USS Waddell DDG-24

allezw · Third Class

Fishing by hand, HAND

Midway Sailor · Forum Admin

RE: USS Waddell DDG-24

Nancy · Second Class

Darn you, Gary R! I believed that was Gary E's ship! Then when I saw 360 men and Missile Destroyer, I knew something had to be wrong.

Thank you, Howard.

GENO · Chief

The local sportsman club used to hold a smelt fry every year that was a good fund raiser. But the cost of smelt and the number of helpers to set it up got out of hand.

Midway Sailor · Forum Admin

Howard wrote:

Fran,

We here in SoCal have a sport of sorts Grunion Hunting. Once upon a time you didn't need a License but now $$$$. The local weather dude's generally announce the Grunion runs. This is no Snipe Hunt either.

Howdude

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grunion

I've heard of them Howdude. They lay their eggs in the sand on the beach.

Up here in Oregon, we have smelt runs.

Howard · Chief

Fran,

We here in SoCal have a sport of sorts Grunion Hunting. Once upon a time you didn't need a License but now $$$$. The local weather dude's generally announce the Grunion runs. This is no Snipe Hunt either.

Howdude gocrazy

Frantastic · Chief

Change of ship's name right now: the GRUNION (my college roommate's fathers sub, sunk in the Aleutians.......
There was an article about it in the January 2008 READERS' DIGEST.

My other roommate's father was killed on 6/4 in the Normandy invasion.

Midway Sailor · Forum Admin

Nancy wrote:

The Waddell looks really little for a Navy ship. It looks more like a fishing boat. How many people were on it at one time, and what was its purpose? Did you go on long trips?

Nancy and GaryE.

Apologies for the deception. The ship picture that I posted is NOT of the Waddell, but rather a modified picture of the tug boat that GaryE posted.

I just can't help but cause a disruption in class.

allezw · Third Class

gedstrom wrote:

When in port, the watch I always hated was the Quarterdeck MidWatch. Not only was it the middle of the night, but you also had the responsibility of creating the next day's quarterdeck log. You gave a complete description of where and how the ship was docked and the condition set throughout the ship. They wanted the log to be perfect. If you made a mistake 99% of the way through, you had to start all over on a fresh sheet of paper. I probably stood that particular MidWatch 4-5 times.

GaryE,

Something like this?

08 December, 1941

0001-0400, O.O.D, Adams, R. C., MM1; P.O.W., Kassen, L. M., BT2; Radio, Bristol, D. D., RMC; Main Plant/Fireroom/ Auxiliaries, Ferguson, M. L. BT3; M.W.B., Geegan. G. C., BM3; Andersen, T. O., MM3.

Ship's Status: Condition III. In port, moored to Bund, Starboard side to, South Pier Berth 1270-35. No. 1 Boiler on line, No. 2 Generator on line. Plant parallelled with shore power, on STANDBY. Weather clear, air temp. 45 degrees , wind NNE @ ten knots, injection temp. 54 degrees.

Wayne 56-57

gedstrom · Second Class

When in port, the watch I always hated was the Quarterdeck MidWatch. Not only was it the middle of the night, but you also had the responsibility of creating the next day's quarterdeck log. You gave a complete description of where and how the ship was docked and the condition set throughout the ship. They wanted the log to be perfect. If you made a mistake 99% of the way through, you had to start all over on a fresh sheet of paper. I probably stood that particular MidWatch 4-5 times.

GENO · Chief

Great pictures Gary. But I can beat you on time on a ship lol.. Out of 20 years in the Navy I was on a Navy ship two weeks. A week on the Shangra La off the coast of Calif. in a helo squadron doing plane guard off the fantail. A week on the USS MATSON , a military transport from Hawaii to U.S. with my wife and 10 month old daughter. Just missed by a few month coming back on a civilian ship, and they even gave you 20 dollars for tips.

Howard · Chief

Nancy,

Gary R has worked his magic on Gary E's photo of the tug boat!!
Belated April Fools Day.

Howdude idea

gedstrom · Second Class

Nancy wrote:

The Waddell looks really little for a Navy ship. It looks more like a fishing boat. How many people were on it at one time, and what was its purpose? Did you go on long trips?

