I started this in general, and moved it here.

I rode on two 'gator' ships while in the Corps, the New Orleans and the Alamo.

The New Orleans sucked, the sleeping spaces were hot and stunk, the sailors wanted us to clean and move stuff for them all the time, the TV movies on the boat sucked, and they wouldn't pump any air down to the sleeping spaces any time they could get away with it (see my first comments), plus they were all rude jackasses and stole stuff all the time.

The Alamo was pretty cool. We had to clean and move food, but they would work too, plus there was good food, and the supply officer or captain would pass out cups in the chow line every other day and ask you the chow and bunk areas were, and the TV was good, and when the AC in the back sleeping berth caught on fire a bunch of saliors came running back to put it out, and then they put in a new one, and when some stuff got stolen they got our stuff back.




The Orleans was like a carrier, only small and for helos and AV8Bs, and didn't have a hole in the back.
The Alamo had a deck for a helo, but didn't have any, and the ship was one big alley from the back up to the big metal part where the officers lived and they drive the boat, and the back door would open and the ship would tilt back so we could load the stuff onto the little ships and the hovercraft.

H. Shooter,
obviously you should have ridden the Subs.
We all, officers included, eat the same food, get the same A/C - plenty and we wouldn't have let you clean or move anything !

In seven years I never saw anything stolen but many things "borrowed" but given back - often after they were used-up !  (Ex. shaving cream)
All done in a ball-busting way.

We hauled a dozen Marines one time and put them in the forward torpedo room.  In a Sub any place empty is a place for a bunk.  In anticipation of our "guests" we had off-loaded four torpedos and put skid-bunks in there place.
The first morning one of the Marines slide over to me during breakfast (Plates, no trays, eggs to order as much and as many of everything as you can eat) and asked about the torpedo he was sleeping next to - "It's not real is it ??"
When I explained that it was not only real but nuclear he almost lost his appettite.  (But not quite.)

The funniest thing was when the guys started to break down, clean and assemble their weapons.  We all found some reason to go forward and observe.  One E-5 that worked with me came back with this strange look on his face and said " Damn, those guys are in the military !"

We enjoyed them and I think they enjoyed us.

The best thing was watching them sit down and a mess cook coming over and asking them how many steaks they wanted and how they wanted them cooked !  I believe those guys remembered us for about ten minutes but probably still remember the food today.

Finally, on a Sub you formally have breakfast lunch and dinner - then soup and sandwiches at midnight and 0400.  In between there's open galley and you can eat whatever you want whenever you want - just clean up your own mess.
Those guys just never got used to that idea !

Four or five days later they departed and I'll bet all had gained at least five pounds.

Am surprised that 5subslr5 being an x-bubblehead didn't bite your head off when you called those gator ships boats [;)]  Was stationed at Pearl and everytime I could get over to the sub base for chow I would.  5subslr5 wasn't lying about bubbleheads getting better chow than the surface Navy.

You let Marine's bunk with nukes?  What about PRP, two-man rule, etc?  I guess the Navy is the place to get free nuclear weapons. [;)]

When I say stolen I mean the stuff you had to hang in the three feet of space near your legs next to the bunk...
Where's my:
E-tool
web gear
gas mask
cover (hat)
helmet

and a Marine isn't going to steal an extra helmet or gas mask and then go over the beach, he would get caught in seconds.
On the Alamo it was some sailors who stole too, but they shook them all down and got the stuff back.

On discharge we were limited to the choice of (1) Polaris misile with no more than three warheads or (2) nuclear torpedos.
In no case could the total in mega-tons exceed 100 Mega Tons !
(I choose the missle.)
[:D]

Sub sailors tend to really be a little different. Outsiders might say strange.

So far as military looking, we thought going on watch in a pair of flip-flops was standard.

Because we lived so close for so long self-policing just sort of occurs.  Had someone stolen something from you Marines that person would have been sought out, your helmet returned but the person would not have been identified.

However, we would have known who was going to stand the top-side mid-watch from then to eternity.  (In port of course.)
[smoke]

Damn!  I spilled my beer I was ROTFLMAO!

I know the chow was great.  The DNSI team was impressed!

During Initial loadout after NWAI the Marines would chow down with us.  After the last bird was in, and locked down we had a barbque on the missle deck.

I also have a Posidon IRBM in back yard too!  Also has Mr MIRV included.  A Couple MK48's fill out the package!

   
     "Navy boats I rode on"  

Those are not boats, Ships get it right.

Sorry,just had to I was in the Navy

Reminds me of the movie "Too Young the Hero", starring Ricky Schroeder. He made the mistake of calling the battleship South Dakota a "boat" when talking to a Chief. This is a pretty good movie based on the true story of a 12 year old who joined the Navy during WWII. It's probably in video stores, or on the net for anyone interested in killing a couple of hours.

Damn, I'm jealous.  A couple of 48's flanking the front entry instead of some stoned lion or the like would be great !

I know the Polaris is alittle old and Mr. MIRV limited but it's still a great hood-clearing device when I spin up the gyros for testing.

[:D]

Sparks, sorry for my lack of reaction but as you know submarines are generally referred to as "boats."
Of course the "BRASS" always is trying to change that as Admirals are made from Captain's who command ships - not boats  !

I can just hear some asshole now on the 1MC announcing "Prepare to dive the ship !"
Say what ??  What ship ??  Ships can't dive !
Sheeeit.
[:D]

Of course we're a little strange. It takes a strange kind of individual to come up with games like 18 hole missile compartment golf (with a 4 deck par 30).

I never wore flip-flops, but I did stand BSM Fire Control Supervisor in a wet towel. [;D]

I went to Instructor Training at TRITRAFAC Bangor and to say Bubbleheads are strange is an understatement. Course, you Bubbleheads probably think Airdales are strange.  [:D]

Fleet sailors think you're both strange.

Caring and serving our country....we're all strange !  

(No one has to admit they 'cared' but we did.)

[:D]

That's a counter !!
(Bet I know where you were when the bell rang.)

[:D]