10 PM the night before we left for Viet Nam.
Hell, I thought I would be back home in Baltimore the following weekend so I didn't even take much with me. They didn't tell me anything until I got there. Being new to the Navy, the ship and all that was going on around me I am sure I wasn't the best informed as to "All that was going on around me".
Besides that my memory from so long ago is "sketchy" yet "Vivid". Which is which, is sometimes hard to tell. As I recall the Admiral in command of 7th Fleet went down in a chopper accident or was otherwise killed sometime in mid to late 1972. I don't recall him ever being on board. Maybe he was at times, I just don't recall. The Admiral who followed him, I recall came on board for our 2nd run on the
Hy Phong area. Story was he didn't have a combat action ribbon and being on board the Newport New for that trip it was a sure thing we were going to get shot at. Other than that I believe he stayed onboard a carrier.
Our first 30 days or so, we went to GQ almost nightly for a go-round with one VC installation or another. Watches were 4 on 4 off. Action was plentiful. Sure was exciting. Exhausting and exciting.
Our job the first 30 days had been to take out as much as we could before Nixon ordered ALL of their harbors mined. I believe they waited on us to get there, we made the trip from Norfolk in 30 days, and we did a good job. After that we went back to Subic for 5 days. REMEMBER now, I am 18. Back off the coast we started mostly into support fire, somewhere further south. Although I do recall going up North to blowup some boats that were taking supplies from ships off the coast into the harbor. Do I also recall us being part of an amphibious landing? The first since WW II? Anyway, duty was a breeze compared to our first tour. Sometime months down the line is when the second admiral came on board for a go up North. You know "scuttlebutt" and how reliable that is?? Word had it the operation was a career enhancing move on his part and I for one hoped he choked on his ribbon. I didn't really buy the story, but hoped that just in case. Don't get me wrong, I'll gladly fight any good fight for cause, but don't put me in there for a career boost. Even today, at 46 I ride 2000 pound bulls on a local Pro-Rodeo circuit for fun. I am not afraid to get hurt trying. Win or lose, never have been.
Years after I got home I was watching a TV show called "Heroes". They would tell the story of firefighters, cops, military, anything...........  HEROES!!!!! Well they were interviewing a Navy Seal who had won the Metal of Honor. He spoke of a fighter pilot who had been shot down up North and they had been dropped in to get him out. One or more of them had already been hit by the time they reached the beach area and were about to be over run by VC when he called in the big guns of the NEWPORT NEWS. He talked about how accurate we were and how without the 8 inch GUNS OF THE NEWPORT NEWS he would have never made  it out. Guys, you would have thought he was making a commercial for the Newport News as many times as he said our name. Tears came down my face. He was bragging on us like we were Biblical. It was good to know for sure that we had done something worthwhile and that my shipmates had not given their lives in vein.
More stories some other time.
Rick72
 

Subj:	[NN] The ship's only "Navy Airborne Ranger"?
Date:	02/13/2001 3:11:21 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:    peden@together.net  (Peden World HQ)

Reading the stuff about the NN support of Seal Team ops in Viet Nam dredged up some old memories.
I never mentioned this to any of you, but long after being discharged from the Newport News, I had the extraordinary privilege of attending the U.S. Ranger Mountain School at Camp Frank C. Merrill, near Dahlonega, Georgia.  I was a civilian photojournalist for Soldier of Fortune magazine at the time, but they cut me no special slack in the school.
I had already gone through jump school with UDT 21 at Dam Neck, Virginia (another story) and they were the forerunners of the Seal Teams that came a bit later. Most of us remember Navy boot camp as being technical in nature... some pounding the grinder, to be sure, but largely learning the ways of operating aboard a naval vessel, fire fighting, loading the 5"38, etc.
In Ranger school, you are driven to sheer exhaustion and beyond, exploring personal physical and psychological limits beyond your normal comprehension. I finished the course and was awarded an honorary Ranger tab, which I always cherish dearly.  And, I still have my plain green jungle fatigues with US Navy over the left pocket,  jump wings, and ranger tab as a memory (and yes,
the uniform still fits). Perhaps the greatest compliment I ever received was after a long, exhausting
night patrol humping ruck through the freezing rain of the Chattahoochee National Forest, a young instructor sergeant ambled over to me and said, "You got pretty good legs, Pops".
I've decided to sew a Newport News shoulder patch on the uniform, which, combined with the jump and ranger tabs and the "follow me" shoulder patch of the 75th Ranger Battalion will pretty much summarize my personal military experience.  It won't be exactly regulation, but I reckon I'll wear it in the next Veteran's Day parade, just to see what kind of comments arise.
At any rate, the memories continue to flood back, and as they do, I'm filled with nothing but pride for all the armed forces of the United States.
Thanks for listening...
Jim Peden FTG/3 "Ranger Jim"
Fox Division 60-62 Gunnery Department Webmaster
 

Subj:	[NN] Another Thunder Mate Sea Story
Date:	02/13/2001 4:51:57 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:    dgoad@worldnet.att.net  (Dexter Goad)