The Waddell was a Charles F. Adams class Guided Missile Destroyier. You can see a picture of the ship here:

http://www.usswaddell.com

and can read a history here:

http://www.usswaddell.com/History/history.htm

I think our complement of crew was around 360.

During my time aboard the ship, we never got very far off the California coast. But during the Vietnam error it served off the coast of Vietnam.

You will notice 2 designations for the ship:

USS Waddell DDG-24 / HS Nearchos D-219

The second designation was after the ship was sold to the Greek Navy.

Gary

Nancy · Second Class

The Waddell looks really little for a Navy ship. It looks more like a fishing boat. How many people were on it at one time, and what was its purpose? Did you go on long trips?

Howard · Chief

Sounds very framiliar. Revelle is 0530 sleeping in is 0600.

Howard banghead

gedstrom · Second Class

Howard wrote:

Gary,
I hope you show those bunk spaces photo to the Navy Kids of today!! Talk about roughin it.... Those Jar Heads would think they were at the Hilton though!!

[snip]

It's interesting how, as I get older, I am getting more and more like my father as far as sleep patterns go. Back in my Navy days, I could sleep on ANYTHING. I even spent a night sleeping on the snow covered ground in Yosemite with just a thin insulating pad between me and the snow. Now I have trouble sleeping in my own bed at home. Just like my father, I have no problem getting to sleep...the problem is staying asleep. Just like him, I have shoulder trouble when I sleep in certain positions. I use to sleep until 8am or later on weekends. Now, even on weekends, I am usually up by 5am.

Gary

gedstrom · Second Class

Howard wrote:

Gary,
I hope you show those bunk spaces photo to the Navy Kids of today!! Talk about roughin it.... Those Jar Heads would think they were at the Hilton though!!

What Channel Island is that??

Remember you were at Crows Landing & so was I. Howard

I have no idea which of the islands that was. I didn't take very good notes of my pictures back in those days.

I was only at Crows Landing for 4 weeks. I was filling in for the only ET they had who was going on leave. I was stationed at NAS Alameda at the time.

Gary

Midway Sailor · Forum Admin

After I left Midway Island, I went to NAS Miramar and was assigned to VF-2... the Bounty Hunters. It was an F-14 Tomcat squadron. Just prior to rotating out of the Navy, the squadron went out on carrier quals... so I floated along off the coast of California on Uncle Sams Yacht the USS Ranger.

And so, consequently, I only spent 30 days on board a ship too GaryE. Looking back... I wish I would have stuck with the squadron for another hitch and did a West-Pac.

Howard · Chief

Gary,
I hope you show those bunk spaces photo to the Navy Kids of today!! Talk about roughin it.... Those Jar Heads would think they were at the Hilton though!!

What Channel Island is that?? If you were coming out of Port Hueneme you got a shot of 6 of the 8 Channel Islands. Several of the Bunny Huggers have hats to commemorate that they been on all 8 Channel Islands. We had a contract Helo pilot who had been on all 8.

Have fun at the reunion in Oct. Maybe we can get together for a SoCal Mini reunion!!
Remember you were at Crows Landing & so was I. In 4 years [2 @ Crows 1 @ Midway] I spent less than 40 days at sea on a ship [USS New Orleans] we went from SD to Okanawa & back [Sept. to Dec. 71] Stood more watches in that time than all 3 + years prior.

Howard notworthy

Midway Sailor · Forum Admin

The Waddell was quite a vessel GaryE. biggrin

gedstrom · Second Class

When leaving Midway Island in March, 1975, I was transferred to the USS Waddell (DDG-24). I only had 11 months left in the Navy when I left Midway. After taking a full 60 days leave, I only had 9 months left when I reported aboard the Waddell undergoing overhaul at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard.

We didn't get out of the shipyards until November, 1975 when I had only 2 months left. So, out of 6 years in the Navy, I only spent about 30 days total at sea aboard a ship! And out of 6 years in the Navy, 5 of them were spent right here in California.

For some reason, I didn't take many pictures aboard the ship. These 16 pictures are all the pictures I have. I have printed all of them and will take them to the Waddell reunion in San Diego in October.

http://gbe.dynip.com/USS_Waddell_DDG24

-- Edited by gedstrom at 16:24, 2008-04-06