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This picture is
of the Newport News on the NATO exercise that took
place in Sept 1969 North Atlantic, West-Southwest of Ireland about 300
miles out. It was a very rough ride and the waves ripped off the
starboard lifelines and damaged other parts of the ship. I think we
lost some acetylene tanks strapped on the starboard superstructure
inner main deck passage then. Captain Bond (007) was commanding
then. I know the weather report said 65 foot seas, it is hard to tell
the height of these since I was taking pictures on the flying bridge.
I do know from the bow of the ship to the forend of the bridge was 300
feet. So, relative to that, they are at least 30 feet high. I
do remember some cresting just below the bridge deck which is 56 feet
above the waterline. Winds were 50+ knots. Destroyers looked like
submarines, you could only see their mast heads. The storm lasted 3 days.
What a ride!!!!
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