Great story from Shipmate "Ranger Jim" Peden. Let's hear more like this. Here's my contribution:
When Doc Pelltier retired from the Navy in (I think) 1970, his retirement ceremony was held on the fantail of Thunder on a Sunday morning followed by a reception at the NOB Chief's Club. I was Senior Instructor at the Gun Fire Support Trainer in Little Creek at the time, and was honored when Don sent me and my wife an invitation to his retirement. Barbara loved the NN and
never passed up a chance to visit the ship - or the CPO Club for that matter. I was amazed to see the number of folks that came from all over the world to attend this grand old HMCS's retirement. Seems that, when Don was stationed at the Naval Academy, he "adopted" six middies who stayed at the Academy over the Christmas Holidays for various reasons. Don made sure these lads had a family-type meal and Christmas. All six of these men were at Doc Pelltier's  retirement and presented him with a beautiful engraved silver platter.
One of these six was Roger Staubach, who was fined by the Dallas Cowboys for missing a football game that weekend. During the reception at the club I was horrified to see that my wife, after enjoying several Bloody Marys, had Roger cornered. I came over just in time to hear her tell Roger Staubach that Football sucked and Baseball was the only real sport. When I apologized
to Roger later, he laughed and said not to worry about it, that he got this all the time from "Football Widows".
Doc Pelltier was a wonderful Shipmate and a great Sailor. If anyone knows of his current status, please let Mike Lanier or me know.
Dexter Goad (NN 61-64 and 66-69)
 My Love of Thunder Web Site
http://home.att.net/~dgoad/index.html
 

Subj:	[NN] Another sea story
Date:	02/13/2001 10:34:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:    Buffet87@aol.com

I hope this one will bring a chuckle to some of you out there.
Part of the time while in Westpac 67/68, OE Division had it's shop on the main deck, starboard side just forward of Mount 55.  Our Division Chief was Chief Heep.  The Chief was in the Navy for more years than any one of us could count.  He was awarded the Navy Cross, had all sorts of other ribbons
on his chest.  He was the Man. He also had a little black book. The Chief would keep track of all the things that us ET's had to do by carefully printing it in this little black book (yes -- he printed it).  He
knew who had been skating work parties and who would get extra duty.  He had an ongoing 2 week plan of PMS for our radar and communication gear, and just who was supposed to do the work.  There isn't anything that wasn't written down in that darn book of his.  At quarters he would look at the book and confront you to see if a project got done -- if not, you would catch hell. We hated that little black book! One night off the DMZ, just after taps, a bunch of us were in the shop
drinking coffee and just BSing, waiting for mid rats.  The chief walked in, sat at the desk, did a bit of work, looked at us with a glare, then left. What he also left on the desk was the book!  We all looked at each other and immediately knew the task ahead!  I can now safely admit (although the thought of him showing up on my doorstop is a bit frightening), that I, John Noll (sorry John), Dave Jordan and Charley Dawson, grabbed the book, went over next to mount 55, and gave the book a burial at sea.
When the Chief showed up at quarters the next day, he was a wreck.  He didn't know what the hell was going on and demanded to know if we had seen the book. "No Chief" we all honestly replied.  The next 2 weeks were the easiest I can remember. There wasn't an ET to be seen doing anything but enjoying the sun, playing Pinochle, or hitting the Geedunk.  Took the Chief a while to buy another book and fill it up with all those printed little words. But he never misplaced that one.
God Bless you Chief where ever you are.
Al Siegel ETR2 OE Division
67-70
 

Subj:	Re: [NN] Another sea story
Date:	02/14/2001 5:56:06 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:    sgrubbs@dnsonline.net  (steven grubbs)

 

Subj:	[NN] Sea Stories
Date:	02/14/2001 11:40:06 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:    Oldchief1@aol.com

You guys talking about your Chiefs brings back memories.  Of all my years around the canoe club I worked for several Chiefs.  Two really stick out and I promised myself that if I ever made Chief these were the guys I wanted to pattern myself after. One of these guys was on Newport News.  YNC Bob Ford was one of the good guys.  He was soft spoken but he always had a kind and good word for a young sailor on his first hitch.  I remember sitting in the club in Taiwan talking about Navy life.  He gave me some real insight about how to be a seagoing sailor and still keep a family in tack.  At that time I was not thinking about making the Navy a career nor starting a family.  I was just another single sailor having fun.  His counsel was remembered in later days when I did become "career" and had a family.  I left NN in May 1969, the day we returned from our second Vietnam Deployment.  Lost track of most crew members, including this great Chief.   Well, in 1984, I did make Chief.  I hope that during my time in khaki I had some of the impact on a few young sailors that Chief Ford had on me.  I always wished I could see the good Chief again to tell him how I felt.  Got that opportunity at the 1995 reunion in New York.  That was the first reunion I attended and the highlight was getting to visit with one of the best Chief Petty Officers the Navy ever produced.
Rick Stone, YNC (RET)
NN 67-69 YN2