Life at Sea: Crossing the Pacific in the 21st Century

[PhillyB]

We once rode a big storm near Norway. Large swells, but evenly spaced, so we could ride into them. We were allowed to be out on the 0-4 level (four decks above the main deck), and watching the bow of a 55,000 ton Battleship crash into the waves, go underwater, and then come back up, to be pelted by the seaspray from the Artic Ocean a few minutes later was an exhilarating experience.

But then we turned and started rolling more, and that was not exhilarating at all. :)

battleship? holy hell how long ago was this?

[Davidson Deac II]

battleship? holy hell how long ago was this?

1987. They were put back into service in the 1980's under Reagan. I was on the USS Iowa from 1987-90.

[PhillyB]

1987. They were put back into service in the 1980's under Reagan. I was on the USS Iowa from 1987-90.

interesting, i never knew about that.

[Anybodyhome]

I was on Bunker Hill (CG-52) from '86-'88 and we deployed to the Gulf with Missouri (BB-63) during the Iran-Iraq War in 87-88 when they decided to start shooting at the oil tankers and the US decided to start escorting them.

You'll remember this is when the USS Stark was hit with an Exocet missile from an Iraqi fighter jet and killed about 37 sailors, including a former shipmate of mine.

Shortly thereafter the USS Vincennes (CG-49) shot down an Iranian commercial airliner when it failed to ID itself, no IFF and was flying directly at the cruiser.

Anyway, we spent 3 months within a mile of Missouri as we roamed the coast of Iran, intentionally violating international waters in an attempt to piss Iran off enough to do something so we could turn the place into a large parking lot. If you know your history, we were financially supporting the Iraqi war effort back then.

[mmmbeans]

We once rode a big storm near Norway. Large swells, but evenly spaced, so we could ride into them. We were allowed to be out on the 0-4 level (four decks above the main deck), and watching the bow of a 55,000 ton Battleship crash into the waves, go underwater, and then come back up, to be pelted by the seaspray from the Artic Ocean a few minutes later was an exhilarating experience.

But then we turned and started rolling more, and that was not exhilarating at all. :)

wow.

[Kevin Greene]

1987. They were put back into service in the 1980's under Reagan. I was on the USS Iowa from 1987-90.

Interesting time during the 1980s.

I have a hat from a cousin who was on the USS Thomas S. Gates that visited Sevastopol, USSR in 1989. :patriot:

[Davidson Deac II]

wow.

This was thrilling in a way. Of course, I was younger and bullet proof back then. :)