USO show Department: Rx Author: Bisonhead Era: 1988 Date: 04/14/06 That show was MUCH better than any of thr others.

USO SHOWS? Department: Engr Author: Sol The Bull Era: 1998 Date: 04/15/06 I take it you guys had good USO shows back in the day? We had one, it was by a group called Allure...... I know you are thinking hard, but you are just like the rest of the world and have never heard of Allure. Now that I think about it, we did have the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders onboard one time. Nothing like a bunch of desperate smelly guys following those poor girls around for 2 days.

more watch standing Department: Ops Author: Ron Eureka Era: 1985 Date: 04/18/06 I heard about the cherry picker going overboard during Med '84-'85, pretty funny. No doubt watch standing sucked. I still remember pulling one on Xmas Eve, while in port Naples. The thing that got me was after the USS Cole attack, I thought about how many times I had stood a roving catwalk or flight deck watch. I remember one time standing on the flight deck and watching a couple locals approach Ike up close in their dinghy, they smiled and waved. (Heck, I didn't even have a radio). I didn't think they were a threat. Maybe that was naive, but it was also a different world - even if it was post-Beirut bombing. The thing is, I never once thought I wouldn't be going home someday after my tour. For others, fate was a lot harsher. :-( I remember standing pier sentry in Norfolk, armed only with a nightstick (and no training on using it). I remember for grins, I went to pull it out of the belt - it wouldn't come out, no matter what I did. Guess, I was on my own.

The things we miss...and don't miss Department: Rx Author: Flounder Era: 1985 Date: 04/24/06 Good to see all of youse guys on here! Sol the Bull - No offense meant to your intelligence. You tell some of the best stories. Bisonhead - Never trust those khakis! Ha ha! They almost made me into one of them when I was on the Vinson, but I escaped by the skin of my teeth! The seagoing life is for me...and the good money doesn't hurt. Right now I'm at the head end of a 3 or 4 month vacation; just got off my ship a week ago; going back down to Curaçao in July or August. There's nothing like a summer in the Northwest! What do I miss about the Nav? Switching around the electrical distribution system (I would use the "official" name of it but it might be confidential) as load dispatcher or electrical operator...the high level of knowledge and expectations among my fellow nucs...scramming out both plants as LD and switching everything onto the EDGs in a hurry...(cont.)

Things we miss...and don't miss (cont.) Department: Rx Author: Flounder Era: 1985 Date: 04/24/06 running drills as part of the drill team...being the only sober witness to the antics of the Noodles and the Mutants...all the camaraderie of some of the best guys I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, even including some of the khakis. What DON'T I miss about the Nav? KCBs (Khaki Clad Bozos)...Nonsensical rules and regulations designed for the lowest common denominator, but not applicable to the anointed, perfumed princes of privilege who were high in the food chain...the expectation that engineroom deckplates and bilges should be as clean as the admiral's passageway...living piled up 3 high and 200+ to a room...whiz quizzes where the MAAs look at your wedding tackle while you pee...unrepentant Ugly Americans on liberty overseas...no trust, regardless of how hard you work to earn it...NRRO...lousy pay...abysmal food...but don't get me started! Hope everyone had a good Easter, and is preparing for a great summer!!

NASCAR Trucks Drivers Department: Air Author: ABH1 Era: 1998 Date: 04/25/06 Bull, I remember that group Alure. They borrowed sombodies hair dryer and the girl was so excited that she let them use her hairdryer. (SAD) I like you didn't have a clue who they were but I did remember I got excited when they said NASCAR Drivers were coming and we get the Truck Drivers. They were cool but we didn't know any of them. I want to say they were Bush drivers I know I stood in line to get the picture of the truck signed by Rookie of he year. That was the highlight of it. I remember the CheerLeaders. I got my Dad a pix of them. That was embaressing standing in that line for a picture! I'd be the only girl in line that wasn't drooling.

More USO shows Department: Rx Author: Charlie Era: 1980 Date: 04/26/06 The only USO shows I remember were "The Herman Berman Band" out in the IO and the Miss America tour in the Med in 83. Herman Berman was actually a pretty decent country-rock band. When Miss America and her entourage came on board, they had a Marine escort everywhere they went. Of course, this was before women served on board, and we had been off Libya and Lebanon for about 3 months, so I guess they had to play it safe, knowing how squids are. Also, the USO in Naples had the only clean place to take a dump in the whole fleet landing area, so I still gratefully contribute to the USO. Thank God for the USO!

more USO, and the fairer sex Department: Ops Author: Ron Eureka Era: 1985 Date: 05/06/06 I remember the Naples USO, the one that was later bombed. I called home from there once, and I remember playing on oversized (like 3x) pool table that I sucked at. And yes, the fact that they now have women on Ike blows my mind. One time, a squid requested and got a court martial (even though we were out at sea). A female JAG LT. flew aboard for that, and they had two Marines standing outside her stateroom door at all times, shotguns in hand. Different times, different world, different IKE.

bodyguard ? Department: Ops Author: Ron Eureka Era: 1984 Date: 05/06/06 Earlier sea stories report the CO walking around with an accompanying Marine. I worked in the blue tile section of the 03 level, and I can verify that from September of 1984 until approx. October of 1987, the CO was on his own. I remember a couple CMDR's getting ruffled when they entered our shop, because they didn't rate an "Attention on deck". We were used to the CO or XO dropping in from time to time, sometimes even the battle group commander -**. Tell ya what, CMDR, why don't you do something useful and schedule a haircut appt. for the Admiral ? ;-)

Newport News Department: Ops Author: Arch Era: 1988 Date: 05/06/06 Part I - The Intro I'm going to post (over time) what went on in my apartment during the shipyard period in Newport News, from 1985 to 1987, roughly. It will be under a pseudonym, and I will change the names to protect the guilty. I could fill a book with the stories from that went down in that apartment, though I believe the Noodles edged us out in craziness / not leaving their place intact. We drank and smoked smoked dope like there was no tomorrow. We had found out that during the shipyard period, there was no money available for whiz quizzes - and it was true. I remember one time when a shipyard worker named Tom laid a quarter pound of sensi on my kitchen table. He left with all but 1/2 oz. unsold. But ... to the story.