M14 Forum

Seventh Fleet

Semper Fi, but we all know that MARINE means.

My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment... :)

7th

AZsnipe

Only those who have stood 6&6 in Main control or #1 Fireroom really know what the "lament" means.
Having stood 6 years of those watches on destroyers, it has a truly special meaning to me.

"When I die, I know I'm going to heaven, cause I've spent my time in hell"

Snipe

IC2(SS)19Z50C5

If you would like a copy of the Lament as I had it made up at a local print shop shoot me a private message with an e-mail address and I’ll send you a copy.
It has been very popular with my fellow Tin Can Sailors and Main Propulsion Submarineer Shipmates.

Just so you know, I has it printed on hard white card stock. All the Engineering and Hull ratings that have existed since WWII till present surround it as follows:

Along the top left to right EM, BT, MM. Down the right side EN, MoMM, HT, SF. Down the left side IC, GS, DC, BR. Along the bottom left to right MR, PM, ML.
The rating symbols are of the shade of blue as they would appear on an older cotton wash dress white jumper or tropical short sleeve shirt.

On a side note being a Tin Can Sailor you should checkout this website:

www.tincansailors.org

“Fair Winds And Following Seas”

Daves762

Very nice

I'm also an EX-MR What years where you in , what ships?

IC2(SS)19Z50C5

June 1969 to June 73 USN, USNR Jun73 – Jan76
U.S.S. LEAHY (DLG-16), Mar70 - Aug71, (Homported D&S Piers, Norfolk, VA)
U.S.S. JOHN ADAMS (SSBN-620)G Jan72 – Jun73 (Homeported Pearl Horbor, HI, crews rotated in Guam)
U.S.S. PINTADO (SSN-672) TAD Spring of 75, (Homeported San Diego, CA)

ExMR2

Was at SIMA Charleston from Feb '91 - Oct '94, and USS Halyburton FFG40 from Dec '94 - Sep '96.

Actually the copy that I have of that I got from the engraving shop at SIMA. It was something they were photo-engraving on brass for some reason. It was just one that came out with some spots in it and they were trashing it. Don't ask me exactly how they did it. I never worked in the engraving shop. That was where we sent MR's that couldn't machine their way out of a wet paper bag.

m0nkee221

While I'm not a thoroughbred Snipe, like a BT/MM/EN, I've spent my time in the engine rooms...and still do as an HT. I have always had admiration for those who have spent and lost their lives down there.

There's also another Lament somewhere that we ran across not too long ago, I'll see if I can find it and post it.

U.S.S. Tarawa (LHA-1) 2000-2004
U.S.S. Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) 2007-2010
U.S.S. Mitscher (DDG-57) 2010-Present

"Fair Winds, and Following Seas"

m0nkee221

OK, now that I'm off watch, here's the other poem/lament:

Many a poet have written sailor tales
About South Sea Isles and furious gales
So, I'll not waste your time with a tale of this type
Rather, I'll write of the sweaty, greasy snipe.

He works in his hole when the temperature is right
When the thermometer reads one twenty Fahrenheit.
There's no salt water in his blood,
Just stinking fuel oil and slimey bilge crud.

He goes to sea with visions of bright sun, and wind swept spray
But there are no hours of this in his working day.
Four hours on and eight hours off, and between, turn to and watch relief
No matter whether a boot FA or a salty Chief.

He works all hours and never tires.
And he can fix anything wih permatex and bailing wire.
When the ship pulls into port with the crew all in whites
There's a standing order for him to stay out of sight.

No bronze skin for this oily stud,
He's only time for a soggy butt and a cup of mud.
He's got a leak to fix, and a pump to pack
Before he can hit his long empty rack.

When the ship's inport and the crew's ashore
He's still in his hole sweating from very pore.
While deckapes and radiogirls are filled with glee
He must again get his engines ready for sea.

But, he's not mad, and he don't cry
He's just glad that cows don't fly.
For the fact is known both far and near
That this is the life of an engineer.
—Author Unknown

IC2(SS)19Z50C5

Okay then, my question is: how were they able to graduate from MR “A” school if they were that lousy at operating a lathe or milling machine???? Or were they striking for MR as non-designated FNs or FAs????

dwight55

Aboard my first DD, . . . on WestPac, . . . as an EM in the after engine hole, . . . we did have one, . . . uhhh, . . . benefit, . . . yeah, that's it.

Whenever we took on stores, . . . all us grunts went to the fantail, . . . picked up a box, . . . up the starboard side, . . . handed it to a mess cook at the top of the scullery ladder, . . . around the front of the ship, . . . mosey back along the port side, . . . get another box, . . . repeat, etc.

Most of the guys in the after engine hole would grab two boxes, . . . one under each arm, . . . and as we passed the scuttle hatch going down into the after engine hole, . . . a pair of arms would magically appear, . . . our load was halved, . . . and the "stores" back aft were "replenished".

Never did go hungry while I worked out of that place, . . . mighta stunk sometimes, . . . sweated like a Democrat on election day, . . . but we ate well.

May God bless,
Dwight

nSquid

Wouldn't be anything but a Snipe! MM1(SS), just short of 9 years, but it was "back aft" a different kind of hole. Aft of the Missile House, aft of the reactor.

Just flipped the big 6-0, and still would love to watch, even participate, in taking the reactor critical, heating up and bringing steam into the Engineroom! There was something about divorcing from shore power, becoming self-sustaining, independent. Standing 6 on, 12 off, or worse, Port and Starboard watches, drills, field day, more drills... That part sucked, but was necessary.

lefty o

probably the same way some got through IC "A" school and could not fix a sound powered phone to save their lives.

IC2(SS)19Z50C5

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!... That is a good one..
Yep, one of my IC "A" school class mates went to the LEAHY (DLG-16) with me and he was definitely technically challenged at times.. I’m sure all of us know of similar situations. For example, at work we have 30%er Army Iraq war Veteran who can just look at a piece of equipment and screw it up. Sad but true…