Astern Refueling at Sea (Minesweeper)

Astern Refueling at Sea Between the USNS Pecos (T-AO-197) and USS Gladiator (MCM-11)

[@gordonvincent731]

In '74, I was offered $12,000.00 to re-up for 6 years, then go into the LDO program.I went to work for the railroads as a locomotive engineer.I retired 1-4-2011.There are a lot of days I wished I did it the other way.Depending on what part of the country, that kind of money bought a new house!I bought my 1973 Ford Gran Torino thru For military sales,B6 annex,Subic in March '73.I'v been with NFCU for 45 years.Only smart think I've done.

[@allterrainseapatriot584]

gordon vincent I pondered the thought of going LDO, decided to just finish my 20 and retire. It was a great ride though

[@gordonvincent731]

The old Scurvy Purvy was scrapped in Baltimore late nineties. I didn't get up there in time to get some stuff off of it.I was a SMSN,SM2 when I got off in Haiphong Harbor in March '73.I was at the start of operation end sweep.I went to the starship Enterprise.We were home-ported at Pearl after the ships came out of Dillingham shipyard after 5 years rebuilding.Home port changed to Guam.Left Pearl 11-16-71,arrived Guam 12-7-71. Did the market time patrol.The QM1 we had did not stand any watches in port or underway.Underway I did it all.I lived in my signal shack.Whagt was your rate?

[@allterrainseapatriot584]

gordon vincent I went to Boot September- November 1997, MS “A” School got switched from San Diego to San Antonio. Graduated “A” School and shipped out in January 1998. Changed to CS (Culinary Specialist) in January ‘02. When I’d tell older salts they thought I meant Commissary Man, lol.

[@allterrainseapatriot584]

I sure found it a different pace with the rotational crews on the Sweeps. I got to serve on the Gladiator (MCM-11), USS Warrior (MCM-10), USS Chief (MCM-14) & USS Champion (MCM-4)

[@stinger76262]

I served on the USS Engage MSO 433. (STG 3) Probably was in the same locations as you. Did Operation Endsweep, homeported in Guam. good times.

[@railroad9000]

A slight correction, an MCM is a Mine Counter Measures ship and not a Minesweeper. Those were MSO's and all have been scrapped. Thanks for posting. I served on an MSO.

[@allterrainseapatriot584]

Sorry I didn't get back sooner. We'd say Minesweeper for short, I understand though. Thank you for your service sir. My previous ships were an LHA and CVN, that was quite a transition.

[@railroad9000]

No problem. It is a shame the government did not save even one of the MSO's. They were unique.

[@chasacart]

@@railroad9000Was you Atlantic Fleet and did you have to get special schooling for that job and lastly, were you paid extra hazard duty pay?

[@railroad9000]

@@chasacart, No I was Pacific Fleet out of Long Beach, CA. Always along side reps and never astern. No extra pay or schooling nor hazardous duty pay.

[@daninraleigh]

@@railroad9000 I was on MSO-443 and I understand they gave it to Turkey.

[@NickGonsalves]

I did astern refueling when i was on the USS Fearless MSO 442 after leaving the gulf, not only did we do it more smoothly but we did it with and LST

[@daninraleigh]

I was on MSO-443 and we never did this. It seemed to me that they spent an awful lot of time trying to fish the line out of the water. Why couldn't they just shoot it over to the deck like most ships? Does it just not work for a small ship?

[@NickGonsalves]

@@daninraleigh smaller. Ships can't handle the forces between the ships to come along side and drift much too easily to maintain course. That crew made it look way more difficult even in calm seas.

[@robertlannon8859]

I believe it was always the LST's which would travel with MSO groups for these WESPAC deployments, my time aboard Navasota and Passsumpsic on Market Time we'd always use standard unrep...it was nice to see this thought, I was always curious of how it was done !@@NickGonsalves

[@davedisinger1245]

MSO 443 USS Fidelity sonar tech. Did it once during "Solid Shield".

[@johnmoore8016]

Why not pull up astern of the oiler. have the shot line thrown down to the MCM; then the MCM starts to backing off and pulling in the shot line. then the inhaul line comes on the deck of the MCM and they pull it in and put on the winch and then pull the fuel hose in.

[@williamsanders5066]

Stationed in Bahrain with COMUSNAVCENT embarked on USS LaSalle AGF 3 from 1992-93

[@gordonvincent731]

I guess a lot of ratings were changed since my time.What was an MS?

[@allterrainseapatriot584]

An MS was Mess Management Specialist, in charge of galleys at sea and ashore, and also barracks. Later reclassified as CS (Culinary Specialist)

[@DJNitreBlue]

Glad we only had to do that shit once during MRCI.

[@darthtortugas]

This is a clusterfuck...

[@TheCar780]

Embarrassing Charlie Foxtrot. Oh well at least the MCM ships suck at mine clearance!🤣😆🤣😂

[@gordonvincent731]

First,those are the dumbest ideas for a uniform I ever saw.I was Navy 1970 to 1974.10-10-70 to 3-1973.USS Impervious MSO 449.I never saw an unrep like this before.

[@allterrainseapatriot584]

gordon vincent Thank you for paving the way sir. I’m retired now and a whole new uniform is coming. Prior to the MCM community, I was stationed on USS Saipan (LHA-2) & USS John C Stennis (CVN-74). UNREPS on those class of ships were much much different. It great to experience life aboard MCMs.

[@allterrainseapatriot584]

I'd have to see if I have any video of an UNREP when I was stationed on the USS John C Stennis (CVN-74), I may have taken footage while I was getting my ESWS

[@railroad9000]

WesPac sweeps were all refueled and stores brought about with along side un-reps.

[@rodfair5698]

Please keep your camera focused on the action! You can’t see squat on the donor ship.

[@daninraleigh]

Actually, I think watching the oiler was more interesting.

[@Gizmologist1]

Some pretty amateur line handling there. Lots of events of behind the line and around the feet. Tons of wasted time as well.

[@johnstark4723]

It's not something they did much. These ships rarely refuel at sea.

[@railroad9000]

@@johnstark4723 We had to do it every 3 days during Market Time Operations off Vietnam! Limited storage on a sweep for fuelor stores.

[@johnstark4723]

@@railroad9000 depends on the ship, and today's nuclear powered carriers carry jet fuel and no fuel for the ship so they have a lot more jet fuel storage space